The Science Behind Acrylic Paints: Understanding Pigments and Their Properties
Acrylic paints have become a beloved medium among artists for the right reasons, like versatility, vibrant colours, and quick drying time. However, the beauty of acrylic paints goes beyond the surface- it lies in the science behind the pigments and binders that make these paints so remarkable.
If you are an art enthusiast fond of learning more about art and artwork, keep reading. Highlighting the intricacy of acrylic paints and exploring their different aspects let us understand the science behind them, their pigments, and their properties.
However, to understand what are acrylic paints, one must first grasp the fundamental components: pigments and binders. Pigments are finely ground, coloured particles that give paint its hue. Pigments are finely ground, coloured particles that give the paint its hue. This element can be made from various sources, including minerals, organic compounds, and synthetic chemicals. Each pigment has unique properties ranging from opacity, lightfastness, and colour intensity. Pigments are what make acrylic paints so visually captivating.
While binders, on the other hand, are responsible for holding the pigments together and ensuring they adhere to the canvas or surface. In acrylic paints, the binder is acrylic polymer emulsion, often referred to as acrylic resin. This binder dries quickly when exposed to air, forming a durable and flexible film that locks pigments in place.
Type of acrylic paints
Acrylic paints are formulated in various ways, typically to cater to different artistic needs. Here is a list of different types of acrylic paints.
- Heavy body acrylics: These paints have a thick, buttery consistency and are perfect for impasto techniques and creating textured effects.
- Soft body acrylics: Soft body acrylics have a more fluid consistency, ideal for glazing, airbrushing, and fine detailing.
- Fluid acrylics: These paints are highly liquid and can be used for pouring techniques, drips, and washes.
- Acrylic inks: acrylic inks are intensely pigmented and are often used for calligraphy, illustration, and intricate line work.
- Acrylic gouache: Combining the properties of acrylic and gouache, these paints offer a matte finish and excellent coverage.
Physical and chemical properties of different pigments
The wide range of acrylic paint colours is achieved using various pigments, each with its own physical and chemical properties. Some pigments are transparent, allowing light to pass through them, while others are opaque and reflect light. Pigments also differ in terms of their permanence, with some being more resistant to fading over time. Understanding the properties of different pigments is essential for artists, as it helps achieve the desired effects and longevity in the artworks.
Principles of colour mixing with acrylic pigments
Colour mixing is one of the fundamental skills for artists working with acrylic paints. Acrylics allow for both traditional colour mixing on a palette and direct blending on the canvas due to their fast-drying nature. The primary colour model used in acrylic painting includes red, blue, and yellow, which blend well to create a wide spectrum of secondary and tertiary colours.
Artists also use complementary colours to create harmonious contrasts and achieve colour balance in the compositions. Thus, it is safe to say that experimentation with colour mixing is key to discovering the endless possibilities of acrylic paints.
The crucial role of acrylic binders
Acrylic binders play a critical role in the performance of acrylic paints. Acrylic binders ensure adhesion, flexibility, and durability. Unlike oil paints that rely on linseed oil as a binder and take days to dry, acrylic paints dry rapidly, making them a preferred choice for artists who require a shorter drying time.
Acrylic binders also contribute to the versatility of acrylic paints. Easy to dilute with water, the acrylic binders can be used for transparent washes or mixed with a variety of mediums to achieve specific effects like impasto, glazing, or texture. Acrylic binders are also resistant to yellowing over time, thus ensuring the longevity of the artwork.
Exploring the artistry of acrylic paints
Acrylic paint set have captured the hearts of artists across the globe due to their incredible versatility. Artists use acrylics on a wide range of surfaces, including canvas, paper, wood, fabric, and even unconventional materials like glass and metal. This flexibility encourages a world of creative possibilities.
Acrylics also allow for experimentation with various techniques like layering, scraping, sgraffito, and pouring. The quick drying time encourages artists to work spontaneously and swiftly adjust to the compositions. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced artist, acrylic paints offer endless opportunities for self-expression and artistic exploration.
If you are into arts and want to elevate your artistry to new heights, explore the range of acrylic paints collection at Canvazo. As a gateway into the world of premium quality colours, the finely picked collections offered by them are meticulously crafted to bring your creative vision to life. Whether you are a seasoned artist or just beginning your artistic journey, this versatile range of acrylic paints offers a spectrum of vibrant hues and specialty shades.
Explore Canvazo’s acrylic paints and let your imagination drive the creativity into a masterpiece.
Pigments in acrylics
Still Life of Flowers, Thaneeya McArdle, 2009.
