Glad you posted this. I've seen supposed experts say, "Don't add too much water. Acrylics aren't water color paints". I use really watery washes all the time for various effects. Never had a problem.
I was just about to say Golden's study that they shared on their blog is super helpful resource 😂 glad we're on the same page! You're on point, my friend
Paint that very watered down usually only cracks if it's put on too thickly. Thin layers works well for me. Higher quality paint also helps. I also do fluid art and the paint is greatly thinned with water fortified with a GAC product, Floetrol or even glue. Thanks for making great and helpful videos.💚
Never had a problem with using water, and I never used any of the mediums until recently. For example glaze medium puts super depth into those layers. It is well worth trying out the mediums as I was so reluctant to do for years. I do not know if you can still get them from Windsor & Newton but they did a pack of try out of 4 mediums. Matt medium, improves the flow of colour. Slow drying medium, doubles drying time. And maintains colour viscosity. Gloss medium, increases depth of transparency and flow of colour. Flow improver, increases flow, maintains stability. Slow drying. The flow improver did not really impress me. But like I say mediums are well worth a try out and help improve your mastering of Acrylic paints. Liked the painting by the way, great paint marks.
Wow! You really had some great information in the video. Your painting is stunning. I love that lion. I'm trying to do oils and acrylics and the oils take forever to dry and I can see why you enjoy the acrylics. I want to paint and I get frustrated with the oil making a mess.
Just found your site and As an Old guy in my 70's now .. I do not use water for my acrylics but I use Clear Acrylic Floor Wax.. I even use it in my Air Brushes ..I found that Gloss wax,, Mate Wax will also give a different look as well as how much you use to thin it down..Just a thought. All the best to you and yours.
I've been painting with acrylic - and mostly with water - for over 50 years: the only problem I've had lay with the surface, not the paint; obviously, don't use an oily surface, but some canvases, eg from the Far East (if India counts as Far East) seem to be treated with some kind of fugicide - that can repel paint; if you see glittery bits in the weave of your canvas, wash it off, and let it dry completely before painting on it. I agree with all the points you've made in this video - when you say "cheap gesso", I suspect the fungicide issue is all part of that. Don't buy cheap boards - don't use cheap paint: I stick to Daler-Rowney Cryla; system 3; Winsor and Newton Artists' range; and yes, I add my own gesso (usually Daler-Rowney, but I'd be just as happy with Winsor and Newton. I haven't yet used Golden! Which strikes me as a major omission, so one day I shall do so. To add a note of controversy, I've used, for some 25 years, Chromacolour, from Chromacolour UK - it is differently formulated, the way it's sold is not the way professional acrylic paint is normally sold, but my now long experience of it suggests it's a very good, lightfast paint, capable of great dilution - but not to be used, if that's anyone's idea of a good idea anyway, under oil.
I use GAC100 a lot (for different reasons) and I can confirm even just using a little bit certainly takes you a very long way! It's a super handy medium and I do recommend it
Thank you sooooooooooo much for this video. I have been diluting with lots of water ever since I began using acrylics... many thin layers... especially when working on faces... which helps me get the desired complexion hues and more realistic contours.
For me, I would wet the brush before adding the paint. I found that doing this made the paint unload more smoothly and thereby creating a nice smooth line. As Acrylic dries it can be used for dry brush effects but eventually it gets tacky and this results in rough lines. All of these states can be used to create the needed variation of detail, but yeah, for me personally, I prefer clean lines as it allows the eye to differentiate between two different zones and this creates the feeling of "I can sell this". I do like rough areas too but I always make sure that the style is consistent because the mistakes are things that stand out because they don't conform to the style of each zone. An easy thing to do is get some test canvas/paper and try various amounts. Try and be as exact with the description of the amount of water, so that it is a consistently repeatable amount. (Eg: how deep to dip the brush | X amount of drops for Y amount of paint will result in Z type of paint viscosity.)
Can you please answer these questions. Copyright is scary.. Where do you get your images from thus avoiding copyright? I see with your beautiful animals you trafe outlines and details. But where do you get your prints? I would find this very helpful. Or can you do a class on avoiding copyright issues... It's a bit of a mine field, and I feel you must know about this... Do you change things around the layouts..
