I used my pigments for the first time and my only regret is that I didn't just get the sample pack to start with. A little bit goes a long way, and the first color I tested with was so lovely now I want them all!
The product itself works well. However, the cap on the 8oz bottle almost immediately broke when I accidentally over-tightened it. Personally I'd love to have more guidance on how to use/dispose of this properly. But overall I am pleased with my purchase
I am very new to mixing my own inks (for block printing) and WOW -- this tool made it very easy, and I'm extremely pleased with the results. Beautiful color, smooth ink, and best of all -- the inks don't dry out in 10 minutes like the typical pre-mixed variety!
I have not used this for making paint, but I use the palette and knife everyday for oil painting. You can tell these are high quality materials. I think the knife will last a good long time. I really am hard on it. The palette fits inside the Masterson's Artist Palette Seal container with the blue lid. I put some clove oil on a cotton pad in there when I seal it up to make the paint stay wet longer. Don't let it touch your paint or it will never dry, though!
This is a great replacement for gloss medium with very few differences. First, do realize it is extremely glossy. If you don't want that, I would look at their new matte medium. It is also possible you could mix the two to get your desired sheen. One reviewer noted that it stays sticky even after 24 hours. It is VERY sticky when wet and does remain a bit "sticky" after it dries. I did find that it becomes less so as time goes on. I like to use it to bring a rich gloss to the paint film and to seal layers that I have either watered down too much or use a dry medium like pastel. I have also found that it is useful for making your own paint. Until they come up with a warm yellow, I have gotten an diarylide yellow aqueous dispersion from another company to easily mix with it. Powdered pigments are generally hydrophobic and thus it takes more effort to mull it into the medium. But the dispersions come pre-wetted so to speak. It has helped to round out my color selection. I find the jar too difficult for my hands to open after use, so I decant it into old vitamin bottles. But using it from squeeze bottles has been a game changer. Looking forward to trying the new matte version! I'll be posting my reviews on a lot of their products on my Youtube channel soon. https://www.youtube.com/@ArtBreathPaintAir
I was hunting for a natural, plant derived varnished. I was thrilled to find it and use it often to seal natural materials like leaves. It works perfectly!