Im wanting to airbrush with acrylic paints...how do I thin them? with water or paint thinner?

Answer 1

Acrylic medium
http://www.dickblick.com/zz006/18a/

Answer 2

I never heard of doing this! Is this something you have read about? Anyway, I am an artist, and I use acrylics a lot. You cannot use paint thinner with acrylics. It is a plastic based paint. It won't work. If you thin acrylics to a consistency that can be sprayed, the pigment will be so weak that it will be virtually transparent. And, since acrylics have a polymer emulsion in them that binds the paint to a surface, the more you thin them, the more they will break down and the easier they will rub off. If this is something that you decided to try on your own- I would not do it. It will probably ruin your airbrush equipment. And I don't think you will get the kind of results you are hoping for.

Answer 3

Hi,

Referring to the auto-refinish industry. Although many acrylic paints are still diluted with acrylic thinner, water based ones are getting more and more common, namey due to environmental issues.
So, there are acrylics that are thinned with water and others are thinned with acrylic thinner.
Mind that if using an acrylic thinner, it's important that your airbrush has teflon «o» rings or the thinner with time will ruin them.
Note that when you buy a paint, the seller MUST known what is PROPER to thin it.
I know that in USA the use of waterborn paints has developed much earlier than in Europe and especially in Portugal.

Kind regards,

José
http://sitekreator.com/hushcolours/index.html

Answer 4

No, don't thin with water if you're doing a painting. And NEVER alcohol, either. Use an acrylic extender or medium. The paint could literally flake off or fall off your painting if you use water. It's a molecular issue, and causes the paint to not cling as well to the canvas . I didn't know that until recently either...and I was an art major! I don't remember ever being told that in school. You actually can use a small amount, or thin the extender with a small amount of water, but don't use water only.

Answer 5

Water... no alcohol... no gum arabic. Maybe some medium but it's not really necessary.

If you're painting on something like illustration board or 300 pound hot press watercolor paper you might want to consider watercolors and gouaches.

Watercolors will give you some amazing, transparent effects and gouaches will give you nice opacity for glows and that old fashioned designery look. Both are a lot easier to use than acrylic and you won't be cleaning your brush quite as often. You can simply flush some water through it between colors.

Inks are pretty nice as well. Just watch your pigments {any type of paint} and don't spray stuff that's going to kill you or cause some sort of irreparable brain/lung/kidney/liver/other damage.

Answer 6

Don't put paint thinners on a water based paint like acrylic.

Answer 7

The best thing to thin a acrylic paint when air brushing would be windex or any brand glass cleaner works perfectly. I always start with a few drops at a time till I get the right consistency.

Answer 8

Usually an alcohol thinner, (NO, not the whiskey!) rubbing alcohol or methylated spirits (both available from a chemist, about £1 per bottle) is best. Other wise see what the maker recommends and use their own thinners.

Answer 9

acrylic is water based paint. you can thin it with water no problem

Answer 10

Water and drop of gum arabic. Gives a perfect result.