TEXT: BOOK
  THE ACRYLIC
  A COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCE FOR ARTISTS
  
  The Acrylic book
  A comprehensive resource for Artists
  
  t A b l e  o f  c o n t e n t s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  Chapter 1 
  IntroduCtIon & hIstory                                        5
  Chapter 2 
  essentIal InformatIon                                         7
  	
  What	Is	Acrylic	Paint? 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 7
  	
  	
  Components	of	Acrylic	Paint  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 7
  	
  	
  How	Acrylics	Work 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 8
  	
  	
  Characteristics	of	Acrylic	Paints		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 9
  	
  	
  Technical	Information 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 10
  	
  	
  Mixing	Color:	Mineral	and	Modern	Pigments  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  13
  	
  	
  Liquitex	Color	Palettes	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 14
  Chapter 3 
  lIquItex® produCts                                             16
  	
  Color	Ranges  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  16
  	
  Professional	Artists	Acrylic	Color		 		 		 		 		 		 		 		 		 		 		 		 		 		 		 		 		 		 		 		 16
  	
  9	Essential	Things	to	Know	About	Acrylic	Colors		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  17
  	
  	
  Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Acrylic	Color		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  18
  	
  	
  Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Acrylic	Color	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 19
  	
  	
  Super	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Acrylic	Color 	  	  	  	  	  	  20
  	
  Decorative	Series  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  21
  	
  	
  Liquitex®	Interference	Colors  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  21
  	
  	
  Iridescent	Colors 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  22
  	
  	
  Luorescent	Colors 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 22
  	
  	
  Liquigems™	Acrylic	Glitter	Paint  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  23
  	
  	
  Glossies™	Acrylic	Enamel	Paint	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 23
  	
  Basics	Value	Series 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  25
  	
  Basics	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 25
  	
  Basics	Matt	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 26
  	
  Choosing	the	Right	Color:	Artists’	Color	vs 	Value	Series 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  27
  	
  Acrylic	Mediums	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 29
   
  prep 
                                                             31
  	
  	
  Surface	Prep 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  31
  	
  paint 
                                                             34
  	
  	
  Fluid	Mediums			  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  34
  	
  	
  Gel	Mediums		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  40
  	
  	
  Effects  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  48
   
  finish                                                            57
  	
  	
  Varnish		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  57
  Chapter 4 
  applICatIons                                                    62
  	
  Acrylic	Sheets		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  62
  	
  Airbrushing 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  64
  	
  Brushwork	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 68
  
  t A b l e  o f  c o n t e n t s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  Chapter 4 
  applICatIons (cont )
   
  Collaging  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  69
  	
  Floorcloths	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 71
  	
  Canvas	Preparation 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  71
  	
  Glazing	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 73	
  	
  Glossies™	on	Glass,	Tile	&	Ceramic	Surfaces  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  74
  	
  Mural	Painting 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 77
  	
  Painting	on	Fabric	and	Leather  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  82
  	
  Pouring	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 87
  	
  Silk-screen  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  89
  	
  Surface	Preparation		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  90
  	
  Transfers  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  97
  	
  Watercolor	With	Acrylic  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 100
  Chapter 5 
  frequently asked questIons                                102
  Chapter 6 
  health & safety                                              106
  	
  Health	Labeling		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 106
  	
  TCLP	Product	Analysis	Findings	Summary 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 110
  	
  Safe	Studio	Tips		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 110
  Chapter 7 
  referenCe                                                    112   
  
  q u i c k  r e f e r e n c e  p r o d u c t  g u i d e
  professIonal Color
  Soft	Body	Acrylic	Color 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 18
  Heavy	Body	Acrylic	Color		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 19
  Super	Heavy	Body	Acrylic	Color 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 20
  Value serIes Color
  BASICS	Acrylic	Color 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 25
  BASICS	Matt	Acrylic	Color	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 26
  professIonal medIums
  surface prep                                           31
  Gesso  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 31
  Clear	Gesso  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 32
  Super	Heavy	Gesso	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 33
  Colored	Gesso 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 33
  fluid mediums                                        34
  Palette	Wetting	Spray	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 34
  Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 35
  Glazing	Medium 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 36
  Matte	Medium		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 36
  Ultra	Matte	Medium 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 37
  Slow-Dri®	Blending	Medium 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 38
  Gel mediums                                           40
  Gloss	Gel 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 41
  Gloss	Heavy	Gel			  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 41
  Gloss	Super	Heavy	Gel		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 42
  Matte	Gel	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 43
  Matte	Super	Heavy	Gel	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 44
  Ultra	Matte	Gel 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 44
  Slow-Dri®	Blending	Gel	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 45
  Modeling	Paste	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 46
  Light	Modeling	Paste		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 47
  Flexible	Modeling	Paste  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 47
  effects                                                48
  Fabric	Medium	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 48
  Iridescent	Medium		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 48
  Airbrush	Medium	 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 49
  Pouring	Medium		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 50
  String	Gel	 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 50	
  effects (cont ) 
  Ceramic	Stucco  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 51	
  White	Opaque	Flakes	 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 51
  Glass	Beads			  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 52
  Blended	Fibers	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 52
  Resin	Sand	 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 52
  Natural	Sand	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 52
  Black	Lava		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 53
  Slow-Dri®	Gel	Retarder		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 54
  Slow-Dri®	Fluid	Retarder	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 54
  Flow	Aid™		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 55	
  Liquithick™	Thickening	Gel  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 56
  Varnish
  High	Gloss	Varnish		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 57
  Gloss	Varnish	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 57
  Satin	Varnish 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 57
  Matte	Varnish  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 57
  Soluvar	Gloss	Varnish	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 58
  Soluvar	Gloss	Varnish	Aerosol  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 58
  Soluvar	Matte	Varnish  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 58
  Soluvar	Matte	Varnish	Aerosol 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 58
  teChnIques & applICatIons
  Acrylic	Sheets 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 62
  Airbrushing		 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 64
  Brushwork  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 68
  Floorcloths 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 71
  Glazing		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 73
  Glossies™	On	Glass,	Tile	&	Ceramic	Surfaces		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 74
  Mural	Painting  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 77
  Painting	On	Fabric	And	Leather		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 82
  Pouring		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 87
  Silk-Screen		  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 89
  Surface	Preparation 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 90
  Transfers 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 97
  Watercolor	with	Acrylic 	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	  	 100
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  Knowledge is power.	The	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Book	is	for	artists,	educators	
  and	students	of	all	levels 	The	information	in	this	book	will	help	you	better	
  understand	acrylic	art	materials	and	will	expose	you	to	innovative	techniques	
  and	applications 	The	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Book	is	written	by	the	people	who	have	
  made	professional	water-based	acrylics	longer	than	any	other	manufacturer 	
  This	book	is	the	result	of	many	lifetimes	of	experience	and	expertise 
  This	easy-access	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Book	has	six	main	chapters:
  1 	 Essential	Information
  2 	 Liquitex	Acrylic	Products
  3 	 Applications
  4 	 Frequently	Asked	Questions
  5 	 Health	and	Safety
  6 	 Reference
  	
  The	“Frequently	Asked	Questions”	will	help	you	solve	common	acrylic	
  problems,	while	the	“Applications”	section	offers	fine	art	techniques	and	
  many	ideas	for	projects	and	applications 
  If	you	have	any	specific	or	technical	questions	that	are	not	answered	in	this	book:	
  •		Visit	www.liquitex.com for	comprehensive	technical	information	on	all		
  Liquitex®	products 
  •	Email	queries	to	info@liquitex.com 
  •	Call	us	at	1.888.4ACRYLIC (North America Only).
  It’s	our	job	to	make	sure	that	you	have	the	information	that	you	need	to	be	successful 
  a BrIef hIstory 
  In	the	long	history	of	art	materials,	acrylics	are	fairly	new 	Oil	colors	date	back	to	the	fifteenth	
  century 	Tempera	and	encaustic	have	pedigrees	that	are	counted	in	the	thousands	of	years 	
  And	watercolor	was	the	result	when	prehistoric	visionaries	developed	the	basic	model	for	
  paint	that	still	serves	today:	a	combination	of	pigment	(earth	colorant),	vehicle	(for	the	
  earliest	artists,	saliva),	and	binder	(prehistoric	animal	fat) 	
  Acrylics	were	first	developed	as	a	solvent-based	artists’	color	in	the	early	part	of	the	twentieth	
  century 	The	first	water-borne	acrylic	(the	kind	we	use	today)	was	developed	and	launched	in	
  1955 	In	that	year,	a	company	in	Cincinnati,	Ohio	called	Permanent	Pigments	that	had	been	
  milling	oil	colors	since	1933	(and	run	by	a	man	named	Henry	Levison,	who	lived,	drank,	
  inTroducTion & hisTory
  01
  c h A p t e r
  c h A p t e r  1 :  i n t r o d u c t i o n  &  h i s t o r y
  
  c h A p t e r  1 :  i n t r o d u c t i o n  &  h i s t o r y
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  slept,	and	breathed	artist’s	colors)	launched	a	new	product 	This	new	artists’	color	was		
  formulated	with	an	acrylic	polymer	resin	that	was	emulsified	with	water 	The	new	color	could	
  go	from	thick	to	thin	and	everywhere	in	between;	it	would	adhere	to	just	about	anything—
  from	canvas	to	paper	to	metal	to	wood	to	plastic–	and	it	dried	quickly	for	easy	re-working,	
  layering,	and	masking 	Most	important,	it	could	be	thinned	and	cleaned	up	with	water 
  Levison	tried	to	come	up	with	a	name	that	would	capture	the	essence	of	the	medium	and	
  the	fact	that	it	could	go	from	fluid	liquidity	to	heavy	texture 	He	called	his	new	product	“liquid	
  texture,”	or	liquitex®.
  Levison	was	able	to	encourage	a	number	of	artists	to	try	the	product,	but	acceptance	was	
  slow 	Acrylics	didn’t	gain	full	acceptance	in	the	artist	community	until	Levison	figured	out	a	
  principle	that	is	still	in	place	today:	great	information	is	as	important	as	great	materials 	Based	
  upon	that	principle,	Levison	launched	a	lecture	demonstration	program	in	which	artists	offered	
  workshops	and	lectures	on	the	use	of	acrylics	to	college	students	and	professors 	Within	a	few	
  years,	acrylics	were	being	used	consistently	in	colleges	and	universities	across	the	country 	
  And	it	wasn’t	long	before	Liquitex®	was	being	used	by	some	of	the	most	important	artists	of	the	
  late	20th	century:	David	Hockney,	Helen	Frankenthaler,	Andy	Warhol	and	others 	Because	of	
  its	durability	and	versatility,	Liquitex®	also	became	the	medium	of	choice	for	large-scale	public	
  murals	by	artists	such	as	Garo	Antreasian	and	Thomas	Hart	Benton 	In	fact,	it’s	fair	to	say	that,	
  without	Liquitex®	and	the	working	properties	of	water-based	acrylics,	20th	century	art	would	
  have	been	completely	different 	
  By	the	1980’s,	acrylics	had	become	the	most	popular	and	widely	used	of	all	painting	
  mediums,	surpassing	both	watercolor	and	oil	by	a	wide	margin 	The	reason?	The	infinite	
  variety	of	applications	of	acrylics	coupled	with	the	spirit	of	innovation	first	shown	by	Liquitex® 
  Without	question,	there	is	no	more	versatile	color	system	in	the	world 	While	both	oils	and	
  watercolor	require	careful	selection	of	surfaces	and	techniques	to	ensure	success	and	
  stability,	acrylics	can	be	used	with	some	simple	guidelines	on	virtually	anything,	to	achieve	
  virtually	any	visual	or	sculptural	result 	They	can	be	used	on	canvas,	on	paper,	on	fabric,	
  on	leather,	on	metal,	and	on	wood 	Acrylics	can	be	brushed,	troweled,	sprayed,	poured,	
  splattered,	scraped	or	carved 	In	short,	with	a	little	care	and	the	right	additive	or	medium,	
  acrylics	can	do	just	about	anything	you	can	imagine 	
  Acrylics	offer	such	great	versatility	because	they	do	three	great	things:	
  1. They stick.	To	almost	anything 	Acrylics	offer	great	adhesion	to	a	wide	variety	of	surfaces 
  2.  They flex.	As	they	dry	and	age,	acrylics	tend	to	remain	far	more	flexible	than	oils,	allowing	
  them	to	be	used	without	cracking	on	a	wider	array	of	surfaces 	
  3.  They adjust.	Through	the	wonders	of	modern	chemistry,	the	working	properties	of	acrylics	
  can	be	adjusted,	altered,	and	managed	in	an	infinite	variety	of	ways 	
  To	take	advantage	of	this	versatility	it	helps	to	understand	the	basic	chemistry	of	how	
  Acrylics	work 	
  
  
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  What Is aCrylIC paInt?
  Water	based	acrylic	paint	is	composed	of	pigment	particles	dispersed	in	an	acrylic	
  polymer	emulsion 
  Components of aCrylIC paInt
  •	pigment 
  	 	A	dry,	powdery	material	that	does	not	dissolve	and	remains	suspended	when	
  mixed	with	acrylic	polymer	emulsion 	Pigments	can	be	organic,	inorganic,	
  natural	and	synthetic 	They	have	little	or	no	affinity	for	the	surface	to	which		
  they	are	applied 	
  •	Vehicle
  	 	A	combination	of	water	and	acrylic	polymer	which	create	a	polymer	emulsion 	
  Once	the	water	leaves	the	system	via	evaporation	or	absorption	the	paint	dries	
  creating	a	stable	film	trapping	the	pigment	particles 
  •	Binder 
  	 	Acrylic	polymer	without	the	water 	Binder	gives	the	paint	its	handling	and	durability	
  characteristics 
  defInItIons
  •	polymer
  	 	A	“polymer”	is	a	long	chemical	chain	made	up	of	smaller,	often	identical	
  molecules 	When	fully	assembled,	it	has	the	potential	for	added	strength	and	
  stability	as	it	locks	into	a	tightly	ordered	structure 	The	final	acrylic	paint	film	is	
  made	of	a	stable	polymeric	structure	that	locks	the	pigment	into	place 
  •	emulsion
  	 	A	mixture	of	water	and	acrylic	polymer 	An	emulsion	is	a	stable	mixture	of	
  components	that	do	not	normally	mix	well	together 	(Oil	and	water,	for	example,	
  can	be	mixed	together	but	will	still	settle	out	and	separate )	Chemical	emulsifiers	
  are	added	to	force	the	water	and	acrylic	polymer	into	a	stable	mixture	until	the	
  water	either	evaporates	or	is	absorbed 	
  essenTiAl informATion
  02
  c h A p t e r
  c h A p t e r  2 :  e s s e n t i A l  i n f o r m A t i o n
  
  
  c h A p t e r  2 :  e s s e n t i A l  i n f o r m A t i o n  /  A c r y l i c s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  hoW aCrylICs Work
  Acrylic	colors	dry	as	a	result	of	water	evaporation 	Here’s	what	occurs	as	pigment,	water,	and	
  acrylic	are	transformed	into	a	last-for-ages	paint	film:
  step 1   Squeezed	from	the	tube,	or	scooped	from	the	jar,	acrylic	paint	is	a	finely	balanced	
  dispersion	of	pigment	in	an	emulsion	of	acrylic	polymer	and	water 	The	water	serves	
  to	keep	the	emulsion	liquid,	and	acts	as	a	kind	of	chemical	‘chaperone’	preventing	
  the	acrylic	polymer	particles	from	getting	close	and	personal	and	locking	up	before	
  the	artist	is	ready 
  step 2   When	exposed	to	the	atmosphere,	water	in	the	emulsion	evaporates,	or	is	absorbed	
  into	the	painting	support 	That’s	when	the	acrylic	polymer	particles	come	into	direct	
  contact	and	fuse	with	each	other 
  step 3   The	polymer	particles	organize	themselves	into	a	stable,	hexagonal	structure,	
  trapping	the	pigment	in	place 	Bingo!	The	stable	paint	film!
  It	is	important	to	note	that	acrylics	should	never	be	thinned	with	more	than	25%	water 	
  Too	much	water	will	spread	the	acrylic	resin	thinly,	and	interfere	with	the	formation	of	the	
  stable	film 	Adding	an	Acrylic	Medium,	rather	than	water,	helps	maintain	color	brilliance	and	
  ensures	that	the	paint	film	will	remain	stable
  The	acrylic/water	emulsion	has	a	slightly	milky	color	when	wet	that	clarifies	as	the	
  paint	dries 	This	milky	appearance	lightens	(to	a	slight	degree)	the	value	of	the	color 	
  As	water	leaves	the	emulsion,	and	the	binder	clarifies,	the	value	of	the	color	darkens 	
  This	color	change	is	commonly	called	the	wet-to-dry	color	shift	and	is	most	noticeable	
  with	dark	transparent	pigments	(such	as	Alizarin)	and	less	noticeable	with	light	
  opaque	pigments	(such	as	Cadmium	Yellow) 	As	acrylic	chemistry	advances,	Liquitex®	
  continuously	makes	use	of	new	acrylic	resins	from	around	the	world	that	offer	far	better	
  wet	clarity	than	ever	before 
  s T e p  1
  s T e p  
  s T e p  
  
  
  c h A p t e r  2 :  e s s e n t i A l  i n f o r m A t i o n  /  A c r y l i c s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  CharaCterIstICs of aCrylIC paInts
  BasIC CharaCterIstICs
  •	Water-soluble	colors	while	wet 	
  •		Permanent,	water	insoluble,	flexible	colors	when	dry 	Built	up	surfaces	will	remain	
  free	of	cracks	and	chips 	Less	flexible	in	cold	weather 	Softer	in	warm	weather 
  •		Should	be	thinned	with	a	minimum	of	water 	To	maintain	the	stability	of	the	final	
  film,	use	acrylic	mediums	or	additives	to	adjust	the	flow	and	working	properties 	
  •		Do	not	mix	with	solvents,	turpentine	or	oils 	Mix	only	with	other	acrylic	emulsion	
  paints	or	mediums 
  •	Keep	brushes	wet 	Clean	up	brushes,	hands	and	palette	with	soap	and	water 
  •	Little	odor,	no	fumes,	nonflammable 	Uses	non-toxic	thinners	and	mediums 
  •		NOTE	on	flexibility:	While	Liquitex®	Acrylic	colors	and	mediums	will	remain	flexible	
  over	time,	all	acrylic	paint	films	become	increasingly	brittle	in	cold	weather 	Do	not	
  flex,	roll,	or	unroll	acrylic	paintings	in	temperatures	below	45º	F 	
  dryInG CharaCterIstICs
  •		Acrylic	paint	dries	by	evaporation	of	its	water	component 	Thin	paint	films	will	
  dry	in	10–	20	minutes	while	thick	paint	films	may	take	from	an	hour	up	to	several	
  days 
  •		On	porous	surfaces	the	water	evaporates	from	both	the	paint	as	well	as	the	
  underside	of	the	support 
  •		Resin	particles	coalesce	and	trap	pigments	as	the	water	evaporates 	The	polymer	
  resin	bonds	and	falls	into	roughly	hexagonal	patterns 	The	completed	process	
  yields	a	water	insoluble,	flexible,	non-yellowing	paint	film 
  CleanInG up aCrylIC paInts
  •		from hands:	Wet	or	dried	acrylic	paint	cleans	with	soap	and	water 
  •		from brushes:	Clean	wet	brushes	with	soap	&	water 	Clean	dried	acrylic	brushes	
  with	acetone,	denatured	alcohol	or	equivalent	product 	These	cleaning	solutions	
  are	toxic 	Care	should	be	taken	during	use 
  •		from clothing:	While	paint	is	wet,	clean	with	water	and/or	window	cleaner 	Dried	
  acrylic	paint	is	permanent	on	fabric 	
  •		from painting surface:	While	paint	is	wet,	wipe	with	damp	rag,	clean	with	water 	
  When	paint	is	dry,	simply	paint	over	surface	with	desired	colors	and	motif 	The	
  surface	of	a	dry	acrylic	painting	can	be	cleaned	by	gently	washing	with	soap		
  and	water 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  2 :  e s s e n t i A l  i n f o r m A t i o n  /  A c r y l i c s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  The	transparency,	translucency	and	opacity	of	colors	are	based	on	the	
  characteristics	of	the	pigments	used 	All	Liquitex®	colors	are	labeled	
  Transparent	(TP),	Translucent	(TL),	or	Opaque	(O)	on	the	label	of	each	
  product 
  •	opaque	 	
  	Opaque	colors	do	not	allow	light	to	pass	through	
  the	color	layer 	Best	“hiding	power”	or	coverage 	
  Duplicates	gouache	effects 
  •	translucent	
  	In	between	transparent	and	opaque 	Allows	
  some	light	to	pass	through	the	color	layer 
  •	transparent	
  	Transparent	colors	allow	light	to	pass	through	
  their	color	layer 	Least	“hiding	power ”	Allows	
  underneath	color	to	show	through 	Best	suited	
  for	glazing	and	watercolor	techniques 
  	
  hue, Value, Chroma
  Hue,	Value	and	Chroma	positions	for	each	color	are	displayed	on	each	label,	for	every	
  Liquitex®	color 	These	designations	are	based	on	the	internationally	recognized	Munsell	
  Color	System 	
  teChnICal InformatIon
  All	Liquitex®	Paints	and	Mediums	are	manufactured	to	high	quality	and	performance	
  standards 
  attrIButes
  Liquitex®	Acrylic	Colors	and	Mediums	are	made	using	the	highest	quality	acrylic	resin	to	
  produce	acrylic	polymer	emulsion	colors	and	mediums 	All	colors	contain	pure	pigments,	
  in	a	100%	acrylic	polymer	emulsion 	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Colors	contain	no	fillers,	opacifiers,	
  toners,	dyes,	emulsifiers	or	additives	that	increase	volume	without	imparting	a	positive	
  attribute	to	the	paint 	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Colors	have	the	greatest	permanence	and	
  lightfastness	possible 	
  All	colors	dry	to	the	tightest	sheen	range	of	any	acrylic,	ensuring	less	shiny	and	dull	
  spots	in	the	finished	painting 
  All	colors	contain	the	highest	pure	pigment	load,	with	high	tinting	“power”	and	
  maximum	permanence	of	any	acrylic 
  laBel InformatIon
  The	following	information	is	provided	on	labels	of	all	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Colors 
  transparency/opacity
  10
  
  c h A p t e r  2 :  e s s e n t i A l  i n f o r m A t i o n  /  m u n s e l l  c o l o r  s y s .
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  munsell Color system
  There	are	a	variety	of	optical	systems	that	can	be	used	to	measure	the	refractive	and	
  physical	properties	of	color 	One	of	the	most	commonly	used	in	helping	artists	and	scientists	
  better	identify	the	optical	characteristics	of	color	is	the	Munsell	system 	Liquitex®	labels	
  include	Munsell	notations	for	each	color 		The	color	system	is	broken	down	with	the	
  following	identifying	categories:
  	
  hue
  Color	can	be	organized	to	follow	the	flow	of	hues	or	spectral	family	names 	As	organized	
  within	a	color	wheel,	12	hues	are	Red	Purple,	Red,	Red	Orange,	Orange,	Yellow	Orange,	
  Yellow,	Yellow	Green,	Green,	Blue	Green,	Blue,	Blue	Purple,	and	Purple 	Within	the	
  spectrum,	the	three	primary	colors	are	Red,	Yellow,	and	Blue 	A	hue	is	the	precise	
  identification	of	each	color	within	a	Hue	Position	Band 	The	specific	hue	of	a	color	may	
  be	at	center	or	lean	toward	one	spectral	neighbor	or	another 	For	example,	Cadmium	Red	
  Medium	carries	a	Munsell	Notation	of	6 3R,	and	is	indicated	as	leaning	toward	the	Red	
  Orange	hue	column 	
  Complementary colors	strongly	enhance	the	character	of	the	primaries 	For	example,	
  placing	green	next	to	red	will	make	both	colors	appear	more	intense	and	vivid 	Green	
  occupies	the	point	directly	opposite	red	on	a	color	wheel,	and	is	considered	to	be	the	
  complement	of	red 	Orange	is	the	complement	for	blue,	and	violet	is	the	complement	
  for	yellow 
  split-complementary	colors	are	those	that	reside	directly	to	either	side	of	the	
  complementary	color 	Working	with	split-complements	allows	the	artist	to	explore	
  relationships	in	which	the	target	color	can	be	enhanced	by	being	placed	next	to	or	
  near	a	split-complementary	but	not	with	the	same	degree	of	intensity	that	comes	with	
  being	paired	with	its	straight	complementary	color 	In	addition,	the	mixing	of	a	split-
  complement	with	the	original	target	color	will	yield	a	well-balanced	gray 	
  triadic	color	selections	allow	the	artist	to	select	colors	that	serve	as	unique	‘primaries’,	
  each	of	which	are	evenly	spaced	in	thirds	around	the	color	wheel 
  tetradic	color	selections	allow	the	artist	to	select	colors	that	are	balanced	and	
  harmonious	by	virtue	of	their	equal	spacing	in	quarters	around	the	color	wheel 	More	
  complex	relationships	with	both	triadic	and	tetradic	systems	can	be	explored	through	
  defining	unique	complementaries	and	split	complementaries	within	the	user’s	uniquely	
  defined	palette 
  Value
  All	colors	vary	in	value	(the	range	from	light	to	dark) 	Value	numbers	on	the	label	give	the	
  light	and	dark	measure	of	a	color 	There	are,	in	fact,	10	theoretical	value	steps	ranging	from	
  pure	black	(level	0)	to	pure	white	(level	10) The	higher	the	number,	the	lighter	the	color 
  11
  
  c h A p t e r  2 :  e s s e n t i A l  i n f o r m A t i o n  /  m u n s e l l  c o l o r  s y s .
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  Chroma
  By	their	very	nature,	some	colors	are	quite	bright	(like	crimson)	while	others	are	naturally	
  dull	(like	yellow	ochre) 	The	relative	brightness	or	intensity	of	colors	can	be	identified	
  systematically 	Chroma,	or	color	intensity,	is	identified	by	a	number	that	ranges	from	0	to	20 	
  Neutral	gray	is	rated	0,	having	no	trace	of	chroma	or	hue 	This	is	called,	“zero	chroma,	zero	
  hue ”	The	brighter	the	color,	the	higher	the	number 	Cadmium	Red	Light	Hue,	for	example,	
  has	a	chroma	notation	of	13,	while	Burnt	Sienna	has	a	chroma	notation	of	4 
  permanenCy
  Lightfastness	I,	II,	III	identify	the	rating	of	a	color	and	its	ability	to	withstand	any	color	shifting	
  or	fading	when	exposed	to	ultraviolet	light	(i e 	sunlight) 	The	lightfastness	of	all	Liquitex®	
  colors	are	listed	according	to	standards	established	by	the	American	Society	for	Testing	and	
  Materials	(ASTM) 
  Category	I	
  	Excellent	lightfastness 	The	color	will	exhibit	no	appreciable	color	change	
  after	the	equivalent	of	100	years	of	indoor	museum	exposure 	Best	suited	
  for	outdoor	installations	(murals) 
  Category	II	
  	Very	good	lightfastness 	Colors	are	suited	for	all	indoor	applications,	but	not	
  exterior	painting	that	may	receive	heavy	exposure	to	ultraviolet	light 
  Category	III	
  	Marginal	permanence 	“Fugitive”	colors	that	may	fall	below	the	level	of	
  permanency	for	artist’s	colors 	Not	recommended	for	permanent	work 	
  pIGment desIGnatIons
  Pigment	and	Color	Index	Names	are	listed	for	all	Liquitex®	colors 	For	specific	color	information,	
  please	see	the	reference	section	on	page	112 
  1
  
  c h A p t e r  2 :  e s s e n t i A l  i n f o r m A t i o n  /  m i x i n g  c o l o r
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  mIxInG Color: mIneral and modern pIGments 
  In	order	to	mix	color	well,	it	is	essential	to	understand	the	properties	of	the	pigments	
  used	to	make	each	color 	Every	pigment	has	different	characteristics,	which	ultimately	
  influence	how	they	interact	with	each	other 	The	unique	optical	properties	of	each	color	
  can	range	from	transparency	to	complete	opacity 		Some	pigments	have	strong	tinting	
  strength	which	creates	color	mixes	that	are	crisp	and	bright,	while	others	tend	to	gray	
  down	when	mixed 
  	
