Soft gel gloss

I just got a jar of Golden acrylic medium soft gel gloss. Here is a brief demonstration video from the manufacturer.

I am excited to use this for layered applications of transparent medium. I did a test application of the gel medium with neon orange acrylic paint. I made sure there was texture! Because I applied so much, it will take 12 hours or more for it to fully dry. The gel is white in the jar, but dries completely transparent. The gel is used to extend colors since it is essentially paint without the pigment.

The gel dries clear - can you spot it on the left sheet?

Once the gel dries I want to glaze it with oil paint. I wonder if the peaks and valleys will cause more concentration of paint at the bottom. I am hoping I can use the gel’s transparency to achieve subtractive light effects.

My mind is buzzing with ideas. Could I use gel medium as a substitute for resin? I would love to do some mold casting, if it would work. I would love to do something like layered resin art, using acrylic gel medium. I don’t mind waiting for it to dry in between. I could add dried pressed flowers or other material to the gel.

Can I put the gel on acrylic or glass?  Imagine a lamp with a light that makes the picture light up. It could also look cool on a window as a mini stained glass piece.

How could I manipulate the medium once it’s dried? I wonder if I could carve up the peaks like rock crystal. Where’s my razor blade?

 - Update -

I love how it dries clear. My test application has dried, so I tried painting over it with acrylic, which didn’t seem to stick. Next, I tried glazing it with water mixable oil, which was more successful. The color I picked was alizarin crimson, because I figured it’d look good with neon orange underneath. And, well, it looks pretty gross. If I ever want to do a horror piece, now I know!

Next, I would love to try layering with transparent acrylic pigments. I am dying to know if I could put this in a cast mold. I also experimented with glitter and mica powder. The mica powder turned the gel fairly solid color, but I need it to dry before I can say for sure. If I could use this gel in a old, and mix it with  glitter or other materials, that could look super cool! I would need to use a very small application of pigment to keep the gel a clear consistency. The final layer would be oil paint, since you aren’t supposed to use the gel as a top coat (I have to look that up). I love the idea of using the gel as a 3-dimensional texture for my paintings. Nothing over the top, but enough to add character. I want my paintings to look clear and gem-like. In the meantime, I should revisit my favorite resin art videos on Youtube for inspiration. I’d love to add glitter. I wonder if I could mix this with ink? Just found this interesting blog post. 

Keep reading to see what the gel gloss looked like after I painted over it. Warning: it is gross. Might make good Halloween decoration.

I may have a future career in the horror department...