Help: Is Matisee Structure the same as Atelier Interactive??

Nishart · Joined: 29 Mar 2007 Posts: 116 Location: Victoria

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me if the Matisse Structure Prof. Acrylic Paints has the same slow drying qualities as Atelier Interactive? Do they have the same texture & finish?

These Matisse Structure tubes i bought the other day seem to have a matt finish & dont have any info saying they have a slow drying formula, I am not sure it was what i wanted. The nearest art supplier only had these & reckons its the same formula.

I want to use an acrylic paint that is slow drying & not be forced into using any medium stuffs to improve the use of these Matisse paints i ended up buying.

Any advice would be excellent, thanks...coz if the Matisse Structure is different it will guide me on whether to get a refund on these tubes & get the Atelier instead Smile

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gggraph

Hi Nichelle - Matisse Structure is NOT the same as Atalier interactive. The structure paints have thickener mixed with them to make them suitable for impasto type effects. They have the same drying characteristics as normal acrylics. (I use the Matise Flow, myself).

Cheers

Grant

Nishart · Joined: 29 Mar 2007 Posts: 116 Location: Victoria

Thanks Grant,

I did wonder about that. Looks like a return visit to the supplier is on the cards. Oh well, I will have to look for the Atelier Interactive somewhere else I guess lol Smile

, know of any fairly priced places in Melbourne that will accept postal orders?

Devilbiss · Joined: 06 Jul 2007 Posts: 3214

Nishart · Joined: 29 Mar 2007 Posts: 116 Location: Victoria

Thanks Devilbiss, I havent checked out the colors & pricing on the Art Shop website yet but i do have it linked thanks to another Art Forum member. Looks like they might be the best way for me to get the Atelier & other supplies. Its hard when you cant find the right supplier for your needs...oh well. You never know till you explore i guess Smile

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gggraph

Hi Nichelle - for what it's worth, the Atelier site (see the link at the front of Art Forum) has a list of stockists - including mail-order and online, plus a downloadable catalogue.

I do know Riot Art stock them - they seem to be fairly cheap for most things, but don't appear to do mail order or online.

Cheers

Grant

Nishart · Joined: 29 Mar 2007 Posts: 116 Location: Victoria

Cool thanks Grant...i will check it out Smile

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I got the refund organised on the Matisse stuff at least Smile

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Nishart · Joined: 29 Mar 2007 Posts: 116 Location: Victoria

Hey Grant...love the new pic lol.

Does anyone know if you need to use a paint extender medium with Atelier Interactive?

Nishart · Joined: 29 Mar 2007 Posts: 116 Location: Victoria

Thanks everyone,

I finally managed to have a look around a few different websites for the Atelier interactive paints, & did some reading up on how they work etc. These paints sounds like exactly what I am looking for. They even have some great mediums & Sealers/Varnishes that look good too. It'll be great to experiment with them once i finally get some. I cant wait to see how different they will be from the average acrylic paints.

One question though: Does anyone know what the Series 1, 2, 3 etc mean? I know they are more expensive the higher the series number but does anyone know what the difference between the different series means?

gggraph

Hi Nichelle -the series number reflects the cost of the pigment. Some pigments (for instance Azo- or silver based compounds) are way more expensive than others, so they divide them into three pricing groups.

Grant

Nishart · Joined: 29 Mar 2007 Posts: 116 Location: Victoria

thanks grant...can i show my lack of knowledge again Smile

?....does that means the higher the series the better quality color, paint etc?

gggraph

I wish it were that simple.... in reality some top quality pigments just happen to be cheaper than others, some stain while others don't, some are more fugitive (less lightfast) than others and so on.

Don't worry about your 'lack of knowledge' - in one of my first postings to this forum I was having great difficulty getting a smooth wash, despite using only top-quality materials. I got huge amount of help and it turned out the colour I had chosen was sedimentary - ie the pigment liked to keep dropping out of the wash so it always looked rough & grainy. Changed to a similar colour but different pigment and the problem went way.

For instance: I have in front of me a tube of Series 1 Prussian Blue :permanence 4, and a tube of Series 3 Permanent Indian Yellow: permanence 3 (!)

Unfortunately, pigments are not designed by lab-coated geeks (most of the time), they have been discovered over a very long time, often in some very strange places and the price just reflects their rarity.

If you want to see just how weird some colour pigments are, look up Saffron, Cochineal or Tyrolean Purple. For something amazingly common, try Lamp Black.

Cheers

Grant

Nishart · Joined: 29 Mar 2007 Posts: 116 Location: Victoria

Thanks Grant, its great to know my lack of knowledge isnt just lack of experience with these paints lol.

I get my first lot of Atelier Interactive paints this week & will attempt to use the sealer & varnish (chroma recommends their invisible varnish with Atelier Interactive paints) for the first time too.

It will be great to see how they feel. I might test them on a board canvas first...that wont produce a different color/effect than compared to a stretched canvas will it?

Anyone used Atelier Interactive Titanium white before? ...any advice as the brochure comments about "Tonal Control" with it...anyone had any probs using it on its own or when mixing it with other Atelier Interactive colors?...I assume its referring to color difference between when its when to when its properly dry?

gggraph

I'm not familiar with the Atelier paints, and I'm a beginner in Acrylics generally... but you may find they are talking about the transparency of the pigment (different whites have different opacities).

So a 'transparent' white would be better for making other colours paler.

Grant

heartco

I use the Atelier paints. I am just getting back into it and am always still learning. As far as I know the number on the paint represents the purity of the pigment. The higher the number the more pigments it has taken to make that colour. The lower the number the more pure it is. Painting with the Interactives is, well, I am learning. I use a plastic palette, and spray the paints with a mist of water to keep the paints from drying. The same can be done on the painting. I use a 'flow' medium for detailed work and a 'slow' medium to extend the drying time. When I pack up for the day I wet paper towel and place it under the palette, spray the palette with a mist of water and wrap it all in cling wrap. The paint will remain usable for days. I have heard, but haven't tried, that putting it the fridge makes it last even longer. There is more info here - http://www.chromaonline.com/chroma/products/atelier_interactive/using_interactive Hope this helps Smile