Home Forums Explore Media Acrylics Odd reaction when mixing paint with glue

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  • #453564
    AndKnit
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        I wanted to play around with acrylic pouring a bit, and since I can’t get a hold of a proper pouring medium for a few weeks, I tried the PVA glue+water approach. I noticed something that I have tried to find information about, with no luck. I was wondering if there was a specific name for this phenomena?

        When mixing some of the paints with the glue/water, it starts looking like a mix with undissolved paint particles, and this remains when mixed with other colors, making it look… well, bad and muddy in an odd way. I wasn’t sure if it was the paint or the glue, so I started testing with the few paints I have. The first pic is from a test with red and white. Two brands gave the result seen to the left, while the third one to the right looked more smooth, and more like what I see when watching people mix paint on youtube.

        The second pic shows the same happening with the blue paint. The “grainy” look remains when the paint is dry.

        I have tested three brands for now, one super cheap I can’t recall the name of, one cheap name brand paint from Panduro, and the one that looked better was Daler Rowney Graduate. The first two were in tubes, and had a thicker consistency that the one from DR. I used white from DR in the tests. While I’m sure “you get what you pay for” also applies to paint, I haven’t seen any references to something like this happening when people demonstrate “pouring on a budget”.

        I can also add: I started out using the glue-mix because I read it would keep the colors from mixing too much. (I’m currently not concerned with longevity.) I did a test using the same red, blue and white as in the 2nd pic, using only water. They didn’t mix together, and stayed vibrant and shiny also when dried.

        Color me confused.

        #591661
        Eraethil
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            The blending you are seeing can come from several different causes:
            – Paint thinned to a more watery consistency will blend more readily. Pouring mediums are formulated to keep crisper lines between poured paint colours.
            – If you were mixing into a dirty pour first, too much stirring and too much wait time prior to the pour will encourage blending as well.
            – And when you are thinning down your paints, thorough mixing is essential to get a consistent paint prior to pouring. If you add too much water and PVA at once, it takes a very long time to truly mix together and your pigment can be clumped together in the resulting paint solution. Add small amounts and mix slowly and thoroughly to get a smooth paint.
            – I’m sure there are several other ways to get this blending. Perhaps others will chime in.

            [FONT=Century Gothic] [FONT=Century Gothic]Comments and critique actively sought and much appreciated! [/SIZE][/B]
            Rick. . . [/COLOR][/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. . [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. . . [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. . . [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. . [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. .[/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic] . [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. . . [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. . . [/COLOR]pigment storm fine art[FONT=Century Gothic] . . . watch the paint flow![/SIZE]

            #591665
            AndKnit
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                The blending you are seeing can come from several different causes:
                – Paint thinned to a more watery consistency will blend more readily. Pouring mediums are formulated to keep crisper lines between poured paint colours.
                – If you were mixing into a dirty pour first, too much stirring and too much wait time prior to the pour will encourage blending as well.
                – And when you are thinning down your paints, thorough mixing is essential to get a consistent paint prior to pouring. If you add too much water and PVA at once, it takes a very long time to truly mix together and your pigment can be clumped together in the resulting paint solution. Add small amounts and mix slowly and thoroughly to get a smooth paint.
                – I’m sure there are several other ways to get this blending. Perhaps others will chime in.

                I’ve tested some different approaches. The “particle thing” (no idea what one might call it) shows up pretty much right away when introducing glue to the paint, before water is added. I have also tried mixing the glue and water before adding it to the paint, same result. The pour tests in the pictures were done with no stirring and no wait time, so minimal blending in the cup.

                I haven’t tried adding just small amounts of glue at a time, so I will have to test out that approach.

                Thanks for the input!

                #591666
                AndKnit
                Default

                    .

                    I haven’t tried adding just small amounts of glue at a time, so I will have to test out that approach.

                    And it seems that was the issue right here. I just tested taking my sweet time adding small amounts, and it worked out much better, so now I know that this paint just needs to be handled with more care than the other one.

                    The next thing I need to work at is doing this without stirring inn too much air, making the paint a bit foamy. That will have to be a project for after easter. :)

                    #591663

                    Acrylic + water can make bubbles. For thinning acrylic medium for varnish, Golden Paints recommends allowing the thinned medium to rest for 24 hours to get the bubbles out.

                    Stir slowly and gently in any case.

                    A painting is never really done as long as I can get my hands on it.

                    #591662
                    Eraethil
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                        Glad it helped. The same thing is true but moreso if/when you start using dry pigments with your media. Wet them out very gradually. Cheers!

                        [FONT=Century Gothic] [FONT=Century Gothic]Comments and critique actively sought and much appreciated! [/SIZE][/B]
                        Rick. . . [/COLOR][/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. . [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. . . [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. . . [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. . [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. .[/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic] . [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. . . [/COLOR][FONT=Century Gothic]. . . [/COLOR]pigment storm fine art[FONT=Century Gothic] . . . watch the paint flow![/SIZE]

                        #591664
                        ic.Art
                        Default

                            Funny…I like the ‘grainy’ effect! Very unusual texture!!
                            I’m glad you found your answer for a smoother look but you might also find use in other works for your ‘grain’ discovery too!

                            'Don't worry about your originality. You couldn't get rid of it even if you wanted to. It will stick with you and show up for better or for worse in spite of all you or anyone else can do.' - Robert Henri

                            #591667
                            AndKnit
                            Default

                                Acrylic + water can make bubbles. For thinning acrylic medium for varnish, Golden Paints recommends allowing the thinned medium to rest for 24 hours to get the bubbles out.

                                Stir slowly and gently in any case.

                                I’ve admittedly been rather impatient while just testing colors now to begin with, but will be mixing paints a day in advanced when I start mixing quantities for actual pours. Partly due to my own time constraints, but it’s good to know it will be help the paint settle too.

                                Funny…I like the ‘grainy’ effect! Very unusual texture!!
                                I’m glad you found your answer for a smoother look but you might also find use in other works for your ‘grain’ discovery too!

                                I’m sure it can have its place at some time, but yeah, I’m glad to have found a way around it. :)

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