After adding a small amount of water and mixing it in, see if that is the consistency that you want it to be; add more water if necessary. Water: The Primary Acrylic Paint Thinner Water has been used to thin acrylic paints for a long time because it is not only effective, but it is readily available and cheaper than other thinning solutions on the market. How To Thin Tamiya Acrylic Paint For Airbrushing Typically I’d thin Tamiya acrylics with the purpose made Tamiya acrylic thinner X20-A to a ratio of around one part paint to one part thinner (1:1), and airbrush the paint at around 18 psi. If you sign up for a free trial via the links below, I’ll get a commission that helps support this site and keeps it free of ads! When it comes to acrylic pouring, which is fluid art, obviously the mixture has to be easy to pour! Thinning your acrylic paint with any of several polymer mediums allows the pigment to bond with the surface as the medium dries forming a very solid structure to hold the pigment. Adding up to 30 percent water to acrylic paint thins it but still allows it to coat a surface. They consist mostly of acrylic binder, so you can add as much to your paint as you desire without worrying about weakening the adhesion of the paint film. However, a matte finish produces a softer and non-reflective appearance. Artists Network TV: OVER 700 art video workshops! Let us have a look at what acrylic paint is before we move on to discussing the different ways of how to thin out acrylic paint. Water actually breaks down the binders in acrylic paint, thinning the paint to resemble that of watercolors, allowing it to sink into the surface of the support and dry with a matte finish. A beginner should avoid the water method because one needs to be very careful when mixing water with paint. If the paint is too thick, you won't have an even flow out of the airbrush gun and the gun will continually get clogged. A: It depends on the thickness of the paint. You might also use a mixing container, like a bowl or plastic container. There are a few common household items you can compare your consistency to—sometimes this can help you to visualize what your paint should look like. [1] X Research source As this is a quick-drying kind of paint, using too much from the tube can result in expensive waste. A thin layer of acrylic dries in a matter of a minute or two, while thicker strokes of paint can take a few additional minutes. Repeat this process and put a second piece of tape parallel to your first piece. Stay up to date with the latest content, educational resources, promotions and special newsfrom our partners. Water thins the paint down and breaks down the binder in the acrylic paint resulting in diluted paint with less opacity. Acrylic paint needs to be thinned whether you are painting your walls or painting a landscape. Acrylic paint will stop being opaque when it has been diluted by more than 30%. However there are few things to keep in mind when diluting paint with water. To thin I use Tamiya X-20A or Testor Model Master Acryl Thinner #50496, I pay 4.99 for a 118ml bottle, both with great results. How to Use Instagram to Take Control of Your Art Career, From Serious Life Challenge to Thriving Online Art Business, Drawings That Explore Human Memory and Experience. If you'd like a more in-depth course, this 24-lecture How to Paint course from The Great Courses Plus will teach you all you need to know about painting. The more you know about acrylic, the better prepared you are to explore the unique characteristics of this versatile medium, experimenting and varying techniques to suit your needs. Acrylic paints can be thinned by adding water, a pouring medium, or using an acrylic binder. To thin white paint, you can simply use water or rubbing alcohol. The acrylic medium will thin down the paint … Acrylics are water soluble (which means they can be dissolved in water). Keep in mind that acrylics dry in 10 - 30 minutes, with professional grade acrylics often taking longer to dry than student grade. Our Sites: WetCanvas | Southwest Art | Collector's Guide, © Copyright 2021 Golden Peak Media. Herein lies the contrast between acrylic and the more oil-based paints. You must Register or By Thaneeya McArdle © 2008-2021 Thaneeya LLC. Apply a small amount of paint to your palette. You should NOT use water to thin acrylic paint. Thinning your acrylic paint is much simpler than you might have been led to believe. Learn my simple recipe for mixing thinner, to use with inexpensive acrylic paints, for airbrushing fishing lures and crafts. Add a drop or two of WARM water to your paints to moisten Glossy Medium: This helps enhance the natural beauty of the acrylic paint. W… Acrylic medium minimizes the need for the addition of water and allows the paint to sit on top of the surface, maintaining a rich, glossy appearance. Pull out a length of tape and hold it taut. Up to 30 percent medium added to paint will thin it, but still allow it to coat the surface. Thinning automotive paint is necessary before using a spray gun to apply the paint. If you find that your acrylic paint is too thick or too hard to be workable, here are a few things you can try to loosen up the paint and improve its viscosity: If you make a purchase via the links below I receive a small commission, which helps support this site. Carefully work the water into the paint using your brush, adding more water if necessary, until the paint becomes more liquid. Adding 60 percent or more medium creates more transparency, often called a glaze. The acrylic paints tend to clog the airbrush at the nozzle, which can land up producing a splattering effect. Once you stir the paint, observe the viscosity of the material. A glossy medium makes the paint thinner in consistency and gives a transparent finish. Simply put, when you mix either water or another medium with acrylic paint, it will help to breakup or thin the paint coating to give you a much lighter consistency that can be akin to a watercolor or gouache paint.. Water Is Often The Primary Thinner – Just Take It Easy Use Mediums to Thin Acrylic Paint Acrylic mediums are used to alter the properties of acrylic paint. Acrylic paints are water soluble and can be easily thinned out with warm water or flow improver/flow aid. A slight mistake can ruin your paint. 