Does Gel medium stay tacky ?

by Marcy Smith
(Wagga, Australia)

Mixed Media Art Questions
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Is it normal for gel medium to stay a little tacky? I have been using Jo sonias so its a pretty good brand? Should I have used a varnish or other medium over it to prevent the sticky comments!? LOL
Thanks for any info :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mixed Media Art Questions answered by Milliande
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hi Marcy

and thanks for your question

~ I find that it depends on the type of gel medium used

~ I am not familiar with the jo sonia brand of gelmedium although I have used her acrylic paint

~ I mainly used Golden Gel medium ..and have found that depending on whehter it is matte or soft gel medium, gloss or semi ..the all have slightly different drying times

~ different acrylic gel mediums also react different to humidity ...If I work in winter in my garden art studio .. the gel medium reacts differently to when i create my art in summer..when it dires faster and does not tend to be so sticky ...

~ I find that also it depends on how thick the gle medium is applied... for a thin layer to cover lets say a mixed media paper collage... if applied with a flat brushed, then i uses golden matte medium and it dires pretty even and non tacky ..

~ If however I use soft gel medium for a gel medium transfer.. then the stickyness or tackiness of the gle medium actually helps to adhere the acrylic transfer from the paper to the gel .

~ I think in the end it is about finding the right medium that suits your purpose, what you are trying to achieve in your artwork etc ...

~ if you have any more questions... feel free to me more specific and i will try my best to help

♥ milliande