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Hi Nam,
Can you tell me the difference between the Interference (fine), Interference Oxide (BS) and the Interference Oxide (YS)?
Which one do you use? And which did you use on your Copper Fern Emperor, Labradorite Griffin and the Sun Griffin?
Also in two different threads you mention Golden GAC Acrylic Polymer Medium but one is 100 the other 200. Which one do you use?
Sorry for all the questions… 😳Blackdesertwind wrote:Hi Nam,
Can you tell me the difference between the Interference (fine), Interference Oxide (BS) and the Interference Oxide (YS)?
Which one do you use? And which did you use on your Copper Fern Emperor, Labradorite Griffin and the Sun Griffin?
Also in two different threads you mention Golden GAC Acrylic Polymer Medium but one is 100 the other 200. Which one do you use?
Sorry for all the questions… 😳Sorry about that, I’ve been way busy!
Interference fine refers, I believe, to the size of the mica particulate suspended in the acrylic. Essentially it means that it won’t be grainy and will apply more smoothly.
Interference Oxide paints come in many colors. It means that instead of having a while/clear/milky base with a flas of interference color, it has a colored base coat. For example, Interference Oxide Red has a rusty normal paint color, and the ‘interference’ flash is red. Interference Oxide Green has a rusty colored paint color, with a green interference flash.
YS = Yellow Shade. This means the green is closer to the yellow end of the specturm. It’s a warmer green.
BS = Blue Shade. This means the green is closer to the blue end of the spectrum. It’s a cooler green.
Both YS and BS Interference Oxide Green have a rusty colored base color. Hence they are called “Oxide” because they look as if the color has oxidized or rusted. I have all of the interference paints and have used them all at one point or another!
The Copper Fern Emperor has no interference paints on him. All of his colors were achieved with very transparent coats of normal paint done in lots of layers, and mica pigments applied in many, many, many layers.
The Labradorite Griffins have Interference Blue Fine to cause their flashes.
The Sun Griffin, I cannot remember exactly. I think he had Interference Oxide Green (YS).
I always use GAC 100, as it is the best I’ve found for painting on Windstones.
Hope this helps!
Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.comThank you Nam for the information…I know you are real busy with the move and all.
I really appreciate this. 😀That’s some cool info! I’ve never actually bought any interference paints yet because I was slightly boggled by the different kinds…I kinda sat there with a, “huh???” expression and stuck with my metallics! 😆 😳
Blackdesertwind wrote:Nam what colors do you use most in Golden Brand Paints and Interference Paints?
All of them!! No, really… I use all of them. It was a very expensive start. I love to blend my own colors, which is good in that they are usually very unique, but bad because it makes them hard for me to replicate if I need to do more than one (hence the color variation in the Labradorite griffins).
Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.compurplecat wrote:That’s some cool info! I’ve never actually bought any interference paints yet because I was slightly boggled by the different kinds…I kinda sat there with a, “huh???” expression and stuck with my metallics! 😆 😳
I know how you feel! That is what happened to me 2 weeks ago when I went to Wallack’s. I just stood there and said to myself ‘OK I need advice from Nam’ 😆 I don’t know what colors to get in interference and Golden Brand Paints…
Nambroth wrote:Blackdesertwind wrote:Nam what colors do you use most in Golden Brand Paints and Interference Paints?
All of them!! No, really… I use all of them. It was a very expensive start. I love to blend my own colors, which is good in that they are usually very unique, but bad because it makes them hard for me to replicate if I need to do more than one (hence the color variation in the Labradorite griffins).
Basicly you would need a journal on all your color mix so you could keep up 😆 I really like the color on the hip of the Labradorite Female griffinsBlackdesertwind wrote:Nambroth wrote:Blackdesertwind wrote:Nam what colors do you use most in Golden Brand Paints and Interference Paints?
All of them!! No, really… I use all of them. It was a very expensive start. I love to blend my own colors, which is good in that they are usually very unique, but bad because it makes them hard for me to replicate if I need to do more than one (hence the color variation in the Labradorite griffins).
Basicly you would need a journal on all your color mix so you could keep up 😆 I really like the color on the hip of the Labradorite Female griffinsThat was titan buff, payne’s grey, burnt umber light, ultramarine blue, and a few others… can’t remember them all at the moment. I’d have to mix some!
Volunteer mod- I'm here to help! Email me for the best response: nambroth at gmail.com
My art: featherdust.comBumping this thread cause I have a question about interference! 😀
Nambroth, what interference do you normally use? I mean, do you use the “fine” or “course” type? Right now, I only have the “fine” interference from Liquitex. I don’t know why, but I REALLY want to try the course stuff. Do you have any experience with it, and if so, good or bad or opinions?
