- Increased Fluidity
Q& A adding water to paint
Between a week long vacation and now being in the middle of a move, I’m going to fill some of my usual social media tips and weekend vlogs with your questions to make things easier on me during this busy couple of weeks, and to knock out some of your questions at the same time!
Amanda asks: Hi Lisa-I had a question about Liquitex airbrush medium. I’ve recently started using this medium to thin my paint (instead of water) and have wonderful results. I started doing this because I heard that if you water down your paint for a thin wash to tone the canvas, it can potentially not adhere and peel off. (Mind you, I’ve been using only Fredrick canvas for 10years) It freaked me out, naturally. How do you feel about using airbrush medium for this kind of work, as well as using it to thin for glazing?
Just curious to get your thoughts.
Thanks!
-Amanda
There is a video out there that tells people not to thin their paint with water or their paint will flake or peel. It’s full a little bit of fact and LOTS of misinformation and is helping to spread this fear.
Adding water to your acrylic paints or airbrush paint will cause the paint to be more translucent and make the paint less adhesive. The surface you’re painting on does make a difference, but the paint you’re using makes the biggest difference. Some of the cheap paints do have problems with lifting off the canvas when glazing over them, even without added water. Too much water to even the best acrylics can cause the paint to lift when you add additional wet layers.
The thing is, once the paint is dry and you varnish your finished painting, it’s not likely to come off that canvas. I’ve even used liquitex that I thinned down like crazy one a table I painted a space and dolphin scene on. I also used comart airbrush paint which totally lifts when water or wet paint is added over on that same table. When I was finished, I used a spray varnish by Krylon, then a heavier varnish that I painted on after. I used to stand on that table regularly to reach different things I had above it. It was also next to my saltwater reef tank I had at the time for about 7 years. I was so hard on this table between spilling saltwater on it regularly, and standing on it, yet no damage was ever done to the surface that I had painted. A good varnish is going to protect your work, even if you use a lot of water.
Another good example was an acrylic dolphin painting that I had sitting on my floor. I had again watered that paint down quite a bit as I worked. When finished, I varnished like mentioned above. I spilled Pepsi all over it one day (ah how I miss my days of drinking pepsi all the time!). There was absolutely no damage done to the painting. If adding water to my mixture, either the acrylic paint or the airbrush paint was such an issue, both of these paintings should have been trashed.
I’ve been painting with acrylics for 20 years, and have always thinned my work down with water. Never once have I had paint peel or lift off a finished painting once that varnish was on. If you’re using crappy acrylics or a canvas that had bad gesso applied your work may have issues peeling or flaking no matter what you do.
Should You Add Water to Acrylic Paint?
Adding water to acrylic paint is a technique that can significantly affect your artwork. It can offer both advantages and potential challenges. Your creative objectives and the effects you wish to produce will determine whether or not you should dilute acrylic paint with water. Let’s see what you need to know about adding water to acrylic paint.
Advantages of Adding Water to Acrylic Paint
- Translucency and Layering
One of the primary benefits of adding water is the ability to create translucent layers. By diluting acrylic paint with water, you can achieve a more transparent and delicate appearance. This is particularly useful for glazing and creating subtle transitions in your artwork.
Water makes it easier to blend colors smoothly. You can use a wet-on-wet technique to achieve smooth transitions and gradients. This is especially valuable for portraits, landscapes, and other subjects that require seamless color transitions.
Adding water can slow down the drying time of acrylic paint. This extended working time allows for more complex and detailed work. Moreover, it reduces the pressure to work quickly.
By adding water, you can stretch your acrylic paint supply. This can be particularly advantageous for artists on a budget, as you use less paint while still achieving desired effects.
Considerations When Adding Water to Acrylic Paint
Be cautious not to over-dilute your acrylic paint, as this can result in a loss of vibrancy and adhesion. Start with small amounts of water and gradually increase if needed.
Different surfaces may react differently to water-diluted acrylics. It’s essential to test how your chosen surface responds to the paint-water mixture before starting your artwork.
