Best Art Paint Gels of 2026

Ann Hale Avatar
Ann Hale
Last Updated: Jan 21, 2026

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Art Paint Gels are a versatile and exciting addition to any artist's toolkit. These gel mediums are perfect for artists who want to experiment with texture and dimension in their work. They can be mixed with acrylic paints to create a range of effects, from thick impasto to smooth glazes. Art Paint Gels are available in a variety of colors and finishes, including metallics and iridescents, making them perfect for adding a touch of shimmer to any piece. Whether you're a professional artist or a beginner, Art Paint Gels are a great way to add depth and interest to your paintings.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

FolkArt Blending Gel 8oz Cover #TOP 1
FolkArt Blending Gel 8oz
ftb score rating icon 9.9
Handy Art Designer's Palette Artist Acrylic 32 ounce, Gel Medium Cover #TOP 2
Handy Art Designer's Palette Artist Acrylic 32 ounce, Gel Medium
ftb score rating icon 9.8
U.S. Art Supply Impasto Clear Gel Acrylic Medium Cover #TOP 3
U.S. Art Supply Impasto Clear Gel Acrylic Medium
ftb score rating icon 9.6

Top 10 Art Paint Gels

#TOP 1

FolkArt Blending Gel 8oz

7245
Clear
1 Count (Pack of 1)
FolkArt Blending Gel 8oz Cover
FolkArt Blending Gel, 8oz, Clear

The FolkArt Blending Gel is an essential tool for artists looking to enhance their painting experience. It extends the drying time, allowing you to blend colors more effectively without the pressure of quick drying. This feature is particularly useful for achieving smooth transitions in your artwork. Additionally, the gel maintains the consistency of your paint, ensuring your colors remain vibrant and true. Designed for use with FolkArt Acrylic paints, it ensures compatibility and optimal performance. With this blending gel, you can create beautiful layers and textures in your projects with ease.

What We Like
Extends drying time
Maintains paint consistency
Compatible with FolkArt Acrylics
Enhances blending capabilities
#TOP 2

Handy Art Designer's Palette Artist Acrylic 32 ounce, Gel Medium

133-172
Gel Medium
Handy Art Designer's Palette Artist Acrylic 32 ounce, Gel Medium Cover
Handy Art Designer's Palette Artist Acrylic 32 ounce, Gel Medium

Handy Art Gel Medium is an artist quality acrylic gel medium that can be added to acrylic paint to increase its viscosity. This gel medium is perfect for special techniques that require thicker paints. The gel medium is certified AP Non-Toxic and made in the USA. It is also free from latex, dairy or casein, soy, egg, gluten, peanut or tree nuts. With Handy Art Gel Medium, you can achieve the desired texture and thickness in your artworks, making it easier for you to create stunning pieces. The gel medium also ensures that your artwork is safe for you and your environment.

What We Like
Increases viscosity
Special techniques
Certified AP Non-Toxic
#TOP 3

U.S. Art Supply Impasto Clear Gel Acrylic Medium

AM-5042-500
Clear
U.S. Art Supply Impasto Clear Gel Acrylic Medium Cover
U.S. Art Supply Impasto Clear Acrylic Gel Medium (500ml Tub) - Layering & Extending Acrylic Paint

US Art Impasto Gel is a high-quality artist-grade acrylic gel medium designed to increase the impasto effect and textural sharpness of your paints. It is heavier weight and non-toxic, and it dries clear. When wet, it is translucent, and when dry, it is transparent. This water-based acrylic gel can also be used as a strong adhesive for bonding heavy objects or for sand and other textural additives. Use it for traditional overpainting and layering techniques, and for adding texture and structure to your artwork. With US Art Impasto Gel, you can achieve a variety of effects and enhance the depth and dimension of your paintings.

What We Like
Increases impasto effect
Can be used as adhesive
Non-toxic
#TOP 4

Liquitex Matte Gel Medium

5321
Matte Gel Medium
8 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
Liquitex Matte Gel Medium Cover
Liquitex Professional Matte Gel Medium, 237ml (8-oz)

Liquitex Gel Medium is a translucent, lightweight, and non-toxic medium that dries with a satin/matte finish. It has a similar viscosity and body to Liquitex Heavy Body Paint, which makes it a versatile product that can be used for various art techniques. When wet, it is translucent, and when dry, it turns transparent. This medium comes in an 8-oz/237ml jar and is intermixable with Liquitex Professional Acrylic Paint Colors and Mediums. It conforms to ASTM D4236 and is safe for educational use. Liquitex Gel Medium is perfect for creating a matte finish on your artwork, adding texture or depth to your paints, and for blending colors together.

What We Like
Translucent finish
Lightweight
Non-toxic
Intermixable with other Liquitex products
Safe for educational use
#TOP 5

Falling in Art Clear Gel Acrylic Medium 500ml

CT0760
clear
Falling in Art Clear Gel Acrylic Medium 500ml Cover
Falling in Art Clear Gel Acrylic Medium, 500ML/16.9Oz Gloss Gel Medium for Acrylic Paint, Ideal for Texture, Layering,and Extending Paint

The Falling in Art Gel Medium is a versatile acrylic product designed to enhance your painting experience. It helps you create thick, textured brush strokes, adding depth and dimension to your artwork. The gel dries clear, so it thickens your paint without changing its color, giving your layers a richer and glossier finish. You can also use it as a strong adhesive to attach heavier objects or mix in textured materials like sand for mixed media projects. Plus, it works well as a clear primer, allowing you to try out different painting techniques with ease and creativity.

