This is an artwork for home. I wanted something large to compliment an earlier work. The final work is slightly browner with some gloss added. If you ever want to add a little shine to your artwork. Add a gloss to polish off your art piece. I used a Gloss Acrylic Medium. You can find it at most art supply stores or online.

This type of medium can be mixed with different acrylic paint colors to give your matte paint a glossy-er look. Or you can add just a bit of color to the gloss for a varnish. Not all glosses are built for oils or acrylics so read the labels to make sure you get the right kind of gloss for your project.

These glosses come in a variety of shines, from low to high. The gloss even comes thinner or thicker depending on what your project calls for. The gloss can even give your acrylic paints a heavy body, for example thicken the paint and add texture. If you look closely at the cactus painting below, you can see the application of the gloss reflecting light. You can even see the paint brush strokes. I enjoy this type of look. Some glosses act as a protective coating too. You can do so much with gloss. Try it out sometime!

Kymberli's Art Blog acrylic painting gloss kymberli tips