Disclosure:product provided for review purposes. Links below may be affiliate links and CTD will receive a small commission from your purchase. Opinions are 100% our own and based on first-hand experience with the product. Thank you!
Hey crafters! Today I’m excited to show you Ranger’s newest Signature Designer, Dina Wakley’s heavy body acrylic Media paints and fine tip applicator. Let’s get to some basics first; here’s what Ranger has to say about the Media paints.
“Dina Wakley Media Heavy Body Acrylic Paints are artist quality opaque paints available in 13 bold colors plus 3 metallics. Richly pigmented, these paints feature a thick buttery consistency that holds brushstrokes, peaks and tool marks and can be easily smoothed. The paints blend well with other Media colors, creating an endless palette. “
Here’s a video review of the paints for you- it’s about 9 minutes long:
These are definitely creamy, thick paints and unlike the other paints in Ranger’s product line. I’m happy that they are in a tube because paints dry out pretty fast here and being in a tube like this really extends the life of the paints. (Remember those old Heidi Swapp paints in the tube? I still have a few and they still work!) As you can see in the video, they hold their shape and move really well on surfaces. They’re extremely versatile as you can water them down a bunch, use them with a water brush, or just on their own!
I also forgot to mention in the video that when you can’t get anymore by squeezing the tube, feel free to cut the top of the tube off and stick your brushes inside the tube to get the last of the paint out. No need to waste it!
Here are some swatches I did; I gesso’d the left side of each circle, let it dry, then painted over it with one quick swoop of the Media paints. The gesso definitely makes a difference, but that was to be expected.
Here’s another swatch where I stamped an image and layered the paint over the top. The third layer covered the image completely.
Next lets take a look at the fine-tip applicator. Here’s what Ranger says about the applicator.
“The new Dina Wakley Media Fine Tip Applicator is an essential accessory for the mixed media artists toolbox. Specially designed to fit the Dina Wakley Media paint tube, this unique tool is ideal for drawing, doodling and writing with Media Heavy Body Acrylic Paints. The Applicator also allows paint to dry with dimension.”
Here’s a video I did specifically focusing on the fine tip applicator.
Like I said in the video, I was unsure about the fine tip applicator at first. I wasn’t sure I was going to like it, let alone feel like I needed more than two. But, man, I was sure wrong about that! I want one of these babies on just about all of my tubes of paint. They’re great for doodling and writing. I definitely recommend playing with this first on scratch paper before going straight into your journal. A couple of tips I found while using these: Make sure that you shake the paint down frequently while using them. This will reduce the amount of sputter or air “blow outs” while using them. Also, you have to use some muscle squeezing these. Nothing that’s painful, obviously, but don’t be afraid to really get in there and give it a good squeeze. The night color (deep navy blue) was the hardest to get out of the fine tip applicator. I think it’s because it has so much more pigment in it than the other paints that it doesn’t flow quite the same way.
As I mentioned in the video, don’t feel obligated to get one applicator per tube of paint. You can switch them out very easily. I prefer disassembling all of the pieces and carefully rinse them out in the sink. You don’t want any pieces falling down the drain! I found you get less paint waste when doing it this way. Make sure you keep your tube caps in a ziploc so you can have them ready when you switch.
Alright, time to put these paints and the fine tip applicator into perspective. The Media paints themselves do go a long way and I was impressed by their coverage, but they do get used up more quickly because of their thickness compared to the Dylusions paints or Distress paints. They are $4-$5 a tube and are available in 16 colors, including 3 new metallics. The metallic paints were the only ones that I noticed a slight odor with but nothing that had me opening up a window. If you’re on the fence about these, I would suggest examining what you would use them for. Are you looking for a thicker paint with more coverage for your art journal? If so, these are the paints for you! Start with a couple of tubes in colors that catch your attention and play! The fine-tip applicators are $10, but remember you get two per package. At first I wasn’t sure on the price point of these but after taking a close look, I see how it’s worth it. This was a very well thought out product and has a lot of metal pieces. I don’t see these breaking or having any issues with the plastic housing cracking. Also, you can reuse these over and over again, so once you have them, their in your stash for life. If you like to doodle and draw in your art journal these are really fun to play with. All of these products are available at big box stores as well as many online retailers. Well, what do you think crafters? Do these look like products you need in your stash? Let us know in the comments and have a crafty day! Check out some fun samples I created below using the paints!
- Brand New Tim Holtz & Ranger Ink Distress Oxide Review - April 12, 2017
- Rhonna Farrer Chalkboard Wall Art Tutorial – - December 15, 2016
- Make Distress Paints into MARKERS! - March 15, 2016
- CHA 2016 – Ranger Ink Designer Challenge – - January 16, 2016
- Craft Product Comparison and Overview: Ranger Ink Paints - November 11, 2015
- Product Review: Ranger Ink – Dina Wakley Media Paints and Fine Tip Applicator - August 16, 2015
- Product Review: Dyan Reaveley Dylusions Paints From Ranger Ink - June 9, 2015
- CHA 2015 – Tim Holtz Idea-ology Booth Tour - March 18, 2015
- CHA 2015 – Heidi Swapp Booth and Minc Video - March 13, 2015
- CHA 2015 – Beadalon 3D Bracelet Jig - March 12, 2015
I am intrigued by this new product; I love acrylic paints of all brands and the fine tip applicator that Dina Wakely’s have looks like would make a fun addition to my art tools. Thank you for your demos, Sara.
Are you familiar with Liquitex Basics? I’m wondering how Dina’s paints compare to those. I am, as you say, on the fence. I’m looking for good coverage in my journal as well as something good for Gelli printing. Thanks!