  Knowing	the	difference	between	mineral	and	modern	(organic)	pigments	is	the	key	to	
  choosing	colors	that	will	blend	together	to	create	the	desired	results 	Three	general	rules	
  govern	the	differences	between	their	working	properties:
  •		When	mixed,	mineral	colors	tend	to	more	closely	replicate	the	tonalities	of	the	
  natural	world 	Because	of	the	nature	of	reflected	light	and	shadow,	we	live	in	a	
  world	of	pure	colors	that	combine	into	rich	shades	of	gray 	The	physical	and	optical	
  properties	of	inorganic	colors,	quite	often,	more	closely	capture	those	qualities	of	
  natural	light	and	shadowed	color 
  •		Modern	colors	are	brighter,	and	tend	to	make	brighter	mixes 	Because	of	their	
  purity,	natural	translucency	and	tinting	strength,	organic	pigments	produce	
  mixed	colors	that	tend	to	remain	closer	to	the	high	chroma	of	their	“parent”	
  primaries 		
  •		The	two	can	be	used	together	with	good	results 	For	example:	adding	a	small	
  amount	of	a	modern	color	to	a	mixture	of	mineral	pigment	that	has	gotten	muddy	
  will	help	restore	lost	chroma,	without	losing	the	natural	character	of	the	mix 
  Remember	the	above	are	only	general	guidelines 	The	uniqueness	of	each	pigment	
  sometimes	causes	“modern”	qualities	to	show	up	in	“mineral”	colors	and	vice	versa 	
  Historically	mineral	pigments	such	as	yellow	ochre	and	raw	umber	have	been	used	since	
  pre-historic	times 	During	the	nineteenth	century	a	wide	array	of	other	mineral	pigments	
  became	available	when	the	industrial	revolution	and	developments	in	chemistry	made	it	
  possible	to	combine	metals	like	cadmium,	or	cobalt	with	other	compounds 	The	results	
  were	highly	stable,	far	less	prone	to	fading,	and	could	be	ground	into	a	suspension	within	a	
  vehicle	for	oil	paint 	More	recently,	pigment	chemistry	was	revolutionized	as	modern	organic	
  colors	were	born	in	the	laboratory 		This	has	given	rise	to	pigments	like	anthraquinones,	
  dioxazines,	pyrroles,	phthalocyanines,	and	benzimidazalones,	which	make	possible	the		
  wide	variety	of	colors	available	to	artists	today 
  1
  
  c h A p t e r  2 :  e s s e n t i A l  i n f o r m A t i o n  /  c o l o r  p A l e t t e s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  lIquItex® professIonal artIst aCrylIC Colors
  3 Color primary palette:
  Quinacridone	Crimson	(Primary	Red)
  Yellow	Medium	Azo	(Primary	Yellow)
  Phthalocyanine	Blue	(Primary	Blue)
  6 Color palette:
  hue Based  
  pigment 
  Cadmium Based  
  pigment
  Quinacridone	Magenta	
  single	
  Quinacridone	Magenta	
  single
  Cadmium	Red	Light	Hue	
  mixed	
  Cadmium	Red	Light	
  single
  Cadmium	Yellow	Medium	Hue	
  mixed	
  Cadmium	Yellow	Medium	
  single
  Phthalocyanine	Blue	(Green	Shade)	
  single	
  Phthalocyanine	Blue	(Green	Shade)		
  single
  Ivory	Black	
  single	
  Ivory	Black	
  single
  Titanium	White	
  single	
  Titanium	White	
  single
  12 Color palette:
  hue Based 
  pigment 
  Cadmium Based 
  pigment
  Quinacridone	Magenta	
  single	
  Quinacridone	Magenta	
  single
  Cadmium	Red	Medium	Hue	
  mixed	
  Cadmium	Red	Medium		
  single
  Cadmium	Red	Light	Hue	
  mixed	
  Cadmium	Red	Light		
  single
  Cadmium	Yellow	Medium	Hue	
  mixed	
  Cadmium	Yellow	Medium		
  single
  Burnt	Umber	
  single	
  Burnt	Umber	
  single
  Permanent	Green	Light	
  mixed	
  Light	Green	Permanent	
  mixed
  Phthalocyanine	Green	
  single	
  Phthalocyanine	Green	
  single
  Phthalocyanine	Blue	(Green	Shade)	
  single	
  Phthalocyanine	Blue	(Green	Shade)	
  single
  Ultramarine	Blue	(Green	Shade)	
  single	
  Ultramarine	Blue	(Green	Shade)	
  single
  Dioxazine	Purple	
  single	
  Dioxazine	Purple	
  single
  Titanium	White	
  single	
  Titanium	White	
  single
  Ivory	Black	
  single	
  Ivory	Black	
  single
  note: 
  •  “Hues” are used as replacements for cadmium, cobalt and other colors, when they are either unavailable, too expensive, or fugitive. Liquitex® "Hue" colors generally yield 
  higher intensities than the color they imitate. 
  •  The “Hue Based Systems,” because they are based upon modern organic colors, will tend to mix with greater brightness and clarity. 
  •  The “Cadmium Based systems” will tend to yield mixes that more closely approximate natural light, and that may be considered more suitable for traditional landscape, 
  portrait, or still life representations. 
  lIquItex® Color palettes
  Below are suggested color palettes for use with all liquitex acrylic color ranges  
  1
  
  c h A p t e r  2 :  e s s e n t i A l  i n f o r m A t i o n  /  c o l o r  p A l e t t e s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  lIquItex® BasICs Value serIes aCrylIC Colors 
  3 Color primary palette:
  Primary	Red
  Primary	Yellow
  Primary	Blue
  12 Color palette:
  hue Based 
   
  pigment
  Quinacridone	Magenta	
  single
  Burnt	Umber	
  	
  single
  Cadmium	Orange	Hue	
  single
  Naphthol	Crimson	
  single
  Primary	Yellow	 	
  single
  Phthalocyanine	Blue	
  single
  Phthalocyanine	Green	
  single
  Ultramarine	Blue	
  single
  Dioxazine	Purple		
  single
  Ivory	Black	
  	
  single
  Titanium	White	 	
  single
  	
  1
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  Color ranGes 
  single pigment Colors
  Offers	artists	the	purest	color,	to	be	used	alone	or	in	color	mixing 	
  Includes	Cadmiums,	Cobalts,	Quinacridone,	Phthalocyanine	(Phthalo)	
  and	other	colors 
  •	Cadmium	Colors
  Traditional	single	pigment	colors 	Expensive,	opaque,	permanent 	
  Non-toxic	on	skin	or	if	ingested 	Toxic	in	spray	mist 
  mixed pigment Colors
  •		Gives	artists	the	benefit	of	pre-mixed,	“custom”	colors 	Colors	are	
  brighter	than	can	be	mixed	in	studio,	cuts	down	on	color	mixing	
  and	provides	cost	savings 
  •		Neutral	Gray	5	enables	artists	to	adjust	the	value	and	chroma	of	a	
  color	without	altering	the	hue 	
  hue Colors
  Colors	that	contain	the	word	“Hue”	at	the	end	of	the	color	name 
  •		Single	pigment	or	mixture	of	pigments	that	look	and	perform	similar	to	the	color	
  they	replace 	
  •		Hues	are	used	as	replacements	for	cadmium,	cobalt	and	other	pigments,	when	
  they	are	either	unavailable,	too	expensive,	or	fugitive 	Liquitex®	“Hue”	colors	
  generally	yield	higher	intensities	than	the	color	they	imitate 
  professIonal artIst aCrylIC Color
  Since	developing	the	first	water	based	artist	acrylic	products	in	1955,	Liquitex®	has	always	been	
  concerned	with	the	needs	of	the	professional	artist 	All	Liquitex®	products	are	formulated	by	a	
  unique	team	of	chemists	and	artists:	chemists	with	a	wide	array	of	skills	in	resin	technologies	
  and	artists	who	help	us	to	stay	focused	on	the	working	properties 	This	combination	allows	us	to	
  make	the	most	versatile	ranges	of	intense,	highly	loaded,	permanent	colors	possible 	Liquitex®	
  is	the	only	acrylic	brand	to	offer	three	uniquely	different	ranges	of	professional	paint	to	suit	the	
  needs	of	the	artist:	Soft	Body,	Heavy	Body,	and	Super	Heavy	Body 	With	that	in	mind,	range-
  specific	handling	characteristics	are	established	so	that	every	Liquitex®	paint	feels	just	right	
  –	never	too	sticky	or	slippery 	The	low-odor	acrylic	resin	base	represents	the	latest	in	acrylic	
  resin	technology,	offering	increased	open	time	and	producing	colors	of	great	clarity	with	very	low	
  wet-to-dry	value	shift 	The	paint	films	are	highly	flexible,	durable,	non-yellowing,	UV	resistant,	
  water-resistant	and	pH	neutral	when	dry 	All	Liquitex®	Professional	Colors	can	be	intermixed	with	
  each	other	and	as	well	as	with	all	Liquitex®	Mediums 
  liQuiTeX® producTs
  03
  c h A p t e r
  1
  1
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  p r o f e s s i o n A l  c o l o r
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  attributes for all liquitex® professional Colors
  •		Little	to	no	perceptible	wet-to-dry	color	shift	
  •		Wide	range	of	intense,	permanent	pigments	
  •			Each	color	is	uniquely	formulated	to	bring	out	the	maximum	brilliance	and	clarity		
  of	each	individual	pigment	
  •		All	colors	are	formulated	to	dry	within	a	tight	satin	sheen	range	
  •		Suitable	for	indoor	and	outdoor	applications	
  •		Water	soluble	when	wet,	dries	quickly	to	a	water-resistant	surface	
  •		No	chemical	drying	action	to	prolong	painting	and	varnishing	procedure	
  •			Excellent	adhesion	to	most	painting	surfaces;	wood,	leather,	canvas,	silk,	plastic,	
  mural	applications,	metal,	paper,	etc 	
  •			Chemically	alkaline	when	wet	and	therefore	compatible	with	common	mural	grounds	
  such	as	concrete,	plaster,	cement,	concrete	block	or	any	masonry	surface	
  •		No	toxic	solvents	or	cleaners	necessary	
  •		Resistant	to	ultraviolet	light,	will	not	yellow	or	get	brittle	over	time	
  •		Outstanding	color	clarity	and	brilliance	for	superb	color	mixing	
  1   Good	products	help	you	succeed 	The	finest	quality	paints	
  and	colors	mix	brilliantly,	offer	the	purest	color,	and	provide	
  the	artist	with	all	the	essentials	for	creative,	artistic	success 	
  2 		Water-borne	Acrylic	colors	for	artists	were	invented	by	
  Liquitex®	in	1955 	Liquitex®	continues	to	be	the	leader		
  in	producing	high	quality,	innovative	acrylic	products		
  for	artists 
  3 		Artists’	paint	is	costly 	No	news,	there 	The	reason	they	
  cost	more	than	house	paints	or	model	paints	or	some	craft	
  paints	is	because	of	the	cost	of	pigment 	There	is	a	truly	
  amazing	concentration	of	pigment	in	artists’	quality	color 
  4 		Artists’	quality	colors	are	offered	and	priced	in	‘series ’	
  The	cost	of	each	series	number	reflects	the	relative	cost	of	
  the	unique	pigment	included	in	each	formulation 
  5 		Acrylic	colors	can	be	produced	in	different	thicknesses	(or	
  bodies) 	Liquitex®	is	the	only	acrylic	brand	to	offer	three	
  distinctly	different	ranges:	Soft	Body	for	fluid	applications,	
  Heavy	Body	for	thick	applications,	and	Super	Heavy	Body	
  for	impasto,	super	thick	applications 
   
  6 		All	Liquitex®	Professional	Acrylic	colors	contain	the	same	
  concentration	of	pigment	per	volume 	The	color	is	made	
  more	(or	less)	fluid	by	altering	the	chemistry	of	the	acrylic	
  vehicle 	NOT	by	adding	water,	or	by	diluting	the	pigment	
  strength 
  7 		Acrylics	are	ideal	for	contemporary	and	experimental	
  applications 	The	colors	dry	very	rapidly	(remaining	
  workable	for	10–40	minutes)	making	them	well-suited	
  for	applications	that	require	masking,	rapid	layering,	and	
  textural	application 	They’re	ideal	for	murals,	fabrics,	tiles,	
  and	structural	techniques 
  8 		Acrylics	can	be	used	for	traditional	painting,	too 	Mediums	
  can	be	used	to	make	the	color	suitable	for	glazing,	
  impasto,	watercolor,	and	other	applications 
  9 		Acrylics	can	be	used	on	almost	any	surface,	from	paper,	
  to	canvas,	to	brick,	to	wood—the	exceptions	are	oily	or	
  shiny	surfaces 	Plastic	surfaces	should	be	sanded	before	
  painting;	leather	surfaces	should	be	degreased	with	
  rubbing	alcohol 	Always	conduct	an	adhesion	test	when	
  working	on	more	‘unusual’	surfaces 	
  9 essentIal thInGs to knoW aBout aCrylIC Colors
  1
  1
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  s o f t  b o d y
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  1
  soft Body professional artist acrylic Color
  Soft	Body	Artist	Color,	previously	referred	to	as	Medium	Viscosity,	was	the	original	
  Liquitex®	acrylic	formulation	first	made	in	1956 	It	is	an	extremely	versatile	artist	paint,	
  creamy	and	smooth	with	a	concentrated	pigment	load	producing	intense,	pure	color 	
  The	creamy	smooth,	pre-filtered	consistency	ensures	good	coverage,	even-leveling	
  and	superb	results	in	a	variety	of	applications	and	techniques 	
  •	94	Professional	Colors
  •	Heavy	cream	consistency
  •	Even	leveling
  •	Extremely	versatile	formulation	for	most	fine	art	and	decorative	art	techniques
  •	Retains	little	or	no	brush	marks
  •	Ideal	for	flat,	large	area	coverage	and	fine	line	detail
  •	Professional	grade	colors	for	decorative	painters	are	also	available
  •	Available	in	tubes	and	jars
  •	Intermixable	with	all	Liquitex®	products	
  t e C h n I q u e s  a n d  a p p l I C at I o n s
  ›	Traditional	painting	on	canvas	or	panel	
  ›	Fabric	Painting	
  ›	Decorative	Painting	
  ›	Faux	Finishing	
  ›	Glazing	
  ›	Underpainting	
  ›	Murals	
  ›	Calligraphy	
  ›	Unfired	ceramics
  ›	Sculpture	
  ›	Photo	retouching	
  ›	Watercolor	
  ›	Illustration	and	Design	
  ›	Airbrush*	
  ›		Printmaking:	Screen	Printing,	Mono		
  Prints,	Block	Prints	
  ›	Collage	and	Mixed	Media	
  ›	Scrapbooking/Altered	Books	
  *Thin	with	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  h e A v y  b o d y
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  heavy Body professional artist acrylic Color 
  Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color,	previously	referred	to	as	High	Viscosity,	
  has	a	thick	consistency	(similar	to	oil	paint)	for	traditional	art	techniques	
  using	brushes	or	knives,	as	well	as	for	experimental,	mixed	media,	collage	
  and	printmaking	applications 	Impasto	applications	retain	crisp	brush	stroke	
  and	knife	marks 	Good	surface	drag	provides	excellent	handling	and	blending	
  characteristics	with	increased	open/working	time 	High	pigment	load	produces	
  rich,	brilliant,	permanent	color 	
  •	100	Professional	Colors
  •	Exceptionally	smooth,	thick	buttery	consistency
  •	Retains	brush	strokes	and	palette	knife	marks
  •	Great	for	thick/impasto	applications	and	painting	techniques
  •	Flexible	when	dry;	thick	films	remain	free	of	cracks	and	chips
  •	Intermixable	with	all	Liquitex®	products	
  t e C h n I q u e s  a n d  a p p l I C at I o n s
  ›	Impasto:	Thick	applications	with	brush	stroke	and	knife	marks
  ›	Traditional	Painting	on	canvas	or	panel
  ›	Experimental	Painting
  ›	Collage	and	Mixed	Media
  ›	Printmaking:	Screen	Printing,	Monoprints,	Block	Prints
  1
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  s u p e r  h e A v y  b o d y
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  0
  super heavy Body professional artist acrylic Color 
  Super	Heavy	Body	is	a	line	of	highly	pigmented,	clean,	brilliant	colors	with	
  superior	shape	retention	and	unique	“gutsy”	handling 	It	is	an	innovative	product	
  introduced	to	the	Liquitex®	range	in	early	2004,	and	is	excellent	for	‘textural’	and	
  ‘sculptural’	applications 	Super	Heavy	Body	has	very	low	shrinkage	from	wet-to-
  dry	and	produces	clean	color	mixes	with	outstanding	clarity	and	brilliance 	It	is	
  formulated	to	dry	within	a	uniform	satin	sheen	range,	enhancing	the	visual	clarity	
  of	the	finished	painting,	providing	a	non-plastic	look	and	eliminating	glare 	Little	
  or	no	wet-to-dry	value	shift	allows	for	more	accurate	color	mixing 	Increased	open	
  time	for	easier	blending 
  •	27	Professional	Colors
  •	Extra	thick	body	with	high	surface	drag	(rheology),	comparable	to	fine	oils
  •	Superior	shape	retention:	holds	super	high	peaks,	knife	marks	and	brush	strokes
  •	Flexible	when	dry,	allowing	built-up	surfaces	to	remain	free	of	cracks	and	chips
  •	Excellent	for	impasto	(thick),	‘textural’	and	‘sculptural’	painting	techniques
  •	Satin	finish,	no	“plastic	look”
  •	Very	low	shrinkage
  •	Vibrant	colors	straight	out	of	the	container
  •	Slow	drying	time,	allows	more	working	(open)	time
  •	Intermixable	with	all	Liquitex®	products	
  t e C h n I q u e s  a n d  a p p l I C at I o n s
  ›	Impasto	applications	with	strong	brush	stroke	and	high	knife	marks
  ›	Traditional	Thick	Painting	on	canvas	or	panel
  ›	Thick	Application	Experimental	Painting
  ›	Collage	and	Sculptural	Mixed	Media
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  i n t e r f e r e n c e  c o l o r s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  deCoratIVe serIes
  InterferenCe Colors 
   
  Liquitex®	Interference	Colors	are	colorless,	transparent	colors	made	
  from	titanium	coated	mica	flakes	rather	than	traditional	pigments 	
  They	are	also	known	as	“Opalescent	Colors” 	They	change	their	
  color	(exhibiting	a	metallic	look	and	color	shift)	depending	upon	the	
  viewing	angle 	As	the	light	hits	the	mica	flakes	it	either	bounces	off	
  directly,	reflecting	the	labeled	color	or	passes	through	to	another	layer	and	bounces	out	at	a	
  different	refractive	index	displaying	the	labeled	color’s	complement 	The	effect	is	visually	similar	
  to	a	thin	coat	of	oil	floating	on	water 	
  	
  t I p s  &  t e C h n I q u e s
  ›	Use	in	any	technique	or	surface	suitable	for	any	acrylic	paint	or	medium 
  ›		Apply	straight	from	container,	thinned	with	water	or	mixed	with	any	Liquitex®		
  Acrylic	Color,	Iridescent	Color,	Fluid	or	Gel	Medium	to	produce	an	endless	variety		
  of	colors	and	effects 	
  ›	Apply	in	several	thin	layers	rather	than	one	thick	layer 
  ›	Thin	applications	in	a	wash	or	glaze	increase	the	visual	interference	effects 
  ›		To	achieve	a	visually	opaque	coat,	apply	a	base	color	that	matches	the	“flip”	or	
  complement	of	the	interference	color,	before	applying	the	interference	color 	(i e 	
  Naphthol	Crimson	underneath	Interference	Green) 
  ›	To	increase	interference	color	effect,	add	1%	Mars	Black	to	interference	color 	
  ›	To	create	iridescent	grays,	add	2–5%	Mars	Black	to	interference	color 	
  ›	Applied	over	white	surfaces	or	light	colors,	they	are	translucent 
  ›	Applied	over	black	or	dark	surfaces	they	are	seen	as	brilliant	pastel	colors 	
  ›		Applied	on	transparent	and	translucent	surfaces	they	create	unusual	visual	effects 
  ›	Mix	with	Liquitex®	Mediums	to	create	luminescent	fluid	glazes 	
  liquitex® Interference Glaze mixing Guide  
  thick Interference Glaze
  85–90%		
  Gel	Medium	or	Heavy	Gel	Medium
  10–15%		
  Interference	Color
  1%		 	
  Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Artist	Acrylic	Color*
  fluid Interference Glaze
  85–90%	
  	
  Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish
  10–15%	
  	
  Interference	Color
  1%	
  	
  Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Artist	Acrylic	Color*
  *	=	Use	a	transparent	color
  1
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  i r i d e s c e n t  –  f l u o r e s c e n t
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  IrIdesCent Colors  
   
  Iridescent	paints	are	also	known	as	“metallic“	paints	that	
  do	not	tarnish 	They	mimic	the	effect	of	bronzing	powders 	
  Bronzing	powders	can	not	be	used	with	acrylic	emulsions	
  as	they	tarnish	due	to	the	alkalinity	of	the	binder 
  Characteristics
  •		Liquitex®	Iridescent	Colors	produce	a	variety	of	non-
  tarnishing	iridescent	or		
  metallic	effects 
  •		Made	from	titanium	coated	mica	flakes	with	an	outer	layer	of	a	transparent	light		
  absorbing	colorant,	rather	than	traditional	pigments 
  •	Light	absorbing	colorant	layers	determine	the	observed	color 
  •		Iridescent	pigments	are	“optically	opaque”	and	they	rely	on	reflected	light	only	for	
  their	effect 	No	Interference	“flip”	color	is	observed 
  •	Colors	will	not	oxidize 
  t I p s  &  t e C h n I q u e s
  ›		They	can	be	used	alone	or	mixed	with	other	Liquitex®	Colors	and	Mediums	for	a	
  variety	of	iridescent,	metallic	effects 
  ›	Avoid	mixing	with	opaque	colors 
  ›		Mix	with	small	amounts	of	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Colors	for	a	variety	of	“metallic”		
  colors,	i e 	copper	with	green	=	antique	copper 
  ›	Mix	with	Liquitex®	Fluid	Mediums	for	“metallic”	glazes 
  ›	Mix	with	Liquitex®	Texture	Gel	Mediums	for	“metallic”	textures 
  ›	Add	Iridescent	White	to	other	colors	to	attain	pearlescent	qualities 	
  fluoresCent Colors
  Liquitex®	Fluorescent	Acrylics	Colors	are	intense,	brilliant	colors,	produced	from	dyes	
  surrounded	by	a	polymer	coating 	The	dyes	absorb	invisible	ultraviolet	light	and	emit	
  visible	light	of	a	longer	wavelength,	reflecting	more	light	than	they	receive 	As	a	result,	they	
  fluoresce	or	glow	and	will	visibly	overpower	paints	made	from	traditional	pigments 	
  CharaCterIstICs
  •		The	fluorescent	effect,	as	well	as	the	color,	fades	rather	rapidly	because	the	dyes	are	
  not	stable;	as	with	all	traditional	fluorescent	colors,	these	colors	are	rated	Lightfastness	
  III	and	should	not	be	used	for	work	that	is	meant	to	be	permanent 
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  l i q u i g e m s  –  g l o s s i e s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  fluoresCent Colors (Cont )
  t I p s  &  t e C h n I q u e s
  ›		Fluorescent	colors	are	translucent	and	greater	intensity	can	be	achieved	by	working	
  over	a	bright	white	surface 
  ›		If	a	greater	permanency	is	desired,	a	topcoat	of	Liquitex®	Soluvar®	Gloss	
  Varnish	or	Soluvar®	Matte	Varnish	(which	contain	Ultraviolet	Light	Stabilizers)	is	
  recommended,	although	it	will	eliminate	the	fluorescent	“glow”	under	black	light 
  lIquIGemstm aCrylIC GlItter paInt
  A	heavy	body	100%	acrylic	polymer	emulsion	paint	that	contains	a	heavy	concentration	of	
  mica	flakes 
  CharaCterIstICs
  •	Glitter	colors	dry	to	a	thick,	three-dimensional	consistency 
  •	Appear	milky	when	wet 
  t I p s  &  t e C h n I q u e s
  ›	Brush	on	or	use	with	applicator	tip	for	dimensional	line	work 
  ›	Not	recommended	for	airbrush	or	marbling	techniques 
  ›	Not	recommended	for	permanent	work 
  GlossIestm aCrylIC enamel
  Liquitex®	GlossiesTM	are	water	based	acrylic	enamels	that	are	specially	formulated	to	adhere	
  to	slick,	non	porous	materials	such	as:	glass,	tiles,	glazed	ceramics,	stoneware,	china,	
  enamelware,	primed	metal,	wood	and	other	non-oily	surfaces 
  t I p s  &  t e C h n I q u e s
  ›	Air-dried	colors	dry	to	a	durable,	high	gloss	finish 
  ›	Heat-set	colors	dry	to	a	scratch	resistant,	high	gloss	finish 
  ›	All	colors	are	lightfast 	Suitable	for	indoor	and	outdoor	applications	(when	heat	set) 
  ›	All	GlossiesTM	colors	are	intermixable	and	can	be	easily	blended	to	achieve	any	color 
  ›	Non-Toxic	and	contain	no	solvents 	Clean	up	with	soap	and	water 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  g l o s s i e s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  GlossIestm aCrylIC enamel (Cont )
  use and Care
  •		Heat-set	GlossiesTM	will	soften	when	soaked	in	hot	water	or	exposed	to	heat	and	
  return	to	proper	hardness	upon	cooling 	Allow	to	cool	prior	to	rubbing,	cleaning	
  or	wetting	surface 	Heat	set	at	325˚F/163˚C	for	45	mins 	
  •	Hand	wash	in	warm	water	with	mild	dishwashing	detergent 
  •	Do	not	place	extremely	hot	pans,	etc 	on	baked	GlossiesTM 
  •		Not	recommended	for	shower	stall	tile	installation 	Repeated	exposure	to	hot	
  water	will	adversely	affect	adhesion 
  •		Not	recommended	for	“heavy	use”	applications,	such	as	kitchen	countertops,	
  floors,	etc 
  •		Do	not	clean	Glossies™	(heat	set	or	air-dried)	with	scouring	cleaners,	as	they	
  will	abrade	surface 
  •		Care	should	be	taken	if	using	grout	in-between	heat	set	GlossiesTM	tiles 	
  Grout	is	abrasive	and	can	scratch	surface 	A	non-abrasive	acrylic	tile	grout	is	
  recommended 
  •	Do	not	use	on	flexible	surfaces 
  •	Do	not	use	in	food	contact	surface	applications 	
  •		May	be	used	on	outside	of	mugs,	bowls,	etc 	Do	not	paint	within	the	top	¾”	
  (20mm)	of	drinking	vessel 	May	be	painted	on	underside	of	clear	glass	dishes 
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  b A s i c s ®
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  BasICs® Value serIes
  Developed	for	students	and	artists	that	need	dependable	
  quality	at	an	economical	price 	Each	color	is	uniquely	
  formulated	to	bring	out	the	maximum	brilliance	and	clarity	
  of	the	individual	pigment 	Available	in	two	formulations,	
  BASICS®	and	BASICS®	Matt,	to	fit	a	variety	of	applications	
  and	techniques 	
  attrIButes for all BasICs® Value serIes Colors
  •	36	Colors	
  •	Value	Priced	
  •		Colors	are	uniquely	formulated	to	bring	out	the	
  maximum	brilliance	and	clarity	of		
  each	individual	pigment
  •	Colors	are	intermixable	with	all	Liquitex®	Professional	Grade	Colors	and	Mediums
  •	All	colors	are	non-toxic	and	hold	the	AP	seal	from	ACMI	for	safe	educational	use
  •	Flip-top	cap	for	quick	and	easy	dispensing	and	closing	
  •	Contains	the	same	binder	as	Liquitex®	Professional	Grade	Acrylics 	
  •	Contains	a	lower	pigment	load	than	Liquitex®	Professional	Grade	Acrylics 
  BasICs® 
  BASICS®	is	a	heavy	body	acrylic	with	a	“buttery”	consistency	for	easy	blending 	It	retains	
  peaks	and	brush	marks	and	colors	dry	to	a	satin	finish,	eliminating	surface	glare 	
  •	Great	coverage
  •	Heavy	body	consistency	allows	for	thick	oil-like	painting,	retaining	peaks	and	brush	marks
  •	Colors	dry	to	a	satin	finish
  t e C h n I q u e s  a n d  a p p l I C at I o n s
  ›	Impasto:	Thick	applications	with	brush	stroke	and	knife	marks
  ›	Traditional	Painting	on	canvas	or	panel,	easy	blending
  ›	Experimental	Painting
  ›	Collage	and	Mixed	Media
  ›	Printmaking:	Screen	Printing,	Mono	Prints,	Block	Prints
  ›	Color	Theory/Mixing
  
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  b A s i c s ®  m A t t
  
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  BasICs® matt
  BASICS®	Matt	is	a	soft	body	acrylic	with	a	smooth	consistency	for	easy	application	and	blending 	
  Its	free	flow	formula	ensures	a	smooth	application	and	even	leveling 	BASICS®	Matt’s	rich	
  saturated	colors	dry	to	a	flat	matte	sheen	and	have	gouache-like	properties	of	excellent	opacity 
  •	Flat	matte	finish,	‘gouache-like’	properties
  •		Creamy,	soft	body	consistency	allows	for	easy	brush	out	and	thinning	with	water	or	
  Liquitex®	mediums
  •	High	opacity	for	great	coverage
  •	Deep,	rich	saturated	color
  •	Even	leveling,	free	flowing	formula 	
  •	Water	resistant	when	dry	(allow	seven	days	to	fully	dry)
  t e C h n I q u e s  a n d  a p p l I C at I o n s
  ›	Experimental	Painting
  ›	Decorative	Painting
  ›	Faux	Finishing
  ›	Illustration	and	Design
  ›	Printmaking:	Screen	Printing,	Mono	
  ›	Prints,	Block	Prints
  ›	Collage	and	Mixed	Media
  ›	Color	Theory
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  c h o o s i n g  t h e  r i g h t  c o l o r
  
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  ChoosInG the rIGht Color: 
  artIsts’ Color Vs  Value serIes
  the difference between artists’ and value series color is simple: 
  Artists’	colors	are	formulated	to	provide	the	best	possible	performance,	independent	of	cost 	
  At	Liquitex®,	the	benchmarks	for	selecting	pigments,	raw	materials,	and	milling	for	our	artist	
  grade	colors	are	clear:	choose	and	use	the	best 	Making	the	finest	possible	color	comes	first 	
  Cost	is	secondary 	
  four reasons that artIst qualIty Colors are Worth the Cost: 
  1   Fine	pigment	is,	by	far,	the	greatest	contributor	to	the	cost	of	fine	color 	A	single	
  tube	of	artists’	quality	color	contains	as	much	or	more	highly	refined	pigment	than	
  much	larger	buckets	of	household-quality	paint 	
  2   Every	single	pigment	is	unique,	and	every	single	color	is	formulated	differently 	
  In	a	range	of	100	colors	(like	Liquitex®	Heavy	Body	Artist	Acrylic	Colors),	
  there	are	100	different	formulations	to	take	full	advantage	of	the	distinct	
  characteristics	of	each	pigment 	
  3 		Every	color	is	formulated	to	provide	the	most	stable	and	permanent	film	
  possible 	House	paints,	by	contrast,	are	formulated	to	last	a	decade	or	two,	
  at	most 	With	proper	application,	fine	artist	colors	are	formulated	to	last	
  generations	or	centuries 	
  4 		Raw	materials	come	from	all	over	the	planet,	including	some	very	obscure	
  locations 	The	very	best	materials	can	be	more	costly	to	obtain 	Quality	raw	
  materials	produce	quality	products	that	enhance	the	experience	of	painting;	that	
  quality	will	be	apparent	in	the	work	produced 
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  c h o o s i n g  t h e  r i g h t  c o l o r
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
   
  artists’ Colors 
  Value series Colors
  pigment load
  formulated with as much pigment 
  as is necessary, (usually regardless 
  of cost) to achieve the ideal mixing 
  and working properties.
  formulated with sufficient pigment 
  to offer dependable, if not ideal, 
  working properties.
  milling
  milled to achieve thorough and 
  complete dispersion of pigment 
  within the vehicle, regardless of 
  resources required.
  milled quickly (where possible), 
  using pigments requiring minimal 
  resources, to offer dependable 
  stability and working properties. 
  price
  priced in series, according to 
  pigment. quality of color is more 
  important than cost. 
  often priced at a single level; 
  sometimes with a second series for 
  genuine cadmiums and cobalts.
  true pigment Character
  formulated to offer ideal qualities 
  of opacity/transparency, color bias, 
  and tinting strength for every color 
  in the range
  formulated to offer dependable 
  qualities of opacity/transparency, 
  color bias, tinting strength for a 
  more limited range. “hue” colors 
  usually offered as an alternative to 
  genuine cadmiums or cobalts. 
  fillers or extenders
  minimal use of additives, and only 
  for the purpose of improving viscosity 
  and working properties. extenders 
  used only to bring down excessive 
  tinting strength of colors like those 
  made with phthalocyanine. 
  fillers or extenders used only when 
  necessary to moderate price. because 
  lower cost pigments are used, good 
  quality student colors required a 
  minimum of fillers. 
  permanence
  formulated to offer the best possible 
  lightfastness (depending upon the 
  color) and stability of film. 
  permanence of many value series 
  colors, when used appropriately,  
  is often quite good. many of the  
  pigments used in the formulation, 
  even though of lower cost, offer 
  superior lightfastness. 
  spectrum
  broad and complete spectrum of 
  colors, sometimes in excess of a 
  hundred within a given range. the 
  ideal spectrum is well balanced, 
  and allows the artist an almost 
  infinite array of mixing options. 
  good value series ranges offer 
  a balanced, while more limited, 
  spectrum. 
  (Reprinted with Permission from “What Every Artist Needs to Know About Paints and Colors,” by David Pyle, Krause Publications, ©2000)
  Value	Series	Colors	(like	Liquitex®	BASICS®)	are	formulated	to	offer	dependable	standards		
  of	performance	at	a	more	affordable	cost 	Below	is	a	table	outlining	the	key	differences		
  between	artists’	and	Value	Series	Colors:	
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  A c r y l i c  m e d i u m s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  aCrylIC medIums
  In	addition	to	the	widest	array	of	Professional	and	Student	colors,	Liquitex®	offers	
  the	broadest	possible	range	of	acrylic	mediums	to	inspire	creativity	at	every	stage	of	the	
  painting	process 	We	understand	that	mediums	are	often	a	difficult	concept	to	grasp	until	
  you	actually	dive	into	them,	so	we’ve	tried	to	simplify	usage	by	classifying	products	in	
  three	distinct	categories:	Prep,	Paint,	and	Finish 	
  prep 
  Surface	preparations	set	the	foundation	for	stable	and	permanent	color	applications	by	
  sealing	and	adding	tooth	to	almost	any	painting	surface 	We	offer	five	different	types	of	
  acrylic	gessoes	to	accommodate	all	types	of	work 	
  paint 
  Within	the	painting	category,	there	are	several	different	types	of	products	you	would	use	in	
  addition	to	the	color	itself 	They	are	Fluid	Mediums,	Gel	Mediums,	Additives,	and	Texture	
  Gels 	Each	of	these	products	are	explained	further	within	this	book 	These	painting	mediums	
  allow	an	artist	to	adjust	the	working	and	optical	properties	of	the	paint	film	to	accomplish	an	
  astonishing	variety	of	techniques	and	applications
  finish 
  Varnishes	are	applied	over	a	completed	piece	of	work	to	change	or	unify	the	surface	sheen	
  and	protect	the	painted	surface	from	the	environment	and	ultraviolet	light 	
  Whether	you	are	PREPing	the	surface,	PAINTing	the	masterpiece,	or	adding	the	crucial	
  FINISHing	touch,	Liquitex®	offers	the	proper	medium	to	achieve	any	desired	result 	Explore	
  your	possibilities	even	further	by	mixing	Liquitex®	acrylic	color	with	any	of	our	mediums 	
  all liquitex® medIums are 
  •	Permanent
  •	Ph	neutral	when	dry
  •	Non-yellowing
  •	Water	resistant	when	dry
  •	Flexible,	non-cracking1	
  •	Ideal	for	improving	adhesion
  •	Formulated	for	long-term	durability
  •	AP	Labeled2
  •	Manufactured	with	the	best	quality	resins	available
  •	Developed	by	specialized	chemists,	with	combined	50+	years	of	experience	
  1 – Except Modeling Paste
  2 – Except Soluvar® 
  	
