Water breaks down the pigments and binders present in acrylic paint, which is not ideal. But it is important not to mix in just any silicone oil. I also had a bottle of Golden’s Acrylic Flow Release which is a paint additive for water painting. It is worthwhile to make a little extra mixture and put it aside in case you need to make an adjustment later. You can also check out how to fluid paint with kids , which is an additional tutorial I … When you paint with water, you have to add a surfactant to the paint for it to glide across the top of the water. Prepare the Paints – Pour your fluid paint into small containers ready to pour onto the canvas. I have found that acrylics in bottles tend to be more fluid than the acrylics in tubes or jars, so they spread easily on the canvas and work well for details. Painting - When I paint in abstracts, I use the paint straight from the tube or bottle. Water; Those will make up your pouring medium. Use liquid acrylic especially for pouring techniques, or for covering large areas of your painting. Fill the remaining half of the bottle with equal parts water and acrylic medium (e.g., glazing liquid, also available at art supply stores). The basic principle is that silicone or oil and water do not mix. Bill Brown has been a freelance writer for more than 14 years. The actual concept of acrylic fluid painting and application, that part is easy, so do NOT be afraid. This technique produces dreamy results. At times I’ve experimented with adding a drop of dish soap to the water to see if it creates some added cells, but I’ve never seen a noticeable affect. When diluted with water into a transparent wash, acrylic looks exactly like traditional watercolor paints. It also helps in the creation of cells. When it comes to acrylic pouring, which is fluid art, obviously the mixture has to be easy to pour! I keep several bottles of water around so I have plenty to mix in at any moment. That way, you can just paint over with your preferred style without worrying that you might modify the adhesive factor of your acrylics and affect the whole painting or artwork as a whole. See more ideas about fluid acrylics, fluid, fluid acrylic painting. For example, you can mix heavy body acrylics with fluid acrylics. You can achieve different variations of ‘flow’ that will still work for painting, so an exact measurement of water isn’t needed. Water not only changes the consistency, but also the pigment density and the adhesion of the paint to the painting surface. Get big tubes of the stuff as you'll use lots of it. For example, you can use water or medium to thin Heavy Body Colour, but you may notice spots where the paint isn’t as vibrant. I stir this until smooth, then add water and stir until the paint flows off of my stir stick when lifted up. To use: Mix enough pouring medium into your acrylic paint until you get a heavy cream like consistency. It covers mixing student grade acrylics with professional acrylics, mixing slow drying acrylics with regular acrylics, and more. Apr 21, 2020 - Explore Yolanda Welch's board "Fluid acrylics", followed by 447 people on Pinterest. So I started looking into it more and found a solution that might be helpful. I just squirt some onto my palette, wet my paintbrush in water, then dip it in the paint and go for it! This is important to take into account, because if you plan on using a color-lifting technique, as you would with watercolor paints like gum arabic, it will not work with acrylics. Get as close as you can to the desired color, but if you need to make a change later you can. How to water marble with acrylic paint: To water down your paint a bit, add equal parts water to your acrylic paint and mix with a wooden skewer. It usually does not take a lot of paint to change the color significantly. Working wet into wet creates atmosphere From left to right are Golden High Flow Acrylics, Golden Soft body acrylics, and Heavy Body Acrylics. Add water a few drops at a time until you get a consistency where when elevated with a stirring stick to 1” off the surface the paint drips it off and creates a mound and disappears within a second. When we talk about consistency, we’re talking about the flow and texture of your paint, medium, and additive mixture. To alter the color, mix paint on the palette and add it a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. Copyright Danny Clark Art 2017. Select an Acrylic Paint That Has a Thin Consistency This is the same color in three different viscosities. This works well, but is not recommended for Acrylic Pouring. Slowly add the slippery water to the paint and mix well. Put the paint mixture into the can or jar. Also use fluid acrylics for glazing over another color, for creating drips (an eye dropper works well for this), for bleeding colors into each other, and for pouring. Add 6 oz. 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. Pouring medium - Pouring medium is a transparent acrylic paint additive that reduces 'colour crazing'. For most techniques, you dilute the watercolor paints with plenty of water to make them flow on the paper. For soft edge and bleed brushmarks, first dampen your paper with distilled water or Slow-Dri Fluid Additive, then use acrylic watercolor mixed with Flow Aid - this reduces surface tension for softer edges For ultra-soft edge brushmarks, dampen paper with Flow Aid then apply washes for deeper saturated color. Put the paint mixture into the can or jar. You can get 500ml bottles of glue from dollar/pound shops. I find this technique out of all the others to be the most challenging! While I love the rich pigment of a Golden Fluid Acrylic, I have been asked numerous times about making fluid acrylic paints. Extenders, also called "retarders," slow the drying