A J Ludlow Impasto Watercolour Medium

Impasto Medium is just one of the Watercolour Mediums to complement the A J Ludlow Professional Watercolour range. Made in the UK using the same fine quality materials we use to make our watercolours; this medium has been created to give an additional dimension and creativity to the artist.

Our impasto medium reduces flow and thickens watercolour to allow it to be applied thickly to the watercolour paper.

It is a translucent gel medium, which can be used pure or mixed with moist watercolour. It can also be mixed with dry texturing agents and sparkle pigments to produce interesting 3D effects.

Suitable for techniques with a spatula and can be overpainted with watercolour after drying. Drying time will depend on the thickness of the film.

Detail from a watercolour painting by Carmen Renwick

Impasto medium is great for sgraffito techniques. Sgraffito is a decorative technique, generally done in plaster or in slip on ceramics prior to firing, it involves the scratching through a surface to reveal a lower layer. In the watercolour painting above by Carmen Renwick, white gouache has been mixed with the impasto gel and applied over a violet wash. Scratching through the white layer, reveals the contrasting violet.

An example of using the A J Ludlow Impasto Medium in a watercolour painting: In the watercolour “Lustrous Poppies” by Meiru Ludlow (shown below), she has created a 3D effect using the A J Ludlow Impasto Medium.

“Lustrous Poppies” by Meiru Ludlow

The work has been created on 300gsm “Black Black” paper from Fabriano and painted using a palette knife. Watercolours from the A J Ludlow Professional Watercolour range have been conventionally painted on top of the dry impasto medium in some areas, whilst in others, they have been mixed into the impasto gel first before applying by palette knife.

Detail from the watercolour painting by Meiru Ludlow

These notes are meant for guidance only and by no means, should have a limiting effect on the user’s inspiration or creativity. So how will you use this watercolour medium?