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  A c r y l i c  m e d i u m s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  essentIal InformatIon aBout usInG aCrylIC medIums
  •	For	best	results,	always	test	before	using
  •		Mix	Liquitex®	Mediums	into	acrylic	color	to	add	flexibility,	adhesion,	and		
  long-term	stability
  •		Liquitex®	mediums	extend	the	volume,	while	most	also	increase	the	transparency		
  of	acrylic	color
  •		A	thin	film	(1/16”)	of	Liquitex®	medium	may	take	between	1⁄2	hour	to	24	hours	to	
  initially	dry,	while	a	thicker	film	(1/4”)	may	take	between	2–5	days	to	initially	dry	
  (always	dependant	on	relative	humidity)
  •		The	use	of	Pallette	Wetting	Spray	or	an	air-mister	and	humidifier	will	slow	the	drying	time	
  of	all	Liquitex®	Mediums
  •	Avoid	any	oily,	oil	painted,	greasy	or	waxy	surfaces 
  •		To	improve	adhesion	when	painting	on	any	hard	or	slick	surface	such	as	glass,	
  metal,	enamel	or	hardboard,	sand	surfaces	prior	to	applying	any	medium 
  •	Vigorous	brushwork	over	textured	areas	may	cause	bubbles	to	form	within	the	paint	film
  •		Do	not	overwork	during	application 	If	mediums	are	brushed	heavily	during	drying,	
  it	may	cause	clouding 	Once	the	film	is	clouded	and	dry,	it	can	not	be	clarified	or	
  removed 	If	an	area	is	missed,	allow	the	surface	to	dry	and	then	cover	with	another	
  coat	of	medium
  General defInItIon
  •		Liquitex®	Acrylic	Mediums	are	made	from	100%	acrylic	polymer	emulsion	that	
  when	dry	form	durable	films 	They	can	be	thought	of	as	colorless	paint 	They	are	
  the	binder	(glue)	of	acrylic	paint	and	have	excellent	flexibility	and	chemical,	water	
  and	ultraviolet	radiation	resistance 
  •		They	are	added	to	acrylic	paint	to	alter	the	paint	handling	characteristics,	
  appearance	or	volume,	producing	an	infinite	variety	of	effects 
  •		Liquitex®	Mediums	are	available	in	different	viscosities	and	sheens	(gloss	and	
  matte) 	They	are	all	intermixable 	
  •		They	can	function	in	a	variety	of	applications	and	techniques 	A	combination	of	
  several	mediums	may	be	necessary	to	achieve	a	desired	effect	or	several	mediums	
  may	be	used	by	themselves	to	achieve	similar	effects 	
  the dIfferenCe BetWeen addItIVes and medIums
  An	additive	is	something	that	changes	the	chemical	“inner	workings”	of	the	paint	film 	
  Additives	should	be	used	sparingly,	in	only	the	amount	needed	to	generate	the	desired	
  effect 	In	general,	Liquitex®	recommends	adding	no	more	than	25	percent	of	any	additive	
  to	your	acrylic	paint 	
  A	medium	changes	the	working	properties	of	the	paint,	and	it	includes	resin	binder	for	
  additional	stability 	Because	mediums	maintain	or	enhance	the	stability	of	the	paint	film,	they	
  can	be	used	in	any	amount	you	like 	
  0
  0
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  p r e p
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  1
  1
  prep 
  surfaCe prep
  Surface	Preparations	are	used	to	seal,	prime	and	
  add	tooth	(for	color	adhesion)	to	all	surfaces	such	
  as	canvas,	wood,	paper	and	metal 	This	same	
  preparation	is	used	for	both	acrylic	and	oil	paint 	Liquitex®	
  professional	gessoes	usually	take	just	one	coat 	
  all surfaCe preps
  •	Flexible/non-cracking
  •	Do	not	yellow	over	time
  •		If	using	more	than	one	coat,	sanding	between	coats	is	
  recommended
  •		Adding	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	color	to	any	gesso	creates	
  customized	tints	and	primers	
  •		Provide	the	perfect	“tooth”	and	adhesion	to	a	wide	variety	of	supports	such	as	canvas,	
  paper	and	wood 	
  •	Use	one	to	two	coats	for	acrylic	applications 	Use	two	to	four	coats	for	oil	applications 	
  Gesso 
  The	classic	white	sealer	and	ground	for	absorbent	surfaces,	such	as	canvas,	paper,	or	
  wood 	Provides	the	proper	surface	sizing,	tooth	and	absorbency	for	acrylic	and	oil	paints 	
  One	coat	is	usually	enough 	Traditional	gesso	is	meant	to	be	opaque	titanium	white	for	
  good	coverage 		
  attributes
  •	Traditional	white	size	and	ground 	
  •	Excellent	ground	for	acrylic	and	oil	paint 	
  •	Can	be	mixed	with	acrylic	color	to	create	a	tinted	ground 	
  •	Very	opaque 	
  •	Flexible,	non-cracking	and	non-yellowing	when	dry 	
  •		Provides	the	perfect	“tooth”	and	adhesion	to	a	wide	variety		
  of	supports	such	as	canvas,	paper	and	wood 
  •		Excellent	base	coat	and	primer	for	many	techniques	and	
  applications 
  S
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  p r e p
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  Gesso (Cont ) 
  application
  •	For	canvas,	paper,	wood,	or	any	clean,	porous,	non-oily	surface 	
  •		Sizes	and	primes,	creating	a	good	surface	to	establish	a	preliminary	drawing	in	
  charcoal	or	pencil 
  •	Use	undiluted	or	thin	up	to	25%	with	water 	
  •		When	thinning	more	than	25%	use	an	equal	mixture	of	water	and	Liquitex®	Matte	
  Medium	to	thin	gesso 	
  •	Tint	color	with	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Colors 	
  note: 
  At Liquitex®, we strongly recommend against the use of any house paint as a ground. House paint is formulated to last only a decade or so. 
  Additionally, a low-cost ground that flakes and separates from the painting support will obviously take the artists’ expressive image with it. 
  On the other hand, fine artists’ gesso will—with proper application and under the right conditions—last generations. 
  In addition, house paint is far more absorbent than artists’ gesso. Too absorbent, in fact, and can seriously undermine the paint film, 
  particularly when painting with oil colors. Artist’s gesso is formulated to offer the ideal degree of absorbency.
  Clear Gesso 
  A	very	clear	size	and	ground	that	keeps	the	working	surface	visible 	Clear	Gesso	provides	
  an	ideal	degree	of	tooth	for	pastel,	oil	pastel,	graphite,	and	charcoal	as	well	as	an	excellent	
  ground	for	acrylic	and	oil	paints 	This	gesso	is	ideal	for	painting	over	colored	or	patterned	
  surfaces	or	over	an	under	drawing 	Mix	with	acrylic	color	to	establish	a	tinted	transparent/
  translucent	ground 	Dries	clear	to	translucent	depending	on	thickness 		
  attributes
  •	A	very	clear	size	and	ground	that	keeps	your	working	surface	visible 	
  •	Ideal	high	tooth	for	pastel,	oil	pastel,	graphite,	and	charcoal 
  •	Excellent	ground	for	acrylic	and	oil	paint 	
  •	Mix	with	acrylic	color	to	have	a	tinted	ground 	
  •	Dries	clear	to	translucent	depending	on	thickness 	
  •	Flexible,	non-cracking	and	non-yellowing	when	dry 	
  •		Provides	the	perfect	“tooth”	and	adhesion	to	a	wide	variety	of	supports	such	as	
  canvas,	paper	and	wood 
  •	Excellent	base	coat	and	primer	for	many	techniques	and	applications 
  application
  •	For	canvas,	paper,	wood,	or	any	clean,	porous,	non-oily	surface 	
  •	Sizes	and	primes	while	maintaining	the	original	appearance	of	the	support 	
  •	Provides	paper	with	good	tooth	for	chalk	and	oil	pastel	techniques 	
  •		Mix	with	a	very	small	amount	of	transparent	or	translucent	acrylic	color	to	tint	the	
  ground	while	maintaining	transparency 
  •	Do	not	to	over	brush
  
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  p r e p
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  super heaVy Gesso 
  An	innovative,	impasto,	titanium	white	gesso	having	the	ability	to	hold	sculptural	shape 	
  Provides	all	the	attributes	of	traditional	acrylic	gesso 	Ideal	for	thick	and	sculptural	
  application	with	a	knife	or	brush 
  attributes
  •		An	innovative,	impasto	acrylic	gesso	used	to	prepare	painting	surfaces	for	acrylic	
  and	oil	paint 	
  •	Create	thick	sculptural	applications	
  •	Mix	with	acrylic	color	to	have	a	tinted	ground 	
  •	Flexible,	non-cracking	and	non-yellowing	when	dry 	
  •		Provides	the	perfect	“tooth”	and	adhesion	to	a	wide	variety	of	supports	such	as	
  canvas,	paper	and	wood	
  application
  •	For	canvas,	paper,	wood,	or	any	clean,	porous,	non-oily	surface 	
  •	Tint	color	with	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Artist	Acrylic	Colors 	
  •	Use	with	knife	or	brush
  •	Do	not	sand	
  Colored Gesso 
  Establishes	a	color	ground	while	providing	all	the	attributes	of	traditional	acrylic	gesso 	Some	
  artists	like	to	start	their	work	on	a	colored	ground	to	reflect	the	painting	process	in	a	different	
  way 	One	coat	is	usually	enough 	As	with	traditional	gesso,	colored	gessoes	also	give	opaque	
  surface	coverage 	Available	in	Black	and	Neutral	Gray 	
  attributes
  •	Excellent	ground	for	acrylic	and	oil	paint 
  •	Non-yellowing 	
  •	Flexible	and	non-cracking 	
  •		Provides	the	perfect	“tooth”	and	adhesion	to	a	wide	variety	of	supports	such	as	
  canvas,	paper	and	wood 	
  •	Excellent	base	coat	primer	for	many	applications	such	as	murals 	
  application
  •	Use	undiluted	or	thin	up	to	25%	with	water 	
  •		When	thinning	more	than	25%	use	an	equal	mixture	of	water	and	Liquitex®	Matte	
  Medium	to	thin	gesso 	
  •	Tint	color	with	Liquitex®	Soft	or	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Colors 	
  •		Liquitex®	Colored	Gesso	is	hue	balanced	and	all	colors	are	intermixable	to	provide	
  a	wide	variety	of	colored	grounds 	
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  f l u i d
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  paint
  During	the	painting	process,	there	are	several	different	types	of	mediums	you	would	use	in	
  addition	to	the	color	itself 	Fluid	Mediums,	Gel	Mediums,	Additives,	and	Texture	Gels	allow	
  an	artist	to	adjust	the	working	and	optical	properties	of	the	paint	film	to	accomplish		
  an	astonishing	variety	of	techniques	and	applications 	
  fluId medIums
  Fluid	Mediums	reduce	viscosity	of	heavier	paints	and	gels,	tend	to	self-level	and	
  do	not	retain	brushstrokes 	Fluid	Mediums	modify	acrylic	paints	in	a	variety	of	
  ways	and	contain	acrylic	resins	to	maintain	or	enhance	adhesion	and	durability 
  all fluId medIums
  •	Increase	Flow
  •	Dry	transparent	or	translucent
  •	Extend	the	volume	of	thin	paint
  •	Make	an	excellent	archival	adhesive	for	collage
  key attrIButes 
  •	Self-leveling,	resulting	in	easier	brush	free	surfaces 
  •	Mix	with	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	maintain	paint	viscosity 	
  •	Mix	into	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	reduce	paint	viscosity 
  Do	not	shake,	as	this	will	create	foam 	Foam	can	severely	affect	the	transparency	of	the	film	
  by	creating	a	visual	foggy	or	hazy	quality 
  palette WettInG spray
  An	innovative	fluid	acrylic	resin	designed	to	slow	the	drying	of	colors 	Spray	onto	your	palette	or	
  directly	onto	the	surface	of	a	painting 	This	medium	improves	color	blending	and	can	be	used	to	
  thin	color	while	maintaining	film	integrity 	Use	repeatedly	to	prevent	paint	from	“skinning	over ”
  attributes
  •	An	innovative,	fluid	acrylic	resin	designed	to	slow	the	drying	of	acrylic	colors	
  •		Allows	you	to	keep	your	palette	colors	fresh	longer,	preventing	the	paint	from		
  “skinning	over ”	
  •	Improves	color	blending	
  •	Can	be	used	to	thin	color	while	maintaining	film	integrity 	
  •	Formulated	with	an	anti-microbial	agent	to	prevent	mold 	
  application
  •	Use	repeatedly	to	re-wet	palette	
  
  F
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  f l u i d
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  Gloss medIum & VarnIsh 
  The	workhorse	of	the	Liquitex®	fluid	mediums	range 	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	is	an	all-purpose	
  medium	that	performs	two	functions 	It	can	be	used	as	a	final,	clear	gloss	varnish	coat	and/or	a	
  fluid	gloss	medium 	It	improves	adhesion	of	paint	film	and	increases	color	depth,	intensity,	and	
  gloss 	Excellent	for	transferring	printed	images 
  attributes 
   
  •		All	purpose	medium,	formulated	to	be	mixed	into	all	Liquitex®	acrylic	paints		
  and	mediums 
  •		Mix	into	any	acrylic	paint	to	enhance	the	depth	of	color	intensity,	increase	
  transparency,	gloss,	ease	flow	of	paint	and	add	flexibility	and	adhesion	of	paint	
  film 	
  •	Use	as	a	non-removable	varnish	to	protect	painting	and	establish	gloss	sheen	surface 
  •	Translucent	when	wet,	transparent	(clear)	when	dry 	
  application
  •	As	An	Extender:	
  ›	 	Mix	with	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	extend	volume	and	increase	
  transparency,	while	maintaining	paint	viscosity 
  ›	 	Mix	with	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	extend	volume	and	increase	
  transparency,	while	decreasing	paint	viscosity 
  •	As	A	Fixative:	
  	
  ›	 	Use	as	a	fixative	over	artwork	(acrylic	paint,	pastel,	graphite,	chalk)	to	
  increase	gloss	or	shine 	Mix	1	part	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	to	1	part	distilled	
  water 	Apply	with	atomizer	or	airbrush 
  •	As	A	Ground:	
  ›	 	Use	as	transparent	ground	for	acrylic	paint	instead	of	gesso 	Allows	substrate	
  to	be	seen 	To	prevent	Substrate	Induced	Discoloration	(SID)	wash	cotton	or	
  linen	canvas	before	use 	
  sId definition: When	used	as	a	size	over	cotton,	linen	and	hardboard,	acrylic	
  mediums	draw	substances	out	of	the	support	as	they	dry	and	continue	over	
  time 	Discoloration	can	occur	in	areas	that	are	left	unpainted 
  •	With	Powdered	Pigments:	
  ›	 	Use	as	a	binder	with	powdered	pigments	to	make	an	inexpensive	student	
  grade	(soft	body)	gloss	paint 	Pigments	must	be	compatible	with	acrylic	
  emulsion 
  •	As	A	Glue:
  ›	 Use	when	collaging	with	newspapers	and	lightweight	materials 
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  f l u i d
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  GlaZInG medIum 
  Use	when	maximum	transparency	is	required	to	add	luminosity	and	depth	to	your	paintings 	This	
  fluid	medium	can	be	used	to	create	brilliant	glazes	when	mixed	with	transparent	color 	Glazing	
  Medium	dries	quickly	for	rapid	layering	and	tends	to	minimize	or	eliminate	brush	strokes 	Mix	
  with	Slow-Dri®	Blending	Medium	or	Slow-Dri®	Fluid	Retarder	to	extend	the	working	time 	
  attributes
  •	For	creating	brilliant	jewel	like	glazes	with	acrylic	artist	colors 	
  •	Excellent	brushing	and	leveling	qualities 	
  •	Dries	quickly	for	rapid	layering 	
  •	Small	quantities	of	color	provide	the	most	transparency 	
  •	Works	best	with	transparent	or	translucent	colors 	
  •	Flexible,	non-yellowing	and	water	resistant	when	dry 	
  applications
  •	Mix	with	any	amount	of	acrylic	color 
  •	Apply	to	dry,	painted	areas	to	change	coloration	without	losing	established	detail 
  •	Underlayer	must	be	thoroughly	dry	before	applying	the	next	coat 	
  •		Thoroughly	mix	a	small	amount	of	color	into	the	medium	and	the	color	will	
  lighten 	As	the	medium	dries	it	will	become	transparent	and	the	color	will	darken,	
  appearing	as	a	thin,	transparent	version	of	the	original	color 	
  matte medIum 
  A	classic	medium	used	to	give	fluidity	to	delicate	brushwork	or	to	act	as	a	low	sheen	
  adhesive	for	collage 	This	medium	has	a	creamy	consistency	and	is	great	with	opaque	
  colors 	Mix	with	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	to	create	a	customized	satin	effect 
  attributes 
   
   
  •	Creates	a	matte	or	dull,	non-reflecting	finish	when	added	to	acrylic	colors 
  •		Mix	into	any	acrylic	paint	to	increase	transparency	and	extend	color,	increase	matte,	
  increase	film	integrity,	ease	flow	of	paint	and	add	flexibility	and	adhesion	of	paint	film 	
  •	Mix	with	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	to	produce	a	semi-gloss	or	satin	medium 
  •	Opaque	when	wet,	translucent	when	dry 	
  application
  •	As	An	Extender:	 	
  ›	 	Mix	with	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	extend	volume	and	increase	
  translucency,	while	maintaining	color	viscosity 	Mix	with	Heavy	Body	
  Professional	Artist	Color	to	extend	volume	and	increase	translucency,	while	
  decreasing	color	viscosity 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  f l u i d
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  matte medIum (cont )
  application
  •	As	A	Fixative:	
  	
  ›	 	Use	as	a	fixative	over	artwork	(acrylic	paint,	pastel,	graphite,	chalk)	to	
  decrease	gloss	or	shine 	Mix	1	part	Matte	Medium	to	1	part	distilled	water	
  and	apply	with	atomizer	or	airbrush 
  •	As	A	Ground:
  ›	 	Recommended	fluid	medium	to	use	as	a	transparent	ground	(size)	for	acrylic	
  paint,	with	excellent	tooth	and	adhesion 	This	will	allow	the	color	and	texture	
  of	the	support	to	show	through 	Can	be	used	as	a	substitute	for	the	hide	glue	
  size	traditionally	used	for	oil	paintings 
  ›	 	To	prevent	Substrate	Induced	Discoloration	(SID),	wash	cotton	or	linen	
  canvas	before	use 
  sId definition: When	used	as	a	size	over	cotton,	linen	and	hardboard,	acrylic	
  mediums	draw	substances	out	of	the	support	as	they	dry	and	continue	over	
  time 	Discoloration	can	occur	in	areas	that	are	left	unpainted 	
  ›	 	Exterior	Murals:	If	the	support	or	wall	is	somewhat	smooth,	a	coat	of	Matte	
  Medium	should	be	brushed	or	two	coats	sprayed	onto	the	surface	onto	the	
  surface	prior	to	applying	gesso 
  •	As	A	Glue:
  ›	 Use	when	collaging	with	newspapers	and	lightweight	materials 
  ultra matte medIum 
  An	extremely	matte,	fluid	medium 	Ultra	Matte	Medium	can	be	used	to	maintain	opacity	
  and	will	extend	an	opaque	color	to	double	amounts	without	changing	the	nature	of	the	color 	
  Ideal	for	large	projects	where	transparency	is	not	desired 	Dries	to	a	dead	matte	finish	with	
  absolutely	no	level	of	sheen 	
  attributes 
   
  •	Colors	mixed	with	Ultra	Matte	Medium	dry	to	a	dead	matte	finish 
  •	Increases	the	volume	of	paint,	while	maintaining	the	opacity	of	the	color	it	is	mixed	into 	
  •		Economically	doubles	the	volume	of	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	with	little	or	
  no	noticeable	loss	in	color	intensity,	opacity	or	change	in	hue 	
  •		Opacity	of	colors	mixed	with	Ultra	Matte	Medium	will	be	higher	than	if	the	color	had	
  been	thinned	to	the	same	degree	with	any	other	medium	except	Modeling	Paste 	
  •	The	degree	to	which	the	color	can	be	extended	will	vary	among	the	different	pigments 	
  •		When	over	50%	is	added,	Ultra	Matte	Medium	can	act	as	a	weak	tinting	white,	
  increasing	the	value	of	the	original	color	approximately	one	level 	Light	colors	will	
  be	affected	less	than	dark	colors 
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  f l u i d
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  ultra matte medIum (cont )
  application
  •	Gouache:
  ›	 	Mix	with	opaque	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	for	a	matte	finish	and	
  gouache	(opaque	watercolor)	look 
  ›	 	These	“gouache”	colors	are	water	resistant,	flexible,	lightfast	and	permanent	
  when	dry 	Traditional	gouache	colors	are	not	and	are	susceptible	to	
  accidental	re-wetting	and	must	be	well	protected	when	finished 
  •	Murals:
  ›	 	Mix	into	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	for	underpainting	of	murals	to	
  economically	double	the	volume	of	paint 	For	top	layers	use	Lightfastness	I	
  colors	without	Ultra	Matte	Medium 
  •	Running	out	of	color	during	painting:
  ›	 	Use	when	running	out	of	a	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	mixture	while	
  painting 	When	you	have	reached	the	half	way	point	of	painting	a	specific	
  area,	determine	if	you	have	enough	paint	to	finish 	If	not,	add	an	equal	
  amount	of	Ultra	Matte	Medium	to	the	color 	The	color	and	opacity	will	be	
  unchanged,	but	the	volume	will	be	doubled	enabling	you	to	finish	painting	
  without	re-mixing 	
  •	Underpainting:
  ›	 	Mix	into	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	during	initial	underpainting,	to	
  double	amount	of	color 	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	has	three	times	
  the	coverage	of	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color 	
  sloW-drI® BlendInG medIum 
  An	essential	medium	for	creating	softer	edges	and	modeled	forms 	This	medium	is	used	to	
  extend	the	“open”	time	of	acrylics	by	more	than	40%,	giving	you	an	opportunity	to	really	
  work	the	paint	to	enhance	color	blending 	You	can	add	any	amount	of	this	medium,	as	it	
  contains	binder	to	retain	the	integrity	of	the	paint	film,	unlike	the	additives	version 
  attributes
  •		A	unique	formulation	that	extends	drying	time	up	to	40%	for	superior	surface	
  blending	with	acrylics 	
  •		Adds	flow	to	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	and	is	similar	in	body	to	Soft	
  Body	Professional	Artist	Color 	
  •		Mix	any	amount	into	color	to	enhance	the	depth	of	color	intensity,	increase	
  transparency,	gloss,	ease	flow	of	paint,	and	add	flexibility	and	adhesion	to		
  paint	film 	
  •	Dries	clear	to	reveal	full,	rich	color 	
  
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  f l u i d
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  sloW-drI® BlendInG medIum (cont )
  attributes
  •		Unlike	retarding	additives,	any	amount	may	be	added	to	color	without	jeopardizing	
  the	strength	of	the	paint	film 	
  •	Translucent	when	wet,	transparent	when	dry	
  •	Flexible,	non-yellowing	and	water	resistant	when	dry 	
  application
  •		Formula	is	designed	to	be	used	in	techniques	where	slower	drying	characteristics	
  are	desired 	May	also	be	used	in	many	of	the	conventional	techniques	for	a	Gloss	
  Medium	such	as:	airbrushing,	brushwork,	glazing,	collage,	and	murals 	
  application possibilities as a medium
  •	As	an	Extender
  ›	 	Mix	with	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	lengthen	drying	time,	extend	
  volume,	and	increase	transparency	while	maintaining	paint	viscosity	and	flow 	
  ›	 	Mix	with	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	slow	drying	time,	extend	
  volume,	and	increase	transparency	while	thinning	the	paint 	
  •	As	a	Fixative
  ›	 	Use	as	a	fixative	over	artwork	(acrylic	paint,	pastels,	graphite,	chalk)	to	
  increase	gloss	or	shine 	Increased	drying	time	allows	for	working	the	media	
  on	the	surface	prior	to	final	fixing 	Use	an	atomizer	or	airbrush	filled	with	a	
  mixture	of	one	part	medium,	one	part	water 	
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  g e l
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  Gel medIums
  On	the	opposite	end	of	the	spectrum	from	Fluid	Mediums,	Gel	Mediums	add	
  body	to	thinner	paint	for	impasto	techniques	as	well	as	extending	color	volume	
  and	adding	transparency 	Gels	mediums	can	also	add	“open	time”	as	they	tend	
  to	dry	slower	than	thinner	paint	films 	In	general,	the	thicker	the	layer	of	acrylic	paint,	the	
  longer	the	paint	film	takes	to	dry 	These	mediums	also	modify	acrylic	paints	in	a	variety	of	
  ways	and,	since	they	contain	acrylic	resins,	tend	to	improve	adhesion	
  and	durability 
  all Gel medIums
  •	Add	Body
  •	Increase	“open”	time
  •	Dry	transparent	or	translucent
  •	Extend	the	volume	of	paint
  •	Hold	brush	or	knife	marks
  •	Make	an	excellent	archival	adhesive	for	collage
  General attributes
  •		Heavy-bodied	mediums,	formulated	to	maintain	three	
  dimensional	peaks	and	marks,	build	surfaces,	extend	paint	
  volume,	extend	drying	time	and	achieve	various	degrees	of	
  transparency	and	sheen 
  •		Mix	into	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	increase		
  paint	thickness 
  •	Mix	into	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color,	to	maintain	or	increase	paint	thickness 
  •	Produce	films	of	varying	thickness,	sheens	and	visual	effects 
  •		In	the	wet	state,	mediums	appear	milky,	but	dry	transparent	to	translucent	(unless	
  noted) 	A	wet	medium/paint	mixture	will	be	lighter	in	color	than	the	dried	medium/
  paint	mixture 
  •	The	thicker	the	application	the	more	opaque	the	final	film	will	be 
  •		All	Gels	can	be	used	as	a	binder	for	powdered	pigments,	additives	such	as	sand,	
  sawdust,	etc 	Overloading	mediums	with	texturing	materials	can	cause	brittleness 
  •	All	Gels	are	excellent	glues	for	attaching	heavy	objects	to	a	surface 
  •	Mix	any	gels	into	acrylic	paint	to	increase	working	(open)	time 	
  0
  G
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  g e l
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  1
  Gloss Gel 
  Excellent	for	retaining	brush	marks	while	slowing	the	drying	time	and	adding	body	to	the	
  paint 	Mix	with	transparent	colors	for	impasto	glazes	of	great	depth	and	brilliance 	Excellent	
  for	transferring	printed	images 	
  attributes 
   
   
   
  •	Dries	to	a	gloss	finish 
  •	Viscosity	and	body	similar	to	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color 	
  •		Translucent	when	wet,	transparent	(clear)	to	translucent	when	dry 	Thicker	
  applications	result	in	less	transparent	dry	medium	films 
  •		Ideal	medium	to	mix	with	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	extend	paint,	increase	
  the	brilliance	and	transparency	of	color,	without	changing	the	thickness	of	the	paint 
  •		Mix	with	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	obtain	paint	similar	in	color	depth	
  to	oil	paint 
  application
  •	As	An	Extender:
  ›	 	Mix	with	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	extend	volume	and	increase	
  transparency,	while	maintaining	paint	viscosity 
  ›	 	Mix	with	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	extend	volume	and	increase	
  transparency,	while	increasing	paint	viscosity 
  •	As	A	Ground:
  ›	 	Use	as	transparent	ground	for	acrylic	paint,	instead	of	gesso 	Allows	substrate	
  to	be	seen 	To	prevent	Substrate	Induced	Discoloration	(SID)	wash	cotton	or	
  linen	canvas	before	use 	
  sId definition: When	used	as	a	size	over	cotton,	linen	and	hardboard,	acrylic	
  mediums	draw	substances	out	of	the	support	as	they	dry	and	continue	over	
  time 	Discoloration	can	occur	in	areas	that	are	left	unpainted 	
  ›	 	When	applying	Gloss	Gel	Medium	to	canvas,	use	adequate	pressure	to	force	
  the	medium	into	the	canvas	weave	to	insure	proper	bonding	between	the	gel	
  and	canvas 	
  •	Powdered	Pigments:
  ›	 	Use	as	the	binder	for	powdered	pigments	to	make	an	inexpensive	“student	grade”	
  heavy	body	(thick)	gloss	paint 	Pigments	must	be	compatible	with	acrylic	emulsion 
  Gloss heaVy Gel 
  A	very	thick	gel	medium	that	extends	working	time	and	increases	brilliance	and	transparency 	
  Mix	with	acrylic	paint	to	increase	body	and	attain	oil	paint	like	consistency	that	holds	brush	or	
  palette	knife	marks 
  attributes 
   
   
  •	Extra	heavy	body	medium	of	great	density	which	dries	to	translucent	gloss	finish 
  •		Mix	with	acrylic	paint	to	increase	body,	density,	viscosity	and	attain	oil	paint	like	
  consistency	with	brush	or	palette	knife	marks 	
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  g e l
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  Gloss heaVy Gel (cont )
  attributes
  •	Extends	paint	while	increasing	brilliance	and	transparency	
  •	Keeps	paint	workable	longer	than	other	gel	mediums 
  application
  •	As	An	Extender:
  ›	 	Mix	with	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	and	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	
  Color	to	extend	volume,	increase	transparency	and	increase	color	viscosity 
  •	As	A	Ground:
  ›	 Refer	to	Gloss	Gel	for	more	detailed	information 
  •	With	Powdered	Pigments:
  ›	 	Use	as	the	binder	for	powdered	pigments	to	make	an	inexpensive	“student	
  grade”	extra	heavy	body	(thick)	gloss	paint 	Pigments	must	be	compatible	with	
  acrylic	emulsion 
  Gloss super heaVy Gel 
  A	super	thick	gel	with	high	surface	drag	used	to	create	a	stiff	“oil-like”	feel 	Ideal	for	creating	
  high	peaks	and	sculptural	applications	that	hold	shape	when	dry,	with	minimal	shrinkage 	
  This	medium	keeps	paint	workable	longer	than	most	other	gel	mediums 	
  attributes
  •	Extremely	thick,	extra	heavy	body 	The	thickest	“clear”	gel 	
  •	Dries	clear	to	translucent	depending	on	thickness	of	the	application 	
  •	Very	little	shrinkage	during	drying	time 	
  •	Excellent	adhesion	for	collage	and	mixed	media 	
  •	Extends	paint,	increases	brilliance	and	transparency 	
  •	Flexible,	non-yellowing	and	water	resistant	when	dry 	
  application
  •	As	a	Heavy	Bodied	Extender
  ›	 	Mix	with	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	or	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	
  Color	to	increase	color	viscosity,	body,	extend	volume,	increase	transparency	
  and	color	brilliance 	
  •	As	A	Ground
  ›	 	When	creating	a	sculptural	ground,	be	sure	to	use	adequate	pressure	to	force	
  the	gel	into	the	raw	canvas	to	insure	proper	bonding 	Apply	paint	over	the	gel	
  after	the	gel	is	dry 	
  •	Collage:
  ›	 Makes	an	excellent	glue	for	collage	and	decoupage 	
  
  
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  g e l
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  
  Gloss super heaVy Gel (cont )
  application
  •	With	Powdered	Pigments	and	other	Aggregates
  ›	 	Be	careful	not	to	include	so	many	foreign	materials	as	to	jeopardize	the	strength	
  of	the	paint	film 	Be	sure	they	are	compatible	with	acrylic	emulsion 	
  ›	 	Use	as	the	binder	for	powdered	pigments	to	make	an	inexpensive	“student	
  grade”	super	heavy	body	(thick)	gloss	paint 	Pigments	must	be	compatible	with	
  acrylic	emulsion 	
  matte Gel 
  A	thick	gel	that	imparts	a	translucent	matte	sheen	when	dry 	Ideal	for	creating	collages	with	
  heavier	objects 	Combine	with	Gloss	Gel	to	create	a	customized	satin	finish 	
  attributes 
   
   
  •	Same	qualities	as	Gloss	Gel	Medium,	except	dries	to	matte	finish 	
  •	Viscosity	and	body	similar	to	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color 	
  •		Matte	Gel	Medium	has	greater	adhesion	than	Gloss	Gel	Medium	and	Gloss		
  Heavy	Gel	Medium 
  application
  •	As	An	Extender
  ›	 	Mix	with	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	extend	volume	and	increase	
  translucency,	while	maintaining	paint	viscosity 
  ›	 	Mix	with	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	extend	volume	and	increase	
  translucency,	while	increasing	paint	viscosity 
  •	As	A	Ground
  ›	 	Recommended	thick	medium	to	use	as	a	translucent	ground	(size)	for	acrylic	paint,	with	
  excellent	tooth	and	adhesion 	Will	allow	some	color	and	texture	of	the	support	to	show	
  through 	Use	as	a	substitute	for	the	hide	glue	size	traditionally	used	for	oil	paintings 
  ›	 	To	prevent	Substrate	Induced	Discoloration	(SID),	wash	cotton	or	linen	canvas	
  before	use 	
  sId definition: When	used	as	a	size	over	cotton,	linen	and	hardboard,	acrylic	
  mediums	draw	substances	out	of	the	support	as	they	dry	and	continue	over	
  time 	Discoloration	can	occur	in	areas	that	are	left	unpainted 
  ›	 	Exterior	Murals:	If	the	support	or	wall	is	very	rough,	a	coat	of	Matte	Gel	Medium	
  should	be	brushed	or	troweled	onto	the	surface	prior	to	gesso	application 
  •	For	Impasto	Effects
  ›	 	Mix	with	Liquitex®	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	for	impasto	effects	that	
  dry	to	a	matte	sheen 
  •	With	Powdered	Pigments
  ›	 	Use	as	the	binder	for	powdered	pigments	to	make	an	inexpensive	“student	
  grade”	heavy	body	(thick)	matte	paint 	Pigments	must	be	compatible	with	
  acrylic	emulsion 
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  g e l
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  matte super heaVy Gel 
  A	super	thick	gel	which	retains	high-peaks	and	crisp	brush	and	knife	strokes	with	very	little	
  shrinkage 	This	medium	keeps	paint	workable	longer	than	most	other	gel	mediums	and	dries	
  to	a	translucent	matte	finish 
  attributes
  •	Extremely	thick,	extra	Heavy	Body 	
  •	Heavy	bodied,	very	dense,	with	high	surface	drag	for	a	stiff	“oil-like”	feel 	
  •	Dries	to	a	translucent	matte	finish	depending	on	thickness	of	the	application 	
  •	Very	little	shrinkage	during	drying	time 	
  •	Excellent	adhesion	for	collage	and	mixed	media 	
  •	Extends	paint	
  •	Flexible,	non-yellowing	and	water	resistant	when	dry 	
  application
  •	As	A	Ground
  ›	 	When	creating	a	sculptural	ground,	be	sure	to	use	adequate	pressure	to	force	
  the	gel	into	the	raw	canvas	to	insure	proper	bonding 	Apply	paint	over	the	gel	
  after	the	gel	is	dry 	
  •	Collage
  ›	 Makes	an	excellent	glue	for	collage	and	decoupage 	
  •	With	Aggregates
  ›	 	Be	careful	not	to	include	so	many	foreign	materials	as	to	jeopardize	the	strength	
  of	the	paint	film 	Be	sure	they	are	compatible	with	acrylic	emulsion 	
  ultra matte Gel 
  A	gel	with	high	resin	solids	that	maintains	color	opacity	and	extends	paint	to	double	amounts	
  without	changing	color	position 	This	product	is	meant	to	be	used	with	opaque	colors	where	
  transparency	is	not	desired 	Dries	to	a	dead	matte	finish	with	absolutely	no	level	of	sheen 
  attributes 
   