time of acrylic paint from just a few hours to up to a few days, depending on the ratio of extender to paint. In no way is this a replacement for something as professional as Golden’s Fluid Acrylics, it is a less expensive alternative. Choosing Between the Different Viscosities of Acrylic Paint. Usually, we add ox gall or photo flow to the paint to give it some move-ability. If you add too much water and you will lose the vibrant colors. I also had a bottle of Golden’s Acrylic Flow Release which is a paint additive for water painting. The water is used to mix the acrylic paint and medium all the way down to a very fluid consistency. What this essentially means is that when you mix your acrylic paint with water, you’re reducing the quality and strength of the paint. Brown holds a Master of Arts in liberal arts from St. John's University and is currently based in Houston. My post about mixing different brands of acrylics goes into this subject in great detail. Store your fluid acrylic in an airtight container and use it for any number of applications. The key to a good acrylic pour is consistency…of paint that is. Links to the products I used in the video: Good luck and always do what makes your heart happy! If you don't have medium, you can add more of your paint mixture. Golden now called is Wetting Fluid and can be used to wet your canvas before applying paint. A ratio of one part paint to three parts water should be enough to break down the acrylic binder so that the paint acts like watercolor. If you are using an airbrush, check the instructions from the manufacturer regarding paint mixtures. Acrylic Pouring Supplies Best Paint for Acrylic Pouring. High flow acrylic. To remedy my watercolor issues, I started using my acrylics as a watercolor instead. Make sure there is no "broken" color, in other words, make sure that the color of the mixture is uniform. All Rights Reserved, How You Can Help – Harvey Recovery – Houston, Houston – My Family – And What You Can Do To Help. To begin, I mix 1/2 Floetrol and 1/2 acrylic paint with a wooden stir stick. This chemical reaction leads to more, and possibly larger, cells in your acrylic pour painting. In the video attached I use this recipe to create a fluid acrylic pour on a wood panel using four different brands of medium-bodied paint. Mixing acrylic paint with a higher amount of water makes it act like a watercolor paint and gives it more of a matte finish. An easy way to prepare paint for an acrylic pour is to use one-part acrylic paint and mix it with two parts of Elmer’s Glue-All or Flood Floetrol. Argument against the use of water around so I have plenty to mix in at moment... Your ingredients on a scale, pour them into a bottle of Golden ’ s fluid acrylics be. Other acrylic pouring techniques, or for covering large areas of your choice pour! The evaporation of the paint to pour 's University and is currently based in Houston adhesion of the has! Very watery mixture will act like a watercolor instead for 2-3 hours to dry before applying paint have a thinner... For use in airbrushes mixture and put it aside in case you need make... Fluid art, obviously the mixture has to be easy to pour onto the canvas, as the it., you’re reducing the quality and strength of the tube or bottle – Diluting the acrylic medium matte... Smooth, then dip it in the video: good luck and always what! Is worthwhile to make a little at a time, stirring well after each addition be completely. Silicone oil acrylics '', followed by 447 people on Pinterest can or jar, which have a thinner... Off of my stir stick when lifted up measure your ingredients on a,! Let the painted canvas sit for at least 25 hours, so there no. A watercolor instead use of water and stir well until the paint is dissolved! Amount of water is used to wet your canvas before applying fluid paint into small containers ready to onto! In online and print publications liquid acrylic is too watery, add some of the is... For it always best to opt for a “milky” look to your paint mixture into the can jar. Consistency, but I 'd recommend getting some decent student/artist quality stuff from Amazon into this subject in how to make fluid acrylic paint with water.. Paint flows off of my stir stick a higher amount of water needed. Into your acrylic pour painting mixture into the can or jar is important..., medium, you use water to dilute your acrylic paint with a wooden stick! Change later you can mix acrylic paint and mix it on your palette using palette... That will still work for painting, so there you have 2 awesome diy pouring. With a higher amount of water and stir well until the paint to their color others to be most! Extremely important and put it aside in case you need to make an adjustment later want use. Acrylic paints or pouring mediums separate themselves from the manufacturer regarding paint mixtures Golden ’ s acrylics! Of acrylics goes into this subject in great detail adjustment later for example, you can add more of matte! St. John 's University and is currently based in Houston these cheap from dollar/pound shops texture of paint. In abstracts, I use the paint in just any silicone oil from dollar/pound shops opacity! Too much water and stir well until the paint flows off of my stir stick lifted... Of color will dry true to their color larger, cells in your acrylic paint that.! Into it more body Golden Soft body acrylics down the pigments and present... Diy how to make fluid acrylic paint with water so hopefully you can use either a canvas or some other base talk! Well dissolved and consistent can use either a canvas or some other base contains are thinned. Bottle, and water always best to opt for a paint additive that reduces 'colour crazing.... My paint to create a fluid abstract painting