Beautiful!! Wow!! This is absolutely spot on!! 4 years ago by accident as I hated acrylic paints and frustrated at them drying up so quickly and sticking and dragging but was getting nausea on the 3rd day after the Oil Paints I tried to start painting with; started to do it's chemical drying; then I have to wait a month for the oil painting odor to dissipate in the garage. So, I decided to use very thin "watered down" cheap acrylic "house paint" in layers as my "base" to paint under the Oil Paint which my thought was to paint on top of as I knew I would only have a 3 day window before it started its oil paint smell and so getting most of the painting down in acrylic I thought I could shorten the painting time before the odor kicked in ... well low and behold, I loved the look of the watered down layered "base" acrylic painting so much that to this day I have not painted over the acrylic "base"!! Also, I did not put on a gesso layer, since I was just experimenting I just painted straight on to an old piece of 3 foot by 4 foot Plywood type sheet that was mildly warped and would have been thrown out. Over these 4 years no cracking, no pealing, no fading. I have abused it, brushed other canvas on it, laid stuff on it, moved from garage to storage, from room to room and closets. Apart from a few light scuffs it looks as good as the day I painted it 4 years ago!! I never showed or told anyone about breaking the "water ratio" acrylic rule hiding the evidence. Family has seen it but not how it was painted Must confess zero frustration with the acrylic drying up and dragging and with 4 years proof and your stunning art, this "closet Artist" is coming out!! 🥳 lol 👩🏻🎨
I use acrylic on fabriano artistico HP watercolour paper. I have had no issues with using water. I have paintings over 20-25 years old which are still absolutely fine...
Something that occurs to me that might be a factor in adhesion and other potential perceived negative "effects" of using water might be the actual "hardness" of the water. Certainly some folks might have more dissolved minerals in their water and those minerals might chemically react with the pigments to alter colors over time or affect adhesion. This is merely me spit-balling here. I would like to se a study on this as well. The obvious workaround would be using distilled water if it is indeed a factor. Again I don't have any vested interest in this "argument" one way or the other, I was just trying to perhaps understand what might cause the anti-water prejudice aside from the ones you mention.
So you don’t use glazing medium? I’ve always found glazing medium doesn’t create the consistency I wish for, makes it cloudy. I use golden too; and I’ll be reverting back to water for my glazes, maybe I’ll be back to being comfortable without trying to learn all the vast overwhelming collection of mediums out there 😅 excellent video! Happy found the channel last week .
The only warning I would give is with super cheap craft-grade acrylic paint. I wouldn't dilute them with water. A friend's experience has been that the super cheap paint might seem to adhere okay at first. But going in with a second layer may reactivate the first layer and cause it to lift. (But maybe no one here on your channel would use that low-bid paint? 😉)
In my experience, the problem is not the quantity of water you use, but where and when you use it. For example, if you use water abundantly when you paint with acrylics like watercolor there is no problem, but if you use a lot of water with relatively thick paint, even when it is already dry, it will not adere well to the paper or canvas you are painting on. Nevertheless, this may occur because of the quality of the paint or the quality of the paper or canvas. On the other hand, you may not use a lot of water when glazing, there are mediums for that purpose.
And here I was, trying to figure out why I never had the problems everyone always talked about when using water as a medium. At the time, I never knew any mediums really existed for acrylic.
I agree, acrylics is basically plastic so likely to have paintings millions of years old 😅 I have ones done with cheap acrylic in childhood, 30 or so years ago and they are fine! Look as new.
I am here supposedly to listen to what the topic is about....only to be mesmerized by you painting the lion and not listening to what you are talking.. Beautiful painting and you make it look damn easy 😒
Chroma Atelier Acrylics act like oils and can be reopened and reworked changed my art they will send you a free tube to try. I will never go back to the mess and smell of oils.
Glad you posted this. I've seen supposed experts say, "Don't add too much water. Acrylics aren't water color paints". I use really watery washes all the time for various effects. Never had a problem.
I was just about to say Golden's study that they shared on their blog is super helpful resource 😂 glad we're on the same page! You're on point, my friend
Paint that very watered down usually only cracks if it's put on too thickly. Thin layers works well for me. Higher quality paint also helps.
I also do fluid art and the paint is greatly thinned with water fortified with a GAC product, Floetrol or even glue.
Thanks for making great and helpful videos.💚
Never had a problem with using water, and I never used any of the mediums until recently. For example glaze medium puts super depth into those layers. It is well worth trying out the mediums as I was so reluctant to do for years. I do not know if you can still get them from Windsor & Newton but they did a pack of try out of 4 mediums. Matt medium, improves the flow of colour. Slow drying medium, doubles drying time. And maintains colour viscosity. Gloss medium, increases depth of transparency and flow of colour. Flow improver, increases flow, maintains stability. Slow drying. The flow improver did not really impress me. But like I say mediums are well worth a try out and help improve your mastering of Acrylic paints. Liked the painting by the way, great paint marks.
