
I have seen a lot of videos, articles, comments, etc. online that teach how thicken acrylic paint. Some people recommend cornstarch, flour, and joint compounds to thicken acrylics. Although these ingredients are cheap and readily available, experts do not recommend them due to the potential for very nasty results. Besides you can buy fantastic products specifically made to thicken your paint. Sure, they may be more expensive, but investing is better than taking a chance with items like joint compound and cornstarch. It isn’t worth the risk if you want your work to last. I recommend you purchase high-quality thickening mediums to thicken your acrylic paint.
Below are several videos that discuss some of the thickening mediums available. For all of your online art supply needs, I recommend shopping at Dick Blick. I have been shopping there for years. They have a great selection of products and fast, affordable shipping options. Enjoy the post!
In her video ‘Thickening Acrylics for Palette Knife Work,’ Jeanette Jobson briefly explains how to use thickening mediums to thicken acrylic paint. Here’s a summary of the key points:
- Texture Comparison: Acrylic paint, even the heavy-bodied types, has a different texture than oil paint and doesn’t naturally give the impasto effect that oil does.
- Using Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic Paint: The presenter demonstrates how this paint can be moved around with a palette knife and leave visible strokes, but it still isn’t as thick as oil paint.
- Thickening Gel: Liquitex thickening gel is used. This gel is similar in texture and weight to the heavy body acrylic paint. It’s important to use no more than 25% thickener to the paint’s amount to avoid making it unstable.
- Mixing and Application: The thickener is mixed with the paint using a palette knife, changing the paint’s consistency to a thick impasto that leaves a matte finish, which allows for more visible marks on the painting surface, similar to those achieved with oil paint.
- Benefits of the Thickening Gel: The gel works with any acrylic paint, including heavy body and regular types. It allows for a thicker paint application, providing more control for palette knife techniques and creating more refined edges and stronger marks.
- Drying Time: The thickening gel may slightly extend the drying time of the acrylic paint.
The video helps artists familiar with the texture of oil paints to achieve similar effects in acrylics by using a thickening gel
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My Drawing Tutorials, in their video ‘Acrylic Painting Medium, Gel & Molding Paste Review (Golden Artist Color),’ review various acrylic mediums and molding pastes from Golden Artist Colors and demonstrate how to thicken acrylic paint. Here’s a summary of the key points:
- Acrylic Medium Gel Pack: The video reviews a pack of six acrylic medium gels from Golden Artist Colors, purchased from Amazon for about $20. This pack allows artists to sample different mediums and molding pastes.
- Soft Gel (Gloss): This medium has a soft texture and, when mixed with paint, slightly lightens the color while adding a shiny gloss finish. It’s not suitable for creating rough textures but is good for adding a glossy finish to the paint.
- Regular Gel (Semi-Gloss): Thicker than the soft gel, this medium adds thickness and texture to the paint. It has a semi-gloss finish and creates thicker textures than the soft gel.
- Extra Heavy Medium Gel (Matte): This very thick and viscous medium significantly thickens the paint and has a matte finish. It’s excellent for creating pronounced bumps and grooves.
- Clear Tar Gel: This transparent and runny gel makes the paint softer and more malleable, ideal for abstract art requiring fluidity. It adds transparency and gloss to the paint, suitable for shiny or metallic effects.
- Light Molding Paste: This paste is thicker than the gel types and slightly mutes the paint color, giving a matte and more delicate finish. It’s great for creating texture, similar to the extra heavy medium gel.
- Coarse Pumice Gel: Resembling cement with a sandy texture, this gel adds significant texture to the paint, making it feel like sandpaper. It’s ideal for creating hard, textured surfaces like rocky mountains.
- Application Examples: The video demonstrates the application of these mediums and pastes on canvas, showing the differences in texture and finish. The presenter also mentions using the light molding paste in another tutorial for creating a realistic mountain range.
The video helps artists understand the effects of different acrylic mediums and molding pastes on their paintings by providing practical demonstrations and comparisons.
Buy these mediums now at Dick Blick!
The video titled “How to: Painting with GOLDEN Acrylic Gel” by Artist Supply Source, features Patti Brady, the director of the Working Artist Program at Golden Artist Colors. She provides an informative overview of gel mediums, focusing on viscosity and sheen and how to thicken acrylic paint the right way. Here’s a summary of the key points:
- Understanding Gel Mediums: The video aims to simplify understanding of gel mediums, which are essentially acrylic paint without pigment. Golden produces various gels with different properties.
- Focus on Viscosity and Sheen: The video concentrates on two aspects of the gels: viscosity (thickness) and sheen (gloss to matte finish).
