The Bottom Line
Overall I liked Atelier Interactive acrylics: the colors were intense; the paint didn't smell strongly; it applied smoothly; colors mixed together thoroughly and easily; and there was more time to blend colors.
- You can extend the working time of the paint by rewetting it before it's totally dry.
- Special "unlocking" medium available for "re-opening" touch-dry paint.
- 75 colors produced, including hues of some of the more expensive colors.
- Range of mediums available, from impasto gel to fast fixer.
- Some color shift between wet and dry paint.
Description
- Atelier Interactive Artists' Acrylics are made in Australia by Chroma, and distributed worldwide.
- All colors available in 80ml tubes and 250ml jars, and some in one-litre jars.
- Dries to a satin or semi-gloss finish, not highly glossy and shiny.
- All acrylic paints conform to ASTM D4236 product safety requirements.
Guide Review - Acrylic Paint Review: Atelier Interactive Artists' Acrylics
One of the things I love about acrylic paints is their rapid drying time. But sometimes it can be a problem, especially if I'm trying to blend colors and haven't worked fast enough. So I was intrigued by the Chroma's claim that its Atelier Interactive acrylics enables you to rehydrate (rewet) the paint to facilitate working wet-in-wet.
The sample colors Chroma sent were titanium white, Prussian blue hue, cobalt turquoise light hue, cerulean blue hue, French ultramarine hue, and toning grey yellowish. Straight from the tube the paint has a soft butter consistency that holds brushmarks well, but spreads easily.
The opaque colors were most definitely opaque, with a very strong covering power, while the transparent (Prussian blue) behaved just as I'd expect and were great for glazing, i.e. applied thickly you can make them opaque, but spread thinly they're definitely not (see photo).
In terms of drying time, Atelier Interactive matched what I'd expect from other brands, but by taking a damp brush and going over the paint as it went tacky, the working time was indeed extended as the manufacturer said it would be. And without the paint getting stringy or lumpy or doing anything other than being wet paint.
Getting used to the limits of just how dry the paint can be and how soon it will get to that stage will take some experimentation in your specific conditions. I still need to try the paints with a water mister and the "unlocking medium" Chroma produce, but the potential for smooth, leisurely blending and working wet-in-wet is definitely there.
Working with glazes also took a little adjusting, to ensure that a layer was totally dry before I glazed over it, that it was not going to absorb water from the glaze and reactive itself, ruining the effect. Again, experimentation is the key.
If you want a longer working time, I'd definitely try this brand.