- Quality of Pigments
The quality of your acrylic paints matters. Lower-quality paints may not respond well to dilution and could result in poor adhesion or color shifts.
In addition to water, you can use acrylic mediums to alter the consistency and drying time of your paint without compromising its adhesion or vibrancy. Experiment with various mediums to achieve your desired effects.
Keep in Mind: The decision to add water to acrylic paint should align with your artistic intentions and the specific properties you want to achieve. While water can offer advantages like translucency, blending, and extended working time, it’s essential to strike a balance and be mindful of potential drawbacks.
Experimentation is key to mastering this technique. This will allow you to harness the full creative potential of acrylic paints in your artwork.
What Happens When You Add Water to Acrylic Paint?
When you add water to acrylic paint, several changes occur in the paint’s characteristics and behavior. These can significantly affect your painting process and the final result. Here’s what happens when water is introduced to acrylic paint:
- Dilution of Pigment Concentration
The most immediate effect of adding water to acrylic paint is a reduction in pigment concentration. This dilution makes the paint appear more translucent and less intense in color. The more water you add, the more transparent the paint becomes.
- Increased Fluidity
Water thins out the paint, making it more fluid and easier to spread across the canvas or other surfaces. This increased fluidity is especially useful for creating smooth washes, blending colors, and achieving fine details.
By its very nature, acrylic paint dries rapidly, but adding water might make it take longer. You will have more time to work with the paint and modify your artwork as a result. However, keep in mind that using too much water might drastically lengthen the drying process.
Acrylic color mixing is made easier by water. It is simpler to create subtle gradients and transitions between colors when water is added. This is very useful for producing realistic highlights and shadows.
- Textural Changes
Depending on the amount of water added, acrylic paint’s texture can change. With more water, the paint becomes smoother and can even resemble watercolors. Conversely, using less water retains the paint’s thicker consistency. It allows for impasto techniques and textured brushstrokes.
The addition of water can affect how the paint adheres to the surface. Some surfaces may absorb water. These will alter the paint’s behavior and make it more challenging to achieve certain effects. Testing different surfaces and their reactions to water-diluted acrylics is essential.
In some cases, especially with lower-quality acrylic paints, adding water might lead to color shifts or uneven drying. This can result in unexpected changes in the paint’s hue or finish.
Water-diluted acrylics are excellent for layering and glazing techniques. You can build up transparent layers of color. It will allow underlying layers to show through, creating depth and complexity in your artwork.
Water can affect the priming layer on the canvas or surface. It may cause the surface to absorb more paint. It can also affect how the paint interacts with the support.
Does Water Activate Acrylic?
Water does not “activate” acrylic paint in the same way it does with watercolors or gouache. Acrylic paint consists of pigments suspended in an acrylic polymer emulsion. It dries through the evaporation of water.
When you apply water to acrylic paint, it thins the paint, increases its flow, and extends drying time. However, unlike watercolors, the chemical bond within acrylics is not reversible once the paint dries.
Acrylic paint permanently adheres to surfaces. It also makes the surfaces suitable for a wide range of applications, from canvas painting to murals, without reactivating or smudging once dry.
Disadvantages Of Mixing Water With Acrylic Paint
While mixing water with acrylic paint has several benefits, there are also some potential disadvantages to be aware of:
- Reduced opacity: Adding too much water to acrylic paint can reduce its opacity and vibrancy. This can be a problem if the artist is looking to achieve a bold, solid color.
- Reduced adhesion: Adding too much water can also affect the adhesion of the paint to the surface, making it more likely to peel or flake off over time.
- Reduced durability: Water can also weaken the paint film, making it less durable and more susceptible to damage.
- Uneven consistency: When adding water to acrylic paint, it can be difficult to achieve a consistent, even consistency. This can lead to problems with brush strokes, and make it difficult to achieve a smooth finish.
- Over-thinning: If the artist adds too much water to the acrylic paint, it can become too thin, making it difficult to control and apply.
