There are times when no matter what you do to make something look interesting, there’s just nothing to the background. You’ve layered and painted and mixed mediums but it all seems empty on the page.
Enter Prima Color Bloom Spray. This stuff is unlike traditional paint or medium as it is actualy more of an alcohol based reactive ink, behaving almost like the air. Sprayed on canvas, fabric, or paper, colors react creating blooms of pigment in a natural way. The colors react different depending on surface (see chart above). Understanding how they react will help you turn a good piece of art into a striking one. It is not just about technique; it is about the physics of the product. Because it’s alcohol based and highly concentrated it dries fast and alcohol quickly evaporate pulling the pigment particles together in random directions creating unpredictable watercolor like effects that are difficult to achieve with brushes. It give you the look of depth without the muddy saturation typical of mixed media pieces.
How Prima Color Bloom Spray Works
It sticks to everything from unprimed canvas to heavy card stock. Since surface texture determines how far ink travels, your choice of medium becomes part of the design rather than a constraint. This sense of both control and release is appreciated by artists.
Despite being so large, the color families coordinates well. There’s a row of romantic blush pinks and reds for wedding invites and florals. A column of cooler blues includes midnight navy and ocean teal, which bring calm with depth. By arranging the colors based on temperature, you get an idea of where soft lavenders fit between cool blues and bold crimsons. You don’t have to wonder which will go together; the visual arrangement hints at natural pairings. It’s easy color theory built into product line-up.
The shine comes from metallic and pearl finishes that make it all so interesting. The sheen of pure gold or silver or rose gold bring such dimension. It is something no pigment can provide, even when it looks flat. And when you put a matte color on top of a dried metallic one the contrast give it such a glow which shifts depending off how the light hits it.
The infographic really helps clarify the kinds of finishes. Glitter adds texture, but pearl also has this lovely opalescence. You’re not just laying down color, you’re layering interest on interest. And that’s how you build light too… As much as you build an image.
As much as color choice matters, so does technique. When held further away from the page, sprayer spits out a very light mist, which creates a softer effect. If you hold it closer, a denser ink is placed down and can absorbs for heavy saturation or bold accents. Wet-on-wet technique also come into play here, and I think this is what makes it most interesting. Because you let the colors run together before drying, you get subtle gradations like a pro would achieve without needing all the technique. It’s lose some to win some when it comes to the final look.
Just do it somewhere well ventilated, because those alcohol solvents are strong until they is fully dry.
It is easy to store and maintain if you are consistent. Particles in all metallic formulas settles to the bottom. Always give them a good shake before using. Just a 15 second shake goes a long way toward evening out the formula. I also like to turn it upside down for just a few seconds after spraying to ensure the nozzle is cleared of excess product so that no clogs occurs. It’s a tiny little thing but would of saved your bottles for the next time around. If you keep them stored upright (and not in the sun), they will retain their vibrant color for many years to come. Don’t worry about them going to waste as you slowly build up your stash.
But with all this spraying comes a need to trust the process. Spray, wait, allow the chemistry to happen. More often than not, it turns out better then what you planned. And that’s how most artists create. The paint blends and spreads to surprise you. A white canvas becomes a world of possibilities.