  •		A	translucent	white	gel	of	high	density	and	high	solids,	that	economically	extends	
  the	volume	of	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	without	changing	its	thickness 
  •	Add	up	to	50%	by	volume,	to	double	amount	of	paint	and	retain	color	position 
  •	If	more	than	50%	is	added,	it	acts	as	a	very	weak	tinting	white
  •	Maintains	the	opacity	of	the	color	better	than	using	a	clear	gel	medium 
  •	Dries	to	a	dead	matte	finish,	giving	colors	a	gouache	look 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  g e l
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  ultra matte Gel (cont )
  application
  •	Running	out	of	color	during	painting:	
  ›	 	Use	when	running	out	of	a	mixed	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	while	
  painting 	When	you	have	reached	the	half	way	point	of	painting	the	specific	
  area,	determine	if	you	have	enough	paint	to	finish 	If	not,	add	an	equal	amount	
  of	Ultra	Matte	Gel	to	the	color 	The	color	and	opacity	will	be	unchanged,	but	the	
  volume	will	be	doubled	enabling	you	to	finish	painting	without	re-mixing 	
  •	Underpainting:	
  ›	 	Mix	into	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	during	initial	underpainting,	to	
  double	amount	of	color 
  sloW-drI® BlendInG Gel 
  A	heavy	body	gel	used	to	extend	the	“open”	time	of	acrylics	by	more	than	40%	for	easier	
  blending 	Add	any	amount	without	jeopardizing	the	strength	of	the	paint	film	to	achieve	
  excellent	impasto	techniques 	
  attributes
  •	A	unique	formulation	for	superior	surface	blending	with	acrylics 	
  •	Extends	drying	time	up	to	40%	for	superior	surface	blending	with	acrylics 	
  •	Is	similar	in	body	to	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color 	
  •		Mix	any	amount	into	color	to	enhance	the	depth	of	color	intensity,	increase	
  transparency,	gloss,	and	add	flexibility	and	adhesion	to	paint	film 	
  •		Unlike	retarding	additives,	any	quantity	may	be	added	to	color	without	jeopardizing	
  the	strength	of	the	paint	film 
  •	Dries	clear	to	reveal	full,	rich	color 		
  •	Translucent	when	wet,	transparent	when	dry 	
  •	Flexible,	non-yellowing	and	water	resistant	when	dry 	
  application
  •		Formula	is	designed	for	use	in	techniques	where	slower	drying	characteristics	are	
  desired 	May	also	be	used	in	many	of	the	conventional	techniques	for	a	Gloss	Gel	
  Medium	such	as:	brushwork,	thick	glazes,	collage,	and	murals 	
  •	As	an	Extender
  ›	 	Mix	with	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	lengthen	drying	time,	extend	
  volume	and	increase	transparency	while	maintaining	paint	viscosity	
  ›	 	Mix	with	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	slow	drying	time,	extend	volume	
  and	increase	transparency	while	making	paint	thicker	
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  g e l
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  modelInG paste 
  A	very	thick,	matte,	opaque	preparation	of	marble	dust	and	polymer	emulsion	used	to	build	
  heavy	textures	on	rigid	surfaces 	This	product	handles	like	clay	and	dries	to	a	very	hard	
  stone-like	surface 	Can	be	mixed	with	acrylic	color	or	over-painted	when	dry 	Makes	an	
  excellent	substrate	for	acrylic	paint,	watercolor,	graphite,	or	dry	pastel 	Great	for	sculptural	
  applications	and	may	be	sanded,	carved,	or	drilled	when	dry 	For	use	on	rigid	supports	only 	
  attributes  
   
   
  •	A	marble	“putty”	made	of	marble	dust	and	100%	polymer	emulsion 
  •	Used	to	build	heavy	textures	on	rigid	supports	and	create	three-dimensional	forms 
  •	Dries	to	the	hardness	of	stone 	It	can	be	sanded	or	carved	when	thoroughly	dry 
  •		Can	be	handled	like	clay	if	the	top	of	the	container	is	removed	and	some	of	the	
  water	is	allowed	to	slowly	evaporate	until	it	reaches	a	clay-like	consistency 
  •	Adheres	to	any	non-oily,	absorbent	surface 
  •	Drying	too	quickly	causes	mud	cracking	that	is	cosmetic,	not	structural 
  •		When	mixed	with	acrylic	colors	will	act	as	a	weak	tinting	white,	while	increasing	
  thickness	and	rigidity 
  •		Excellent	substrate	for	acrylic	paint,	oil	paint,	oil	pastel,	oil	bars,	watercolor,	graphite	
  or	dry	pastel 	
  directions
  •	Apply	with	knife,	brush,	cake	decorating	tools,	etc 
  •		To	prevent	shrinkage	cracks	(mud	cracking),	dry	slowly	by	covering	loosely	with	
  plastic	wrap 	Apply	less	than	¼”	thick 	
  •	Mix	with	acrylic	colors	to	produce	a	colored	tinted	paste 
  •	When	dry,	Modeling	Paste	may	be	painted	with	acrylic	or	oil	colors 
  application
  •	Sculptural
  ›	 	Apply	in	thin	layers	allowing	each	layer	to	dry	before	applying	next	layer 	If	cracks	
  appear,	allow	to	dry	and	fill	in	with	an	additional	thin	layer	of	Modeling	Paste 
  •	Rigid	support
  ›	 Use	straight	from	container 
  •	Flexible	support
  ›	 	Use	Flexible	Modeling	Paste	or	Mix	Modeling	Paste	50/50	with	Gloss	Gel	
  Medium,	Matte	Gel	Medium	or	Gloss	Heavy	Gel	Medium 
  •	Ground
  ›	 	Apply	a	thin	layer	of	Acrylic	Modeling	Paste	to	rigid	surface	(i e 	wood),	using	a	
  palette	knife,	trowel	or	roller 	Let	dry,	then	sand	smooth 	Repeat	if	necessary 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  g e l
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  modelInG paste (cont )
  application
  •	Absorbent	ground
  ›	 	Mix	¼	Modeling	Paste	with	¾	Liquitex®	Gesso 	Apply	with	trowel	or	roller 	Let	
  dry,	then	sand	smooth 	Repeat	if	necessary 
  •	Paper-Maché
  ›	 	Mix	Acrylic	Modeling	Paste	50/50	with	Liquitex®	Gloss	Gel	Medium,	Matte	Gel	
  Medium	or	Gloss	Heavy	Gel	Medium 	Soak	paper	in	this	mixture 
  lIGht modelInG paste 
  A	lightweight	and	airy	preparation	of	marble	dust	and	polymer	emulsion	specifically	
  formulated	to	be	used	in	applications	where	weight	is	a	factor 	Can	be	used	to	add	body	to	
  paint	and	create	pastel	tints 	Dries	to	a	matte	opaque	white	and	can	be	mixed	with	acrylic	
  color	or	over-painted 	Recommended	for	use	on	rigid	supports	to	avoid	cracking 	
  attributes
  •		A	lightweight,	airy,	flexible,	thick,	sculptural	gel	specifically	formulated	to	be	used	
  in	applications	where	weight	is	a	factor 
  •	Will	not	exhibit	“mud	cracking” 
  ›	 	Used	alone,	will	dry	to	a	matte	opaque	white	that	readily	accepts	staining		
  if	desired 
  	
  flexIBle modelInG paste 
  A	matte,	opaque	preparation	of	marble	dust	and	polymer	emulsion 	Dries	more	slowly	than	
  other	modeling	pastes	to	a	hard,	yet	flexible	surface 	Use	to	build	heavy	textures	and	three-
  dimensional	forms 	Recommended	for	use	on	supports	with	occasional	flexing 	
  attributes
  •	Extra	Heavy	Body	and	very	opaque 	
  •	A	marble	paste	made	of	marble	dust	and	100%	polymer	emulsion 	
  •	Dries	more	slowly	than	other	modeling	pastes	to	a	hard	yet	flexible	surface 	
  •		Used	to	build	three-dimensional	forms	and	heavy	textures	on	supports	that	may	be	
  subject	to	flexing	or	movement 	
  •	Adheres	to	any	non-oily,	absorbent	surface 	
  •		When	mixed	with	acrylic	colors	will	act	as	a	weak	tinting	white,	while	increasing	
  thickness	and	rigidity 	
  •		Excellent	substrate	for	acrylic	paint,	oil	paint,	oil	pastel,	oil	bars,	watercolor,	
  graphite	or	dry	pastel 	
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  e f f e c t s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  effeCts
  Liquitex®	offers	a	variety	of	specialty	products	including	
  Fluid	Mediums,	Gel	mediums,	Texture	Gels	and	Additives	
  which	have	been	specifically	designed	to	achieve	various	
  techniques,	applications,	and	special	effects 
  fluid medium effects
  faBrIC medIum 
  Enhances	blending,	workability,	and	adhesion	of	acrylic	colors	for	
  painting	directly	on	fabric	or	unprimed	canvas 	Reduces	dry	paint	
  stiffness 	No	heat	setting	required 	
  attributes 
   
   
  •	Enhances	the	workability	of	acrylic	paint	on	fabric 
  •	Controls	bleeding	of	colors	when	thinned	with	water 
  •		Provides	a	smooth,	consistent	flow	to	Soft	Body	Professional	
  Artist	Color	 
  •	Prevents	uneven	application	of	paint	to	rough	textured	fabrics 
  •	Reduces	stiffness	of	dried	acrylic	paint	on	fabric 
  •		Reduces	the	need	to	scrub	or	abrade	rough	textured	fabrics	in	order	for	paint	to	
  adhere	to	or	penetrate	into	surface 
  •	Does	not	require	heat	setting 
  application
  •		Begin	by	adding	medium	1:1	with	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color 
  Color Blending on fabric
  •	Mix	into	acrylic	colors	to	improve	wet-on-wet	blending	techniques 
  •	Medium	can	be	added	directly	onto	fabric	to	blend	color 
  Watercolor on fabric
  •		Use	Fabric	Medium	5:1	with	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	to	control	
  color	bleeding 
  IrIdesCent medIum
  Adds	richness	to	acrylic	colors	by	creating	a	metallic/pearlescent	effect 	Dries	translucent	
  and	will	not	oxidize 	Can	add	shimmer	or	sparkle	to	a	picture	even	in	the	smallest	amount 	
  Achieve	the	most	dramatic	effects	when	mixing	with	transparent	colors 	Try	painting	on	top		
  of	any	dry	color	for	unique	effects 
  attributes 
   
  •	Produces	a	range	of	iridescent	or	metallic	colors	when	mixed	into	acrylic	colors 
  •	Opaque	when	wet,	transparent	to	translucent	when	dry 
  •	Will	not	oxidize 
  
  E
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  e f f e c t s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  IrIdesCent medIum (cont )
   directions
  •		Mix	with	small	amounts	of	color,	gradually	adding	more	color	until	desired	
  iridescent	quality	and	transparency	is	achieved 
  •	Transparent	and	translucent	colors	work	best 	Opaque	colors	can	also	be	used 	
  •	Color	will	become	more	transparent	as	percentage	of	medium	increases 	
  •		Colors	increase	in	their	iridescent	quality	and	become	much	more	reflective		
  upon	drying 
  •	For	Mother	of	Pearl	color,	use	directly	from	container 
  •	For	use	on	fabric,	thin	50%	with	distilled	water 
  aIrBrush medIum 
  A	pre-filtered,	ready-to-use	medium	that	easily	thins	any	acrylic	to	the	right	consistency	for	
  spray	application 	An	excellent	choice	for	color	washes	and	watercolor	techniques	when	used	
  with	acrylic	colors 	Mixes	well	with	other	mediums	to	adjust	the	body	and	handling	properties 	
  Maintains	integrity	of	acrylics	even	at	high	dilutions,	and	decreases	airbrush	clogging	and	paint	
  buildup 	Use	with	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Color	for	best	results 
  attributes 
   
   
   
  •		Pre-mixed	blend	of	acrylic	polymer	emulsion,	distilled	water,	retarder	and	Liquitex®	
  Flow-AidTM 
  •		Ready	to	use	pre-filtered	and	pre-reduced	to	the	proper	consistency	for	airbrush	
  technique 	Add	as	much	or	as	little	as	desired 	
  •	Easily	thins	acrylic	to	a	sprayable	consistency 
  •	Decreases	airbrush	clogging	and	paint	build	up	around	tip	during	spraying 	
  •	Allows	thinned	acrylic	paint	to	be	sprayed	efficiently	and	retain	paint	film	integrity 
  directions
  •	Mix	Airbrush	Medium	into	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	 	No	need	to	strain 	
  •		Mix	Airbrush	Medium	into	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color 	Strain	to	remove	
  any	particles	of	undissolved	color 	
  •		Start	by	mixing	50%	Airbrush	Medium	to	color 	Mix	thoroughly 	Add	more	Airbrush	
  Medium	as	necessary	to	facilitate	flow	through	the	airbrush 	Each	color	may	
  require	a	different	percentage	of	Airbrush	Medium	to	color,	due	to	variation	in	color	
  pigment	size	and	concentration	of	pigment 
  •		Airbrush	nozzle	size	and	spraying	pressure	(PSI)	will	determine	Airbrush	Medium/
  paint	mixture 	Larger	nozzles	allow	for	greater	amounts	of	paint	in	the	mixture 	
  •	Keep	airbrush	wet	during	use 	Do	not	allow	paint	to	dry	in	airbrush 
  •	Clean	airbrush	with	water,	water/ammonia	mixture,	airbrush	cleaner	or	alcohol 
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  e f f e c t s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  pourInG medIum 
  Designed	to	eliminate	crazing	in	poured	applications,	resulting	in	even,	poured	puddles	and	
  acrylic	sheets 	Can	be	mixed	with	any	acrylic	color	to	create	smooth,	even	colored	films 	
  attributes
  •	Creates	even	“puddles,”	poured	sheets,	and	flowing	applications	of	color 	
  •	Does	not	craze,	crack,	or	hold	bubbles	in	the	paint	film	upon	drying 	
  •	Retains	high	gloss	and	wet	appearance	when	dry 	
  •	Will	not	add	transparency	when	mixed	with	color 	
  •	Flexible,	non-yellowing	and	water	resistant	when	dry 	
  application
  •	Mix	with	Soft	Body	Acrylic	Color	to	promote	drying	with	a	smooth,	evenly	colored	film 	
  Gel medium effects
  strInG Gel 
  String	Gel	has	a	honey-like	consistency,	and	can	be	mixed	with	soft	or	heavy	bodied	colors	
  to	create	a	wide	variety	of	effects 	String	Gel	lends	itself	to	creating	long	ropey	strands	of	
  paint	when	applied	by	gently	dripping	it	from	the	end	of	a	brush	or	knife 	This	method	
  of	application	gives	the	artist	much	more	precise	control	of	the	dripped	or	poured	mark,	
  allowing	greater	detail	than	would	have	been	previously	available	by	any	other	means 	When	
  applied	traditionally	with	a	brush	it	is	capable	of	producing	long	fluid	marks	in	which	color	
  follows	the	brush	producing	a	streaking	effect 	Its	transparency	and	self–leveling	qualities	
  further	enhance	the	unique	properties	of	this	gel	medium 
  attributes
  •	A	self-leveling	gel	with	a	syrupy,	honey-like	consistency	
  •	Enhances	depth	of	color	and	increases	transparency	and	flow	
  •	Dries	glossy	and	transparent	
  •	Permanent,	non-yellowing,	flexible	and	water	resistant	when	dry	
  applications
  •		Abstract	painting,	where	controlled	drips,	pours	and	splashes	give	a	broader	
  expressive	range	to	artists 
  •		Contemporary/Imaginary	landscape	painting	where	gestural	flowing	marks	could	
  function	well	to	describe	floral	elements	found	in	nature	such	as	trees,	shrubs	or	grass 
  •		Illustration—where	the	unique	properties	of	this	medium	may	add	the	texture	and	
  stylistic	impact	to	help	communicate	the	artist’s	vision 
  0
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  e f f e c t s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  1
  texture Gels
  Liquitex®	Texture	Gels	contain	particles	that	produce	a	variety	of	unique	textural	and	dimensional	
  effects 	They	may	be	mixed	with	acrylic	colors,	other	mediums,	or	used	on	their	own 	A	dry	
  Texture	Gel	layer	can	be	utilized	as	a	textured	underpainting	for	acrylic	paint,	colored	pencil	
  or	pastel 	Mix	any	texture	gels	together	to	achieve	unique	surfaces 
  all texture Gels
  •	Dry	flexible
  •	Do	not	yellow
  •	Dry	water	resistant
  General attributes 
  •		Contain	specific	aggregates,	which	produce	a	variety	of	unique	textural,	
  dimensional	and	reflective	effects,	when	mixed	with	acrylic	paint 
  •		All	seven	Texture	Gels	may	be	intermixed	to	increase	the	variety	of	possible	textures 
  •	Formulated	for	maximum	flexibility	and	adhesion 	Will	not	chip	or	crack	on	canvas 
  •		Can	be	applied	to	any	material	or	surface	that	will	accept	traditional	acrylic	media,	
  such	as	canvas,	paper,	wood,	etc 
  •		Texture	Gels	are	lightweight,	non-toxic	and	dry	to	a	water	resistant,	non-	
  yellowing	surface 
  CeramIC stuCCo 
  A	favorite	of	many	artists 	This	thick,	fine-textured	gel	can	be	applied	with	a	palette	knife	
  to	give	the	surface	finish	of	an	Italian	fresco 	It	dries	to	a	light	gray	matte	stucco	finish	and	
  is	a	great	absorbent	ground	for	washes	and	glazing 	Try	painting	over	the	dry	surface	with	
  Airbrush	Medium	or	drawing	with	pastel	or	charcoal 	
  •	A	thick,	low	luster,	fine	texture	gel,	that	dries	to	a	light	gray	matte	stucco	finish 
  •	Excellent	for	producing	thick	3-D	effects,	as	well	as	thinly	coating	surface 
  •	Excellent	ground	for	acrylic,	pastels	and	graphite 
  •		Somewhat	susceptible	to	abrasion 	Coat	with	Liquitex®	Varnish	for	added	
  protection 	Apply	varnish	carefully	to	avoid	foaming	and	clouding 
  •	Works	well	with	brush	application 
  WhIte opaque flakes	
  A	heavy,	coarse	gel	containing	irregular	sized	and	shaped	white	opaque	flakes 	May	be	used	
  to	create	foliage	effects	in	landscapes	by	mixing	with	opaque	color	or	glazing	over	when	dry 	
  Has	a	similar	effect	of	snow	flakes	or	coconut	flakes 	
  •	A	Heavy	body,	coarse	gel,	that	contains	irregular	sized	and	shaped	opaque	flakes 
  •		White	flake	texture	is	most	apparent	when	mixed	with	transparent	or	translucent	
  colors	or	small	amounts	of	opaque	color 
  •	If	pure	white	is	desired,	add	a	small	amount	of	Liquitex®	Titanium	White 
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  e f f e c t s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  Glass Beads	
  A	medium	body	gel	that	contains	clear	round	plastic	beads	and	dries	to	a	semi-gloss	surface 	
  Perfect	for	creating	a	“bubbly”	but	smooth	texture	that	can	be	dramatic	when	mixed	with	
  color 	When	poured	it	creates	a	flexible	shimmering	film	for	a	wide	variety	of	applications 	
  Works	well	as	a	surface	to	paint	over	with	color 	Can	be	used	under	oil	or	acrylic 	
  •		A	medium	body	gel	that	contains	clear,	round	aggregates	that	dry	to	a	semi-gloss,	
  reflective	(“bubbly”)	surface 	
  •		For	most	dramatic	reflective	effects,	mix	with	transparent	or	translucent	colors	or	
  apply	straight	from	container	over	dried	paint 
  •		For	reflective	textural	glazes,	mix	with	Liquitex®	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	and	small	
  amounts	of	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	 
  •	Suitable	as	a	ground	for	acrylic	and	oil	paint 	Works	well	with	brush	application 
  Blended fIBers 
  Great	for	adding	texture	and	body	to	painted	forms 	This	thick	opaque	gel,	when	dry,	will	give	
  the	effect	of	flexible	fibers	with	a	matt	sheen 	It	holds	unusual	peaks	and	knife	strokes	when	
  mixed	with	color 	Can	tend	to	have	the	effect	of	pieces	of	torn	fabric 
  •	A	thick,	stringy,	fibrous	gel	that	when	dry	give	the	effect	of	flexible	fibers 
  •		Add	Liquitex®	Gloss	Gel	Medium	or	Gloss	Heavy	Gel	Medium	for	easier	application	
  and	to	increase	adhesion	while	wet 
  •	Works	best	when	applied	with	palette	knife	or	trowel 
  resIn sand	
  A	thick,	coarse	gel	that	dries	to	a	semi-gloss	texture	similar	to	rough	cement 	Mix	with	Black	
  Lava	and	Ceramic	Stucco	to	create	an	absorbent,	granite	like	surface	that	is	very	receptive	to	
  Soft	Body	colors 	
  •	A	thick,	coarse,	texture	gel	that	contains	aggregates	of	various	sizes 
  •		Dries	to	a	“rough	cement”	look	and	will	retain	its	unique	texture	well	when	mixed	
  with	paint 
  •	Excellent	ground	for	acrylic	paint,	when	dramatic	effects	are	desired 
  natural sand	
  A	fine-textured	gel	that	dries	to	the	appearance	of	glossy	beach	sand 	Mix	with	other	gels	to	
  create	customized	surfaces 	An	excellent	choice	to	add	a	bit	of	“tooth”	to	an	under-painting 	
  Try	combing	the	natural	sand	with	a	ridged	trowel	for	uniform	peaks	and	valleys	
  •	A	finely	textured	gel	that	dries	to	a	surface	similar	to	glossy	“beach	sand” 
  •	Mix	with	Liquitex®	acrylic	colors	to	improve	blending	and	impart	the	“feel”	of	oil	paint 
  •		Very	effective	ground	for	acrylics,	pastel	and	graphite	when	delicate	marks	and	
  blending	are	necessary 	Works	well	with	brush	application 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  e f f e c t s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  BlaCk laVa	
  A	clear	gel	speckled	with	small	black	particles	that	adds	an	innovative	dimension	to	paint	
  surfaces 	Gives	dramatic	effects	when	mixed	with	transparent,	translucent,	or	interference	
  colors	and	can	be	used	to	darken	values	in	a	picture 	Try	over	painting	when	dry	with	acrylic	
  color	for	additional	effects 
  •	A	black	speckled	gel	that	contains	small,	flat,	hexagonal	shaped	dark	aggregates 
  •		When	wet,	looks	speckled	gray	but	when	dry,	give	the	effect	of	ground,	dry,	
  black	lava 
  •		Mixed	with	transparent	and	translucent	colors,	black	speckled	quality	is	most	
  apparent 
  •	Mix	with	Liquitex®	Interference	Colors	for	dramatic	color	effects 
  application
  •	Apply	with	palette	knife,	trowel,	paint	brush,	etc 	Different	tools	produce	different	effects 
  •	Mix	acrylic	color	into	Texture	Gel	or	let	gel	dry	and	paint	on	top 
  •	Mix	with	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	to	produce	textured	glazes 
  •		Very	small	amounts	of	color	are	needed	since	most	Liquitex®	Texture	Gels		
  are	translucent 
  •		Add	Liquitex®	Gloss	Gel	or	Gloss	Heavy	Gel	when	using	additional	aggregates	
  (such	as	sand)	to	avoid	brittleness 
  •	Texture	Gels	can	be	thinned	with	small	amounts	of	distilled	water	if	necessary 
  •		Varnish	with	care	to	avoid	foaming	or	clouding 	If	a	final	varnish	layer	is	desired,	
  spray	application	of	varnish	is	advised 
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  e f f e c t s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  additives
  Additives	allow	the	artist	to	adjust	the	chemistry	(and	as	a	result	the	working	properties)	of	
  acrylic	paint 	They	can	be	used	to	increase	the	flow,	the	opacity,	or	the	thickness,	and	more 	
  While	they	do	contain	acrylic	polymer	for	compatibility,	they	do	not	contain	sufficient	acrylic	
  resin	to	act	as	a	binder	within	the	paint 	In	general,	Liquitex®	recommends	that	no	more	than	
  25%	of	an	additive	be	added	to	the	paint 	Additionally,	mixing	more	than	one	additive	at	a	
  time	into	your	paint	is	not	recommended 	
  all addItIVes
  •		Should	be	used	sparingly	and	only	in	the	amount	needed	to		
  achieve	the	desired	effect
  •	Do	not	add	transparency	to	the	paint	film
  •	Available	in	both	fluid	and	gel	viscosities
  sloW-drI® Gel retarder	
  An	excellent	choice	when	working	in	low	humidity,	or	whenever	increased	workability	and	
  blending	time	of	acrylic	paints	and	mediums	is	desired 	Will	retain	brushstrokes	and	add	
  body	to	lower	iscosity	colors 	Should	not	add	more	than	25%	as	there	is	no	binder	and	it	can	
  weaken	the	stability	of	the	paint	film	when	too	much	is	added 		
  attributes 
  •	Similar	to	Slow-Dri®	Fluid	Retarder,	except	in	gel	(heavy	body)	thickness
  •		Gel	consistency,	designed	to	be	used	with	Liquitex®	Heavy	Body	Professional		
  Artist	Color 
  •		May	also	be	used	with	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	and	all	Liquitex®	
  Mediums,	however	thickness	of	paints	or	mediums	will	be	increased 
  directions
  •		Do	not	mix	more	than	25%	per	volume	into	paint	and	mediums	or	paint	may	not	
  fully	dry	and	may	have	poor	adhesion	and	excessive	shrinking 
  sloW-drI® fluId retarder	
  A	fluid	that	slows	the	drying	time	of	acrylic	paints	and	mediums	by	up	to	40% 	An	
  absolutely	essential	additive	if	working	in	drier	climates 	Mix	into	the	paint	when	on	the	
  palette	to	slow	the	skinning-over	of	paint	and	increase	blending	time 	Should	not	add	
  more	than	25%	as	there	is	no	binder	and	it	can	weaken	the	stability	of	the	paint	film	
  when	too	much	is	added 	
  attributes
  •	Increases	“open”	time	of	acrylic	paint 	Reduces	paint	skinning	over	on	palette 
  •	Increases	blending	time,	making	blending	of	colors	and	detail	brushwork	easier 
  •	Mix	with	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Colors	and	Mediums	to	retard	drying	time	up	to	50% 
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  e f f e c t s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  sloW-drI® fluId retarder (cont )	
  attributes
  •		Fluid	consistency,	made	to	be	used	with	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional		
  Artist	Color 
  •		May	also	be	used	with	Liquitex®	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	and	all		
  Liquitex®	Mediums,	however	thickness	of	paints	and	mediums	will	be	reduced 
  directions
  •		Do	not	mix	more	than	25%	per	volume	into	paint	and	mediums	or	paint	may	not	fully	dry 
  floW aId™
  Breaks	water	tension	to	improve	flow,	absorbency	and	blending	of	any	water	based	paint,	ink	or	
  dye	and	minimizes	brush	strokes 	Use	with	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	color	to	create	very	fluid	washes	
  without	hard	edges 	Great	for	staining	effects	on	raw	canvas 	Should	not	add	more	than	25%	as	
  there	is	no	binder	and	it	can	weaken	the	stability	of	the	paint	film	when	too	much	is	added 	
  attributes
  •		Use	in	conjunction	with	any	acrylic	medium	or	color	when	increased	flow	and	
  absorption	and	decreased	film	tension	and	friction	are	important 
  •		A	flow	enhancer	that	improves	the	flow,	absorption	and	blending	of	any	water-
  soluble	paint	(i e 	acrylic	paint),	medium,	ink	or	dye 	
  •	Minimizes	brush	marks,	by	reducing	friction	of	paint	application 
  •		Does	not	contain	binder 	Over	thinning	of	acrylic	paint	with	Flow-AidTM	and	
  applying	to	a	non-absorbent	surface	(i e 	gessoed	canvas)	may	result	in	poor	
  adhesion 	Always	make	a	test	piece	for	your	particular	application	and	surface 
  •		On	non-absorbent	surfaces,	will	increase	the	fluidity	and	open	(drying)	time		
  of	the	paint 
  •	On	absorbent	surfaces,	will	act	as	a	stain,	dye	or	watercolor 
  directions
  •		Flow-AidTM	is	a	concentrate 	Dilute	with	water	before	mixing	into	paint 	Distilled	
  water	is	best,	since	quality	of	tap	water	varies 
  •		Minimum	dilution:	1	part	Flow-AidTM	to	10	parts	distilled	water	to	achieve		
  Flow-AidTM	Water 
  •		Normal	dilution:	1	part	Flow-AidTM	to	20	parts	distilled	water	to	achieve	
  Flow-Aid™	Water 
  •		Do	not	use	undiluted 	Using	undiluted	may	result	in	poor	paint	adhesion,	cause	
  paint	to	crack,	remain	tacky	and	become	water	sensitive 
  •		Do	not	shake	or	rapidly	stir 	This	will	increase	foaming	of	Flow-AidTM 	Wait	until	
  foaming	has	subsided	before	using 
  •		Absorbent	surfaces:	Use	as	much	Flow-AidTM	as	necessary 	The	Flow-AidTM	Water/
  paint	mixture	will	be	absorbed	by	the	support 
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x  p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  e f f e c t s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  floW aId (cont )
  directions
  •		Mix	Flow-AidTM	Water	into	water	based	paint 	Do	not	mix	Flow-AidTM	with	turpentine	
  or	oil	paint 
  •		Do	not	use	Flow-AidTM	in	marbling,	as	this	technique	requires	that	the	surface	
  tension	of	the	water	film	be	maintained 
  lIquIthICk™ thICkenInG Gel	
  Excellent	for	sculptural	effects	when	a	matt	finish	is	desired 	Gives	the	handling	characteristics	
  of	oil	or	encaustic	paint	when	added	to	water-based	acrylic	paints	and	mediums 	Works	great	
  with	opaque	colors	as	it	does	not	increase	transparency	or	change	the	position	of	colors 	
  Should	not	add	more	than	25%	as	there	is	no	binder	and	it	can	weaken	the	stability	of	the	
  paint	film	when	too	much	is	added 
  attributes
  •	A	thickening	gel	for	water	soluble	acrylic	paint	and	mediums 
  •		Used	in	small	amounts,	produces	handling	characteristics	very	close	to	that	of	oil	
  or	encaustic	paint 
  •		At	higher	concentrations	can	thicken	paint	or	mediums	to	“cake”	or	sculptural	
  consistency 	
  •		Drying	time	will	be	between	24	hours	to	7	days	depending	upon	amount	of		
  LiquithickTM	added	to	paint	or	medium 
  •	LiquithickTM	does	not	increase	transparency 	
  •	LiquithickTM	produces	a	matte	surface	sheen	to	dried	paint	film 	
  •		Paint	and	medium	shrinkage	will	occur	in	proportion	to	the	amount	of	LiquithickTM	added 
  directions
  •		Start	by	adding	a	very	small	amount	of	LiquithickTM	to	paint	or	medium	and	mix	well	
  with	a	palette	knife 	The	proper	proportion	will	vary	with	color	and	desired	effect 	
  •		Proportions	of	20	or	25	parts	color	to	1	part	LiquithickTM	will	change	the	handling	
  characteristics 
  •	Continue	adding	LiquithickTM	slowly	until	the	desired	viscosity	is	achieved 	
  •		Add	only	enough	for	desired	effect	and	do	not	exceed	1	to	4	ratio	as	excessive	
  shrinkage	and	cracking	may	occur 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x  p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  v A r n i s h
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  finish
  VarnIsh
  There	are	many	misconceptions	about	whether	or	not	it	is	necessary	
  to	varnish	an	acrylic	painting 	As	a	general	rule,	you	should	always	
  varnish	your	acrylic	work	when	possible 	Varnishes	are	applied	over	
  dry	paint	films	and	serve	several	purposes 	Their	first	and	most	important	function	
  is	to	protect	the	painting	surface	from	the	environment	and	protect	the	pigments	
  from	ultraviolet	light 	Secondly,	varnishes	can	be	used	to	saturate	and	reveal	a	
  painting’s	surface,	thereby	unifying	the	overall	sheen 	Liquitex®	varnishes	come	in	
  several	different	sheens,	which	can	all	be	intermixed	for	a	customized	sheen 
  Our	varnishes	are	either	permanent	or	removable	and	can	be	applied	to	both	
  flexible	and	rigid	supports 
  BenefIts of VarnIshInG:
  1   Minimize	the	attraction	and	migration	of	atmospheric	pollutants	into	the	paint	film
  2  	Protect	against	surface	abrasion	during	shipping	or	exhibition	
  3   Boost	the	brightness	and	color	saturation
  4  	Adjust	and	unify	the	surface	sheen
  5  		Protect	colors	from	ultraviolet	light 	Any	varnish	will	afford	some	protection	but	
  those	with	UV	inhibitors	offer	extended	protection	from	color	fading 
  6 		Allows	for	easy	cleaning	without	fear	of	removing	or	damaging	the	paint	film
  arChIVal permanent VarnIsh
  attributes
  •		100%	acrylic	polymer	varnish 	Water	soluble	when	wet 	Good	chemical	and	water	
  resistance 
  •	For	interior	and	exterior	use 
  •	Excellent	leveling	properties
  •		Translucent	when	wet—dries	clear	to	a	non-tacky,	hard,	flexible	surface	that	is	
  resistant	to	retention	of	dirt 	
  •		Resist	discoloring	(non-yellowing,	non-fogging)	due	to	humidity,	heat	and	
  ultraviolet	light 
  •	Depending	upon	substrate,	allows	moisture	to	pass	through	(breathable) 
  •	Not	for	use	over	oil	paint 
  available sheens
  •	High	Gloss	Varnish
  •	Gloss	Varnish	
  •	Satin	Varnish
  •	Matte	Varnish
  