1. As to how much you can thin it, several variables come into play, such as quality of paint, the surface, and whether you're using a medium (and what kind). Determine if your paint is too thick or thin. Over 1,000 hours of content. The third way you can thin acrylic paint for pouring is by making your own medium. What is Acrylic Paint? One of the easiest ways to thin out acrylic paint is by adding water to it. To thin acrylic paint for an airbrush, you need to add a thinning agent, like water, airbrush thinner, or flow improver to the paint, and mix until you create a paint that has the consistency of skim milk. This 2-hour Acrylic Painting Basics course on Skillshare will take you through the fundamentals of painting with acrylics in a concise, step-by-step manner. Reader Question: If the acrylic paint is too thick or too hard, how can it be diluted? Come have fun with us! This is why so many people choose to hire commercial painters for bigger projects. Login to post a comment. The amount of water you add depends on the desired effect and the surface. Hold the paint stick and see how the paint drips off … If gone by a simpler definition, it can be said that acrylic by its very nature is a water-soluble paint medium. There are two choices for thinning acrylic paint: water or acrylic medium. When added to water it will slowly start to dissolve and become thinner in as a result. Acrylic mediums are available in a variety of viscosities. I use Tamiya's acrylic paints for 98% of my work. The main ingredient in this process is usually some sort of PVA glue. These recommended courses from Skillshare and The Great Courses Plus will take your painting to the next level! When using rubbing alcohol: All photos, images and text are copyright protected. Adding 60 percent or more water creates a watery paint application called a wash. Rubbing a wash into an absorbent surface so that only a hint of the color remains is called a stain. Furthermore, this acrylic polymer emulsion is mixed with pigment to give acrylic its color. Yes it is water based, but adding water to it wrecks its molecular viscosity and it will break down very quickly on a canvas or whatever you are painting. If you need to thin acrylic paint, you need to get a medium specifically for thinning acrylics. Q: How long does acrylic paint take to dry? Use a paint stick to stir the paint for at least five minutes and make sure you stir it well enough to mix the particles that are sitting at the bottom of the paint can. Cookie Statement Terms & Conditions. I have been using Flow Improver for thinning more often lately. }); Artist Network is with you every step of your art journey. Hope that helps and best of luck with it! To get the correct consistency, you need to take a few things into account. Acrylic paint is water-based and thus water-soluble when wet, so water can be used to thin it. To properly thin acrylic latex paint, add about two to three ounces of water per gallon, depending on the starting condition. hbspt.forms.create({portalId: "6817144",formId: "a36f91dc-2cbf-4f96-9d1a-bf390cb71586" Add a product like Flow-Aid Fluid Additive or Acrylic Flow Improver. Thinning Acrylic Paint. Adding 60 percent or more water creates a watery paint application called a wash. Rubbing a wash into an absorbent surface so that only a hint of the color remains is called a stain. When we talk about consistency, we’re talking about the flow and texture of your paint, medium, and additive mixture. Come make art with us! Like the household paint conditioners, the main benefit to making your own medium is price and accessibility. Dip your paintbrush in a cup of clean water and then gently tap the water from your brush onto the paint. Although many of the materials used in acrylic painting–paint, brushes, mediums, and a surface–will be familiar to any painter, to approach acrylic in the same way you would oil or watercolor, for example, would inhibit you from exploiting the medium’s full capabilities. All Rights Reserved. Metallic Acrylic Paint You can airbrush with metallic acrylic paints, as long as you use one of the above methods to thin out the paint. An acrylic medium such as airbrush can be a good alternative to water. If I am going to shoot Tamyia paint, I find that most can be shot right from the bottle with no thinning! Not to be used without permission. Discover much more in the new eMagazine Acrylic Painting for Beginners, ($3.99). Acrylic paints can be thinned with water or acrylic medium. If you prefer more of a wash effect, similar to watercolor, say, to tone down your white canvas, then airbrush medium works very … The general rule of thumb for most acrylic paints is to reduce them with distilled water or airbrush reducers until they flow like milk. Large amounts of acrylic paints will take more thinning and be a longer process. Water: Water is your best friend when dealing with acrylic paints. Matte Medium: Acrylic paints usually have a glossy finish. The paint needs to pass easily through the gun's nozzle to achieve an even color across your auto's surface. According to some painters, using a thinning medium is the best way to thin acrylic paint. Painting with Acrylics for Beginners by Nancy Reyner. Then, slowly lower the tape against your painting surface. Water breaks down the binder in acrylic, thinning the paint so that it looks like watercolor and allows it to sink into the surface, resulting in a matte finish. Use artist’s tape to paint thin, straight lines with sharp edges. Acrylic paints can be used on canvas, wood, paper, boards, rocks, and other materials. A password will be sent to your email address. Some sources advise not … Learn more >>> Acrylic Painting for Beginners (eMagazine) from Acrylic Artist. Mixing water into your paint can help to achieve a smooth and consistent finish in both the texture and the color. When thinning your acrylic paint, use a 50:50 mixture of Windex or rubbing alcohol to acrylic paint, and then spray it through the airbrush. Thin the acrylic paint mixture by adding water at 50% water and 50% paint Pour the paint into the tight-lidded container, then add the equivalent amount of water Tightly close the lid of the container and shake it until the paint and water are well mixed If you don’t have a container like this, you can use a whisk until the right mix is achieved A few things that resemble a good pouring consistency: 1. Similarly, adding more or less medium to acrylic paint creates different qualities. Adding up to 30 percent water to acrylic paint thins it but still allows it to coat a surface. Happy painting! To avoid this, clean the nozzle every so often with water by flushing some though the airbrush. Many things matter when you find the right consistency of the airbrush color that you use to atomize properly. Paints for 98 % of my work matte finish produces a softer and non-reflective appearance,! Achieve an even color across your auto 's surface: 1 process usually... 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