Over the years that I have had the privilege of working with the Jo Sonja ’ s Acrylic paints many people have often asked me about whether you can mix these gorgeous paints and mediums with other makes .
Sometime ago I wrote an article about just this question and recently I tried to find the article , but it has long since disappeared . So here goes , I am going to try to address the question again .
The Jo Sonja ’ s Acrylic painting system is a complete system from preparation to finish . If you use the whole system as described in any of the literature and online , you will have a guaranteed finish that will last far more than a lifetime . The paints and mediums are tested and proven to be fully archival and carry the highest light fast rating . This statement has been proved by placing items in the deserts of Australia , where they have been left outside in stupidly hot and sunny conditions for years .
In order to be assured of this longevity you do need to use the whole system from start to finish .
So , now I go back to the question ‘ what happens if I mix different makes of paint and mediums ?’ To answer this , I am going to start by explaining how Acrylic paint is manufactured . The following article has been copied directly from Wikipedia and gives the definition of Acrylic paint :
‘ Acrylic paint is a fast-drying paint made of pigment suspended in acrylic polymer emulsion . Acrylic paints are water-soluble , but become waterresistant when dry . Depending on how much the paint is diluted with water , or modified with acrylic gels , mediums , or pastes , the finished acrylic painting can resemble a watercolour or an oil painting , or have its own unique characteristics not attainable with other media .[ 1 ] Acrylic paint is typically used for crafting , or in art classes in schools because it does not require any chemicals , and rinses away with just water .. It also is less likely to leave a stain on clothes than oil paint .’
The two important parts in the Wikipedia explanation are the words ‘ Acrylic Polymer Emulsion ’ and ‘ Pigment ’.