You'll get an Oscar for Special Effects! *Free Tutorial*

I first started working with golden interference acrylic paint back when I was writing my book with Chris Cozen, in 2013. If you have a copy of Acrylic Solutions handy, I’m talking about page 114. Back then we tried to illustrate how a handful of the colors reacted over the same painted image. Let’s take another look at some of the ways we can use interference paint.

Practice board featuring different examples of Interference Paint.

The easiest effect that you can create with the interference paint is to use it directly on top of dried acrylic paint. It’s super helpful to paint a practice board and notice how the different colors react when they’re placed on top of other colors. If you look at the graphic above, you can notice that swash A, interference violet, appears different on the blue and as it moves to the upper right when it lands on top of the black paint near letter D. Super exciting!

I also like to use interference color mixed in with colors that I am working with. In the graphic, you can see this on letter F. Letter F is demonstrating interference gold mixed into Pyrrole Red paint. Above F is a simple swatch of just pure red paint. Notice the difference between the two reds now that the interference is mixed in.

Interference paint shouldn’t be confused with iridescent paint. Notice letter C where I have iridescent gold painted across the middle to the right of the test area. The interference gold on the other hand is going to look much more transparent until it hits the light where you can see the magic happen. The iridescent gold is kind of always there.

Here are some things you can note on the test graphic.

A: Interference Violet

B: Interference Blue is very exciting when it is placed over that little black area!

C: Iridescent Gold. Iridescent Gold is always visible, whereas Interference Gold needs light to hit it to be fully visible.

D: Interference Violet over black. Super cool!

E: Interference gold patch placed over straight Pyrrole Red (top) as well as over Pyrrole Red mixed with Interference Gold. The Interference Gold almost reacts better over a more vibrant color.

F: Pyrrole Red mixed with Interference Gold on the palette first and then applied to the board.

G: An exciting patch of Interference Blue over black paint.

However you use it, Interference paint always adds a touch of drama to your paintings. Will you be trying some? Let me know how you use it in the comments below!

Please click here to see the Special Effect video that accompanies this article.