Acrylic is an appealing medium because of its versatility. When it is watered down, acrylic paint can become thin and watery like watercolors. Acrylic paint can also be applied thickly, mimicking the appearance of oil paints. Additionally, there are several different acrylic mediums, gels and pastes that artists can add to the paint to alter the texture, sheen, consistency, and various other characteristics of the acrylic paint. This versatility allows for a wide range of expressive techniques that captivate both artists and viewers of the artwork.
The versatility of acrylic paint allows it to mimic the very different qualities of both watercolors and oil paints. Acrylics allow artists to capture bold colors and create images that appear solid and substantial.
What is Acrylic?
Acrylic paint consists of pigment suspended in a binder of acrylic polymer emulsion. Water is the vehicle for the acrylic polymer emulsion.
Acrylics are sold in tubes or jars. Acrylics can be applied to the support (i.e., canvas, paper, etc) in a number of different ways – via a paintbrush, palette knife, fingers, or just about anything. They can be used right from the jar or tube, although in most cases the paint is mixed on a palette first.
You can make acrylic paints by mixing pure powdered pigment with a binder and a solvent. Below are the steps to creating your own acrylic paints:
Listen: The artist talks about making acrylic paint.
(A) Add water or a clear alcohol, such as vodka, to a pile of pure ground pigment. (B) Mix with spatula. (C) Once the pigments are completely dispersed, add the binder – in this case a matte acrylic gel medium. (D) Mix with spatula. (E) The result is an acrylic paint that is similar to manufactured acrylic paint. (F) Using a paintbrush, the acrylic paint is applied to a white canvas.
Mixing Paints
Throughout the process of creating an acrylic painting, the paints are mixed on the palette to create new hues, tints and shades. Because acrylics dry quickly, only a small amount of paint is applied to the palette at a time. Only the necessary colors are used.
The paints on the palette need to be kept moist in order to remain workable. If they are allowed to dry, they will harden and will no longer be useful for painting. For this reason, it is handy to keep a small spray bottle of water on hand to continually spray the palette with a fine mist of water.
The amount of water that is used when painting with acrylics will have a strong bearing on the consistency of the paint and its appearance on the canvas. Usually when an artist is mixing acrylic paint, it is ideal to have a balance between thick and watery paint.
Explore how an acrylic painting is created, from start to finish. This painting example was created using traditional acrylic painting supplies: acrylics in both tubes and jars, paintbrushes, canvas, a palette and a cup of water, as well as a graphite pencil to create the initial sketch.
Utilizing acrylic pigments for artistic purposes
New Graduate Acrylics offer a very affordable range of acrylic colours. The range features bright and strong colours that are easy to brush onto surfaces. They can be used on any paper surface, primed board or canvas, used indoors or outdoors and are so versatile they can also be used with a variety of acrylic mediums, also available from Daler-Rowney. There are 48 colours in the range, including metallic colours. Graduate Acrylic colours are of good pigment strength and flow easily across paper and primed surfaces. Colours are water-based and contain no solvents. In accordance with EC labeling regulations, all colours are classified as non-dangerous for use. The advantage of acrylic colours to schools and hobbyists, of course, is that artwork can be dried and stored away shortly after an art class has been completed, and will not smudge if water is spilled on the surface of the painting. The colours are fast-drying, durable and flexible, so paintings will last a long time. Paper and canvas coated with Graduate Acrylic can be loosely rolled and stored without fear of cracking.
We carry
Holbein Mat Acrylic is available in 36 intensely pigmented Artist Colors in 110ml tubes. Holbein Mat Acrylic has a buttery consistency and unique texture that dries to a vivid mat finish. Each color offers outstanding lightfast qualities and exceptional covering power. Holbein Mat Acrylic can be used directly as a painting medium or as a successful ground for acrylics, aqueous colors, oil color and tempera paints. Holbein Mat Acrylic is the ultimate versatile medium for Artists.
RE-ENGINEERED A completely re-engineered Artist Acrylic which consistently delivers more color vigor and lightfast ratings. They can be thinned with water or Holbein Acrylic Mediums or scrumbled as a thin dry brush layer. The acrylic body is brushable and will retain any peaks or ridges created when applied in thick applications. ENHANCED BRILLIANCE Holbein’s new acrylic range is high quality, heavy body artist acrylic, specifically designed to add more luster and brilliance to your paintings. 113 CAREFULLY DETAILED COLORS Utilizing the best traditional organic pigments as well as the latest and most up to date inorganic pigments, Holbein Heavy Body Artist Acrylic range affords the user seamless and effortless mixing and thinning. SUPERIOR, SMOOTH, VIVID. Superior, smooth and vivid in every way. Holbein Heavy Body Artist Acrylic range is certain to meet and surpass the demands of the modern artist, whether painting small or large, opaque or transparent.