Thanks!Kujacker wrote:Bumping this thread cause I have a question about interference! 😀
Nambroth, what interference do you normally use? I mean, do you use the “fine” or “course” type? Right now, I only have the “fine” interference from Liquitex. I don’t know why, but I REALLY want to try the course stuff. Do you have any experience with it, and if so, good or bad or opinions?
Thanks!
I don’t know if this would help but here is a quote from Nam about the brands she uses: 😀Nambroth wrote:Hi folks! I’ve been getting more questions as of late about the brands I use and the specifics on those. I’d like to go over them real quickly in one spot. A lot of this is a repeat of what we have discussed in other threads, but at this time they’re scattered all over the board and kinda hard to dig up. A little bit of this is tongue-in-cheek, because I feel silly writing some of it (some should be obvious buuut).
These are just personal recommendations since I’ve been painting these pretty non-stop since early April (’06). Please be welcome to share your personal painting experiences- it’s important to remember that everyone tends to have a different style and approach things differently. What works for me might not work for everyone. Just please make sure any information you post is factual (for example I had someone trying to argue that Windstones were made of ceramic with me before which is not true!). I’d also politely ask that questions are welcome but please keep the casual chatting off of this thread so that visitors can get the information they need quickly. Thank you!!
These are the questions I get asked the most:
– What are interference paints (where can I get them, etc)?
When we (Melody and myself) refer to ‘interference paint’ in the online tutorial, we mean specifically the Golden brand of acrylic paints called interference paint. There may be other brands that produce paints like this, but we recommended the Golden brand because it’s what we have had experience with and we know the kind of results you can get with it. Here is a link to Golden’s website that shows all the different
interference colors they produce:
http://www.goldenpaints.com/products/color/fluid/fldinter1.phpI like to use the “Fluid interference colors”. The term fluid refers to the viscosity of the paint- indeed the fluid paint is of a thick liquid consistency (kinda like a thick cream). I find that this ‘fluid’ paint is easier to brush on for subtle effects. Golden also produces a line of heavy ‘body’ acrylics. This basically means that the paints are very thick and ‘stiff’… great for abstract artists to throw onto canvas, but usually not too good for painting PYO Windstones. It’s thick and stiff and you could probably beat people with it once it dries (not suggested!). That’s why I’d recommend the ‘fluid’. Be mindful that because it is thin it can dry quickly. Also a word on the interference paint itself for when you start to paint; the shimmer it causes is created by tiny metallic flakes in the paint… that is why the interference paint looks milky when it comes out of the tube. This milky look is caused by the binder that holds the paint together. You will get the best results if you thin the paint with a thinner specifically produced for acrylic paint (try not to use water too much to thin your paint, because this seems to cause the paint to flake off of the PYO Windstones). Then brush the interference paint on in several thin layers. A little goes a long way; I’ve been using my little 1oz jars of it for 6 months now and haven’t run out! If you use too much of it or paint it on too thick, you will get a milky look. This can be neat if you want a pearly effect, but less than amusing when trying to add a subtle sheen to feathertips… (Haha, oops!)
That said you don’t even need to use them alone. You can mix them with similar colors of normal paint (I try not to mix different brands together, because I like to make sure the paint binds to itself well. This may be a false concern of mine because acrylics are polymer based but I like to play it safe). For example, if you want a nice shimmery blue, you can mix 1 part interference blue to one part ultramarine blue (or whatever blue!) to get that slightly shimmery car paint job finish. Experiment on a sheet of paper and see what happens. Also a note- interference paints show their ‘color’ much brighter on DARK surfaces such as black (you can appreciate this effect when looking at the wings of the Black Male Griffin Windstone…). Their effects over LIGHT are more subtle and you get more of the ‘flash’.
Golden interference paints can be a little more expensive than craft paints, and may be harder to find as usually only art supply stores carry them. If you can’t find them locally try searching for Golden Fluid Interference colors online. I sometimes pick mine up off of eBay of all places!
Nambroth wrote:These are what I’ve used, and my experience with them (I also graded them, 1-5, 1=poor, 5=best):
Golden Brand Paints (fluid colors) – These are what I recommend for experienced painters, and overall give the most professional finish. They are tried and true by the Factory, are archival and overall very nice. The fluid colors can be used, if mixed properly in an airbrush or painted with brushes. They look best in many thin layers, and a little goes a long way. The interference colors do amazing things and are well worth experimenting with.
Cost= 1.5 Not the most expensive paint, but they are pricey!
Quality= 5 Very pleased with the quality of the pigment
Color= 5 The most vivid and well pigmented acrylics I’ve used
Longevity= 4-5 You can look up each color’s rating, but these paints are archival
Ease of use= 3-4 They can be a little tricky for beginners because they are thin.
Availability= 2 Usually only higher end art stores will stock this regularly (be warned- ‘old’ paint is not worth your money!) and most people, myself included, must order it online.