  V
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  v A r n i s h
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  reCommended applICatIon – permanent Varnishes
  Choose	a	desired	sheen 	Permanent	varnishes	are	non-removable	and	should	
  always	be	tested	before	applying	to	your	work 	Make	sure	that	your	painted	
  surface	is	completely	dry	(between	72	hours–2	weeks	depending	on	thickness)	
  before	applying	any	varnish 	Only	apply	varnishes	in	a	work	environment	that	is	
  clean	and	free	of	dirt	and	dust 
  arChIVal remoVaBle VarnIsh – soluvar®
  •		Permanent,	removable,	mineral	spirit	based	final	varnish	for	acrylic	and	oil	
  paintings	that	protects	painting	surface	and	allows	for	removal	of	surface	dirt,	
  without	damaging	painting	underneath 	Once	surface	is	clean,	a	new	coat	of	
  Soluvar®	may	be	reapplied	to	surface 	
  •	For	interior	and	exterior	use
  •	Excellent	leveling	properties—will	not	hold	brushstrokes
  •		Resists	discoloring	(non-yellowing,	non-fogging)	due	to	humidity,	heat	and	
  ultraviolet	light 
  •	Clear	in	the	wet	state
  •	Can	be	used	on	oil	&	acrylic	paintings
  •	Remove	with	mineral	spirits	or	turpentine	
  •		Flexible 	Will	not	crack	as	surface	expands	and	contracts	during	temperature	and	
  humidity	changes 
  •		Contain	ultraviolet	light	inhibitors	that	resist	color	fading	by	diffusing	UV	radiation	
  before	it	comes	in	contact	with	painted	surface 	The	thicker	the	varnish	film,	the	
  greater	the	protection 	
  •	Do	not	use	on	paint	over	vinyl
  available sheens
  •	Soluvar	Gloss	Varnish
  •	Soluvar	Gloss	Varnish	Aerosol
  •	Soluvar	Matte	Varnish
  •	Soluvar	Matte	Varnish	Aerosol
  reCommended applICatIon – soluvar®
  1 		Apply	1–2	layers	of	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	as	an	isolation	barrier	before	
  applying 	Let	dry	1–3	hours	between	coats 	Allow	to	dry	48	hours	after	final	coat 
  2 		Clean	the	surface	with	a	lint	free	rag	dampened	with	mineral	spirits 
  3  		Apply	1–2	layers	of	Soluvar	Varnish 	If	using	Soluvar	Matte	stir	thoroughly	(do	not	
  shake,	this	will	cause	the	formation	of	bubble)	before	applying 	Allow	24	hours	
  drying	time	between	varnish	coats 
  4  	For	Oils—wait	6–12	months	before	applying	varnish
  5  	Use	only	“true”	mineral	sprits	(not	odorless)	to	thin	Soluvar	if	needed 	
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  v A r n i s h
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  VarnIshInG tIps
  1  		Do	not	shake	the	varnish 	Shaking	can	introduce	bubbles	that	will	form	and	dry	
  on	your	painted	surface 
  2  		Apply	in	1–3	thin	coats,	rather	than	1	thick	coat 	A	thick	coat	will	take	longer	to	
  dry,	may	dry	cloudy,	drip	or	sag	during	application	and	has	a	greater	chance	of	
  showing	brush	strokes	when	dry 
  3  		Place	the	work	to	be	varnished	flat	on	a	table—do	not	varnish	vertically 
  4  		Thinned	varnish	is	more	susceptible	to	producing	bubbles 	Do	not	be	vigorous	in	
  your	application 
  5   		Apply	in	long	even	strokes	to	cover	the	surface	top	to	bottom	while	moving	from	
  one	side	to	the	other 	While	working,	inspect	the	varnish	layer	at	all	angles	for	
  bubbles 	Even	them	out	immediately 
  6 			Once	you	leave	an	area,	do	not	go	back	over	areas	that	you	have	done 	If	you	
  do,	you	risk	dragging	partially	dry	resin	into	wet,	which	will	dry	cloudy	over	dark	
  colors 	If	any	areas	were	missed,	allow	to	dry	completely	and	re-varnish 	
  7  		When	applying	Liquitex®	Matte	or	Satin	Varnish,	apply	no	more	than	1–2	thin	
  coats	as	thick	applications	may	result	in	cloudiness	when	dry 	If	more	than	2	
  coats	are	desired,	first	varnish	with	Gloss	Varnish	to	the	desired	thickness	and	
  apply	Matte	or	Satin	Varnish	as	the	final	coat 
  8 			Airbrush	applications	of	varnish	are	recommended	for	heavily	textured	work	or	
  vertical	applications	(such	as	murals) 
  9 		Application	of	a	varnish	with	a	roller	or	a	sponge	brush	is	not	recommended 	
  thInnInG – all VarnIshes
  •	Thinning	increases	penetration	and	can	make	it	easier	to	apply	varnish 
  •		Over	thinning	may	result	in	weak	varnish	film,	poor	adhesion,	running	and	soaking	
  into	substrate 
  VarnIsh remoVal
  all liquitex® Varnishes (except for soluvar®)
  •	Not	removable 	Do	not	attempt	to	remove	these	varnishes	with	harsh	solvents 
  soluvar® Gloss and matte Varnish 
  •	Remove	varnish	in	clean,	well-ventilated	area 
  •		Wear	a	dual	filter	respirator	(NIOSH	approved)	and	neoprene	gloves 	Dampen	
  a	small	piece	of	lint	free,	soft,	white	cloth	with	mineral	spirits	(not	“odorless”)	or	
  turpentine—nothing	stronger 	Do	not	use	ketones	or	paint	removers 
  •		Work	horizontally 	Apply	mineral	spirits	generously	and	allow	it	to	lay	on	surface	
  for	15–30	minutes 	Check	periodically 	Longer	time	may	be	necessary,	depending	
  upon	age	of	artwork	and	strength	of	mineral	spirits 	If	varnish	is	not	dissolving	or	
  dissolving	slowly,	use	a	higher	strength	mineral	spirits	or	turpentine	(cover	with	
  plastic	to	slow	down	evaporation	of	mineral	spirits) 	Stronger	mineral	spirits	are	not	
  labeled	as	such,	but	have	a	stronger	odor 
  •		Rub	cloth	gently	over	a	small	area	1–2	square	inches	until	varnish	starts	to	dissolve 	
  
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  v A r n i s h
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  0
  VarnIsh remoVal (cont )
  soluvar® Gloss and matte Varnish 
  •		Using	a	clean	cloth	and	clean	solvent,	rub	the	area	again	to	remove	residue 	Repeat	
  this	procedure	for	the	entire	area	to	be	cleaned 	If	any	paint	color	shows	on	the	
  cloth,	stop	immediately	and	allow	the	surface	to	dry 
  •		Allow	painting	to	dry	before	reapplying	a	fresh	coat	of	Soluvar®	Final	Picture	Varnish 
  VarnIshInG GIClee prInts
  Most	giclee	prints	are	made	using	water	based	pigmented	inks 	In	this	case,	direct	brush	
  application	of	water	based	acrylic	emulsion	varnishes	is	not	possible,	as	it	would	begin	to	
  dissolve	the	inks 	You	can	however,	spray	apply	Liquitex®	Gloss	Varnish 	You	can	use	an	
  airbrush,	spray	gun	or	plant	mister 	The	application	should	be	done	in	several	coats	starting	
  out	with	just	a	fine	mist	and	working	to	a	thicker	application 	The	varnish	can	be	brush	
  applied	once	the	airbrushed	layers	are	dry	if	a	thicker	coat	is	desired 	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Color	
  or	Gloss	Gel	can	then	be	applied	to	add	additional	color	or	a	brush	stroke	look 	You	may	
  apply	Liquitex®	Soluvar®	if	desired	as	it	contains	UV	inhibitors	to	help	protect	colors	from	
  fading,	however	color	permanency	is	dependent	on	the	pigments	and	the	substrate	used 	
  Liquitex®	Soluvar®	is	solvent	based	and	contains	no	water	so	it	can	also	be	applied	directly	to	
  giclee	prints	without	disturbing	the	inks 
  teChnIques & applICatIons
  Liquitex®	offers	an	assortment	of	mediums	to	achieve	a	variety	of	techniques	and	applications 	
  Use	the	chart	below	to	identify	which	product	will	deliver	the	best	desired	results 	
  technique 
  medium to use
  Acrylic	Sheets	
  •	 Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish
  	
  •	 Matte	Medium
  	
  •	 Any	Gloss	or	Matte	Gel
  	
  •	 Glazing	Medium
  	
  •	 Pouring	Medium
  Airbrush	
  •	 Airbrush	Medium
  Collage	(Light)	
  •	 Matte	Medium
  	
  •	 Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish
  Collage	(heavy)	
  •	 Any	Gloss	or	Matte	Gel	
  Color	Blending	
  •	 Slow-Dri®	Blending	Medium	or	Gel
  	
  •	 Slow-Dri®	Fluid	or	Gel	Retarder
  	
  •	 Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish
  	
  •	 Matte	Medium
  	
  •	 Any	Gloss	or	Matte	Gel
  	
  •	 Glazing	Medium
  	Color	Thinning	
  •	 Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish
  	
  •	 Glazing	Medium
  	
  •	 Matte	Medium
  	
  •	 Airbrush	Medium
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x ® p r o d u c t s  /  m e d i u m s  /  v A r n i s h
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  teChnIques & applICatIons (cont )
  technique 
  medium to use
  Dyeing	
  •	 Flow-AidTM	
  Extender	(transparent)	
  •	 Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish
  	
  •	 Matte	Medium
  	
  •	 Slow-Dri®	Blending	Medium	or	Gel
  	
  •	 Any	Gloss	or	Matte	Gel
  	
  •	 Glazing	Medium
  Extender	(opaque)	
  •	 Ultra	Matte	Medium
  	
  •	 Ultra	Matte	Gel
  Fabric	Painting	
  •	 Fabric	Medium
  Fine	Detail	
  •	 Flow-AidTM	
  	
  •	 Slow-Dri®	Blending	Medium	
  	
  •	 Slow-Dri®	Fluid	Retarder
  	
  •	 Airbrush	Medium*
  Fixative	
  •	 Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish
  	
  •	 Matte	Medium
  	
  •	 Airbrush	Medium
  Glazing	
  •	 Glazing	Medium
  	
  •	 Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish
  	
  •	 Slow-Dri®	Blending	Medium	or	Gel
  Ground	(transparent)	
  •	 Clear	Gesso
  	
  •	 Matte	Medium
  	
  •	 Any	Gloss	or	Matte	Gels
  Impasto	
  •	 Any	Gloss	or	Matte	Gels
  Transferring	Printed	Images	
  •	 Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish
  	
  •	 Any	Gloss	or	Matte	Gel
  	
  •	 Any	Texture	Gels
  	
  •	 Iridescent	Medium
  	
  •	 Glazing	Medium
  Monoprint	
  •	 Slow-Dri®	Blending	Medium	or	Gel
  	
  •	 Any	Gloss	or	Matte	Gel
  	
  •	 Slow-Dri®	Gel	Retarder	
  Pouring	
  •	 Pouring	Medium
  Silk-screen	Block	Out	
  •	 Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish
  	
  •	 Matte	Medium
  Staining	
  •	 Flow-AidTM	
  Stencils	
  •	 Any	Gloss	or	Matte	Gel
  Textures	
  •	 Any	Gloss	or	Matte	Gel
  	
  •	 Any	Texture	Gels
  Watercolor	
  •	 Flow-AidTM	
  	
  •	 Slow-Dri®	Blending	Medium	
  	
  •	 Airbrush	Medium
  1
  
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  aCrylIC sheets
  This	process	allows	artists	to	create	flexible	acrylic	sheets	of	varying	thickness,	sheen,	color,	
  texture	and	size 	It	can	be	done	with	a	wide	variety	of	Liquitex®	Mediums	and	texture	gels,	in	
  combination	with	acrylic	paint	to	achieve	numerous	desired	effects 	Each	medium	will	impart	
  a	different	quality	to	the	Acrylic	sheet
  uses
  •	Self-Supporting	Paintings
  ›	 	Acrylic	sheets	can	be	hung	directly	on	a	wall	(no	canvas	or	stretcher	bars),	as	
  one	might	hang	a	quilt 
  •	Collage
  ›	 	Acrylic	sheets	may	be	adhered	to	painting	surfaces	and	painted	over	as	collage	
  elements	in	a	picture 
  •	Sculpture	
  ›	 	Acrylic	sheets	may	be	adhered	to	sculptural	forms	and	painted 
  dIreCtIons
  •		Put	masking	tape	on	a	smooth	sheet	of	glass	in	the	desired	shape	and	size	of	the	
  acrylic	sheet	to	be	created 
  applICatIon
  •	Brush	
  ›	 	Use	a	1/2”	to	2”	wide,	soft	brush	to	apply	desired	Liquitex®	Fluid	Medium	or	
  Acrylic	Medium/color	mixture 	
  ›	 	Add	5–10%	Liquitex®	Flow-Aid™	(1	part	Liquitex®	Flow-AidTM	to	20	parts	
  distilled	water)	for	smooth	application
  ›	 Allow	to	fully	dry,	(1–12	hours	depending	on	environment) 	
  ›	 	Repeat	steps	until	sheet	is	thick	enough	so	that	you	can	peel	it	off	glass	
  without	tearing 
  ›	 5–12	coats	will	give	you	a	thickness	of	1/16”	to	1/8” 	
  ›	 Thickness	should	vary	according	to	desired	effect 
  ›	 Thin	layers	may	be	difficult	to	handle 
  ›	 Coat	successive	layers	in	alternating	directions
  •	Roller
  ›	 Use	a	medium	nap	roller	to	apply	fluid	medium	or	paint/medium	mixture 	
  ›	 This	will	give	thinnest	application	of	acrylic 	(Air	bubbles	may	dry	in	sheets )
  04
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s
  ApplicATions
  c h A p t e r
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  A c r y l i c  s h e e t s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  applICatIon (cont )
  •	Trowel	
  ›	 	Use	a	2–6”	trowel	to	apply	a	1/8”	thick	application	of	Liquitex®	Gel	Medium	
  or	heavy	body	paint/	medium	mixture 	May	result	in	an	uneven	application 
  •	Pouring	
  ›	 	On	smooth	sheet	of	glass,	create	desired	shape/image	with	masking	tape	in	
  4–5	successive	layers	so	that	a	ridge	or	dam	is	built	up 
  ›	 	Use	a	level	to	ensure	surface	is	flat 	(If	surface	is	not	level,	poured	medium	
  will	dry	thicker	at	the	lower	edge )	
  ›	 	Pour	Fluid	Medium	or	paint/medium	mixture	over	surface 	Spread	around	
  with	soft	brush	if	needed	while	wet 
  ›	 Allow	all	methods	to	dry	completely:	48–72	hours 	
  ›	 	To	remove	sheets:	use	a	blade,	and	score	along	taped	edges	to	separate	
  sheet 	Peel	off	glass 	(If	necessary	dampen	entire	surface	with	a	wet	sponge	
  to	release	acrylic	sheet	from	glass	surface )	
  reCommended produCts:
  •	Liquitex®	Pouring	Medium	
  ›	 Dries	glossy	and	clear 
  ›	 	Mix	with	5–10%	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	for	a	unique	pour 
  •	Liquitex®	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish
  ›	 Dries	glossy	and	clear 
  ›	 	Mix	with	5–20%	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	for	transparent-
  opaque	sheet	(varies	with	thickness	and	color) 
  •	Liquitex®	Glazing	Medium
  ›	 Dries	glossy	and	clear 
  ›	 	Mix	with	a	small	amount	of	a	transparent	or	translucent	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	
  Artist	Color	for	a	stained	glass	effect 
  •	Liquitex®	Matte	Medium,	Matte	Gel,	and	Matte	Super	Heavy	Gel
  ›	 Dries	matte	and	opaque 	
  ›	 Mix	with	5–20%	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Artist	Color 
  •	Liquitex®	Iridescent	Medium
  ›	 Dries	opalescent	and	translucent-opaque 
  ›	 	Mix	with	5–20%	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	for	colored	
  opalescent	sheet	(Opacity	varies	with	thickness	and	color) 
  •		Liquitex®	Gloss	Gel,	Gloss	Heavy	Gel	and	Gloss	Super	Heavy	Gel
  ›	 Dries	gloss	and	translucent-opaque	(depending	upon	thickness) 
  ›	 	Mix	with	5–20%	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	for	colored		
  gloss	sheet	(Transparency	will	vary	with	thickness) 
  
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  A c r y l i c  s h e e t s  –  A i r b r u s h i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  
  reCommended produCts (cont ):
  •	Liquitex®	Texture	Gel	Mediums
  ›	 Mix	with	5–20%	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color 	
  ›	 Dried	sheets	will	vary	in	sheen,	opacity	and	texture 
  •	Liquitex®	Texture	Gel	Mediums
  ›	 	Mix	10–50%	Texture	Gel	Mediums	into	any	Liquitex®	Fluid	or	Gel	Medium 	For	
  example,	Liquitex®	Black	Lava	Texture	Gel	mixed	with	Liquitex®	Gloss	Medium	&	
  Varnish	will	result	in	a	sheet	that	is	transparent	with	black	speckles 	
  •	Liquitex®	Interference	Colors	
  ›	 	Mix	5–10%	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Interference	Color	into	any	of	the	Liquitex®	
  Fluid	or	Gel	Medium	family	to	create	an	opalescent	colored	sheet 	
  ›	 	Mix	5–10%	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Interference	Color	into	Black	Lava	Texture	Gel	
  to	create	an	iridescent	metallic	Sheet 
  adherInG aCrylIC sheets to a support 
  •	Canvas,	wood,	MasoniteTM	and	fabric	are	all	great	surfaces	for	acrylic	sheets 
  •		Coat	the	back	of	the	sheet	with	either	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish,	Gloss	Gel,	Gloss	
  Heavy	Gel,	or	Gloss	Super	Heavy	Gel 	
  •	Quickly	position	the	sheet	onto	the	support	with	the	wet	side	down	and	press 	
  •		To	insure	proper	adhesion	let	the	transferred	sheet	dry	under	weight 	Cover	acrylic	
  sheet	with	wax	paper	before	adding	weight	to	prevent	sticking 
  •		If	adhering	to	wood	or	MasoniteTM,	sheets	may	be	stapled	to	support	(in	addition	to	
  or	instead	of	gluing	with	mediums) 
  aIrBrushInG
  Liquitex®	Professional	Artist	Colors	offer	the	most	permanent,	brilliant,	lightfast	and	versatile	
  airbrush	color	available 	All	colors	are	low	to	no	odor	and	are	easy	to	thin	and	clean	up	with	
  water 	They	are	non-yellowing,	water	resistant	when	dry,	fully	pigmented,	flexible	and	non-toxic 	
  •	liquitex® soft Body professional artist Color 
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	is	recommended	for	best	results 
  ›	 	Fluid	consistency	mixes	easily	with	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium	to	make	
  airbrush	colors 	
  ›	 	Only	small	amount	of	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium	is	necessary	for	proper	
  consistency 
  ›	 	Pre-filtered,	no	straining	necessary	after	adding	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium 
  •	liquitex® heavy Body professional artist Color 
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Heavy	Body	takes	longer	to	thin	and	requires	greater	amount	of	
  Airbrush	Medium	to	reach	airbrush	consistency 	This	yields	less	intense	
  airbrush	color	and	straining	may	be	necessary 
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  A i r b r u s h i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  ChoosInG speCIfIC aIrBrush Colors
  •	Every	color	has	a	specific	opacity,	hue,	value	and	chroma 	
  •	All	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Colors	are	labeled	with	this	information
  •		This	information	is	important	in	airbrush	technique,	since	color	blends	are	optically	
  created 	(Rather	than	physically	mixed	on	a	palette	as	in	traditional	painting )
  aIrBrush applICatIon
  •		The	proper	thinning	procedure	is	determined	by	the	type	of	surface	to	be	
  airbrushed	and	by	the	durability	desired	for	the	final	paint	film 	
  absorbent surfaces:
  •	Hardwoods,	paper,	fabric,	plaster,	Liquitex®	Modeling	Paste,	and	primed	canvas 
  •		Thin	paint	with	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium,	distilled	water	or	Flow-AidTM	(1	part	
  Flow-AidTM	to	20	parts	distilled	water) 	
  •		Use	Liquitex®	Flow-AidTM	to	increase	absorption	on	absorbent	surfaces	and	paint	
  flow	through	airbrush 	(It	will	also	reduce	clogging )	
  •		Fabric:	Wash	prior	to	airbrushing	to	remove	sizing 	Colors	must	permeate	cloth	and	
  be	seen	as	ghost	image	on	reverse	side	to	be	permanent 	Allow	to	cure	for	3	days	
  before	washing	or	dry	cleaning 	
  •	Resulting	colors	are	permanent 	
  •		Surfaces	absorb	paint	differently—Always	perform	a	test	if	you	are	uncertain 	
  non-absorbent surfaces: 
  •	Plastic,	metal,	masonry
  •		Thin	paint	with	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium,	Liquitex®	Fluid	Mediums	&	distilled	
  water	or	Liquitex®	Fluid	Mediums	and	Flow-AidTM 	
  •		Over-thinning	with	water	only	may	cause	poor	adhesion,	cracking,	flaking	or	
  peeling 	Abrade	surface	for	increased	adhesion 
  techniques
  •	Thinning	with	Water	or	Flow-AidTM	
  ›	 	First	add	50%	distilled	water	or	Flow-AidTM	(up	to	80%	if	needed)	to	the	paint	
  and	mix	thoroughly 	
  ›	 	Amount	may	vary	due	to	individual	pigment	characteristics 	Diluting	reduces	
  pigment	color	strength 	
  ›	 Strain	to	ensure	proper	flow	through	airbrush 
  ›	 Absorbency	will	diminish	with	successive	airbrush	layers	
  •	Thinning	with	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium
  ›	 	Mixing	colors	with	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium	will	ensure	that	the	colors	do	
  not	lose	their	flexibility,	durability	and	adhesion 
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium	contains	specific	additives	to	slow	drying,	improve	
  flow,	and	decrease	clogging 	
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  A i r b r u s h i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  aIrBrush applICatIon (cont )
  Directions
  •		Mix	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium	into	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	
  thoroughly	at	a	ratio	of	1:1,	adding	more	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium	as	needed 
  •	Proper	consistency	is	that	of	light	cream—Diluting	color	increases	transparency 	
  •		If	mixture	is	too	thick	either	increase	air	pressure	or	add	distilled	water	to		
  thin	airbrush	paint	mixture 	Do	not	exceed	1:1	ratio	Liquitex®	Airbrush	
  Medium	to	water 
  •		The	proper	viscosity,	will	depend	on	the	air	pressure,	type	of	airbrush	and	
  proximity	to	the	working	surface 	
  •		As	the	paint	is	thinned,	air	pressure	can	be	lowered	and	the	airbrush	held	
  closer	to	the	working	surface	for	greater	detail 	As	the	air	pressure	is	increased	
  the	airbrush	is	held	further	from	the	working	surface 
  •			Note: Liquitex®	Iridescent	and	Interference	colors	contain	mica	flakes	that	may	
  require	a	larger	airbrush	nozzle	and	greater	air	pressure	for	consistent	spraying )
  maskInG teChnIques
  •		Masks	cover	and	protect	areas	not	to	be	painted 	Stencils	and	Friskets	are	2	types	
  of	masks 	Masking	paper	can	be	taped	over	larger	areas 
  stencil
  •		A	thin	sheet	of	material	in	which	a	shape	or	pattern	is	cut,	through	which	paint	
  can	be	applied	to	the	surface	below 
  •	Positive	Stencil—spray	through	holes
  •	Negative	Stencil—hold	pieces	on	surface	and	spray
  frisket or masking fluid
  •		A	thin	vinyl	film	with	a	low	tack	adhesive	on	one	side,	to	protect	covered	areas	
  from	overspray 
  •	If	an	area	has	been	painted,	allow	to	completely	dry	before	applying	frisket 
  •	Burnish	frisket	to	make	sure	it’s	flat,	with	no	air	bubbles 	
  •		To	improve	adhesion	of	frisket	film	to	canvas,	use	a	fine	weave	canvas	and	apply	
  1-2	coats	of	Liquitex®	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	over	area	that	is	to	be	covered 	
  •		Using	a	sharp	razor	knife	and	light	pressure,	carefully	cut	frisket	to	desired	shape 	
  Remove	unwanted	frisket	and	apply	next	color 
  •	Do	not	allow	frisket	or	tape	to	remain	on	the	surface	for	periods	longer	than	a	day 	
  tape
  •		To	achieve	straight	lines	or	attach	masking	materials	use	Drafting	or	ScotchTM	tape	
  in	a	manner	similar	to	frisket 	It	has	a	low	adhesive	tack,	which	will	not	damage	
  painted	areas	when	removed 
  
  Positive Stencil
  Negative Stencil
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  A i r b r u s h i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  maskInG teChnIques (cont )
  protecting delicate airbrush areas on Canvas for masking procedures
  •	Allow	sprayed	area	to	dry	fully 
  •		Use	a	clean,	soft	brush	or	spray	application	and	carefully	coat	area	with	Liquitex®	
  Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish 	Allow	to	dry 	
  •	Continue	airbrush	application	over	painting	surface	as	needed 	
  •	Repeat	as	necessary 
  aIrBrush CleanInG
  •		Water-soluble	paint	can	be	easily	cleaned	from	the	airbrush	while	wet 	Do	not	allow	
  acrylic	paint	or	mediums	to	dry	in	the	airbrush 
  While working
  •	Back	flush	clean	water	through	the	airbrush	periodically 	
  •		Paint	build-up	on	the	tip	of	the	airbrush	needle	and	in	the	spray	cap	should	be	
  removed	regularly 
  •	Occasionally	remove	the	needle	for	a	more	thorough	cleaning 	
  •		Airbrush	should	be	stored	in	a	container	of	water	(with	tip	submerged)	when	not	
  being	used 
  •	Do	not	immerse	the	entire	airbrush	in	water 
  final Clean up
  •		Back	Flush	Airbrush	using	water,	an	ammonia	based	window	cleaner	or	airbrush	
  cleaner 
  •		Allow	some	cleaner	to	remain	in	the	airbrush	for	about	15	minutes	to	loosen	any	
  stubborn	deposits 	
  •	Follow	this	by	spraying	water	through	the	brush	until	clean 	
  •	Clean	the	outside	of	the	airbrush	with	denatured	alcohol 		
  •	Note:	Do	not	soak	plastic	washers,	seals	or	handles	in	alcohol 
  health WarnInGs
  •	When	spraying,	use	an	effective	dust	or	particle	mask,	approved	by	NIOSH 	
  •		Airbrush	enclosure	should	have	adequate	ventilation,	with	vent	for	incoming	air	
  and	fan	exhaust 
  •		Read	paint	label 	Cadmium	and	Cobalt	pigments	are	toxic	in	mist	(spray)	form	and	
  may	be	cancer	causing	if	inhaled 	
  •	They	should	be	avoided	in	spray	technique 	
  •		Liquitex®	“Hue”	colors	are	non-toxic	in	mist	and	should	be	used	in	place	of	
  Cadmium	and	Cobalt	colors	for	safe	spray	applications 
  •	Always	keep	the	work	areas	clean	of	airbrush	overspray 	
  •	Do	not	eat	or	smoke	in	the	studio 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  b r u s h w o r k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  BrushWork
  Washes
  •		To	create	color	passages	that	cover	broad	areas	begin	with	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	
  Acrylic	Color 
  •	Water	and	medium	can	be	added	until	desired	fluidity	is	achieved 	
    Note:	avoid	over-thinning	with	water	by	adding	medium	to	maintain	integrity	of	
  paint	film	and	proper	adhesion	(50%	water/paint	requires	an	equal	amount	of	
  medium)
  •		Liquitex®	Airbrush	medium	is	ideal	for	this	application	as	it	is	very	fluid,	yet	
  supports	the	paint	film 
  •		Sheen	can	be	adjusted	with	either	gloss	or	matt	medium	and	open	time	can	be	
  extended	with	Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®	Blending	Medium	or	Slow-Dri®	Fluid	Retarder 
  fIne lIne detaIl
  •	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Acrylic	Color	will	yield	the	best	results
  •	Water	and	medium	can	be	added	until	desired	fluidity	is	achieved 	
    Note:	avoid	over-thinning	with	water	by	adding	medium	to	maintain	integrity	of	
  paint	film	and	proper	adhesion	(50%	water/paint	requires	an	equal	amount	of	
  medium)
  •	A	soft,	small	round	brush	will	give	maximum	control	of	mark 
  •	A	smooth	surface	is	ideal	for	this	application 
  •		Use	Additives	that	increase	“open”	time	to	decrease	surface	friction	and		
  increase	flow 
  •	Recommended	products:
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®	Fluid	Retarder:
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Flow-AidTM 	
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®	Blending	Medium
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium
  dry Brush, sCumBlInG, stIpplInG
  •	Use	paint	that	is	not	too	fluid	and	lightly	drag	a	stiff	brush	across	the	surface 
  •	A	rougher	surface	works	better	for	this	technique 
  •	May	be	done	with	Liquitex®	Soft	Body,	Heavy	Body,	or	Super	Heavy	Body
  •	No	mediums	or	additives	are	necessary	for	this	technique 	
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  b r u s h w o r k  –  c o l l A g i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  Impasto
  •		A	painting	technique	that	uses	a	brush	or	knife	loaded	with	paint	to	create	bold	
  textures	that	stand	out	in	relief 	Well	known	examples	include	paintings	by	artists	
  such	as	Vincent	Van	Gogh	and	Frank	Auerbach 
  •	Recommended	Products:
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Super	Heavy	Body	paint	offers	brilliant	pigmentation	and	is	ideal	
  for	sculptural	applications 	It	is	the	thickest	professional	quality	Artist	acrylic	
  color	commercially	available 
  ›	 	Heavy	Body	Artists	Color	is	excellent	for	creating	texture	and	revealing	brushwork 
  ›	 	LiquithickTM	Thickening	Gel	will	increase	impasto	to	any	viscosity	without	
  changing	color	or	opacity 	(Note:	high	concentrations	of	this	gel	will	cause	
  shrinkage )	
  ›	 	Gloss	Gel,	Gloss	Heavy	Gel	and	Gloss	Super	Heavy	Gel	will	increase	
  transparency	and	flexibility	while	enhancing	impasto	surfaces 
  ›	 	Matte	Gel	or	Matte	Super	Heavy	Gel	thicken	paint	and	offer	a	matte	sheen 
  ›	 	Modeling	Paste	and	Light	Modeling	Paste	will	thicken	paint	while	decreasing	
  flexibility	and	increasing	opacity 	It	should	be	used	on	firm	substrate	such	as	
  board	or	panel 	Use	light	Modeling	Past	when	weight	is	a	consideration 
  ›	 	Flexible	Modeling	Paste	dries	more	slowly	than	other	modeling	pastes	to	a	hard	
  yet	flexible	surface 	Designed	to	be	used	on	flexible	surfaces	such	as	canvas 
  CollaGInG
  Collage	is	a	technique	where	materials	of	different	sizes	and	weights	are	glued	to	a	backing	
  surface 	The	collage	materials	and	backing	surface	determine	the	type	of	glue	to	be	used 	
  Liquitex®	Acrylic	Mediums	are	excellent	glues	for	collage	techniques 	They	provide	easy,	
  permanent,	non-toxic	adhering	of	most	materials	to	any	surface	suitable	for	acrylic	paint 	
  preparatIon
  •	All	surfaces	should	be	free	of	dirt	and	grease 
  •		For	smooth	surfaces,	such	as	plastic,	metal	and	glass,	sand	first	to	insure	
  proper	adhesion 
  •	Absorbent	surfaces,	such	as	paper,	canvas	and	wood	usually	need	no	preparation 
  applICatIon
  •	Apply	appropriate	Liquitex®	Medium	to	collage	material,	substrate	or	both 
  •	While	acrylic	medium	is	still	wet,	apply	collage	material	to	surface 
  •		If	acrylic	medium	is	absorbed	into	collage	surface	(some	papers	are	very	
  absorbent),	allow	medium	to	dry 	Then	re-apply	a	second	coat 	The	second	coat	
  will	not	be	absorbed	by	collage	surface 
  •	If	acrylic	medium	is	drying	too	fast,	keep	environment	cool	and	humid 	
  •		Allow	acrylic	medium	to	fully	dry 	Fluid	Mediums	(1–4	hours) 	Gel	Mediums	
  (24–72	hours),	depending	upon	thickness	of	application 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  –  c o l l A g i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  types of CollaGe adhesIVes
  Liquitex®	Mediums	are	available	in	several	formulations	that	vary	in	thickness	and	sheen 	
  While	each	medium	can	be	used	with	a	variety	of	materials,	specific	materials	may	require	
  a	specific	medium 	
  for lightweight and flat materials (such	as	paper,	canvas,	etc ),	use	Liquitex®	Fluid		
  Medium	or	any	Gel	Medium
  for heavyweight and 3-d materials (such	as	beads,	rocks,	etc ),	use	any	Liquitex®	Gel	Mediums
  lIquItex® fluId medIums
  Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish
  •	Dries	clear,	gloss	finish 	
  Matte	Medium
  •	Best	adhesive	qualities	of	any	Fluid	Medium 
  •	Dries	from	translucent	to	opaque,	matte	film	finish 
  lIquItex® Gel medIums
  Gloss	Gel	
  •	Dries	to	clear-translucent,	gloss	film	finish 
  Matte	Gel	
  •	Best	adhesive	qualities	of	any	Gel	Medium
  •	Dries	translucent	to	opaque,	with	a	matte	film	finish 
  Gloss	Heavy	Gel	
  •	Dries	to	clear,	translucent,	gloss	film	finish 
  Gloss	Super	Heavy	Gel	
  •	Dries	clear	to	translucent,	gloss	finish
  Matte	Super	Heavy	Gel	
  •	Dries	translucent	to	opaque,	with	a	matte	film	finish 
  T I P S  &  T E C H N I Q U E S
  ›		It	is	often	helpful	to	coat	the	object	which	is	being	collaged,	in	addition	to	applying	
  the	medium	to	the	surface	of	the	collage 
  ›		Do	consider	the	sterility	of	objects	which	are	being	introduced 	Wild	beach	sand	
  may	contain	chemical	impurities	that	could	react	with	the	chemistry	of	the	paint 	
  A	good	alternative	would	be	Liquitex®	Natural	Sand	Texture	Gel 
  ›		Plan	your	collage	in	advance,	as	you	would	plan	a	painting 	What	design	are	
  you	intending	on	creating?	What	colors	are	in	your	palette?	Organize	the	objects	
  accordingly 	Make	sketches	and	lay	out	your	design 	It	is	always	a	good	idea	to	
  start	with	an	underpainting 
  ›		Varnishing	is	recommended 	This	can	be	tricky	with	collage	and	found	object	art 	
  Wait	3–7	days	after	completing	the	work	(depending	upon	the	thickness	of	the	
  paint	film) 	If	the	surface	is	heavily	textured,	it	is	recommended	that	you	apply	the	
  varnish	with	a	spray	gun 	
  0
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  f l o o r c l o t h s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  floorCloths
  Floorcloths	are	painted	canvases	(unstretched)	that	lie	on	the	floor	instead	of	hanging	on	the	
  wall 	This	of	course	subjects	them	to	abrasion	and	dirt,	so	they	must	be	prepared	differently 
  duraBIlIty
  •		Liquitex®	Professional	Artist	Colors	are	the	most	durable	acrylic	paint	for	this	application 
  •		Placement	and	the	amount	of	foot	traffic	will	determine	longevity;	walking	on	the	
  surface	deposits	dirt	and	causes	damage	over	time 
  •	Abrasive	cleaners	will	also	damage	the	surface	of	the	painting 
  	
