Home › Forums › Explore Media › Acrylics › How to thicken acrylic paint?

Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • March 27, 2012 at 11:37 pm #989511
    DeanDailypaintings
    Default

        If I can’t afford an artist grade acrylic gel medium , can I use spackling paste commonly used for repairing walls to thicken my acrylic paint and will it crack ? any other cheap alternatives out there? Desperately need answers to this question . Appreciate if anybody can help.:)

        March 28, 2012 at 6:07 am #1158635
        Guide
        Default

            Dean, welcome to the acrylics forum at wet canvas.

            Gel medium and modeling paste (which is closer to spackling compound) are two different animals. Gel mediums generally dry clear and flexible while modeling paste (depending on the brand and style) can be less flexible and generally white.

            I know of artists that use spackling compound, I am not sure of the ramifications. In short term it may work but the long term issues have yet to be decided.

            If your interest is to create archival works, then it may not be the best choice. Sometimes the best choice is to paint within your means. In reality you need only a limited palette to create beautiful work. There have been several artists that have used a 5 color palette of cyan, magenta, yellow, black, and white. Is it ideal, for some yes…..for some no. Don’t overlook the value of a split palette. It uses the basics of red, blue and yellow with a tube of each in warm and cool for a total of 6 tubes of paint plus white and black would be optional.

            If you must use modeling paste, there is a paint company in California (I am going to have to research the name and webpage) that has very reasonable pricing on their acrylic products. Don’t over look house brand products. Blick, Daniel Smith, and a few others, they have good products at reasonable prices. Always be on the look out for the sale. I know Blick has great sales once or twice a year on their house brand paints.

            If you have a chance to go through the information kiosk there is a wealth of information there. There is a link in my signature line.

            later….

            Found it, the company is Nova Color.[/URL]

            Click here to go to the information kiosk My You Tube Channel 48hlc48
            The only person you can't fool, is yourself! (Oz The Great and Powerful)
            "If you think you can, or think you can't, your right!"
            "The thing about art is that life is in no danger of being meaningless," Robert Genn

            March 28, 2012 at 9:11 am #1158633
            Einion

                Hi Dean, welcome to WC and the forum.

                To answer your question directly, yes you can use spackle to thicken your acrylic paints and yes there is a danger of them cracking if you do (as well as some other possible ageing effects). Since there aren’t any Art Police you’re completely free to experiment with this type of thing but one thing I would recommend if you do this much is not to work on stretched canvas – a rigid support of some kind would be preferable (safer).

                Another option for thickening paints is to thicken them directly, rather than adding something thick to them in the same vein as modelling paste or spackle. Both Golden and Liquitex make thickeners of this type and although they aren’t cheap only a very small amount is needed to thicken the paint.

                Something like this has the advantage that it won’t alter the colour of the paint and it remains pretty flexible when the paint has dried, but it won’t bulk out the paint in the way that a thick medium does so you will end up using more of your paint at the end of the day.

                More info and options in this old post.

                Einion

                Do you know if your colour is off in hue, value, chroma... or all three?

                Colour Theory & Mixing forum WetCanvas Glossary Search Tips Advanced Search Acrylics forum Acrylics - Information Kiosk

                March 28, 2012 at 10:06 am #1158637
                Old_hobbyest
                Default

                    I’ve used Diatomaceous earth. It’s chemically inert, inexpensive, and available at big boxes. A little goes a long way.

                    April 4, 2012 at 12:02 pm #1158632
                    TRANCHINA

                        If I can’t afford an artist grade acrylic gel medium , can I use spackling paste commonly used for repairing walls to thicken my acrylic paint and will it crack ? any other cheap alternatives out there? Desperately need answers to this question . Appreciate if anybody can help.:)

                        I would not even consider using spackling compound with acrylic paint.

                        April 4, 2012 at 3:01 pm #1158634
                        Charlies Mum Administrator (Maureen)
                        Default

                            We tried an experiment here years ago using PVC Adhesive instead of a medium to add to the acrylics.
                            The painting I did is still very much OK!

                            Over here PVC is bought from hardware stores and widely used for many things – here’s a link to explain what it is in case it’s under another name in the US.

                            I found the thread I did – if it’s any use!:)

                            Cheers, Maureen


                            Forum projects: Plant Parade projects in the Florals/Botanicals forum , WDE in the All Media Art Events , Different Strokes in Acrylics forum .

                            April 5, 2012 at 5:53 am #1158636
                            Sweet725
                            Default

                                If you have Michael near you they carry the golden and liquetex medium – find 40-50% of coupon and voila! Great way to get some supplies you need tight hut having to pay full price.

                                [FONT=Garamond]-Pam
                                Professional Piddler of all that interest me! "Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall" -Confucius

                              • Author
                                Posts
                              Viewing 7 posts - 1 through 7 (of 7 total)
                              • The topic ‘How to thicken acrylic paint?’ is closed to new replies.


                              Lost your password?
                              Register