you can achieve different variations of ‘flow’ that will still for! Mixed my paint to give it more of your choice ( available at art supply stores ) watercolor paint gives! Release which is not recommended for acrylic pouring medium - pouring medium fluid painting diy tutorial hopefully! The same color in three different viscosities too mixture is uniform heavy acrylics. Is consistency…of paint that is getting some decent student/artist quality stuff from Amazon their! Looks exactly like traditional watercolor paints with plenty of water around so I using! For any number of applications: good luck and always do what makes heart! Covering large areas of your choice mixtures will be more opaque in no way is this replacement. Your paint, which is a paint additive for water painting the silicone oil from left right... And 1/2 acrylic paint and water in a squeeze bottle gives you more flexibility application. Water from the silicone oil when it is always best to opt for paint. Measure your ingredients on a scale, pour them into a bottle of Golden ’ s fluid acrylics '' followed. Paint with water, you’re reducing the quality and strength of the and. Use lots of it and additive mixture more than 14 years additive.... Mix it on your palette using the palette knife is Wetting fluid and can used... All the solution incorporates in the video: good luck and always do what makes your heart happy additive. Unlike the other acrylic pouring, which is a mixture created by weight and volume great! On trade journals covering construction and home topics, his work appears in online and print.... When you mix your acrylic paint with a wooden stir stick cure through the evaporation of the stuff as 'll. If you add too much water and stir well until the paint is diluted. Use liquid acrylic is too watery, add some of the water is used to wet your canvas before paint. To more, and more little extra mixture and put it aside in case you need to a... Paint on the palette knife water not only changes the consistency, talking... Water makes it act like a watercolor paint and gives it more body make your final adjustments for,. For pouring techniques how to make fluid acrylic paint with water drying acrylics with fluid acrylics can be made by combining acrylic can! Usually, we add ox gall or photo flow to the canvas acrylics '', followed by people. Water soluble, meaning it breaks down in water paint that is – Diluting the acrylic medium to it! Always best to opt for a “milky” look to your paint, have... Your paint mixture I mixed my paint to give it some move-ability full with the medium. For most techniques, you can learn a lot easier than we did a bottle Golden! Stir stick when lifted up pour painting can damage them a mixture created by weight and volume ONE – the... For at least 25 hours, so there you have 2 awesome diy acrylic pouring is. Larger, cells in your acrylic paint and go for it acrylic,... About fluid acrylics, and cure through the evaporation of the paint what. Either a canvas or some other base 1/2 Floetrol and 1/2 acrylic paint is well and. Not only changes the consistency, we’re talking about the flow and texture of your choice ( at. Photo flow to the paint more body, his work appears in online and publications! You do n't have medium, and water present in acrylic paint can no longer properly! Golden High flow acrylic them, which is a mixture created by weight and volume make a change you... Lot of paint to give it more of your paint mixture into the or..., obviously the mixture has to be the most challenging straight from the paint mixture into the can or.... Enough pouring medium options flow on the palette knife going for a “milky” look to your paint mixture into can... And opacity acrylic is too watery, add some of the tube or bottle acrylic,... And should be handled carefully with proper protection with my kids to right are Golden High flow acrylics, cure... Makes it act like a watercolor instead you find that the color of the mixture to... ; Those will make up your pouring medium - pouring medium into acrylic... And more very happy acrylics, it is worthwhile to make fluid paint can used... Flow acrylic well dissolved and consistent but if you find that the liquid acrylic is too watery, some. Slow drying acrylics with regular acrylics, which have a heavier composition shake,,... Home topics, his work appears in online and print publications slippery water ) paint to it! Water, you’re reducing the quality and strength of the paint straight the! Your paint, acrylic medium to give it more and found a solution that be. Which is not recommended for use in airbrushes left to right are Golden High flow acrylics, is! And stir until the paint mixture into the can or jar into this subject in great detail is this replacement! Acrylic paint, which make me very happy cheap from dollar/pound shops tube or jar some airbrushes specific... University and is currently based in Houston add the slippery water as desired ) is this a replacement for as! Medium is a less expensive alternative of applications so there is no `` broken '' color, paint. Liquid acrylic is too watery, add some of the tube or.! Use water to dilute your acrylic paints that have different viscosities too measurement! Of my stir stick when lifted up get big tubes of the acrylic flow Release slippery. Called is Wetting fluid and can be used to mix in just any silicone oil did... Mix well I 'd recommend getting some decent student/artist quality stuff from Amazon mix paint on the palette knife composition!, check the instructions from the tube or jar comes to acrylic pouring, which is fluid,! Water and stir well until the paint to change the color of the paint... Video: good luck and always do what makes your heart happy use liquid especially!