Liquitex Soft body acrylics – These paints are, in a word, buttery! These are a great ‘art’ grade paint to start with because they are so creamy and easy to apply. They blend very well when mixed with an extender or retarder as well. The only thing you need to be careful of is to not apply them too thick or they might start filling in the details on your PYO. Also be sure that you get the ‘soft body’, the heavy body acrylics are WAY thick.
Cost= 2-3 Not as expensive as Golden, but still kinda pricey, and you usually have to get larger containers.
Quality= 4.5-5 Very nice, creamy paints. Excellent for normal acrylic painting as well.
Color= 4.5-5 Some wonderful pigments, nothing seems too washed out or dull. They don’t offer the range of interference paints that Golden does.
Longevity= 5 Another fine archival paint.
Ease of use= 4-5 Okay for beginners, great for experienced painters.
Availability= 3-4 You can find this paint at most art supply stores, and it’s easy to find online.Delta Ceramcoat Craft acrylic – As part of my work in making the tutorial and trying out an array of paints that might get used on PYOs, I was told to get the most inexpensive paint I could find and use it on some PYOs to see how it worked. I found this paint for $0.49 per bottle so I figured that was about as inexpensive as they came. These paints are by no means terrible- and if you want a cheap way to goof around and paint a few things, there is nothing wrong with them. But the colors are not nearly as well pigmented as the ‘art grade’ acrylics, they tend to be a little chalky, there is no gloss, and I don’t know how they make their polymer binder but it’s very flat and watery. Many more coats are needed to get a solid color and I found that the paint sometimes flaked off the PYO if I tried to paint over it.
Cost= 5 I don’t think you can beat the price for these!
Quality= 1-2 Definitely not as nice as an ‘art grade’ acrylic
Color= 2-3 Not horrible, not not real good. Okay.
Longevity= Unknown. Though the ones I painted over a year ago look okay, there is some minor flaking in some spots.
Ease of use= 3-5 Easy to use because you can kinda slather it on. A pain if you try to get fancy and do thin layers (it tried to flake on me)
Availability= 5 This is a paint carried by many craft stores.Apple Barrel Craft Acrylic Paint – This is, I believe, a medium to high end craft grade acrylic. It’s more costly than the Ceramcoat, but still less than the ‘art grade’ acrylics. These might be good for a beginner that doesn’t want to spend a lot on expensive paints, but still wants a nice result. Or even if you just want to paint one PYO and don’t want to invest a lot into it. The colors overall are a bit nicer, they don’t look as flat and lifeless. I still had a minor flaking issue when trying very thin coats, but it was a lot better than the Ceramcoat paints.
Cost= 3-4.5 You can get a good selection of colors for what 2-3 bottles of Golden paint would cost you. Not bad at all.
Quality= 3-4 These paints aren’t half bad. Still a little flat and not quite as high quality as an art acrylic, they are pretty creamy and nice to use.
Color= 3-4 Mid range. Not as nice as Golden or Liquitex but for the price, not bad at all.
Longevity= Unknown
Ease of use= 4-5 Good for beginners and more experienced people.
Availability= 5 Again, most craft stores and even craft sections of other stores stock this paint.
Golden GAC 200 Acrylic Polymer Medium – I use this ALL the time! This is a mixing medium, it’s clear and dries clear. You can mix it into any color to increase transparency (for thin washes of color to build vibrancy), to thin the paint, or just make “more” of a color. It adds a slight gloss to the paint and is so nice.
Cost= 3.5-4 You can usually get a good 8 oz (I’ve been using my 8oz bottle for 1.5 years and still have some!) for under $8.00 so it’s not bad at all.
Quality= 5 All Golden Brand products impress me so far!
Longevity= 5 Archival product
Ease of Use= 3 Sometimes makes the paint tacky and requires extra drying time. Glossy-ness is harder to paint over.Golden Acrylic Retarder
and
Liquitex Fluid Retarder / Liquitex Slow-Dri Fluid retarder – I’m lumping these two together because I have noticed no difference in performance. They are both excellent fluid retarders and extend the drying time of the paint quite a bit. This makes it easier to blend and keeps it from drying while you are still applying it. You must be careful not to use too much or the paint will never dry! Follow the instructions on the bottle.
Cost= 3 A little pricey but a little goes a long way. I’m still using my 4oz bottles from 2 years ago.
Quality= 5 I’ve been very pleased with these two products. I haven’t had any problems!
Longevity= Unknown, presumed archival
Ease of use= 3-4 Possibly not easy right off the bat- care must be taken not to add too much retarder to paint. Extends drying time which is good and bad (don’t touch the wet paint)
Availability= Only higher end art supply stores seem to carry this, and then only sometimes. I have to order online.Liquitex Gloss Medium (also known as gloss medium varnish ) – This works well to blend into your paint. It’s not a varnish at all (varnishes can be removed… this can NOT!) but a clear gel that you can use by itself or in paint. It dries clear and glossy. You can mix this into your paint to make it shinier, increase transparency, or use it by itself to add a shine just to certain areas (like scales, or a beak). Note that it stays tacky for a long time: sometimes weeks.