  materIals needed
  •		Heavy	weight	#8	Cotton	Duck	or	Floor	Cloth	is	recommended	for	durability 	
  Lightweight	canvas	is	less	durable
  •		Canvas	should	be	4–6”	larger	in	each	direction	than	the	planned	finished	
  dimensions 
  	
  CanVas preparatIon
  •		Washing	Canvas	minimizes	shrinkage	and	warping	of	the	finished	floor	cloth,	
  which	can	be	exaggerated	when	the	edges	are	turned	under	later 
  •	Use	standard	washing	machine	with	a	small	amount	of	detergent 	
  •	Air-dry	and	iron	out	wrinkles 	
  •		Brush	on	one	coat	of	Liquitex®	Matte	Medium	to	backside	of	canvas 	Let	Dry 	Flip	
  canvas	over	and	repeat 
  prImInG CanVas
  It	is	easier	to	prime	and	paint	canvas	while	it	is	attached	to	a	rigid	surface 	Either	
  staple	canvas	directly	onto	studio	painting	wall	or	onto	1–2”	thick	plywood	that	is	
  larger	than	canvas 	
  directions
  •		Mark	desired	dimensions	on	front	of	canvas 	There	should	be	a	2–3”	border	on	
  each	side 
  •		Mask	off	borders	with	masking	tape 	(This	will	make	it	easier	to	turn	
  them	under	later )
  •	Apply	2	coats	of	Liquitex®	Gesso	(Clear,	Titanium	White	or	Colored) 
  •	Allow	gesso	to	dry	between	coats—sand	each	coat	if	desired 
  •	For	added	flexibility,	add	25%	Matte	Medium	to	Gesso 	
  1
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  f l o o r c l o t h s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  paIntInG
  •		Use	Liquitex®	Professional	Soft	Body	Artist	Colors	or	Heavy	Body	Artist	Colors 	
  •		Soft	Body	colors	will	dry	to	a	smoother	surface	and	be	less	subject	abrasion	and	
  retention	of	dirt 
  •		Add	any	Liquitex®	Medium	or	Additive	to	adjust	workability	or	create	special	
  effects 	
  	 some possible choices include:
  	 •		Liquitex®	Pouring	Medium	can	be	used	for	marbleizing	techniques	and	to	create	
  seamless	surface 
  	 •		Liquitex®	String	Gel	has	a	honey	like	consistency	and	used	to	create	long	flowing	
  marks
  	 •		Liquitex®	Glazing	Medium	offers	unparalleled	clarity	and	depth	to	the	layering	of	
  transparent	color 
  	 •		Liquitex®	Iridescent	Medium	imparts	a	shimmering	metallic	quality	when	mixed	
  with	colors 	
  fInal proteCtIVe VarnIshInG 
  •		First	apply	an	isolation	varnish,	like	Liquitex®	Gloss	Medium	and	Varnish	which	
  is	non-removable 	This	will	protect	the	image	and	isolate	it	from	the	final	layer	of	
  Soluvar,	which	can	be	removed	for	cleaning 
  •		Allow	floorcloth	be	fully	dry	for	48	hours,	then	apply	Soluvar®	Varnish 
  •		This	will	extend	the	life	of	the	floorcloth	by	protecting	it	from,	pollution	and	dirt 	
  This	varnish	is	removable 	
  •		When	the	surface	gets	dirty	or	scuffed,	it	can	be	restored	by	removing	and	
  recoating	with	Soluvar®	Varnish 	
  edGInG the sIdes 
  •		After	Soluvar®	has	completely	dried	(1–2	weeks),	remove	the	floorcloth	
  from	the	wall	or	plywood 
  •	Turn	canvas	over	and	gesso	the	entire	back 	Let	dry 
  •	Remove	masking	tape	from	border 
  •	Trim	unpainted	canvas	edges	(“hem”)	to	approximately	1” 
  •		Cut	away	each	corner	by	measuring	1	1/8”	in	both	directions	and	cut	
  the	un-painted	canvas	edges	to	the	exact	corner	point	of	the	painted	
  canvas 	
  •		Fold	over	the	four	unpainted	edges	(2	vertical,	2	horizontal) 	Create	a	
  crease	by	pressing	where	the	painted	canvas	ends	and	the	unpainted	
  canvas	begins 	
  •		Apply	Matte	Gel	Medium	to	the	back	of	each	edge	and	press	firmly 	Put	under	
  even	weight	and	let	dry	24–48	hours 	Do	not	lift	weight	off	until	completely	dry 
  •	Apply	Matte	Medium	to	the	outer	surface	of	the	edges	to	seal 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  f l o o r c l o t h s  –  g l A z i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  shIppInG
  •	Use	a	sturdy	tube	8–12”	in	diameter 
  •	Lay	painting	face	down	and	roll 
  •	Avoid	rolling	painting	if	temperature	is	below	50°	
  	
  CleanInG
  •	Warm	soap	and	water	on	surface	with	a	soft	mop 	
  •	Do	not	use	ammonia	or	ammonia	based	products 
  GlaZInG
  Imagine	holding	up	a	red	lens 	Now	hold	a	blue	lens	in	front	of	it,	and	look	at	the	purple	
  color	that	results	from	the	first	two 	You’ve	just	made	use	of	the	basic	painting	concept	of	
  glazing,	or	mixing	color	by	using	transparent	layers 	Glazing	produces	rich	surfaces	with	
  great	color	depth	and	jewel-like	finishes 
  Glazing	was	the	signature	method	used	by	artists	like	Leonardo	da	Vinci,	Rembrandt,	and	
  Vermeer 	They	glazed	because	the	pigments	in	their	palette	would	turn	black	if	they	mixed	
  them	together	directly 	If	they	wanted	a	purple,	they	had	to	lay	down	a	layer	of	transparent	
  red,	let	it	dry,	then	put	down	a	layer	of	transparent	blue	to	visually	blend	the	colors,	rather	
  than	physically	mixing	them	on	the	palette 	The	light	passing	through	the	transparent	layers	
  gives	the	painting	a	special	glow,	which	can	shift	and	shimmer,	depending	upon	the	light 	In	
  this	way,	a	very	real	depth	of	the	painting	can	be	achieved 
  t I p s  &  t e C h n I q u e s
  1 	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Acrylic	Colors	are	ideal	for	glazing 
  2 		Choose	transparent	colors 	Transparent	pigments	will	deliver	the	best	results	
  producing	clear,	clean	glazes 	Most	modern	pigments	have	very	powerful	tinting	
  strength,	so	it	only	takes	a	little	to	tone	the	medium 
  3 	Use	the	following	ratio	for	the	ideal	degree	of	flow	and	brushability:	
  	 ›			Transparent	Color,	Soft	Body	(1	part)
  	 ›			Glazing	Medium	(10	parts)
  	 ›			Note:	For	more	“open	time”	add	a	small	amount	of	Liquitex®	Fluid	retarder	
  to	the	mixture	to	slow	drying	or	lightly	mist	the	working	surface	with	
  Liquitex®	Palette	Wetting	Spray 	
  teChnIques
  •		Mix	the	glaze	with	your	palette	knife	rather	than	your	brush 	If	the	glaze	is	still	too	
  thick,	add	some	Airbrush	Medium	and	stir	the	mix	completely 
  •		Choose	an	area	you	are	comfortable	you	can	cover	in	about	15–20	minutes	time 	
  Do	some	practice	strips	to	get	a	feel	for	the	media 
  •		Brush	your	glaze	color	using	a	soft	bristle	brush 	Brushing	in	a	single,	uniform	
  direction	will	create	a	smoother	glaze 	Let	this	layer	dry	for	approximately		
  30–40	minutes 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  g l A z i n g  –  g l o s s i e s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  GlaZInG (cont )
  teChnIques
  •		You	can	now	add	a	second	glaze	by	repeating	the	process,	
  with	a	different	color 	You’ll	find	that,	by	building	layers		
  of	color,	glazing	helps	you	bring	a	deep,	burnished	glow		
  to	your	images 
  •		In	order	to	create	thick	relief	glazes	using	paints	and	gel	
  mediums,	it	is	advisable	to	apply	several	successive	layers 	To	
  achieve	the	highest	degree	of	translucency,	allow	each	layer	
  to	fully	dry	before	applying	the	next 	Over	time	the	colors	will	
  become	brighter	and	deeper	as	the	gel	clarifies 
  •		The	more	glaze	layers,	the	more	visual	depth	the	image		
  will	have 
  •		Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	and	Slow-Dri®	Blending	Medium	can	
  also	be	used	for	glazing 
  GlossIestm on Glass, tIle 
  & CeramIC surfaCes
  Liquitex®	Glossies™	are	water	based	acrylic	enamels	formulated	to	adhere	to	slick,	non-
  porous	materials	such	as	glass,	tile,	glazed	ceramics,	stoneware,	china,	enamelware,	primed	
  metal,	wood	and	other	non-oily	surfaces 
  surfaCe preparatIon
  •		Surfaces	must	be	clean	(free	of	all	dirt,	oils	or	soap	films)	and	dry	prior	to	paint	
  application 
  •	After	cleaning,	avoid	touching	surface	as	oil	from	fingers	reduces	the	adhesion 
  •	Clean	with	alcohol	(rubbing	or	denatured)	or	50/50	mixture	of	water	and	vinegar 	
  applICatIon
  •		Stir	Liquitex®	GlossiesTM	for	30-60	seconds	before	using 	Liquitex®	Metallic	
  GlossiesTM	will	require	thorough	mixing,	as	well 	
  •		Pigments	and	mica	flakes	tend	to	settle	to	bottom	of	jar 	Do	not	shake 
  •	Let	paint	dry	at	room	temperature	for	24	hours,	then	heat	set 	
  •		Chalk	or	graphite	pencils	may	be	used	for	under	drawing 	Do	not	use	waxy	pencils	
  or	marking	pens 
  •		Keep	painted	surface	horizontal	until	dry 	Paint	may	“slide”	if	not	thoroughly	air-
  dried	prior	to	heat	setting 
  •	Clean	up	with	soap	and	water 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  g l o s s i e s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  paIntInG teChnIques
  •	Paint	Thinning
  ›	 	Up	to	25%	distilled	water	may	be	added	to	achieve	varying	consistencies	and	
  degrees	of	opacity 	
  ›	 	Over-thinning	will	adversely	affect	adhesion 
  •	Paint	Mixing
  ›	 	All	Liquitex®	Glossies™	and	Liquitex®	Metallic	GlossiesTM	are	intermixable 	
  ›	 	Do	not	mix	with	other	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Paints 
  ›	 	Iridescent	effects	of	Liquitex®	Metallic	GlossiesTM	will	be	more	dramatic	on	
  dark	surfaces 
  •	Paint	Thickness
  ›	 	Multiple	thin	layers	are	better	than	one	thick	layer 	Single	heavy	layers		
  may	bubble	when	baked 
  ›	 	Thicker	application	increases	the	possibility	of	incomplete	drying	and		
  poor	adhesion 
  ›	 	Allow	each	layer	of	paint	to	air-dry	(1	hour	minimum,	24	hours	best)	before	
  applying	next	layer 
  ›	 	Hair	dryer	will	speed	drying	and	reduce	the	possibility	of	lifting	bottom	layer,	
  during	top	layer	application 
  ›	 	Liquitex®	GlossiesTM	can	be	repainted	after	heat	setting	without	affecting	color	
  or	adhesion 
  •	Brushes
  ›	 	Acrylic	or	watercolor	brushes	are	best 	Don’t	use	Sable 	Don’t	let	paint	dry		
  on	brushes 	
  ›	 	Soft	brushes	are	best	for	smooth	application 	Use	stiffer	brushes	for	stippling 
  •	Glazing	and	Stained	Glass	Effects
  ›	 	Use	up	to	25%	with	distilled	water	to	create	glazes 	Do	not	over-thin 
  ›	 	Allow	paint	to	fully	dry	before	applying	the	next	layer 
  ›	 	For	thin	paint	lines	apply	Liquitex®	GlossiesTM	through	a	plastic	syringe 
  •	Stenciling	&	Masking	
  ›	 	Use	masking	tape	to	block	of	areas	where	paint	should	not	go 
  ›	 	Use	prepared	stencils	or	create	from	acetate 
  ›	 	Use	sponge	or	stencil	brush	to	apply	paint 	
  •	Sponging	and	Dabbing
  ›	 	Natural	sponges	work	best	and	can	be	used	for	a	variety	of	decorative	
  techniques	and	to	create	texture 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  g l o s s i e s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  GlossIestm on Glass, tIle  
  & CeramIC surfaCes (Cont )
  heat settInG
  •	Oven
  ›	 	Bake	for	a	durable,	scratch	resistant,	gloss	finish 
  ›	 	Suitable	surfaces	include	any	non-porous	surface	that	is	oven	safe,	(ie	glass,	tiles,	
  glazed	ceramic,	etc) 	
  directions
  •		Bake	only	in	a	well-ventilated	space 	Do	not	inhale	fumes 
  •	Place	air-dried	GlossiesTM	in	cold	oven,	set	temperature	at	325°	F	(163°	C) 	
  •		Turn	on	oven	for	45	minutes 	Turn	off	oven,	open	oven	door	and	let	cool	to	
  touch 
  •		Baking	at	a	lower	temperature	or	for	less	time	may	adversely	affect	scratch	
  resistance 
  •		Test	surface	by	baking,	prior	to	paint	application	to	insure	it	can	withstand	
  oven	temperature 
  •	Measure	oven	temperature	accuracy	prior	to	baking 
  •	Do	not	heat	set	in	toaster	oven	or	microwave	oven 
  •		Thick	paint	of	may	not	set	fully 	Longer	drying	and	baking	times	may	improve	
  final	adhesion 	
  •		Test	baked	surface	by	allowing	to	cool	and	lightly	scratching	surface	with	
  fingernail 	Paint	should	adhere 
  •	Heat	Gun
  ›	 	Use	heat	gun	for	durable,	scratch	resistant,	gloss	finish 
  ›	 	Suitable	surfaces	include	any	applicable	surface	that	is	too	large	for		
  oven	heat	setting 	
  directions
  •		Blow	with	heat	gun	directly	on	surface	for	about	30	minutes 	Less	time	may	
  not	fully	set	the	paint 
  •		Make	sure	space	is	well-ventilated 	Do	not	inhale	fumes 
  •	Air	Drying
  ›	 	For	durable,	high	gloss	finish 
  ›	 	Recommended	for	porous	surfaces	that	do	not	require	scratch	resistance 
  directions
  •		Allow	painted	surface	to	fully	air	dry 	Do	not	heat	set 	
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  g l o s s i e s  –  m u r A l  p A i n t i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  use and Care
  •	Hand	wash	Baked	GlossiesTM	in	warm	water	with	mild	dishwashing	soap 
  •		Baked	GlossiesTM	will	soften	when	exposed	to	heat,	and	return	to	proper	hardness	
  upon	cooling 	
  •	Allow	surface	to	cool	prior	to	rubbing,	cleaning	or	wetting	surface 
  •	Do	not	place	extremely	hot	items	on	painted	surface 	
  •		Not	recommended	for	shower	installation	(regular	exposure	to	hot	water	will	
  adversely	affect	adhesion) 
  •		Not	recommended	for	“heavy	use”	applications,	such	as	kitchen	countertops,	
  floors,	etc 
  •	Do	not	clean	GlossiesTM	with	scouring	cleaners 
  •		A	non-abrasive	acrylic	tile	grout	is	recommended	for	use	with	GlossiesTM	painted	tiles 
  •	Do	not	use	on	flexible	surfaces 
  •	Do	not	use	in	food	contact	surface	applications 	
  •		May	be	used	on	outside	of	mugs,	bowls,	etc 	Do	not	paint	within	the	top	20mm	of	
  drinking	vessel 
  •	May	be	painted	on	underside	of	clear	glass	dishes
  mural paIntInG
  Murals	include	a	variety	of	techniques	including	fresco,	encaustic,	mosaic,	stained	glass	
  and	photography 	Most	contemporary	artists	will	either	paint	on	canvas	and	attach	it	to	a	wall	
  or	paint	directly	on	the	wall	itself 	The	word	mural	is	actually	derived	from	the	French	word	
  “mur”	meaning	wall 	Acrylic	paints	have	proven	themselves	to	be	one	of	the	most	durable	
  paints	available	for	exterior	as	well	as	interior	mural	painting 	
  •	liquitex® soft Body professional artist Color 
  ›	 	Has	a	consistency	similar	to	heavy	cream 	Can	be	spray	applied 
  ›	 	Dries	to	a	smooth,	even	surface	with	good	leveling	that	shows	little	brush	
  marks 	
  ›	 	Pigment	load	is	equal	to	Liquitex®	Heavy	Body	Colors	and	offers	far	greater	
  coverage 
  ›	 	Flat	paint	film	requires	less	cleaning	overtime 
  •	liquitex® heavy Body professional artist Color
  ›	 	These	heavy-bodied	paints	have	a	smooth	thick	buttery	consistency	similar	to	
  oil	paint 	
  ›	 	Use	to	create	surface	textures	and	show	brushwork 
  •	liquitex® super heavy Body professional artist Colors
  ›	 	Use	for	a	thicker	more	viscous	impasto	surface	while	retaining	brilliant	color 
  ›	 	Adds	sculptural	dimension	to	mural 	
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  m u r A l  p A i n t i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  CoVeraGe
  •		Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	will	cover	approximately	
  400	sq 	ft/gallon 
  •		Liquitex®	Heavy	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	will	cover	approximately	
  130	sq 	ft/gallon 	Rough	surfaces	will	reduce	coverage;	Spray	application	will	
  increase	it 
  •		Double	paint	coverage	of	either	Soft	or	Heavy	Body	Acrylic,	by	using	Liquitex®		
  Ultra	Matte	Medium	or	Ultra	Matte	Gel	in	a	1:1	ratio	with	paint 	Best	for		
  under	painting 	
  •		Top	layers	of	the	mural	should	be	painted	using	Lightfastness	I	rated	colors	with	no	
  extender	mediums	added	for	best	permanence 
  mural surfaCes
  •	False	and	Separate	Walls
  ›	 	False	and	Separate	Walls	provide	the	best	support	by	eliminating	dangers	of	
  expansion	and	contraction	of	plaster	and	masonry 	
  ›	 	They	protect	against	cracking,	peeling	and	water	damage 	
  ›	 	They	allows	for	easy	removal	of	the	mural	if	necessary 	
  ›	 	Mural	can	be	a	canvas	that	has	been	stretched	or	adhered	to	a	panel	and	
  then	installed	(This	way	mural	is	painted	in	studio,	rather	than	on	location )
  •	Existing	Walls
  ›	 	Proper	surface	preparation	is	essential	for	longevity	of	the	mural 	
  ›	 	Previously	painted	surfaces	will	not	be	as	permanent	as	unpainted	or	a	
  stripped	surfaces 	
  ›	 	Surfaces	must	be	free	of	any	paint	or	substances	that	may	peel 	Use	of	
  proper	solvents	or	sand	blasting	is	recommended	if	necessary 
  	
  surfaCe preparatIon
  •	The	longevity	of	a	mural	is	directly	related	to	the	surface	preparation 
  seleCtInG a surfaCe
  •		Moisture	will	reduce	adhesion 	(It	may	take	2–3	months	after	drying	for	new	
  concrete	to	be	rid	of	all	water )
  •		Be	sure	no	moisture	will	be	absorbed	from	behind	the	mural	(from	outside	leaks,	
  or	pipes),	which	can	cause	paint	to	peel	from	the	surface 	
  	
  CleanInG the surfaCe 
  •		Clean	surface	with	a	degreaser	to	remove	grease	wax	and	oil;	use	TSP	(Trisodium	
  Phosphate)	or	a	citrus	based	(more	environmentally	friendly)	product	mixed	with	
  warm	water 	
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  m u r A l  p A i n t i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  CleanInG the surfaCe  (cont )
  •	Surface	must	be	structurally	sound	and	free	of	loose	particles 
  •	If	the	wall	has	been	painted	with	oil	paint	or	is	peeling,	strip	all	existing	paint 	
  •	If	the	surface	has	been	painted	with	acrylic	paint,	sand	the	entire	surface 
  •		Remove	mold	or	mildew	with	stiff	brush	and	a	mixture	of	1	part	bleach	to	3	parts	
  water	(or	a	commercially	available	product) 	Rinse	twice	with	warm	water	and	
  allow	to	fully	dry 
  fIxInG CraCks and uneVen surfaCes
  •		Smooth	surfaces:	Brush	on	one	coat	or	spray	two	coats	of	Liquitex®		
  Matte	Medium 
  •	Rough	surfaces:	Trowel	on	one	to	two	coats	of	Liquitex®	Matte	Gel 	
  •	Allow	to	fully	dry 	
  prImInG the surfaCe
  •		Apply	any	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Gesso	product	(Titanium	White,	Clear,	Colored,	or	
  Super	Heavy	Gesso) 	
  •	Thin	gesso	with	up	to	50%	Matte	Medium	if	desired 	Brush	or	spray	apply 	
  •		For	spray	application,	thin	gesso	with	a	mixture	of	50%	Matte	Medium	and	50%	
  distilled	water 	Do	not	over-thin	with	water;	this	will	cause	poor	adhesion 
  •	Wet	sanding	will	produce	a	smooth	ground	but	will	make	flexible	surfaces	brittle 
  •	Super	Heavy	Gesso	can	be	used	to	create	a	more	textured	surface 
  VarIous mural surfaCe preparatIons 
  •	New	Wood
  ›	 	Sand	and	Seal	with	1	coat	of	Matte	Medium 	
  ›	 	Apply	1–2	coats	of	any	Liquitex®	Gesso 	
  •	Painted	Wood
  ›	 	Remove	loose	material	by	Sanding	or	Striping 
  ›	 	Seal	with	1	coat	of	Matte	Medium
  ›	 	Apply	1–2	coats	of	any	Liquitex®	Gesso 
  •	New	Masonry
  ›	 	Must	be	dry	and	cured 	
  ›	 	Apply	Matte	Medium	for	smooth	surfaces,	Matte	Gel	for	rough	surfaces 
  ›	 	Apply	1–2	coats	of	any	Liquitex®	Gesso 	
  •	Painted	Masonry
  ›	 	Remove	loose	material—Clean,	Sand	or	Strip 	
  ›	 	Must	be	dry	and	cured 	
  ›	 	Apply	Matte	Medium	for	smooth	surfaces,	Matte	Gel	for	rough	surfaces 	
  ›	 	Apply	1–2	coats	of	any	Liquitex®	Gesso 	
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  m u r A l  p A i n t i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  VarIous mural surfaCe preparatIons (cont )
  •	New	Sheetrock
  ›	 	Apply	an	acrylic	emulsion	compatible	industrial	sealer	such	as	AqualockTM 
  •	Unprimed	&	Painted	Metal	
  ›	 	Remove	grease,	dirt	and	solvents 	
  ›	 	Sand	surface 	
  ›	 	Wash	with	a	prep	solution	for	the	painted	metal	being	used 	
  ›	 	Apply	an	acrylic	emulsion	compatible	primer	such	as	AqualockTM 
  ›	 	Apply	Matte	Medium	for	smooth	surfaces	and	Matte	Gel	for	rough	surfaces 	
  ›	 	Apply	1-2	coats	of	any	Liquitex®	Gesso 	
  	
  ChoosInG Colors 
  •		Outside	murals	are	subject	to	the	harshest	environmental	conditions;	Only	
  Lightfastness	pigments	are	recommended	for	outdoor	mural	painting 
  paInt applICatIon
  •		Drawings	can	be	projected	with	a	digital,	slide,	overhead,	or	opaque	projector	and	
  traced	on	to	the	mural	surface 	They	also	can	be	scaled	and	transferred	using	a	
  grid	system	or	transferred	to	the	surface	using	cartoons 	
  •		Drawings	should	be	“fixed”	with	a	spray	coating	of	50%	Matte	Medium	and	
  distilled	water 	
  	
  thInnInG Colors durInG paIntInG
  •	Use	Liquitex®	mediums	to	adjust	paint	consistency,	texture	and	sheen 	
  •		Do	not	use	only	water	for	thinning 	Outside	murals	exposed	to	weather	need	
  maximum	film	integrity 	Too	much	water	will	weaken	the	paint	film 
  temperature, moIsture and humIdIty durInG exterIor paIntInG 
  •	Ideal	temperature:	65°–75°	F;	Lowest	temperature:	50°F 
  •		Do	not	Varnish	during	rain;	it	may	trap	moisture,	hinder	adhesion	and	cause	
  clouding 	
  	