- Water-sensitivity: While acrylic paint is water-resistant once it has dried, adding water to the paint can make it more susceptible to water damage.
Overall, while mixing water with acrylic paint can be a useful technique for artists, it is important to use caution and experiment carefully to avoid these potential disadvantages. By using the correct water-to-paint ratio and taking care not to over-thin the paint, artists can achieve the desired effects without compromising the quality or durability of the paint.
Famous Painters Who Mixed Water With Acrylic Paint
Acrylic paint is a relatively new medium, having only been commercially available since the 1950s. As such, there are no famous painters who are known for mixing water with acrylic paint specifically, as the technique did not exist during the lifetimes of many famous artists. However, there are many contemporary artists who use acrylic paint in conjunction with water to achieve a variety of effects and textures.
One well-known artist who has used water with acrylic paint is Gerhard Richter. Richter is a German artist known for his abstract paintings that explore the relationship between color, light, and texture. He often thins his acrylic paints with water to create translucent layers of color that blend and interact with each other.
Another artist who has used water with acrylic paint is David Hockney. Hockney is a British artist known for his bright, colorful paintings and his innovative use of technology in art. He has used acrylic paint thinned with water to create a watercolor-like effect in his paintings, often using the technique in his portraits and landscapes.
Artist Mark Rothko, who is known for his large-scale abstract paintings, used acrylic paint extensively in his later works. While it is not clear whether he specifically mixed water with his acrylic paint, he did use thin layers of paint to create a sense of depth and luminosity in his paintings.
Overall, while there are no famous painters who are known specifically for mixing water with acrylic paint, many contemporary artists have used the technique to create unique and interesting works of art. By experimenting with different consistencies and textures, artists can achieve a wide range of effects and explore the possibilities of this versatile medium.
FAQ
For which paintings should I mix water with acrylic paint?
Mixing water with acrylic paint can be a useful technique for a variety of paintings, depending on the desired effect. Here are some examples of paintings where mixing water with acrylic paint might be particularly helpful for landscapes, abstract paintings, still life paintings, portraits. Overall, the decision to mix water with acrylic paint will depend on the desired effect and the artist’s personal preference. By experimenting with different water-to-paint ratios and techniques, artists can achieve a wide range of effects and textures in their paintings.
Which acrylic paints should I use?
There are many different brands and types of acrylic paints available, and the choice of which to use will depend on a number of factors, including the artist’s personal preferences, the desired effect, and the surface being painted. Here are some things to consider when choosing acrylic paints like as quality, consistency, color range, drying time and surface compatibility. Some popular brands of acrylic paint include Golden, Liquitex, Winsor & Newton, and Daler Rowney. It’s a good idea to experiment with different brands and types of acrylic paints to find the ones that work best for your particular needs and style.
What style my painting will become if I mix water with acrylic paint?
Mixing water with acrylic paint can result in a variety of styles, depending on the ratio of water to paint and the technique used. Here are a few possible outcomes:
- Watercolor-like style: If you mix a lot of water with the acrylic paint, you can create a watercolor-like effect. This can result in a transparent and delicate look, with the color bleeding and blending easily on the paper or canvas.
- Staining effect: By using a small amount of water with the acrylic paint, you can create a staining effect. This involves allowing the paint to soak into the surface, resulting in a permanent color that doesn’t lift easily. This technique can be used for creating backgrounds or underpaintings.
- Glazing effect: By mixing a small amount of water with the acrylic paint and applying multiple layers, you can create a glazing effect. This results in a translucent layer of color that allows the layers underneath to show through, creating a sense of depth and richness in the painting.
- Blending effect: By mixing water with the acrylic paint and using a blending technique, you can create a soft and muted effect. This involves blending the colors together, creating a seamless transition between the colors.
Overall, the style of your painting will depend on the technique and ratio of water to acrylic paint that you use. Experimenting with different techniques and ratios can result in a unique and personalized style that is all your own.