Heavy Body Acrylic Colors The original line of GOLDEN Artist Acrylics is known for its exceptionally smooth, thick buttery consistency. It contains the largest assortment of unique pure pigments in a 100% acrylic emulsion vehicle available to the professional artist. These colors offer excellent permanency and lightfastness. There are no fillers, extenders, opacifiers, toners, or dyes added. Each Heavy Body color is formulated differently depending on the nature of the pigment. Colors that tolerate higher pigment “loads” dry to a more opaque, matte finish. Colors that are more reactive and do not accept high pigment loading dry to a glossy finish and tend to be more transparent. Heavy Body colors contain no additives, such as matting agents, therefore the gloss of each color will be different.
Fluid Colors contain near the same pigment strength as Golden Heavy Body colors in a pourable, low viscosity formula. Available in 1 oz. sizes.
GOLDEN Fluid Acrylic
Liquitex BASICS® Acrylic Paint is developed for students and artists that need quality at outstanding value. Each color is uniquely formulated to bring out the maximum brilliance and clarity of the individual pigment.
A very high degree of lightfastness, thanks to the use of pure, stable pigments. Your works of art will retain their original color for decades. A very strong and flexible paint film as a 100% acrylate emulsion is used as binder. Exceptionally durable for a long-lasting result. Suitable for painting murals. Practically odorless. No solvent is necessary. Easy to thin with water. Thin layers dry within half an hour.
Jo Sonja’s Artists Colours are made from only the finest quality pure pigments. All colours in the range are lightfast and carry ASTM ratings as your guarantee against colour fade. Feel confident that the colours in your designs will remain true for generations, just as vibrant as the day they were painted. We continually test our products for quality and performance to ensure that Jo Sonja’s Artists’ Colours remain the best possible product available for decorative artists. Jo Sonja’s Artists’ Colours are flow formula acrylics offering the look and feel of traditional gouache. They offer superb handling and brushing characteristics together with purity and strength of colour. Acrylic gouache is a popular medium for design works on paper and decorative art, providing opacity of colour and a beautiful, matte velvet finish. Unlike traditional gouache, colour layering can be achieved easily throughout a painting, as the paints will dry within minutes.
Atelier Interactive is the most versatile acrylic paint on the market. It handles like a conventional acrylic making it a popular choice for Fast Drying Techniques, but it has other exclusive abilities if you want to use them. Atelier Interactive is the world’s only acrylic paint that gives you a new option; Controlled Drying Techniques . You can control the paint’s open time for as long as you want using a fine mist of water or moist brush; blending layers of Atelier Interactive is easier and far smoother than with any other acrylic. When you want to return to Fast Drying Techniques, simply withhold water and it will dry rapidly again. It’s that easy – and only possible with Atelier Interactive’s unique patented formula. There is another unique benefit: Atelier Interactive allows you to re-activate touch-dry paint using Atelier Unlocking Formula, to return to wet-in-wet blending. A true revolution in acrylic paint technology! Atelier Interactive is available in 75 colours packaged in 80ml – 2.7 Oz Tubes
DecoArt Traditions resin-based acrylic paint can perform as an acrylic, watercolor, or oil paint. It utilizes the highest quality, lightfast, safe, pure pigments available today. Traditions paint is ideal for many surfaces, including wood, canvas, metal, leather, ceramic bisque, paper, and walls. One of the defining factors in Traditions paint is the quality and clarity of the resin base, which allows a controlled working time without affecting the color of the paint. DecoArt Traditions paint is available in 58 classic artist’s colors. Available in 3 oz size.
Americana Acrylics are the number one selling premium, all-purpose, matte finish acrylic paints available at a budget friendly price. These acrylic paints deliver superior coverage with a permanent, durable finish. Ideal for professional artists, crafters, and students. Americana Acrylic paint is water-based, non- toxic and can be varnished to create various sheens. This acrylic paint can be used on almost any surface.
With a high level of pigmentation Galeria offers brilliant colours and good covering power. The range also has opaque versions of some naturally transparent colours, for example Raw Sienna Opaque and Burnt Sienna Opaque. Consistency & Texture In comparison to oil, acrylics generally have less body. We have worked hard to create a good buttery consistency for quick and easy coverage, while making sure that the brush marks you want remain.
Colors in the Metallic Paint Collection contain three levels of coverage/hide: Opaque, Semi- Opaque and Sheer. Opaque colors have excellent hide; two coats are recommended for best results. Semi-Opaque colors have good hide; three coats are recommended for best results. Sheer colors are translucent overcoats that when viewed from various angles flash color and/or give luster to traditional paints, other Metallic Paint colors or faux finishes/broken color.
