If you've ever wondered how to make your acrylics flow like ink, dry slower, or build up into thick, sculptural peaks, the answer is simpler than you might think: it's all in the medium.
Acrylic mediums are a game-changer. They let you modify how your paint behaves without changing its colour. Whether you're a fine detail specialist, a texture enthusiast, or diving into the world of fluid art, the right medium can completely transform your results.
At Art Supplies Australia, we stock a wide range of professional mediums from trusted brands including Matisse, Derivan, Atelier, Liquitex, and Jo Sonja's each formulated for specific techniques and effects.
What Is an Acrylic Medium?
Put simply, an acrylic medium is a binder-based additive. It's mixed with your paint to alter key properties like:
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Drying time
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Transparency and opacity
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Texture and body
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Flow and levelling
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Final surface finish (gloss or matte)
Unlike thinning with water, which can break down the binder and weaken the paint film, mediums maintain the integrity, adhesion, and longevity of your artwork.
Your Guide to Acrylic Mediums
Here's a breakdown of the most common types and what they're best for.
Gloss Medium
Best for: Adding shine, increasing transparency, and deepening colour.
Gloss mediums are perfect for glazing techniques, layering transparent washes, and achieving that luminous, vibrant finish. They dry clear and are ideal for creating depth in your work.
Shop our Gloss Mediums:
Matte Medium
Best for: A flat, non-reflective finish.
If you prefer a contemporary, ultra-matte look, matte medium is your go-to. It's ideal for illustration, mixed media, and any piece where you want to avoid glare. Mix it with acrylic colours for completely matte, dull effects and a non-reflecting finish.
Shop our Matte Mediums:
Gel Medium
Best for: Adding body, texture, and extending colour.
Gel mediums come in various consistencies (from soft to heavy). They're brilliant for impasto work, palette knife painting, and building rich surface texture without losing colour strength. Gels are transparent and increase body, making them perfect for creating visible brushstrokes.
Shop our Gel Mediums:
Pouring Medium
Best for: Fluid art, cells, and seamless pours.
Designed specifically for acrylic pouring, this medium ensures smooth, even flow and helps create those iconic cells and lacing effects.
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Flow Medium
Best for: Fine detail and smooth, ink-like application.
Flow medium improves brush glide and levelling while maintaining paint adhesion—perfect for detailed work, line art, and airbrushing. For Jo Sonja's paints, most airbrush artists use approximately 3 parts flow mediums to one part paint.
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Retarder Medium
Best for: Slowing drying time for blending.
In hot or dry climates (or just when you need more working time), a retarder slows the drying process. This is essential for wet-on-wet blending and soft gradients.
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🪨 Modelling Paste
Best for: Heavy texture and sculptural surfaces.
Modelling paste is a thick, opaque paste that dries to a hard, sculptable surface. It's fantastic for adding dramatic texture, building relief, or creating a rough canvas ground. Pastes can build high textures and are often used as painting grounds.
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Textile Medium
Best for: Turning acrylic paint into permanent fabric paint.
Jo Sonja's Textile Medium is a unique offering in this space. Mix equal parts textile medium with acrylic paint to create soft, supple fabric paint that becomes permanent when dried and heat-set. It's suitable for natural, non-synthetic fabrics only—a minimum of 50% cotton fibre content is recommended for best adhesion.
Shop Textile Mediums:
Quick Reference: Which Medium Should You Use?
| Your Goal | Recommended Medium |
|---|---|
| Shine, depth, and glazing | Gloss Medium |
| Flat, non-reflective finish | Matte Medium |
| Heavy texture and impasto | Gel Medium or Modelling Paste |
| Slower drying for blending | Retarder or Atelier Interactive |
| Smooth, fine brushwork | Flow Medium |
| Fluid art and pouring | Pouring Medium |
| Painting on fabric | Jo Sonja's Textile Medium |
Final Thoughts
Choosing the right acrylic medium isn't just about changing your paint—it's about unlocking new possibilities. Whether you're working with Matisse, Derivan, Atelier, Liquitex, or Jo Sonja's, the right additive gives you greater control, richer texture, and more expression in every brushstroke.
Ready to experiment? Explore our full range of acrylic mediums and find the perfect match for your next project.