I have ALWAYS heard this warning, and NEVER had a problem with it myself - but always wondering if "THIS will be the time it happens!" Thank you!
What a talent you have, very good. Thank you for the tips again
Great demonstration and presentation. Beautiful work.
Wow! You really had some great information in the video. Your painting is stunning. I love that lion. I'm trying to do oils and acrylics and the oils take forever to dry and I can see why you enjoy the acrylics. I want to paint and I get frustrated with the oil making a mess.
Just found your site and As an Old guy in my 70's now .. I do not use water for my acrylics but I use Clear Acrylic Floor Wax.. I even use it in my Air Brushes ..I found that Gloss wax,, Mate Wax will also give a different look as well as how much you use to thin it down..Just a thought. All the best to you and yours.
That’s really interesting. I’ve never heard of that before.
I've been painting with acrylic - and mostly with water - for over 50 years: the only problem I've had lay with the surface, not the paint; obviously, don't use an oily surface, but some canvases, eg from the Far East (if India counts as Far East) seem to be treated with some kind of fugicide - that can repel paint; if you see glittery bits in the weave of your canvas, wash it off, and let it dry completely before painting on it.
I agree with all the points you've made in this video - when you say "cheap gesso", I suspect the fungicide issue is all part of that. Don't buy cheap boards - don't use cheap paint: I stick to Daler-Rowney Cryla; system 3; Winsor and Newton Artists' range; and yes, I add my own gesso (usually Daler-Rowney, but I'd be just as happy with Winsor and Newton. I haven't yet used Golden! Which strikes me as a major omission, so one day I shall do so.
To add a note of controversy, I've used, for some 25 years, Chromacolour, from Chromacolour UK - it is differently formulated, the way it's sold is not the way professional acrylic paint is normally sold, but my now long experience of it suggests it's a very good, lightfast paint, capable of great dilution - but not to be used, if that's anyone's idea of a good idea anyway, under oil.
Thank you for clearing up the confusion about water and acrylics!!
I use watercolor and acrylic both. It is definitely helpful for artists using acrylic! Thanks a lot for good information.
Great Painting and tips Thank You….Loving the new style….
I use GAC100 a lot (for different reasons) and I can confirm even just using a little bit certainly takes you a very long way! It's a super handy medium and I do recommend it
Your big fan from 🇪🇹 Ethiopia. I love your technique tnxs
Thank you sooooooooooo much for this video. I have been diluting with lots of water ever since I began using acrylics... many thin layers... especially when working on faces... which helps me get the desired complexion hues and more realistic contours.
Thanks for the tips.👋🙂
that is stunning....
Fantastic video as always!
For me, I would wet the brush before adding the paint. I found that doing this made the paint unload more smoothly and thereby creating a nice smooth line. As Acrylic dries it can be used for dry brush effects but eventually it gets tacky and this results in rough lines. All of these states can be used to create the needed variation of detail, but yeah, for me personally, I prefer clean lines as it allows the eye to differentiate between two different zones and this creates the feeling of "I can sell this". I do like rough areas too but I always make sure that the style is consistent because the mistakes are things that stand out because they don't conform to the style of each zone. An easy thing to do is get some test canvas/paper and try various amounts. Try and be as exact with the description of the amount of water, so that it is a consistently repeatable amount. (Eg: how deep to dip the brush | X amount of drops for Y amount of paint will result in Z type of paint viscosity.)
Thank you nice sharing painting lion..
Thanks for the explanations!❤
You make it look so doable but it’s still tough. I’ll get there eventually
Marvelous 👍👍👍
I have problems laying down clean thin lines with acrylic paint. It's unruly. I don't know if it's bad quality paint or if I am not using it correctly
Can you please answer these questions.
Copyright is scary..
Where do you get your images from thus avoiding copyright?
I see with your beautiful animals you trafe outlines and details.
But where do you get your prints?
I would find this very helpful.
Or can you do a class on avoiding copyright issues...
It's a bit of a mine field, and I feel you must know about this...
Do you change things around the layouts..
Should I use gloss medium n water at the same time
which brushes you use please suggest.