  adhesIon test 
  •		To	ensure	proper	adhesion,	a	test	should	be	done	on	a	surface	similar	to	the	actual	
  mural	surface	before	painting 	
  directions
  •		Apply	the	paint	or	medium	to	prepared	surface	and	let	dry	thoroughly 	Wait	
  72	hours	for	acrylic	paint	to	cure	before	continuing	(longer	in	more	humid	
  conditions) 	
  0
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  m u r A l  p A i n t i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  adhesIon test (cont )
  directions
  •		When	completely	dry,	score	surface	in	a	crosshatch	pattern	using	a	sharp	knife 	
  •		Apply	masking	tape	firmly	to	scratched	surface	and	firmly	burnish 
  •		Remove	masking	tape	slowly 	If	any	paint	comes	off	with	the	tape,	good	surface	
  adhesion	has	not	been	achieved 	Either	a	different	surface	preparation	is	
  necessary	or	the	particular	support	is	not	suitable	for	the	paint	or	medium	tested 
  fInal proteCtIVe VarnIshes
  •		After	the	mural	is	complete,	a	final	protective	varnish	should	be	applied	to	protect	
  it	from	weathering,	pollution	and	dirt 	The	varnish	should	be	removable,	such	as	
  Liquitex®	Soluvar®,	to	allow	cleaning 
  mural varnishing occurs in two steps: 
  1 	 Isolation	varnish	layer	
  2 	 Removable	varnish	layer
  soluVar® Gloss and matte VarnIsh applICatIon
  •		Apply	1–2	layers	of	Gloss	Varnish	or	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	as	an	isolation	
  barrier 	
  •		This	barrier	physically	separates	the	painting	from	the	Soluvar®	Varnish	and	seals	
  the	surface 	
  •		This	allows	a	more	even	application	of	Soluvar®	Varnish	and	protects	the	painting	
  surface	when	the	Soluvar®	Varnish	needs	to	be	removed 
  •		To	insure	proper	adhesion,	clean	surface	with	a	lint	free	rag	dampened	with	
  mineral	spirits 
  •	Apply	1–2	layers	of	Soluvar®	Varnish 	Let	dry	24	hours	between	coats 
  •	Intermix	Gloss	and	Matte	Soluvar®	Varnish	for	a	variety	of	sheens 	
  •		Soluvar®	Matte	Varnish	contains	matting	agents	that	settle	during	storage 	
  Before	using	gently	stir	with	a	wooden	dowel	or	brush	handle	until	completely	
  re-dissolved 	Do	not	shake 
  remoVInG soluVar® VarnIsh
  •		If	the	mural	becomes	dirty	or	abused,	removing	the	varnish	can	restore	it 	Cleaning	
  will	not	affect	the	underlying	painting	if	the	varnish	was	properly	applied 	
  •	Remove	varnish	in	clean,	well-ventilated	area 
  •		Wear	a	duel	filter	respirator	(NIOSH	approved)	and	neoprene	gloves 	Dampen	
  a	small	piece	of	lint	free,	soft,	white	cloth	with	mineral	spirits	(not	“odorless”)	or	
  turpentine—nothing	stronger 	Do	not	use	ketones	(i e 	acetone	or	similar	solvents)	
  or	paint	removers 
  •		Work	horizontally 	Apply	mineral	spirits	generously	and	allow	it	to	lay	on	surface	
  for	15–30	minutes 	Check	periodically 	Cover	surface	with	plastic	to	slow	down	
  evaporation	of	mineral	spirits 	
  1
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s /  m u r A l  –  p A i n t i n g  o n  f A b r i c
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  remoVInG soluVar® VarnIsh (cont )
  •		Longer	times	may	be	necessary,	depending	upon	age	of	artwork	and	strength	of	
  mineral	spirits 	If	varnish	is	not	dissolving	or	dissolving	slowly,	use	a	higher	strength	
  mineral	spirits	or	turpentine 	
  •	Stronger	mineral	spirits	are	not	labeled	as	such,	but	have	a	stronger	odor 
  •	Rub	cloth	gently	over	a	1	square	foot	area	until	varnish	starts	to	dissolve 	
  •		Using	a	clean	cloth	and	clean	solvent,	rub	the	area	again	to	remove	residue 	
  Repeat	this	procedure	for	the	entire	area	to	be	cleaned 	If	any	paint	color	shows	on	
  the	cloth,	stop	immediately	and	allow	the	surface	to	dry 
  •	Allow	painting	to	dry	before	reapplying	a	fresh	coat	of	Soluvar®	Varnish 
  paIntInG on faBrIC and leather
  Liquitex®	Professional	Artist	Acrylic	Colors	are	the	most	permanent	paints	for	fabric	and	are	
  available	in	three	distinct	bodies 	They	offer	exceptional	quality,	durability,	adhesion	and	the	
  largest	assortment	of	pure	pigments	of	any	professional	quality	acrylic	paint 	
  •	Heat	setting,	steaming	or	chemical	fixing	is	not	required
  •	A	variety	of	applications	are	possible 	
  •		Liquitex®	Acrylic	Colors	can	be	used	on	cotton,	cotton-poly	blends,	woven,	
  knitted,	felt,	terry	cloth,	silk,	velvet,	velveteen,	corduroy,	flannel,	suede,	leather	
  and	most	synthetics 
  •	liquitex® soft Body professional artist Color 
  ›	 	Ideal	for	most	fabric	painting	techniques,	especially	lightweight	or	textured	fabrics 
  ›	 	Dries	smooth	and	even	with	good	leveling	with	few	brush	marks 	
  ›	 	Use	for	flat	large	area	coverage,	fine	line	detail,	airbrush,	stencil,	watercolor,	
  staining,	dying,	silk	screen,	calligraphy	and	marbling 
  ›	 	Easy	mixing	with	water	and	mediums 
  •	liquitex® heavy Body professional artist Color
  •	Exceptionally	smooth,	thick	buttery	consistency 
  •	Retains	brush	strokes	and	knife	marks 	Excellent	for	impasto 
  •		Flexible	when	dry,	allowing	built-up	surfaces	to	remain	free	of	cracks	and	chips 
  •	liquitex® super heavy Body professional artist Color 
  ›	 	Superior	shape	retention	and	unique	“gutsy”	handling 	
  ›	 	Excellent	for	‘textural’	and	‘sculptural’	applications	with	very	low	shrinkage	
  from	wet-to-dry 	
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  p A i n t i n g  o n  f A b r i c  &  l e A t h e r
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  General InstruCtIons 
  •	Pre-wash	new	fabric	to	remove	sizing,	which	interferes	with	adhesion 	Let	dry 
  •		Adjust	paint	to	desired	consistency	using	Liquitex®	Mediums
  •	 note: For	Excellent	results	use	Liquitex®	Fabric	Medium,	add	distilled	water	if	
  necessary—do	not	over-thin 
  •		Test	technique	on	a	separate	piece 	Each	fabric	has	a	different	absorbency	and	will	
  affect	paint	handling 
  •		Place	protective	layer	on	work	surface	to	prevent	sticking 	Stretch	sweatshirts	with	
  cardboard	for	best	paint	application )
  •	Applying	thick	paint	to	large	areas	will	tend	to	stiffen	fabric 
  •		Iron	on	low	synthetic	heat	setting 	Use	a	pressing	cloth	or	iron	on	reverse	side	of	fabric 
  •	 note: Loose	fabric	weave	allows	more	of	the	color	to	penetrate	the	fibers 
  dryInG tIme
  •		Varies	depending	on	surface,	application	and	humidity 	Paint	will	dry	to	touch	in	5	
  minutes	to	2	hours,	
  WashInG faBrIC
  •	After	paint	fully	dries,	wait	at	least	4	days	before	washing 
  •		Hand	wash	and	hang	dry	is	best 	Do	not	presoak	or	use	hot	water 	Wash	items	
  inside	out 
  •	Machine	wash	fabric	in	warm	water 	Use	permanent	press/gentle	cycle 	
  •		Dry	cleaning	machines	that	spin-dry	fabric	at	room	temperature	are	recom-	
  mended 	Dry	cleaning	suede	is	acceptable 	Spot	cleaning	solutions	should	be	
  avoided	or	used	sparingly 	
  faBrIC paIntInG teChnIques
  airbrush and spray application
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	and	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium	are	recommended	for	
  this	technique 
  	 -	Mix	1	part	Soft	Body	Colors	with	1	part	Airbrush	Medium 	
  	 -	Add	more	Airbrush	Medium	as	needed	to	achieve	desired	consistency 
  ›	 	Colors	must	permeate	cloth	and	be	seen	as	ghost	image	on	reverse	side	to	be	
  permanent 
  Block printing
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Heavy	Body	Colors	and	Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®	Gel	Retarder	are	
  recommended	for	this	technique 
  ›	 	Coat	a	linoleum	or	wood	block	with	waterproof	varnish 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  p A i n t i n g  o n  f A b r i c  &  l e A t h e r
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  faBrIC paIntInG teChnIques (cont )
  Block printing
  ›	 	While	varnish	is	wet,	sift	finely	shredded	fabric	(flocking)	onto	the	varnish 	
  When	dry	this	absorbent	surface	will	hold	paint	for	application 
  ›	 	Mix	Liquitex®	Heavy	Body	Artist	Color	with	up	to	25%	Slow-Dri®	Gel	
  Retarder	and	spread	onto	the	block	with	a	soft	foam	roller 
  ›	 	Wet	the	fabric	and	place	the	block	face	down	onto	the	cloth	pressing	firmly	
  and	evenly 	
  ›	 	Stretch	the	fabric	on	a	padded	surface	to	help	facilitate	printing 
  ›	 	Use	absorbent,	medium-to-heavy	weight	fabrics	without	deep	texture	for		
  best	results 
  Brushwork
  recommended products:
  •	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Colors	and/or	Liquitex®	Heavy	Body	Colors
  •		Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®	Fluid	Retarder,	Liquitex®	Gel	Retarder,	and	Liquitex®	
  Fabric	Medium
  ›	 	Mix	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	colors	with	Fabric	Medium	for	a	softer	feel	to		
  finished	painting 
  	
  	
  drawing
  recommended products:
  •		Liquitex®	Heavy	Body	or	Super	Heavy	Body	Artist	Colors
  •		Liquitex®	Gloss	Gel,	Liquitex®	Gloss	Heavy	Gel	or	Liquitex®	Matte	Gel	Medium
  ›	 	Screw	a	plastic	cake	decorator	tip	onto	a	tube	of	Heavy	Body	Artist	Color	
  and	squeeze	apply 
  ›	 	Super	Heavy	Body	Colors	can	be	applied	with	cake	decorator	through	a	
  variety	of	different	tips 
  ›	 	Mix	paint	with	Liquitex®	Gel	Mediums	to	adjust	consistency;	apply	with	
  cake	decorator	to	produce	thick	lines 	
  ›	 Use	absorbent	fabric 	Hand	wash	and	Hang	Dry 
  dyeing and staining
  recommended products:
  •		Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color	
  •		Liquitex®	Flow-AidTM	
  ›	 Wash	fabric	to	remove	any	starch	or	sizing 
  ›	 	Mix	Flow-Aid™	water	(1	part	Flow-Aid™		to	20	parts	distilled	water)	with	
  Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color 	
  ›	 	Mix	1	part	color	and	3	parts	Flow-Aid™		water	to	increase	transparency	and	
  decrease	color	intensity 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  p A i n t i n g  o n  f A b r i c  &  l e A t h e r
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  dyeing and staining (cont )
  recommended products:
  ›	 Transparent	and	translucent	colors	work	best	and	dry	with	a	softer	finish 
  ›	 	For	soft	edges,	pre-wet	fabric	with	Flow-Aid™		water;	for	hard	edges	leave	dry 
  ›	 	Tightly	woven	cotton	and	silk	will	achieve	richest	colors 
  ›	 	A	hot	wax	resist	may	be	used	for	hard	edges 	Remove	wax	resist	by	dry	
  cleaning 
  ›	 	All	colors	are	permanent;	no	heat	setting	required 	
  ›	 Wet	colors	will	dry	lighter 
  ›	 Titanium	White	and	all	Iridescent	and	Interference	colors	may	stiffen	fabric 	
  silk-screen 
  recommended products:
  •		Liquitex®	Soft	or	Heavy	Body	Colors
  •		Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®	Fluid	Retarder,	
  •		Liquitex®	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	
  ›	 	Mix	up	to	25%	Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®	Fluid	Retarder	into	paint	to	slow	drying 
  ›	 	For	heavyweight	fabric	use	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	colors;	lightweight	fabric	use	
  Liquitex®	Heavy	Body	colors 
  ›	 	Squeegee	paint	through	screen 	Wash	screen	with	water	immediately	after	use 
  ›	 	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	can	be	used	as	a	permanent	screen	block	
  solution 	Apply	directly	to	screen 
  •	Stamping
  ›	 Paint	stamp	with	either	Liquitex®	Soft	or	Heavy	Body	Colors 
  ›	 	Press	painted	side	onto	surface	using	even	pressure;	allowing	absorption		
  into	fabric 
  •	Stenciling
  ›	 	Use	either	ready	made	stencils	or	cut	from	heavy	paper,	oak	tag,	acetate	or	
  frisket	films 	Use	spray	stencil	adhesives	if	necessary 
  ›	 Apply	paint	with	polyurethane	foam	dauber,	rag	or	stencil	brush 	
  ›	 Thinning	paint	may	cause	it	to	bleed 	
  ›	 Do	not	force	paint	under	the	edge	of	stencil 	
  •	Watercolor
  ›	 	Use	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Color,	thinned	with	distilled	water	to	
  desired	consistency 	
  ›	 	Multiple	applications	can	be	painted	over	once	dry	without	picking	up	
  underlying	colors 
  ›	 Lightweight	fabrics	allow	paint	to	spread	quickly 	
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  p A i n t i n g  o n  f A b r i c  &  l e A t h e r
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  leather 
  •		Long-term	paint	adhesion	can	be	a	problem	due	to	variations	in	surface,	
  thickness,	fiber	structure,	oil	content,	dye	type	and	tendency	to	stretch 	Always	
  do	a	test	sample 
   
  preparation
  •		For	maxi	mum	adhesion	and	longevity,	the	paint	should	penetrate	into	the	
  leather 
  •		Deeper	penetration	will	achieve	greater	adhesion 
  •		Remove	any	surface	coating,	shine,	or	smoothness	by	sanding	with	fine	
  sandpaper	or	emery	cloth 	
  •		Remove	surface	oils	by	wiping	with	alcohol	(denatured	or	rubbing)	or	acetone	
  only	in	areas	to	be	painted 	
   painting techniques
  •		Before	applying	paint,	flatten	and	adhere	leather	to	a	stable	surface 
  •		For	light	or	bright	colors	on	dark	leather	first	apply	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	
  Titanium	White	thinned	with	25%	distilled	water	to	the	painting	area 	
  •		Follow	any	of	the	already	discussed	Fabric	Painting	Techniques 
  	
   Cleaning 
  •		Wipe	with	damp	cloth	or	mild	soap	and	water 
  	
  Care
  •		Paint	may	crack	if	leather	is	stretched	beyond	the	binding	capability 	
  •		Avoid	wearing	painted	leather	below	45°	F 	(Acrylic	paint	can	crack	if	bent	
  below	this	temperature )
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  p o u r i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  pourInG 
  Liquitex®	Pouring	Medium	can	be	used	in	combination	with	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Acrylic	
  Colors	to	create	seamless	surfaces	and	puddles	of	color 	Liquitex®	Pouring	Medium	is	
  formulated	to	create	a	smooth,	seamless,	and	strong	body	of	paint	when	poured	or	dripped	
  onto	a	surface 	Suspend	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Colors	in	Liquitex®	Pouring	Medium	for	sculptural	
  effects	and	surface	treatments 
  usInG pourInG medIum
  1 	 	Mix	one	tablespoon	or	more	of	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Acrylic	Color	with	one	cup	of	
  Liquitex®	Pouring	Medium	in	a	large	bucket	or	bowl 	It	helps	to	mix	custom	colors	
  before	adding	to	the	medium,	to	ensure	a	uniformity	of	color	in	the	pour 
  2 	 	Mix	the	color	and	the	pouring	medium	by	hand	with	a	palette	knife 	In	order	
  to	prevent	bubbles,	blend	gently	and	allow	the	mixture	to	sit	for	10	minutes	
  following	agitation 
  3 	 	Using	a	funnel,	take	the	mixture	and	pour	it	into	a	squeeze	bottle	or	applicator	of	
  choice 	Additional	applicators	such	as	pitchers	or	tubes	can	be	used	for	a	variety	
  of	effects 	The	paint	is	now	ready	to	be	poured 
  4 	 	Mixture	can	be	poured	directly	on	canvas	or	board	supports,	glass,	or	even	paper 	
  A	good	place	to	work	with	poured	media	is	on	a	level	work	table 	If	the	surface	is	
  not	level,	you	may	produce	uneven	results	with	very	thin	pieces	that	may	tear 
  5 	 	Pour	evenly	over	the	surface	and	allow	at	least	one	day	of	dry	time 	If	the	paint	
  film	is	thicker	allow	up	to	two	days	of	dry	time 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  p o u r i n g
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  pourInG (Cont ) 
  materIals needed
  •	Liquitex®	Pouring	Medium
  •	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Acrylic	Color
  •	Measuring	Cup	and	Spoon
  •	Large	Mixing	Container
  •	Palette	Knife
  •	Squeeze	Bottles
  •	Stretched	Canvas,	Board,	Paper,	or	Glass
  T I P S  &  T E C H N I Q U E S
  ›		Paint	wet	in	wet!	Multicolored	compositions	can	be	created	in	one	sitting	if	several	
  colors	are	prepared	at	a	time 	Apply	the	next	color	directly	after	the	first	pour	for	
  spots	or	crisp	concentric	circles 	(Note:	Gravity	can	be	used	to	manipulate	colors	
  when	wet	by	lifting	the	poured	surface	and	gently	tilting	to	allow	the	pools	of	color	
  to	bleed	into	each	other )
  ›		Marbled	surfaces	can	be	created	using	multiple	colors	applied	side	by	side	and	
  then	blended	using	a	palette	knife	or	by	dragging	a	fork	or	pointed	tool	through		
  the	surface 
  ›		Turn	the	support	on	its	side	to	create	thin	drips 	Allow	the	paint	to	run	down	the	
  support	surface	at	a	variety	of	speeds 
  ›		Pours	and	pools	can	be	layered 	Apply	another	coat	after	the	first	has	dried	for	
  layers	of	color 
  ›		For	sculptural	applications,	directly	pour	medium	and	paint	mixture	onto	a	glass	
  surface	to	create	a	moveable,	flexible	paint	slick 	To	make	removable	pours,	treat	
  the	glass	surface	with	a	mold	release	or	quick	release	spray	for	easy	removal	of	
  the	paint	after	it	dries 	When	dry	the	poured	paint	can	be	sewn,	glued,	or	rolled	for	
  different	sculptural	effects 
  ›		In	order	to	ensure	the	continued	strength	of	the	paint	film,	do	not	mix	water	with	
  the	Liquitex®	Pouring	Medium 	
  ›		Dust	can	get	caught	in	the	paint	film	if	left	open	to	the	air 	Cover	the	painted	
  canvas,	glass,	or	board	with	a	larger	cardboard	box	to	ensure	a	clean	pour 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  s i l k - s c r e e n
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  sIlk-sCreen
  Liquitex®	Professional	Artist	Acrylic	Colors	offer	artists	a	non-toxic	approach	for	silk-
  screen	techniques 	
  •	liquitex® soft Body artist Colors
  ›	 	Consistency	of	extra	heavy	cream 	
  ›	 	Easier	to	silk-screen	through	tight	mesh	screens 	
  ›	 	Dries	quickly	on	absorbent	surfaces,	such	as	paper 	
  ›	 	May	spread	or	“bleed”	into	absorbent	surfaces,	such	as	paper 	
  •	liquitex® heavy Body artist Colors
  ›	 	Consistency	similar	to	oil	paint 
  ›	 	Less	likely	to	spread	or	“bleed”	when	screen	printing	onto	fabric 	
  ›	 	Generally	prints	more	opaque	because	of	thicker	paint	application 	
  ›	 	May	clog	in	tight	mesh	screen 
  extendInG dryInG tIme 
  •		Mix	any	amount	of	Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®	Blending	Medium	or	Gel	Medium	with	
  Liquitex®	Soft	or	Heavy	Body	Artist	Colors	to	slow	drying	time 	Transparency	of	
  color	will	increase	proportionally	with	the	amount	of	medium	added 	
  •		Mix	Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®	Blending	Fluid	and	Gel	Mediums	to	attain	an	intermediate	
  consistency 	
  •		Mix	up	to	25%	Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®	Fluid	or	Gel	Retarder	with	Liquitex®	Soft	or	
  Heavy	Body	Artist	Colors	to	slow	drying	time	50%	and	allow	for	better	transfer	of	
  paint	to	paper	during	printing,	without	significantly	affecting	opacity 	
  •		Mix	Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®	Fluid	and	Gel	Retarder	to	attain	intermediate	consistency 
  helpful hInts durInG prIntInG
  •	Prepare	all	paint	necessary	for	printing	before	beginning 	
  •	Work	quickly 	Do	not	stop	during	printing 	
  •		Pre-wet	screen	with	1	part	Liquitex®	SlowDri	®Fluid	Retarder	and	1	part	distilled	water 	
  •		To	prevent	paint	from	drying	on	screen	during	printing,	periodically	spray	screen	
  during	printing	with	1	part	Liquitex®	SlowDri	®Fluid	Retarder	and	1	part	distilled	
  water 	Too	much	spraying	may	cause	paint	to	spread	(“bleed”)	on	paper 	
  •		For	spot	cleaning	during	silk-screen	printing,	remove	paint	from	screen	with	a	
  damp	cloth	as	soon	as	screen	clogs 	
  •		To	clean	major	paint	clogs	on	screen,	stop	printing	immediately	and	clean	screen	
  with	warm	water	and	non-abrasive	sponge	or	cloth 	Blot	with	paper	towel	and	
  continue	printing 	
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  s i l k - s c r e e n  -  s u r f A c e  p r e p
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  lIquItex® medIums as permanent sIlk-sCreen BloCkouts 
  •	They	are	resistant	to	oil	based	screen	inks	and	solvents 	
  •		For	detail	blockouts:	Use	Glazing	Medium,	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	or		
  Matte	Medium 	
  •		For	large	area	and	expressive	blockouts:	Use	Gloss	Gel,	Matte	Gel,	Gloss	Heavy	
  Gel,	Gloss	Super	Heavy	Gel,	or	Matte	Super	Heavy	Gel 	
  surfaCe preparatIon
  Just	about	anything	can	be	painted	with	Acrylics,	but	it	is	important	to	understand	a	few	
  basic	principles	to	ensure	maximum	stability 	The	surface	(support	or	substrate)	is	the	
  basic	substructure	of	a	painting,	and	should	be	appropriate	for	the	type	of	work	to	be	
  executed 	The	choice	of	surface	and	ground	has	a	large	effect	on	how	the	paint	handles	
  during	the	painting	process	and	the	overall	longevity	of	a	work	of	art 	Paint	will	tend	to	
  dry	more	slowly	and	move	more	freely	on	a	smoother	surface	while	a	more	porous	and	
  absorbent	surface	will	have	the	opposite	affect 	
  the surface chosen will depend on several factors:
  •	Painting	style	of	the	artist 
  •	The	desired	visual	effect 	
  •		The	purpose	of	the	work 	
  •		Required	longevity 	
  •	The	type	of	Media	used 
  Basic rules for choosing and preparing surfaces
  •		Avoid	oily,	waxy	and	hard,	shiny	surfaces 	(Note:	Some	hard	shiny	surfaces	can	be	
  prepared	by	roughing	the	surface	up	to	provide	tooth,	usually	with	sandpaper )	
  •	Never	apply	acrylics	over	oil	paint 	
  •	Always	do	an	Adhesion	Test	on	a	sample	first	if	you	are	unsure 	
  adhesIon test
  •		Apply	the	paint	or	medium	to	prepared	surface	and	let	dry	thoroughly 	Wait	72	
  hours	for	acrylic	paint	to	cure	before	continuing	(longer	in	more	humid	conditions) 	
  •	When	completely	dry,	score	surface	in	a	crosshatch	pattern	using	a	sharp	knife 	
  •	Apply	masking	tape	firmly	to	scratched	surface	and	firmly	burnish 
  •	Remove	masking	tape	slowly 	
  •		If	any	paint	comes	off	with	the	tape,	good	surface	adhesion	has	not	been	achieved 	
  Either	a	different	surface	preparation	is	necessary	or	the	particular	support	is	not	
  suitable	for	the	paint	or	medium	tested 	
  0
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  s u r f A c e  p r e p
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  flexIBle surfaCes
  paper	
  •		Most	papers	are	made	and	labeled	for	particular	media	and	require	little		
  or	no	preparation 
  types
  ›	 	Bristol	Board	is	designed	specifically	for	acrylic	painting 	
  ›	 	Hot	Pressed	Paper	and	Boards	have	a	smooth	surface 
  ›	 	Cold	Pressed	Paper	and	Boards	have	rough	texture	and	are	best	for	
  watercolor	and	airbrush	technique 	
  preparation
  ›	 	Papers	can	be	sealed	prior	to	painting	to	prevent	absorption	into	the		
  paper	fibers 
  ›	 	Heavier	paper	is	recommended	for	most	applications	to	prevent	warping 	
  (Note:	Tape	edges	of	paper	to	backing	surface	while	sealing	and	do	not	
  remove	tape	until	paper	has	dried	to	maintain	flatness )	
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Clear	Gesso	and	Liquitex®	Matte	Medium	allows	color	of	paper	to	
  show	through 
  ›	  note: Clear	Gesso	contains	fine	aggregate	giving	the	surface	“tooth”	making	
  it	an	excellent	ground	for	pastels )
  fabric
  •		Liquitex®	Acrylic	Colors	can	be	applied	directly	on	both	natural	and	synthetic	
  fibers 	The	tighter	the	weave	of	fabric	the	brighter	the	colors	will	be	when	dry 
  types
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Acrylic	colors	are	suitable	for	cotton,	cotton/poly	blends,	woven	
  fabric,	knits,	felt,	suede,	leather,	terry	cloth,	silk,	velvet,	velveteen,	corduroy	
  and	flannel 	
  preparation
  ›	 	Wash	first	to	remove	the	sizing	or	starch 	(if	applicable)
  ›	 	Always	do	a	test	piece	to	ensure	compatibility 
  ›	 	Recommended	Products:	Liquitex®	Fabric	Medium	and	Liquitex®	Flow-AidTM	
  Canvas
  •		Canvas	comes	in	many	varieties	including	cotton,	linen,	jute	and	natural	or	synthetic	
  fibers 	It	is	available	raw,	pre-primed	and	pre-stretched	on	bars	or	boards 
  raw 
  ›	 	Cotton	Duck:	The	most	common	and	popular	style	of	canvas	used 
  ›	 	Linen:	Superior	strength	and	longevity	though	not	necessarily	ideal	for	
  acrylics	due	to	its	oil	content 
  ›	 	Jute:	Not	considered	a	permanent	surface	(used	for	it’s	texture	as	well		
  as	lower	price )
  ›	 	Synthetic:	Most	uniform	in	texture,	exceptionally	strong	and	long	lasting 
  1
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  s u r f A c e  p r e p
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  flexIBle surfaCes (cont )
  Canvas
  pre-primed 
  ›	 	Commercially	prepared	with	acrylic	gesso	or	oil	ground	in	a	variety	of	styles 
  ›	 	Available	in	a	variety	of	natural	and	synthetic	materials	and	weights,	weave	
  patterns	and	textures 	
  ›	 	There	are	single	and	double	primed	versions,	which	can	be	further	smoothed	
  with	more	layers	of	gesso	and	sanding 
  ›	 	Primed	canvas	is	more	difficult	to	stretch	than	raw	canvas	and	requires	
  canvas	pliers	to	stretch 
  preparation
  acrylic medium 
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Clear	Gesso,	Matte	Medium	or	Matte	Gel	can	be	used	as	a	sealer	
  (size)	for	canvas,	paper	or	board,	allowing	natural	surface	color	to	be	seen	
  after	sealing 	
  ›	 	Substrate	Induced	Discoloration	(SID)
  •			When	acrylic	mediums	are	used	as	a	size	for	primed	or	unprimed	
  cotton,	linen,	wood	or	hardboard,	the	water	content	may	draw	
  impurities	out	of	the	support	as	it	dries 	
  •			A	yellow	or	brown	discoloration	in	the	medium	may	occur	over	time 	
  It	will	be	noticeable	only	in	areas	that	are	left	unpainted 	It	is	not	a	
  problem	if	the	mediums	are	mixed	with	paint	or	painted	over 	
  •			It	occurs	with	all	acrylic	mediums	currently	used	by	major	fine	art	paint	
  manufacturers 	
  •		Washing	the	canvas	before	use	can	greatly	decrease	or	eliminate	SID 	
  •			The	amount	of	discoloration	in	the	acrylic	medium	will	vary	depending	
  upon:	
  1 		Quality	of	the	acrylic	medium 	The	unique	resin	formulation	used	in	
  all	Liquitex®	Paints	and	Mediums	is	clear,	flexible	and	non-yellowing 
  2 		Thickness	of	the	medium	application 	Gel	mediums	are	more	
  susceptible	to	SID	than	fluid	mediums 	They	are	thicker,	contain	more	
  water	and	take	longer	to	dry 
  3 		Substrate	used 	Different	surfaces	contain	different	colorants	and	
  contaminants 
  acrylic Gesso 
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Acrylic	Gesso	is	the	highest	quality	gesso	and	provides	a	flexible,	
  non-yellowing	ground	with	excellent	tooth	for	proper	paint	adhesion 	
  ›	 	Seals	and	protects	the	substrate	(i e 	canvas)	and	readily	accept	
  the	application	of	paint 	(Note:	suitable	for	both	oil	and	acrylic	paint	
  applications )	
  ›	 	Liquitex®	Gesso	is	available	in	Clear,	Titanium	White,	Black,	Neutral	Gray,	and	
  Super	Heavy	formulations 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  s u r f A c e  p r e p
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  flexIBle surfaCes (cont )
  application 
  •		 	Apply	Liquitex®	Gesso	to	raw	canvas	after	it	has	been	stretched	and	stapled	
  onto	stretcher	bars 	This	ensures	a	tight	surface 	(Note:	don’t	stretch	canvas	too	
  tight	as	this	can	cause	the	stretcher	to	warp 	Drying	paint	will	cause	shrinking )
  •		Allow	to	fully	dry	for	a	minimum	of	24	hours	before	use 
  •			Multiple	Coats	are	recommended	especially	if	it	is	to	be	used	as	a	ground		
  for	oil	paint 
  •			A	second	layer	will	produce	a	smoother	surface	and	offer	better	protection	
  and	adhesion 	(Note:	Lightly	sand	between	applications	for	a	smoother	
  painting	surface;	use	Liquitex®	Super	Heavy	Gesso	for	more	texture )
  •			For	most	economical	multiple	coat	surface	use	Liquitex®	Matte	Medium	
  as	first	coat,	followed	by	one	coat	of	Liquitex®	Gesso	after	its	dry 
  thinning
  •		Liquitex®	Gesso	may	be	thinned	with	up	to	25%	distilled	water	and	function	
  without	adversely	affecting	adhesion	or	causing	gessoed	surface	to	crack 
  •		For	increased	adhesion	and	flexibility,	it	is	recommend	to	thin	gesso	with	equal	
  parts	distilled	water	and	Liquitex®	Matte	Medium 
  application
  •			Liquitex®	Gesso	can	be	brushed,	troweled,	or	sprayed	directly	onto	canvas 
  •			For	a	smooth	surface	(without	brushstrokes),	apply	with	a	large	painting	
  knife	or	squeegee	(in	half-circular	motions)	or	use	a	house	paint	pad 	
  (Note:	Work	the	gesso	into	the	weave	if	using	canvas )	Let	dry,	lightly	
  sand	with	fine-grit	sandpaper 	Apply	second	layer 
  •			When	spraying	it	may	be	necessary	to	thin	gesso	with	Liquitex®	Airbrush	
  Medium	approximately	1:1,	add	more	Airbrush	Medium	as	needed 
  eGGshell CanVas surfaCe
  •		This	preparation	will	create	a	paper	smooth	surface	that	is	excellent	for	portrait	and	
  airbrush	techniques 	
  •		Wet	sand	gesso	surface	in	circular	motion	until	area	dries	and	becomes	smooth	
  using	400	grit	wet-dry	sandpaper	and	a	spray	mister	(Note:	Surface	will	be	brittle	
  and	may	crack	if	surface	is	pushed	or	stressed )	
  surface tooth and absorbency
  ›	 	Dilute	Liquitex®	Gesso	with	Liquitex®	Matte	Medium	to	get	less	absorbency	
  and	tooth 	
  ›	 	Any	Liquitex®	Texture	Gel	may	be	mixed	into	gesso	along	with	marble	dust	or	
  sand	for	textural	effects 	(Note:	Too	many	aggregates	may	make	gesso	brittle )
  ›	 	A	mixture	of	75%	Liquitex®	Gesso	and	25%	Liquitex®	Modeling	Paste	will	
  make	an	Absorbent	Gesso,	suitable	for	use	as	a	ground	for	pastel,	charcoal	
  and	graphite	drawings 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  s u r f A c e  p r e p
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  rIGId surfaCes
  •	Provide	smooth	or	textured	surfaces	for	dimensional	painting	and	collage 
  •		Most	boards	can	be	used	as	supports	to	which	canvas,	paper	or	other	material	can	
  be	glued 	Use	Liquitex®	Matte	Gel	to	adhere	canvas	to	board 	
  •	Surfaces	should	be	tested	for	proper	adhesion 
  Canvas panel Boards
  •			Not	recommended	for	permanent	work,	as	they	may	warp	and	materials	may	not	last 
  •		Prepared	commercially	and	available	in	a	wide	variety	of	sizes	
  •		Generally	made	of	cotton	canvas	wrapped	and	glued	onto	heavy	cardboard 	
  Compressed hardboards
  •		Compressed	hardboards	such	as	MasoniteTM	are	not	recommended	as	a	
  permanent	support 	
  •	Untempered	Masonite	is	subject	to	warping	and	is	not	very	stable 
  •		Tempered	Masonite	contains	oily	substances	that	may	affect	paint	adhesion	over	time 
  ›	 	If	permanence	is	not	required,	untempered	Masonite	may	be	used	but	
  should	be	sealed	all	over	with	a	barrier	varnish	such	as	Liquitex®	Soluvar®	
  Varnish	and	then	prepared	as	follows:	
  	 -	Sand	the	top	(shiny)	surface 	
  	 -	Cover	with	at	least	two	coats	of	Liquitex®	Gesso 
  	 -	Sand	between	coats	and	apply	the	second	coat	at	right	angles	to	the	first 
  plywood
  •		MDO	(Medium	Density	Overlay)	boards	are	varieties	of	plywood	that	are	bonded	
  with	paper	on	one	side	or	both	sides 
  •		They	offer	a	very	smooth	surface	quality	that	is	hard	to	achieve	with	standard	
  plywood 	(Note:	They	can	be	heavy )
  •		Good	exterior	grade	boards	can	provide	an	excellent	painting	support 	They	are	
  available	in	1/8”	thickness	of	mahogany,	birch,	maple	and	oak 	They	may	be	
  adhered	to	wooden	stretchers	to	prevent	warping 
  •		All	forms	of	plywood	will	require	between	2–5	coats	of	gesso 	(Harder	woods	are	
  less	porous	and	will	require	less	to	seal )	
  foamboard 
  •	Not	recommended	for	long-term	applications—vulnerable	to	warping	and	damage 
  •	Lightly	sand	and	use	two	coats	of	Liquitex®	Gesso	(sanding	between	coats)
  •	Let	dry	overnight 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  s u r f A c e  p r e p
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  rIGId surfaCes (cont )
   fiberglass
  •	Can	be	painted	with	acrylics	or	oils	if	the	surface	is	prepared	properly 
  •	Sand	or	sandblast	the	surface 	Remove	residual	dust 
  •		Coat	with	an	industrial	solvent	based,	primer-sealer	such	as	KILZ	(for	water-based	media)	
  •	Allow	to	cure	for	3	days—Test	for	proper	adhesion	(see	Adhesion	Test) 
  •	Lightly	sand	
  •	Apply	Liquitex®	Gesso	(spray	or	brush)—Let	dry	overnight	and	re-test	adhesion 
  •	Paint	Surface	and	apply	Soluvar®	Varnish	as	a	finish	coat 	
  metal and Glass
  •	Sand	with	400-grit	paper	or	sandblast	for	proper	paint	film	adhesion 	
  •	Etch	Aluminum	with	5%	lye	solution	for	4	to	5	minutes 
  •	Glass	can	be	acid-etched	or	sand	blasted 
  •	Degrease	surface	and	coat	with	industrial	primer	(for	water-based	media) 
  •	Let	dry	fully	and	test	adhesion 	(see	Adhesion	Test) 
  •	Apply	Liquitex®	Gesso	(spray	or	brush) 	Let	dry	3	days	and	test	for	adhesion 	
  plastic panels (plexiglastm™)
  •		Surface	preparation	will	depend	on	the	type	of	plastic 
  •		Plastic	must	be	chemically	inert	so	that	it	will	not	react	with	the	paint	film	over	time 
  •		A	slight	tooth	is	required	for	paint	adhesion—if	none	exists	the	surface	must	be	
  sanded	with	a	fine	or	medium	grade	sand	paper	(dust	mask	should	be	worn)	
  where	paint	is	to	be	applied 
  •		After	sanding,	use	Liquitex®	Matte	Medium	or	Matte	Gel	and	one	or	two	coats	of	
  Liquitex®	Gesso	or	Clear	Gesso	for	an	opaque	or	transparent	ground 
  •	Both	sides	of	the	sheet	can	be	painted	to	yield	dimensional	qualities 
  •	Apply	Soluvar®	Varnish	to	protect	and	seal	finished	work 
  acetate	
  •		Acetate	is	a	transparent,	somewhat	brittle	plastic	available	in	varying	thickness	and	
  surface	textures 	
  •		Matte-surface	acetate,	textured	acetate	and	wet-media	acetate	(also	called	
  “prepared	acetate”)	are	suitable	for	acrylic	materials 
  •	Smooth	acetate	is	not	recommended	for	acrylic	materials,	as	it	is	too	slick 
  mylar
  •		Mylar	is	a	film	that	has	all	the	properties	and	uses	of	acetate	with	additional	
  flexibility	and	strength 	
  •	Much	higher	in	price	than	acetate 
  •	It	does	not	stretch,	crack	or	yellow 	
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  s u r f A c e  p r e p
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  rIGId surfaCes (cont )
  mylar
  •	Available	with	a	photosensitive	surface	for	the	reproduction	of	line	drawings 	
  •	Available	in	a	wet-media	form	that	needs	no	surface	preparation 	
  masonry and Concrete
  •	Masonry	and	concrete	must	be	thoroughly	dry	and	cured 	(may	take	8–12	weeks)
  •		All	moisture	must	be	gone	and	there	must	be	no	waterproofing,	cement	paint	or	silicones	
  (often	used	during	construction)	on	surface	or	acrylic	paint	adhesion	will		not	be	permanent 
  •	Liquitex®	Acrylics	can	be	applied	directly	to	a	masonry	wall 
  ›	 	For best results:	apply	Liquitex®	Matte	Gel	Medium	with	a	trowel 	(An	excellent	ground	
  that	will	seal	the	wall	and	reduces	the	amount	of	paint	needed	to	cover	the	surface )
  ›	 Let	Matte	Gel	Medium	fully	dry;	then	apply	one	or	two	coats	of	gesso 
  ›	 Let	dry	overnight 
  murals
  •		Encompasses	a	wide	variety	of	techniques	including:	fresco,	encaustic,	mosaic,	
  stained	glass	and	photography 	
  •		Most	common	techniques;	painting	on	canvas	and	then	attaching	to	a	wall	or	
  painting	directly	on	the	wall 	
  •		Surfaces	must	be	free	of	grease,	wax,	and	oil—structurally	sound	and	free	of	
  loose	particles 
  plasterboard
  •	Use	only	if	not	previously	painted	with	oil	or	alkyd	paint 	
  •		Seal	first	with	a	barrier	varnish	like	Soluvar®	or	an	industrial	product	(like	
  AqualockTM	for	use	with	water	base	paints) 	Let	dry	completely
  •	Apply	two	coats	of	gesso	with	a	brush,	spray	or	paint	pad 	
  unusual surfaces
  •		Test	for	compatibility	with	the	acrylic	paint 	(See	Adhesion	Test )
  •		Certain	surfaces	may	have	adverse	reactions	with	paints,	either	immediately	or	over	time 	
  adhesIon test
  •		Apply	the	paint	or	medium	to	prepared	surface	and	let	dry	thoroughly 	Wait	72	
  hours	for	acrylic	paint	to	cure	before	continuing	(longer	in	more	humid	conditions) 	
  •	When	completely	dry,	score	surface	in	a	crosshatch	pattern	using	a	sharp	knife 	
  •	Apply	masking	tape	firmly	to	scratched	surface	and	firmly	burnish 
  •	Remove	masking	tape	slowly 	
  •		If	any	paint	comes	off	with	the	tape,	good	surface	adhesion	has	not	been	achieved 	
  Either	a	different	surface	preparation	is	necessary	or	the	particular	support	is	not	
  suitable	for	the	paint	or	medium	tested 	
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  t r A n s f e r s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  transfers
  Acrylic	transfers	allow	artists	to	transfer	images	generated	from	magazines,	
  newspapers,	photographs	and	laser	printers	onto	any	surface	that	will	
  accept	acrylic	paint 	It	can	be	done	with	a	wide	variety	of	Liquitex®	Mediums	
  depending	upon	your	desired	effect 	This	technique	transfers	black	&	white	
  and	colored	images 	The	medium	is	brushed,	poured	or	troweled	over	the	
  image	to	be	transferred 	After	the	medium	has	dried,	it	is	soaked	in	water	
  and	the	paper	is	removed	from	the	back	of	the	image 	You	are	left	with	a	
  transparent	to	translucent	image	that	is	imbedded	within	acrylic	medium 
  seleCtInG ImaGe
  1 	 	Select	image	of	your	choice:	newspaper,	magazine,	photograph	or	
  computer	laser	(not	ink	jet)	print 	Some	images	such	as	newspaper,	
  laser	print,	uncoated	magazine	will	transfer	directly	without	the	
  need	of	a	photocopy 	Some	images	such	as	photographs	and	
  coated	magazine	images	will	not	transfer 	
  2 	 	Obtain	a	photocopy	of	your	selected	image	either	in	black	&	white	or	color 	Since	
  it	can	be	unclear	beforehand	which	image	will	and	will	not	transfer,	a	Xerox	of	the	
  original	image	is	recommended 
  preparInG ImaGe for transfer
  1 	 	Place	photocopy,	image	side	down	onto	scrap	paper	and	spray	back	of	image	
  with	a	light	coat	of	a	spray	adhesive 	Use	proper	ventilation	and	facemask 
  2 	 	Position	photocopy,	image	side	up	onto	glass	palette	and	press	flat 	Image	may	be	
  taped	to	glass	palette	instead	of	using	spray	adhesive,	however	a	taped	image	will	
  not	lay	flat	once	coating	is	begun 
  CoatInG ImaGe
  Brushing method: 
  1 	 	Using	a	1/2”–2”	wide,	soft	brush,	coat	image	with	Liquitex®	Gloss	Medium	&	
  Varnish 	For	minimal	brush	marks,	use	Liquitex®	Gloss	Varnish	or	thin	Gloss	
  Medium	&	Varnish	with	5–10%	Liquitex®	Flow-Aid™/Water	mixture	(1	part		
  Flow-Aid™	to	20	parts	distilled	water) 	
  2 	 	Allow	to	dry	20	minutes	to	one	hour,	depending	upon	environment 	While	wet,	
  medium	will	appear	slightly	cloudy 	When	dry,	medium	will	be	completely	clear 	
  3 	 	Repeat	steps	1	and	2	until	the	medium	coating	is	thick	enough	so	that	you	can	
  peel	it	off	the	glass	without	tearing;	5–12	coats	will	give	you	a	thickness	of	1/16”–
  1/8” 	Coat	successive	layers	in	different	directions,	horizontal	then	vertical	then	
  horizontal,	etc 	The	thickness	of	the	coating	can	vary	according	to	your	desired	
  effect 	Thin	layers	between	1/32	to	1/16	may	be	difficult	to	handle 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  t r A n s f e r s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  CoatInG ImaGe (cont )
  pouring method: 
  1 	 	Use	a	carpenters	level	to	make	sure	the	glass	palette	surface	is	level 	If	surface	is	
  not	level	poured	acrylic	medium	will	run	toward	lower	edge	and	when	dry	will	be	
  thicker	at	that	edge 	
  2 	 	Tape	around	image	with	masking	tape	in	4–5	successive	layers	so	that	a	ridge	is	built	
  up	around	image 	You	are	building	a	dam	to	contain	the	poured	acrylic	medium 
  3 	 	Pour	Liquitex®	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	over	image 	Pour	only	enough	to	cover	
  image 	You	may	need	several	pours	to	build	enough	thickness 	Spread	around	
  with	soft	brush,	if	need	be,	while	wet 	Pouring	thick	layers	may	result	in	cloudy	
  transfers	and	shrinkage	marks 
  4 	 	Allow	to	dry	completely:	48–72	hours 	When	medium	is	completely	clear	it	is	dry 
  soakInG transfer
  1 	 	Razor	cut	around	tape	and	remove	image	from	glass	palette 	Submerge	in	lukewarm	
  water	and	soak	10–15	minutes 	The	longer	the	image	is	submerged	in	water	the	
  easier	it	will	be	to	remove	the	paper	from	the	back	of	image 	Do	not	soak	paper	longer	
  than	20	minutes 	When	submerged	in	water	the	clear	medium	may	turn	slightly	milky 
  2 	 	Remove	image	from	water	and	using	your	fingers,	gently	rub	off	paper	from	back	
  of	image 	Rub	off	top	layer	of	paper	only	and	submerge	image	into	container	of	
  warm	water 	Repeat	steps	until	only	the	image	remains 
  dryInG transferred ImaGe
  1 	 	Blot	with	paper	or	cloth	towel 	Place	flat	between	layers	of	wax	paper,	then	
  paper	towel 
  2 	 Weight	top	and	allow	to	dry,	insuring	that	image	dries	flat 
  adherInG transfer to support
  1 	 	Remove	when	dry	(24–48	hours) 	Select	support	that	transfer	is	to	be	adhered	to 
  2 	 	Coat	the	side	of	the	transfer	that	is	to	be	affixed	to	the	support	with	either	
  Liquitex®	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	or	Liquitex®	Gloss	Gel 	Quickly	position	the	
  transfer	onto	the	support	(i e 	canvas)	and	press 
  3 	 	To	insure	uniform	contact,	dry	transfer	under	weight 	Cover	transfer	with	a	sheet	
  of	wax	to	prevent	transfer	from	sticking	to	weight 	Let	dry	24	hours 
  dIreCtIons: usInG lIquItex® InterferenCe Colors
  1 	 	Follow	directions	for	“Selecting	Image”	and	“Preparing	Image	for	Transfer” 
  2 	 	Mix	5-10%	Liquitex®	Interference	Color	of	your	choice	into	Gloss	Medium	&	
  Varnish	to	produce	an	interference	film 
  3 	 Follow	directions	for	“Coating	Image” 
  4 	 	Follow	directions	for	“Soaking	Image”,	“Drying	Transferred	Image”	and	“Adhering	
  Transfer	to	Support” 
  5 	 Interference	Color	Transfer	will	be	opalescent 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  t r A n s f e r s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  dIreCtIons: usInG lIquItex® Gel medIums
  1 	 Follow	directions	for	“Selecting	Image”	and	“Preparing	Image	for	Transfer” 
  2 	 	Coating	Image:	Using	a	palette	knife,	apply	1–2	coats	of	Liquitex®	Gloss	Gel	or	
  Gloss	Heavy	Gel 	
  3 	 	Apply	each	coat	1/16”–1/8”	thick 	If	applying	two	coats,	allow	first	coat	to	thoroughly	
  dry	before	applying	second	coat	(approximately	24–48	hours) 	The	thicker	the	Gel	or	
  Heavy	Gel	Medium	coating	the	more	opaque	the	final	transfer	film	will	be 	
  4 	 	Follow	directions	for	“Soaking	Image”,	“Drying	Transferred	Image”	and	“Adhering	
  Transfer	to	Support” 
  5 	 	A	translucent	to	translucent/opaque	film	transfer	will	result 
  dIreCtIons: usInG lIquItex® texture Gels
  1 	 Follow	directions	for	“Selecting	Image”	and	“Preparing	Image	for	Transfer” 	
  2 	 	Coating	Image:	Using	a	palette	knife,	apply	1–2	coats	of	Liquitex®	Natural	Sand,	
  Resin	Sand	or	Glass	Beads	Texture	Gel 	Apply	each	coat	1/16”–1/8”	thick 	If	
  applying	two	coats,	allow	first	coat	to	thoroughly	dry	before	applying	second	coat	
  (approximately	24–48	hours) 	The	thicker	the	Texture	Gel	Medium	coating	the	
  more	opaque	the	final	transfer	film	will	be 
  3 	 	Follow	directions	for	“Soaking	Image”,	“Drying	Transferred	Image”	and	“Adhering	
  Transfer	to	Support” 
  4 	 	A	semi-transparent,	textured	film	transfer	will	result 
  dIreCtIons: usInG lIquItex® fluId medIums and texture Gels
  1 	 	Follow	directions	for	“Selecting	Image”	and	“Preparing	Image	for	Transfer” 
  2 	 	Using	a	soft	brush	or	palette	knife	mix	5–50%	Natural	Sand,	Resin	Sand,	Glass	
  Beads	or	Black	Lava	Texture	Gel	Mediums	into	Liquitex®	Gloss	Medium	&	
  Varnish 	The	greater	the	percentage	of	Medium,	the	more	transparent	and	less	
  textured	the	final	transfer	film	will	be 	For	example,	a	Black	Lava	Texture	Gel/
  Medium	mixture	will	result	in	a	transfer	that	is	transparent	with	black	speckles 	
  The	amount	of	transparency	and	black	speckles	will	be	influenced	by	the	ratio	of	
  Medium	to	Black	Lava 	More	Medium,	less	Black	Lava	=	more	transparency/less	
  black	speckles 	
  3 	 	Follow	directions	for	“Coating	Image:	brushing	or	pouring	methods” 	
  4 	 	Follow	directions	for	“Soaking	Image”,	“Drying	Transferred	Image”	and	“Adhering	
  Transfer	to	Support” 
  5 	 	A	transparent-translucent	textured	film	transfer	will	result 
  addItIonal Ideas
  An	unlimited	number	of	creative	applications	exist,	in	addition	to	fine	art 	Try	placing	acrylic	
  transfers	onto	clothing	(such	as	hats,	T-shirts,	sweatshirts,	and	shoes),	decorate	household	
  or	craft	items	(ceramic	tiles,	furniture,	lampshades,	cups,	boxes,	pillows,	quilts),	or	even	
  apply	to	mirrors,	windows,	or	framed	glass	for	stained	glass	effects 
  
