Radiant Pearls are very shimmery paints with an evident glycerin base. There are 88 colors of Radiant Pearls which come in a wide range of hues, from clear to the very light to the very dark. Radiant Pearls come in soft pastel shades, bold vibrant shades and also some interference colors. They are sold in individual jars, either 1/4 ounce a 1/2 ounce jar.

The key to success when using Radiant Pearls is your surface or cardstock of choice. Lighter colored cardstocks work better, as much of the color of the paint tends to get lost on black/dark cardstocks. Radiant Pearls need an absorbent surface to air dry. The more absorbent the surface, the quicker they air dry. I have found that Radiant Pearls will air dry on almost all brands of matte cardstock, wood, gesso, and on GLAMMA Brand of vellum only.

They do not air dry on ANY non porous surface such as, but not limited to: many brands of vellum, glossy cardstocks, glass, vinyl, plastic, transparencies, etc... If you use Radiant Pearls on one of these surfaces, it is generally best to use clear embossing powder on top of it to seal it because it won't air dry. I personally do not prefer to use Radiant Pearls on any surface where it won't air dry because when I have used clear embossing powder on top to seal it, it seems that the "shimmer" is lost under the embossing powder.

Radiant Pearls may be mixed to create custom colors without muddying. They may also be tinted for custom colors using standard dye ink re-inkers, markers or powdered pigments. Radiant Pearls do have an extended wet time on most brands of cardstocks which I find quite useful.

I do not recommend "thinning" Radiant Pearls with water to create a wash because the "shimmer" does not remain equally suspended in the paint when thinned with water and the "shimmer" can be lost.

Radiant Pearls can be used with a wide range of techniques which include painting, stippling, brayering, sponging and even finger painting.

Because Radiant Pearls has a high glycerin content, you can paint an embossed image and the Radiant Pearls will "pull away" from the embossed line. This is nice.

You can also sponge Radiant Pearls directly on your stamp and then stamp with it for a very soft, shimmery unique feel.

Radiant Pearls are not very lightfast, though they are more lightfast now than when they originally came on the market.

I did accidentally find out that Radiant Pearls do not work well if you apply a liquid sealant of any type on top of them. I had painted a wolf's eyes with a nice turquoise blue color of Radiant Pearls and let it dry. I then want to "raise" the eyes for a dimensional effect, so I applied 3-D Crystal lacquer on top of the eyes. After it dried, the eyes were cloudy and the color seemed "lost". I also created a porcelain magnet and applied Liquid Laminate on top of it for a glass like appearance/finish. After it dried, I went to look at it, and somehow...the color was all gone, disappeared. I honestly don't know where it went. Moral of the story...don't use a liquid sealant on top of Radiant Pearls. Do note that a sealant is not necessary with these paints.