This is amazing
Beautiful!! Wow!! This is absolutely spot on!! 4 years ago by accident as I hated acrylic paints and frustrated at them drying up so quickly and sticking and dragging but was getting nausea on the 3rd day after the Oil Paints I tried to start painting with; started to do it's chemical drying; then I have to wait a month for the oil painting odor to dissipate in the garage. So, I decided to use very thin "watered down" cheap acrylic "house paint" in layers as my "base" to paint under the Oil Paint which my thought was to paint on top of as I knew I would only have a 3 day window before it started its oil paint smell and so getting most of the painting down in acrylic I thought I could shorten the painting time before the odor kicked in ... well low and behold, I loved the look of the watered down layered "base" acrylic painting so much that to this day I have not painted over the acrylic "base"!! Also, I did not put on a gesso layer, since I was just experimenting I just painted straight on to an old piece of 3 foot by 4 foot Plywood type sheet that was mildly warped and would have been thrown out. Over these 4 years no cracking, no pealing, no fading. I have abused it, brushed other canvas on it, laid stuff on it, moved from garage to storage, from room to room and closets. Apart from a few light scuffs it looks as good as the day I painted it 4 years ago!! I never showed or told anyone about breaking the "water ratio" acrylic rule hiding the evidence. Family has seen it but not how it was painted Must confess zero frustration with the acrylic drying up and dragging and with 4 years proof and your stunning art, this "closet Artist" is coming out!! 🥳 lol 👩🏻🎨
Thanks sir 😊
Lovely.... 💯💯✅
Really enjoying this new direction you've taken with your art! I would love to see you do a looser piece like this in oils one day :)
Thanks! I’ve done one similar in oils a few months back :) here’s the link! th-cam.com/video/hqGcXFxpRE4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=IBzpJveiTOQHugnM
Oh amazing, thank you! @@StudioWildlife
I use acrylic on fabriano artistico HP watercolour paper. I have had no issues with using water. I have paintings over 20-25 years old which are still absolutely fine...
Great video, bro!! 🔥
Lion, the strongest warrior 💪👑🔥🦁
Great work
Question, I am a beginner with acrylic and follow you to learn about it. Do I have to put gesso on my paper too?
It’s not as important as the paint will soak into the paper, but I always add some extra gesso just to be safe 😁
Something that occurs to me that might be a factor in adhesion and other potential perceived negative "effects" of using water might be the actual "hardness" of the water. Certainly some folks might have more dissolved minerals in their water and those minerals might chemically react with the pigments to alter colors over time or affect adhesion. This is merely me spit-balling here. I would like to se a study on this as well. The obvious workaround would be using distilled water if it is indeed a factor. Again I don't have any vested interest in this "argument" one way or the other, I was just trying to perhaps understand what might cause the anti-water prejudice aside from the ones you mention.
Can I use acrylic medium
Nice❤❤
So you don’t use glazing medium? I’ve always found glazing medium doesn’t create the consistency I wish for, makes it cloudy. I use golden too; and I’ll be reverting back to water for my glazes, maybe I’ll be back to being comfortable without trying to learn all the vast overwhelming collection of mediums out there 😅 excellent video! Happy found the channel last week .
The only warning I would give is with super cheap craft-grade acrylic paint. I wouldn't dilute them with water. A friend's experience has been that the super cheap paint might seem to adhere okay at first. But going in with a second layer may reactivate the first layer and cause it to lift. (But maybe no one here on your channel would use that low-bid paint? 😉)
In my experience, the problem is not the quantity of water you use, but where and when you use it. For example, if you use water abundantly when you paint with acrylics like watercolor there is no problem, but if you use a lot of water with relatively thick paint, even when it is already dry, it will not adere well to the paper or canvas you are painting on. Nevertheless, this may occur because of the quality of the paint or the quality of the paper or canvas. On the other hand, you may not use a lot of water when glazing, there are mediums for that purpose.
And here I was, trying to figure out why I never had the problems everyone always talked about when using water as a medium. At the time, I never knew any mediums really existed for acrylic.
❤👍
Do you use a reference photo or is this all in your head?
❤❤❤❤
I agree, acrylics is basically plastic so likely to have paintings millions of years old 😅 I have ones done with cheap acrylic in childhood, 30 or so years ago and they are fine! Look as new.
مشتركة جديد رسمك حلو بزياده وتفاصيل لوحاتك احلا🗿🚬
Dollar tree paint is super watery. I've had some crack, some not.
They look like they were made by AI but no, it is made by the hand of a great artist
I am here supposedly to listen to what the topic is about....only to be mesmerized by you painting the lion and not listening to what you are talking.. Beautiful painting and you make it look damn easy 😒
Chroma Atelier Acrylics act like oils and can be reopened and reworked changed my art they will send you a free tube to try. I will never go back to the mess and smell of oils.
Water is just a vehicle