Cost= 3-4 A little costly, especially since most projects only require a little. But it lasts a long time.
Quality= 4-5 Very pleased, though I wish drying times were shorter.
Longevity= 5 Archival
Ease of use= 4-5 Easy to use, just beware of drying times
Availability= 2 Most higher end art stores will carry this, but you may have to order online.
Decoart Staining and Antiquing Medium – This is the only reasonably priced clear antiquing medium I could find. Good thing it works well! This is a thick, clear gel you add to any color paint to make it an antiquing medium. It slows down the drying time of the paint so you can antique with it better, and makes it more viscous so that it ‘sticks’ in the recesses of the PYO better. Antiquing is never EASY, but this makes it a little less of a pain.
Cost= 4 This stuff is pretty inexpensive, but you usually go through it kinda fast since it’s so thick.
Quality= 4.5 I have no complaints- it does its job!
Longevity= Unknown, presumed archival
Ease of Use= 2-3 Antiquing is NEVER easy and takes some practice, but this product makes it a little more tolerable.
Availability= 1 I have never found this in a store and always order it online.Monarch 23k Gold leaf (Patent) – Gold leafing is messy, a big pain in the butt, wasteful, and frustrating. But if you want to try it and want to use genuine gold, this is probably the way to start. Each sheet is attached to tissue paper and won’t come off unless you touch it to the sizing or something wet (like your tongue).
Cost= 1 This is expensive, make no mistake. Be prepared to pay at least $50 for a book of 25 4″ squares.
Quality= 5 Hard to get a higher quality gold!
Longevity= 5 Gold this pure will never tarnish or oxidize.
Ease of Use= 1 Pain in the butt!!
Availability= 1 Some high end art stores might carry or order it for you, but this is a specialty item.
Kalish Strong Synthetic Brushes – These are the brushes I use for painting my PYOs/Windstones. These hold up to the abuse of being raked across gypsum with paint in them (this is actually a lot more abrasive than you’d think!) better than any other brush I’ve used. They wash up well and hold their shape. But, due to the cost, they are a bit unnecessary if you just do one or two for fun. These are for more serious painters.
Cost= 2 Not as expensive as high end natural hair brushes, but they cost a good bit more than ones you’d find at a craft store.
Quality= 5 Best I’ve used for acrylic and Windstones.
Longevity= 4 With proper care (emphasis on proper) they should last you a while.
Ease of Use= 5 Very forgiving brushes.
Availability= 1 I think you have to order these online or via phone.Gary Bowen’s “Eye Protect” – This is a latex-based masking fluid specifically designed for taxidermy work and masking off glass eyes from paint overspray. It works amazingly well! It always peels off easily, dries fast, and protects the glass eyes on my PYOs perfectly.
Cost= 3 A little expensive, only worth it if you do a lot of PYOs.
Quality= 5 perfect!
Ease of Use= 4 care must be taken when applying it, and you gotta use a junk brush, but other than that it’s a dream to use.
Availability= 1 I’ve only ever found it at online Taxidermy stores.
Krylon Acrylic Crystal Clear Finish (comes in gloss, satin, and matte) – I use this to finish all my pieces. I’ve never had it run or drip, it’s non yellowing (archival) and bonds well with the acrylic paint. It comes in a can like spray paint.
Cost= 4-5 Not expensive for what you get!
Quality= 4-5 I’ve never had a problem, perfect!
Longevity= 5 Archival.
Ease of Use= 3-5 Depending on experience this is a breeze. Just follow the instructions on the can, don’t be impatient, and use on the right kind of day (not too humid, not too cold or hot). Allow to dry properly and don’t breathe it, and you’re good to go!
Availability= 5 Found in most art supply, craft, home improvement, hardware and mega-stores.Whew! I know I’ve used other stuff but my brain is going numb, I’ll add more later if I can!
No, I’ve read thru all that. She doesn’t mention with she uses, fine or course. That’s what I wanted to know 🙂 I’m assuming she uses fine, but I want to know if she has any experience with the course interference.
Kujacker wrote:No, I’ve read thru all that. She doesn’t mention with she uses, fine or course. That’s what I wanted to know 🙂 I’m assuming she uses fine, but I want to know if she has any experience with the course interference.
She wrote this to me:
Nambroth wrote:The Labradorite Griffins have Interference Blue Fine to cause their flashes.
The Sun Griffin, I cannot remember exactly. I think he had Interference Oxide Green (YS). Hope this helps!
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