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Classification of Painting Media Painting media can be classified according to their transparency and opacity of their pigments; opaque or solid colors are the first category which can completely hide what is behind the paint and they are able to cover up an underlying layer. In addition, opaque colors are thickest paints and easiest to control, so the artist can create forms or textures easily. For instance, oil colors belongs to this category when once applied to a canvas or board, it takes time to dry so it gives artist flexibility to start a painting and then come back to it the next day and continue the painting.
The paint on the pallet will still be wet and pliable; also the colors on the canvas can still be blended together. At times, the artist might even remove, change or modify an entire layer of paint with ease if the artist makes a mistake. In brief, opaque colors are cover up colors, so it’s easy to work with them. Secondly, transparent colors are classified as pains that are clear, and weightless. When brushed this category’s color over the other layers, allow the layer underneath to shine through. In addition, transparent colors are thin paint and it’s difficult to use ND control, so the artist has to paint quickly before color dry.
For example, water color belongs to this category and usually painted on paper. Painting with watercolors is somewhat difficult to use, because it dry immediately as applied on paper and the paint changes form as it dries. Unlike oil color, once artist starts to paint, it must be continued to finish it also the amount of color and water must be controlled by artist all the time. In other hand, an artist needs to minimize the chance of error, because watercolors paints don’t have hiding power, so the previous effort cannot simply be minted over.
In conclusion, working with transparent color is difficult because they dry quickly. Finally, semi-transparent colors are classified as paints that have similarity with both first and second categories. Semitransparent paint is not as thick as opaque paint, but it’s thicker than transparent color, so it can be controlled easier than transparent paint. In addition, this category’s paint is very useful in mixed media. Acrylic is typical of this category, and it can be painted on paper, card, canvas, or board whatever you have in your hand.
Acrylics are easy to blend with other color, also easy to control during painting. Acrylic paint is allowing use of pastel, charcoal, and pen on top of the dried acrylic painted surface; moreover, mixing other bodies into the acrylic is possible like sand, thread, and rice may be incorporated in artwork. Acrylics dry quickly and turn into plastic, so if an artist makes a mistake it is easy to wait a few minutes for it to dry and then paint right over the mistake. Consequently, semi-transparent paints have similarity with both opaque paint and transparent paint. By Sherwood