What We Like
Impasto texture effects
Color-safe thickening
Strong adhesive quality
Clear primer use
#TOP 6

Golden Heavy Gel Gloss - 8 oz Jar

GOLDEN
GLDNMED237-3050
Clear
8 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
Golden Heavy Gel Gloss - 8 oz Jar Cover
Golden Artist Colors - Heavy Gel Gloss - 8 oz Jar

This art paint is a great choice for artists who want to add more body to their artwork. The Heavy Gel Gloss has a thicker consistency than GOLDEN Heavy Body Colors, which allows it to hold good peaks. It can also be blended with colors to increase the body of the artwork. The 8oz jar is the perfect size for artists who work on medium to large-sized projects.

What We Like
Thick consistency to hold good peaks
Can be blended with colors to increase body
8oz jar is perfect for medium to large-sized projects
#TOP 7

Golden Fine Pumice Gel Acrylic Medium

3195
Pumice Gel (Fine)
8 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
Golden Fine Pumice Gel Acrylic Medium Cover
Fine Pumice Gel by GOLDEN, 8 fl. oz. Jar, Professional Acrylic Gel Medium, Transparent

The Golden Fine Pumice Gel is a versatile acrylic medium that dries to a warm gray, translucent matte finish with a textured surface. This makes it ideal if you want a unique base for pencil, pastel, or similar drawing materials, giving your artwork a nice grip. The gel’s different thickness options allow you to create glazes, add texture, extend paint, or even use it as glue for collage projects, offering great flexibility in your creative process. Plus, once dry, it stays flexible and resists chemicals, water, and UV light, so your work will last longer and withstand different conditions.

What We Like
Textured matte finish
Supports various drawing media
Adjustable consistency
Flexible and durable
#TOP 8

Liquitex Professional Gloss Gel Medium 237ml

5708
Gloss Gel
8 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
Liquitex Professional Gloss Gel Medium 237ml Cover
Liquitex Professional Gloss Gel Medium, 237ml (8-oz)

Liquitex Gloss Gel Medium is a thick and creamy medium that offers a beautiful satin finish, making it perfect for artists who want to achieve vibrant colors. With a good pigment load, it helps you retain peaks and brush strokes, which is especially useful when learning about color theory and mixing. You can easily mix it with other Liquitex Professional Acrylic Paints and mediums, enhancing your creative possibilities. Additionally, it conforms to safety standards, ensuring it's safe for educational use, making it a great choice for classrooms and budding artists alike.

What We Like
Thick and creamy texture
Retains brush strokes
Good pigment load
Intermixable with other products
Safe for educational use
#TOP 9

DecoArt Americana Acrylic Gel Stains Paint, Walnut

DS29-3
Walnut
2 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
DecoArt Americana Acrylic Gel Stains Paint, Walnut Cover
DecoArt Americana Acrylic Gel Stains Paint, 2-Ounce, Walnut

DecoArt Gel Stains Paint is a non-toxic art paint with a thick and creamy texture. It is perfect for creating beautiful artworks without the worry of harmful fumes or messy cleanups. The gel stains can be used alone or mixed with other colors to achieve desired shades. With soap and water cleanup while wet, it offers convenience and ease of use. Whether you are a professional artist or a beginner, DecoArt Gel Stains Paint is a great choice for adding depth and richness to your artwork.

What We Like
Non-toxic
Thick & creamy texture
No oil based fumes & mess
#TOP 10

Golden Clear Leveling Gel Medium

GOLDEN
0003001-5
Clear
8 Fl Oz (Pack of 1)
Golden Clear Leveling Gel Medium Cover
GOLDEN Clear Leveling Gel, 8 fl. oz. Jar, Professional Acrylic Gel Medium, Transparent

Golden Clear Gel is a versatile art paint medium by Golden Artist Color. It is designed to provide a smooth and level surface for acrylic paints. With a capacity of 8 ounces, this gel medium is perfect for artists of all levels. The first feature of Golden Clear Gel is its code number 3001-5, which ensures its authenticity and quality. The second feature, the product's UPC code 738797300156, allows for easy identification and tracking. The third feature of this gel medium is its category, which is art paints. This makes it suitable for a wide range of artistic applications. Finally, the fourth feature is its brand, Golden Artist Color, a trusted name in the art industry. With Golden Clear Gel, artists can achieve a professional finish and enhance the longevity of their artwork.

What We Like
Versatile medium
Authentic and high-quality
Easy identification and tracking
Buying Guide Image
Editor's Notes

During our art paint gel research, we found 24 art paint gel products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 146,636 customer reviews through our big data system to write the art paint gels list. We found that most customers choose art paint gels with an average price of $12.06.

The art paint gels are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of art paint gels, including FolkArt, Handy Art, U.S. Art Supply, Liquitex, Falling in Art. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 384 consumers with an average rating of 4.7.

Written by
Ann Hale Avatar

Ann Hale is a seamstress, pattern maker, and fashion designer with extensive sewing experience. She has worked in the fashion industry for over 10 years now after receiving Associates's Degree in fashion design in 2010. Also as a writer, she has many creative and unique insights when it comes to articles.