Golden Open Acrylics are slow-drying paint with a slightly softer consistency than Golden Heavy Body paints. The increased working time of these colours expands their range to include more traditional techniques once only possible with oils. Thick applications can dry extremely slowly, so we recommend artists only use Golden Open Acrylics thinly (< 1 mm). Drying time can also be accelerated by mixing Open with faster-drying Golden acrylics like the Fluid and Heavy Body ranges. The slow-drying capability of Open Acrylics also makes them suitable for some printmaking techniques.

Because Open Acrylics dry slowly, painters who cover their palettes or use sealed containers have been able to use the same colours for weeks, reducing the amount of paint wasted and preserving colour mixtures for future use.