- Types of Gels:
- Soft Gel (Gloss): This is lower viscosity than heavy body paint but thicker than fluids. Its consistency is similar to blended yogurt and is suitable for creating soft brush strokes.
- Regular Gel: Matches the consistency of heavy body paint and can be used as an extender without altering the paint’s viscosity.
- Heavy Gel: Despite its name, ‘heavy’ refers to the resistance felt when using a palette knife or brush. It’s thicker than regular gel and adds more texture and thickness to acrylic paint.
- Extra Heavy Gel: The thickest gel, like creamy peanut butter, adds the most texture and structure.
- Misconceptions and Water Addition: It’s a common misconception that heavy gel can be diluted into soft gel. While water can be added to gels, it reduces binding capabilities and increases the risk of crazing (fine cracks).
- Gel Sheens:
- Gloss, Semi-Gloss, and Matte: The sheens are achieved by adding matting agents to gloss gel. Matte gels don’t reflect light like gloss gels and are less transparent. Gloss gels retain deeper colors, while matte gels soften and lighten colors.
- The versatility of Acrylic Gels: They can be used for extending colors, making glazes, as adhesives for collages, for image transfers, as a sealer or primer, mixed into acrylic paint for texture, and as an isolation coat for varnishing.
- Encouragement to Experiment: The video encourages artists to experiment with these gels in their studio work and to contact Golden Artist Colors’ product support team for assistance.
The video is a comprehensive guide for artists looking to understand and utilize different types of acrylic gel mediums in their artwork, highlighting each type’s unique properties and applications.
Buy these mediums now at Dick Blick!
“Liquithick” is a product designed for artists, specifically for acrylic paints and is a great solution to how to thicken acrylic paint. It’s a thickening gel that allows artists to modify the texture and consistency of acrylic paint. Here are the key features and uses of Liquithick:
- Thickening Agent: Liquithick is formulated to thicken acrylic paints without altering their color. It’s ideal for artists who want to add more body to their paint for impasto techniques or achieve a heavier, more substantial texture.
- Maintains Paint Integrity: Unlike other thickening agents that might dilute the color or change the properties of the paint, Liquithick is designed to maintain the integrity and hue of the original acrylic paint.
- Versatile Consistency Control: Artists can control the degree of thickness by adjusting the amount of Liquithick added to the paint. This allows for a range of textures, from slightly thickened to a heavy, paste-like consistency.
- Ease of Use: Liquithick is easy to mix with acrylic paints, providing a smooth blend without creating lumps or inconsistencies in the texture.
- Drying and Finish: The product typically does not significantly alter the drying time of the acrylic paint. The finish after drying depends on the amount of Liquithick used and the type of acrylic paint it’s mixed with.
- Application: It can be applied using tools such as brushes, palette knives, or other painting instruments, making it suitable for various artistic techniques and styles.
- Ideal for Various Artistic Effects: Liquithick is particularly useful for artists specializing in impasto techniques, textured layers, or any form of expressive, thick paint application.
Liquithick is a valuable tool for artists exploring different textures and consistencies in their acrylic paintings. It offers flexibility and control over the paint’s body while maintaining its color and properties.
Matte Super Heavy Gel by Liquitex is a versatile medium designed for use with acrylic paints, offering artists a range of creative possibilities. Here’s a summary of its key features and uses:
- Texture and Consistency: As a super heavy gel, it provides a very thick consistency, ideal for creating high peaks and sculptural applications. This makes it well-suited for impasto techniques and rich textures in painting.
- Matte Finish: Unlike glossy mediums, this gel dries to a matte finish, reducing the sheen of the acrylic paint. This is ideal for those who like a non-reflective, flat surface appearance.
- Volume and Body: It adds volume to the paint without increasing transparency. This allows artists to build thick layers of paint without diluting the color intensity.
- Maintains Paint Integrity: The gel is formulated to maintain the stability and durability of the acrylic paint, ensuring that the paint’s quality is preserved even when mixed with large quantities of the medium.
- Drying Time: It may extend the drying time of acrylic paints, allowing artists more time to work with the medium and create detailed textures.
- Versatility: Suitable for various techniques, it can be used in mixed media, collage, and experimental art, as well as traditional painting. It’s compatible with other Liquitex products, offering a range of creative possibilities.
- Application: This can be applied with brushes, palette knives, or other tools, mixed with acrylic paint, or used as a transparent layer on top of dried paint.
- Archival Quality: Like many Liquitex products, the Matte Super Heavy Gel is formulated to be archival, securing the artwork’s longevity and ensuring its preservation.
In summary, Matte Super Heavy Gel by Liquitex is a high-quality medium that allows artists to experiment with texture and volume in their acrylic paintings while providing a durable, matte finish. It’s a versatile tool for artists seeking to add dimensional effects and physical depth to their work.
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