• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Artsy Fartsy Life

  • Crafts
    • Craft Room Storage
    • Adult Crafts
    • Mod Podge Crafts
    • Holiday Crafts
  • Mixed Media
    • Magazine Collage
    • Art Journaling
    • Mixed Media Products
    • Decoupage
  • Color Theory – What Colors Make…
    • Playing With Color!
  • Family
    • Caregiver
    • Natural Living
    • Essential Oils
    • Adoption
  • Contact
    • About
  • Freebies
    • Get a Password
    • Enter The Library
You are here: Home / Adult Crafts / Comparing 4 Different Gloss Mediums

October 15, 2020 By Tara Jacobsen

Comparing 4 Different Gloss Mediums

  • Share
  • Tweet

I have super strong feelings about making glossy, hard tags and mixed media projects! In this post I compare Fantastic Glazing Glue vs Glossy Accents vs Dimensional Magic vs Mod Podge Gloss Luster. Find out the best way to get fun, shiny accents for your junk journal or mini album!

please note :: as an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases, read my full disclosure policy here

Making High Gloss Mixed Media Projects

Okay, I know you are probably just here trying to figure out which type of gloss medium to use, but honestly, I just have to tell you that these kinds of decisions are super important to me!

I REALLY care about having some super glossy, dimensional bits in my artwork and so I have used ALL of these products more than once before now (I hate info coming from someone using a product for the first time… I could do that myself, I want to know the REAL details of what works and what doesn't work!)

4 High Gloss Mediums

In this post I will be comparing Glossy Accents, Dimensional Magic, Mod Podge Gloss Luster and Fantastic Glazing Glue.

They are all both glues and craft supplies (but I only use them as gloss sheen accents, not glues).

High Gloss Comparison Video

The Test Conditions

I tested all four of these products on washi tape tags that I made in my last project.

I live in Florida so drying time is crazy long for each of these, if you live in a more moderate or arid climate, your results will vary!

Some of the tags separated after applying the gloss because they “curled up” a little bit. I fixed them by using Art Glitter Glue to stick them back together again and it wasn't a bother.

The Final Results

Here are my final results, in order and with comments about why I like or don't like each product!

The Winner! Glossy Accents

Ranger GAC17042 Glossy Accents Precision Tip, 2 fl. OunceRanger GAC17042 Glossy Accents Precision Tip, 2 fl. OunceRanger GAC17042 Glossy Accents Precision Tip, 2 fl. Ounce

 

Okay, for YEARS Glossy Accents has been my go-to for all things stiff and glossy. Putting a thick layer of this on will make you look like you have applied resin to product (without all the harsh chemicals or the having to open a window bits).

What I Love:

  • I love the stiff finish and how how it gets… you can tap it on your glass mat and HEAR it!
  • It self levels beautifully
  • It takes a while to dry and you can add extra in if there are “holes”
  • I just feel like this product can manage itself very well!

What I Don't Love:

There is only ONE thing I don't love about this product. I have such a hard time keeping the nozzle open. I wish it was a little bit bigger so I didn't have to fight it so much.

2nd Place – Mod Podge Dimensional Magic

Mod Podge Dimensional Magic (2-Ounce), CS11215 ClearMod Podge Dimensional Magic (2-Ounce), CS11215 ClearMod Podge Dimensional Magic (2-Ounce), CS11215 Clear

 

I am newer (like a few months) user of Dimensional Magic. I use it as my go-to, fast drying glossy addition to my mixed media projects!

What I Love:

  • Super liquid-y and easy to use and spread
  • Dries MUCH more quickly than Glossy Accent
  • Affordable and easy to use

What I Don't Love:

It doesn't put AS stiff a coat of “resin-like” finish on the projects.

3rd Place – Mod Podge Gloss Luster 

Mod Podge Waterbase Sealer, Glue and Finish (8-Ounce), CS11201 Gloss Finish (3 Pack)Mod Podge Waterbase Sealer, Glue and Finish (8-Ounce), CS11201 Gloss Finish (3 Pack)Mod Podge Waterbase Sealer, Glue and Finish (8-Ounce), CS11201 Gloss Finish (3 Pack)

 

I am super in love with Mod Podge (I have a whole section of Mod Podge Crafts!) I tend to use the “normal” matte version for my decoupage products, and use the gloss lustre version for creating a hard glossy coating.

What I Love:

  • It is super affordable (it is the cheapest version of all three of these)
  • It dries faster than any of them
  • You can cover a large area easily

What I Don't Love:

Again, my beef with this product is that is that it doesn't make as hard a coating as Glossy Accents. Also that the brush marks stay in the finish after it dries.

4th Place – Fantastic Glazing Glue

This one is not a surprise to me. While I liked this product as a glue medium, I am not as in love with it for making hard glossy surfaces. I feel like they added that as a feature, just because it was possible, but not what it was intended to do.

What I Love:

  • It really is a good glue that is water-resistant (I used it to make necklaces)
  • It dries clear on weird surfaces like glass

What I Don't Love:

It isn't as hard as Glossy Accents (I KNOW, I sound like a broken record, but that is my favorite thing!) Otherwise, I would use this one as a glue not as a shine-maker.

Filed Under: Adult Crafts, Mixed Media Products, Mod Podge Crafts

Playing With Color Guide

Primary Sidebar

Welcome!

The Jacobsen Family

Here to show that being a "sandwich" Mom and caregiver doesn't have to be all doom and gloom... let's have some fun with the madness! Tips and ideas for how to care for your kids, parents and self! Let's share some laughs and just try to make it out alive!

follow me on Pinterest

tara jacobsen

Tara is a blogger, Etsy shop owner, Mom to three kids, 3 dogs, 3 cats and a turtle. Her BA in Psychology from Kent State has served her well in the new Dementia caregiver role she has taken on and her creativity is what keeps her sane!

Footer

CONTACT ME!

Contact Tara
Blog
Facebook
Pinterest
Instagram
YouTube

Artsy Fartsy Life
Tara L. Jacobsen, PA
tara (at) marketingartfully.com
(727) 415-9165 (text please)

Policies | About Me

CATEGORIES

Adult Crafts
Journaling
Craft Supplies
Caregiving
Natural Living
Essential Oils
Craft Room Storage

 

Copyright© 2019 Tara Jacobsen of MarketingArtfully.com | Policies | As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.