Originally Posted by
Tfloraditch
I have read here cautions of using too much water with acrylic paints, so I have a few questions.
1. First what is the problem that develops with too much water?
The binder in the paint may be so weakened by the dilution with water that it can't bind the pigments, either in a paint film or to the support/ground. The color may powder off.
2. How much is too much?
That will vary from brand to brand, with the more expensive and therefore maybe better brands being more capable of greater dilution. We wouldn't add more than about 40% water to a volume of paint without replacing the binder with a clear medium. You can add the medium to your water and then add that to the paint.
3. I paint large and with a sponge much of the time, but on smaller paintings I switch to a brush and get a lot of stumbling that I don't want in the early stages. The water allows me to paint quickly with this washes, but I am concerned I am using too much water. Is there something else I should be using in the paint to increase the flow?
There are plenty of acrylic dispersion mediums to choose from. We'd pick one that matches the gloss of the paint.
How much water can I use?
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