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  w A t e r c o l o r  w i t h  A c r l i c
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  WaterColor WIth aCrylIC
  Liquitex®	Acrylic	color	can	be	used	in	the	manner	of	watercolor	simply	by	thinning	with	water	
  and	applying	to	an	absorbent	surface 	The	amount	of	water	used	depends	on	the	desired	
  consistency;	the	more	water	used	the	more	fluid	the	paint 	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Artist	Acrylic	
  Color	should	always	be	used	for	acrylic	watercolor	techniques	since	it’s	fluid	consistency	
  dissolves	easily	in	water 	Color	values	are	traditionally	built	from	light	to	dark	when	working	in	
  this	technique 
  adVantaGes of aCrylIC WaterColor
  The	main	advantage	of	using	acrylic	for	watercolor	is	that	washes	may	be	layered	without	
  dissolving	one	another 	This	is	because	acrylic	paint	contains	binder	and	dries	to	a	water	
  resistant	film 	When	working,	allow	washes	to	soak	into	the	paper	and	dry;	this	way	the	paper	
  also	acts	as	a	binder 	Layers	of	washes	will	eventually	seal	the	paper	fibers	and	thus	limit	the	
  amount	of	layering	that	is	possible 	
  note:	Watercolor	paint	when	dry	is	still	water-soluble	and	each	layer	of	paint	can	dissolve	the	
  underneath	layer 
  WaterColor papers
  •	Paper	choice	is	important	and	will	be	significant	factor	in	the	final	work 
  ›	 	High	quality/heavier	papers	made	from	100%	Cotton	Rag	are	ideal	for	this	
  application	and	will	yield	better	results 	(They	hold	more	water,	warp	less	and	
  allow	more	Layers	of	washes)	
  ›	 Cold	Press	paper	is	rough	and	absorbent 
  ›	 	Hot	Press	paper	is	smooth	(not	as	porous)	and	less	absorbent 	When	working	
  with	Hot	Press	paper	it	may	be	useful	to	mix	colors	with	Flow-AidTM	Water	
  (1	part	Liquitex®	Flow-AidTM:	20	parts	distilled	water)	to	help	achieve	deeper	
  stains	and	a	more	even	application 	
  ›	  note: To	achieve	watercolor	effects	on	a	non-absorbent	surface	such	as	
  primed	canvas,	Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium	can	be	used	to	thin	colors	and	
  will	provide	adequate	binder	to	create	a	stable	paint	film 
  applICatIons and teChnIques
  •	Transparent	Washes
  ›	 	Transparent/translucent	colors	are	the	most	vibrant 
  ›	 	The	more	water	used,	the	more	transparent	the	wash	becomes 
  •	For	Hard	Edge	Brushmarks	
  ›	 	Use	dry	paper 
  •	For	Soft	Edge	(“bleed”)	Brushmarks
  ›	 	Dampen	paper	with	distilled	water	or	Slow-Dri®	Fluid	Retarder	(see	below)	
  then	apply	acrylic	watercolor 	
  ›	 	Create	acrylic	watercolor	using	Flow-AidTM	Water	(1	part	Liquitex®	Flow-AidTM:	
  20	parts	distilled	water) 	Liquitex®	Flow-AidTM	reduces	surface	tension,	
  thereby	softening	edges 	
  100
  
  c h A p t e r  4 :  A p p l i c A t i o n s  /  w A t e r c o l o r  w i t h  A c r l i c
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  101
  applICatIons and teChnIques (cont )
  •	For	Ultra-Soft	Edge	(“bleed”)	Brushmarks	
  ›	 	Dampen	paper	with	Flow-AidTM	Water	then	apply	washes	for	deeper	
  saturation	of	color 	Working	“wet	into	wet”	in	this	manner	is	helpful	for	
  creating	more	atmospheric	passages 
  •	To	Slowing	Drying	Time	
  ›	 	Mix	Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®	Fluid	Retarder	into	distilled	water	(4	parts	distilled	
  water	to	1	part	Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®) 	Use	this	mixture	to	create	acrylic	
  watercolor 	
  reCommended produCts
  •		Liquitex®	Slow-Dri®	Fluid	Retarder	gives	more	“open	time”,	allowing	paint	to	be	
  manipulated	for	longer 
  •		Liquitex®	Flow-AidTM	reduces	surface	tension,	thereby	softening	edges	to	help	to	
  achieve	deeper	stains	and	a	more	even	application 
  •		Liquitex®	Airbrush	Medium	is	very	fluid	and	contains	binder	making	watercolor	
  techniques	possible	on	non-absorbent	surfaces 	
  maskInG 
  •		Protects	the	dry	paint	film	from	new	paint	application	by	covering	passages	with	
  masking	tapes	and/or	fluids 
  •		May	be	done	before	painting	to	protect	white	paper 
  •	May	be	done	after	each	color	application,	to	save	specific	color	marks	and	details 
  maskInG tape
  •		To	achieve	straight	lines	use	Drafting	or	ScotchTM	811	tape 	It	has	a	low	adhesive	
  tack,	which	will	not	damage	painted	areas	when	removed 
  frIsket or maskInG fluId
  •	Apply	with	brush	or	pen 	
  •		Masking	Fluid	may	be	removed	at	any	time,	by	rubbing	with	finger	or	rubber	
  cement	eraser 
  
  c h A p t e r  3 :  l i q u i t e x  p r o d u c t s
  freQuenTly Asked QuesTions
  05
  c h A p t e r
  c h A p t e r  5 :  f r e q u e n t ly  A s k e d  q u e s t i o n s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  Why are different colors priced differently? 
  The	biggest	factor	in	the	cost	of	the	artists’	color	is	the	pigment 	Different	pigments	come	
  from	a	variety	of	different	sources,	and	cost	from	a	little	to	a	lot	to	refine,	process,	and	mill	
  into	artists’	paint 	
  I want that “oil color look ” What can I do? 
  Use	Liquitex®	Slow-Dri	Blending	Fluid	or	Gel	to	slow	the	drying	and	to	help	you	with	blending	
  upon	the	painting	surface 	Experiment	with	Glazing	techniques 	
  my paint dries too fast  What can I do? 
  Minimize	the	use	of	water,	and	minimize	heat	and	air	flow	in	the	painting	environment 	
  Make	use	of	acrylic	mediums	to	extend	the	color,	especially	Slow-Dri	Blending	Fluid	
  or	Gel,	Airbrush	Medium,	or	Slow-Dri	Fluid	or	Gel	Retarder 	note:	only	one	additive/
  retarder	should	be	used	within	a	color	mix 	Combining	additives	can	compromise	the	
  paint	film	stability 
  my colors are too bright  how do I make them look more natural? 
  Use	a	Liquitex®	color	chart	to	identify	the	mineral	based	colors	(cadmiums,	cobalt,	
  ultramarine) 	These	colors	mix	to	the	softer,	more	gray	optical	tone	that	we	associate	with	
  natural	light 	Generally,	these	colors	tend	to	be	more	opaque 
  my colors look dull and chalky  how do I brighten them? 
  It	may	be	that	you’re	adding	too	much	water,	and	spreading	(underbinding)	the	paint	film 	
  Try	adding	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	instead	of	water 	
  how do I make the color flow like water, but stay brilliant? 
  Choose	Liquitex®	Soft	Body	Professioanl	Acrylic	Colors 	These	colors	have	the	same	
  pigment	load	as	the	Heavy	body	colors,	but	are	formulated	to	a	more	fluid	consistency 	
  Some	water	may	be	added	for	flow,	but	one	of	the	following	may	be	added	as	well	to	
  increase	flow,	while	maintaining	the	stability	of	the	paint	film:	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	or	
  Matte	Medium 
  Is water the best additive for thinning acrylic color?
  Water	is,	in	fact,	the	solvent	for	the	acrylic/water	emulsion 	You’ll	find	that	you	get	the	best	
  performance—not	to	mention	the	most	fun—out	of	acrylics	if	you	make	use	of	acrylic	
  mediums	to	adjust	the	working	properties	of	the	color 	Save	the	water	for	clean	up 	
  10
  10
  
  c h A p t e r  5 :  f r e q u e n t ly  A s k e d  q u e s t i o n s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  10
  I’m on a really tight budget  What can I do to cut corners? 
  Artists’	colors	aren’t	cheap 	But,	as	with	any	highly	refined	product,	you	get	what	you	pay	for 	
  That	said,	there	are	some	strategies	that	can	help	stretch	the	artist’s	budget:
  •	Use	mediums	to	stretch	and	economize	on	color
  •		Use	Ultra	Matte	Medium 	It's	formulated	to	increase	the	volume	of	paint	without	
  significantly	cutting	intensity	of	color
  •		Complete	your	underpainting	with	BASICS	Value	Series	Acrylic	Colors,	and	use	the	
  Liquitex®	Professional	Acrylics	Colors	for	the	finishing	layers	
  What is the best surface for acrylic paint? 
  Acrylic	colors	are	unbelievably	versatile,	and	can	be	used	on	an	almost	infinite	variety	of	
  surfaces:	canvas,	paper,	leather,	and	glass	(among	others) 	Always	conduct	an	adhesion	test	
  when	working	on	more	‘unusual’	surfaces 	
  What’s the best way to prime a canvas for painting? 
  Size	the	canvas	with	one	layer	of	Matte	Medium,	and	then	coat	with	one	or	two	layers	of	
  Acrylic	Gesso 	With	Liquitex®	Gessoes,	you	can	choose	between	traditional	white,	neutral	
  gray	or	black	colored	Gesso,	Clear	Gesso,	or	Super	Heavy	Gesso 
  Why is my finished acrylic paint surface powdery, flaking, or cracking? 
  If	your	gesso	or	paint	layer	is	powdery	or	unstable,	you	have,	most	likely,	added	too	much	
  water	during	painting 	Water	spreads	the	acrylic	binder,	leaving	it	less	able	to	firmly	lock	the	
  pigment	into	place	on	the	painting	surface 	You’ll	find	that	you	get	the	best	performance—
  not	to	mention	the	most	fun—out	of	acrylics	if	you	make	use	of	acrylic	mediums	to	adjust	the	
  working	properties	of	the	color 
  Why are some acrylic mediums milky, some translucent, and some clear when wet? 
  Some	acrylic	mediums	are	milky	because	of	the	water	content	within	the	emulsion 	Others	
  include	matting	agents	that	make	them	appear	milky 	Other	mediums	are	formulated	with	a	
  clear	resin,	giving	them	greater	clarity	both	wet	and	dry 	
  Why do some acrylic colors seem to dry darker? 
  In	general,	the	acrylic/water	emulsion	has	a	distinct	milky	color	when	wet 	And	that	milky	
  appearance	lightens	the	color	of	the	paint 	As	water	leaves	the	emulsion,	and	the	binder	
  clarifies,	the	color	of	the	paint	darkens 	
  As	acrylic	chemistry	has	advanced,	newer	acrylic	resins	have	become	available	that	offer	
  better	and	better	clarity 	As	a	result,	color	shift	in	modern	acrylics	is	of	lesser	consequence	
  than	in	early	paint	products 	It	still	plays	a	slight	role	with	some	colors,	but	not	to	the	degree	
  that	it	once	did 	This	phenomenon	is	most	noticeable	with	transparent	dark	pigments	such	
  as	Alizarin	and	less	so	with	light	opaque	pigments	such	as	Cadmium	Yellow 
  10
  
  c h A p t e r  5 :  f r e q u e n t ly  A s k e d  q u e s t i o n s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  how does the weather affect acrylic paints? 
  Humid	conditions	slow	down	the	drying 	Hot,	dry	conditions	will	speed	the	drying	
  considerably 
  how do I store acrylic paintings? 
  Protect	the	surface	with	glassine	paper,	or	another	non-sticky	sheet 	Cover	the	glassine	with	
  an	additional	layer,	such	as	raw	canvas 	Stand	upright,	and	protect	from	temperatures	below	
  45°F	(the	temperature	at	which	acrylics	become	brittle	and	are	more	prone	to	cracking) 	
  Never	store	acrylics	face	to	face,	as	they	can	stick	to	one	another 	Always	crate	for	shipping 	
  how long will acrylic paintings last? 
  Follow	sound	painting	techniques,	work	on	a	stable	support,	use	artists’	quality	primer,	and	
  with	proper	care	and	storage,	an	acrylic	painting	should	remain	stable	for	generations 	
  What’s the advantage of making my own paint? 
  Until	two	centuries	ago,	artists	had	to	mill	their	own	colors 	And	today,	it’s	not	uncommon	
  for	artists	to	experiment	with	paint	making	to	develop	a	more	intimate	understanding	of	
  the	mechanics	of	their	chosen	medium 	That	said,	an	experienced	manufacturer	is	able	
  to	produce	colors,	without	risk	to	the	painter,	with	much	higher	pigment	load	and	more	
  uniformly	balanced	working	properties	than	is	possible	for	the	individual 	
  do I need to varnish acrylic paintings? 
  Yes 	Acrylics	dry	with	a	slightly	tacky	and	porous	surface,	exactly	the	kind	of	surface	to	which	
  dirt,	dust	and,	atmospheric	grime	are	prone	to	sticking 	A	final	varnish	will	bring	a	much	
  needed	layer	of	protection	to	the	painting 	And	a	conservation	quality	varnish,	like	Liquitex®	
  Soluvar®	Gloss	or	Matte	Varnish	will	remain	flexible,	and	can	be	removed	for	purposes	of	
  cleaning	the	painting	at	a	later	date 	
  Can I use acrylic mediums to varnish my acrylic paintings?
  Mediums	are	designed	to	be	mixed	with	acrylic	color	unless	otherwise	labeled	that	they	serve	
  both	functions 	For	example,	Liquitex®	Gloss	Medium	&	Varnish	can	be	used	as	both	a	gloss	
  medium	as	well	as	a	final	varnish 	Varnishes	are	meant	to	be	applied	over	acrylic	color	as	
  they	are	specifically	formulated	to	be	thinner,	flow	on	smooth,	and	self-level 	In	the	case	of	
  matte	or	satin	sheen	products,	varnishes	have	less	or	different	kinds	of	matting	agents	to	
  allow	true	colors	to	show	through 
  Can I paint in oils over my acrylic paint layer?
  It	is	generally	not	a	good	idea	to	apply	oil	paints	over	solid	layers	of	acrylic	paint 	Oil	films	dry	
  to	a	less	flexible	film	than	acrylics,	and	their	application	over	the	more	flexible	acrylic	paint	
  layer	can	be	problematic 	Oil	applications	over	acrylics	can	be	compared	to	applying	Plaster	
  of	Paris	on	a	rubber	band	–	if	you	stretch	the	rubber	band	after	the	Plaster	of	Paris	has	
  dried,	the	plaster	will	crack	and	flake	off 	Over	time,	an	oil	layer	that	has	been	painted	on	top	
  of	an	acrylic	layer	may	experience	the	same	results,	as	the	under	layer	of	acrylic	paint	shifts	
  and	moves	due	to	atmospheric	changes 			
  	
  10
  
  c h A p t e r  5 :  f r e q u e n t ly  A s k e d  q u e s t i o n s
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  I’m interested in creating multi-media work using acrylics  Is there anything I should not 
  combine or layer with my acrylic paint?
  Acrylics	are	restricted	primarily	by	compatibility	with	other	types	of	paints 	Acrylics	should	
  not	for	instance	be	combined	with	paints	that	are	made	with	different	resins	and	binders 	
  For	example,	acrylics	should	only	be	combined	with	acrylic	polymer	based	paints	and	not	be	
  mixed	for	example	with	oil,	latex	or	gum	based	watercolor	paints…or	layered	with	wax 	
  	
  The	flexibility	of	dry	acrylic	films	along	with	the	paints	ability	to	adjust	its	working	properties	
  when	wet,	make	it	a	totally	unique	and	powerful	artist	material 	In	some	ways,	it	can	be	
  thought	of	as	the	“go	anywhere,	do	anything”	paint 	It	is	hard	to	cover	all	the	bases	when	
  it	comes	to	combining	acrylics	with	the	amazing	variety	of	substances	that	can	be	used	to	
  create	a	work	of	art 	The	best	advice	that	can	be	given	in	relation	to	multi-media	work	is	that	
  you	should	always	conduct	testing	with	the	materials	you	plan	to	use,	prior	to	beginning	your	
  piece,	and	you	should	be	aware	that	guarantees	concerning	permanency	or	longevity	of	the	
  art	work	may	not	exist 		A	good	place	to	start	would	be	to	make	sure	you	have	a	working	
  understanding	of	the	acrylic	paint	film	and	how	it	dries 
  10
  
  heAlTh & sAfeTy
  06
  c h A p t e r
  c h A p t e r  6 :  h e A lt h  &  s A f e t y
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  health laBelInG
  The	use	of	art	materials	is	safer	than	ever	before 	In	both	Europe	and	North	America,	art	
  products	are	labeled	with	instructions	for	safe	use,	and	the	vast	majority	requires	no	warning	
  or	caution 	Those	products	that	do,	include	detailed	information	about	how	they	can	be	used	
  without	risk 	
  alWays read the produCt laBels
  The	labeling	standard	for	Chronic	Health	Hazards	in	Art	materials	(ASTM	D-4236)	has	been	
  codified	into	US	law	as	part	of	the	Federal	Hazardous	Substances	Act	15	USC	S	1277 	In	
  cooperation	with	the	Art	&	Creative	Materials	Institute	(ACMI),	all	art	and	creative	products	
  marketed	in	the	USA	include	labeling	that	details	any	currently	identified	precautions	that	
  should	be	taken 	So,	if	there’s	a	concern,	you	will	see	it	on	the	label 
  In	addition,	the	American	Society	for	Testing	and	Materials	(ASTM)	has	prepared	standards	
  for	the	safe	use	of	artist’s	materials 	These	have	been	published	as	a	booklet	entitled,	“ASTM	
  Standards	for	the	Performance,	Quality,	and	Health	Labeling	of	Artists’	Paints	and	Related	
  Materials”	ISBN	0-8031-1838-4 
  The	address	for	ASTM	is:
  ASTM
  100	Barr	Harbor	Drive
  West	Conshohocken,	PA	19428-2959 
  Liquitex®	Artist	Materials	labels	all	products	for	safe	use 	Liquitex®	was	one	of	the	first	
  companies	to	list	health	and	safety	information	on	paint	labels	and	to	identify	colors	by	
  chemical	name	as	well	as	by	international	color	standards 
  	
  United	States	Federal	law	requires	that	all	Liquitex®	products	meet	American	Society	for	
  Testing	and	Materials	(ASTM)	D4236,	the	standard	for	health	and	safety 	All	products	are	
  evaluated	by	an	independent	toxicologist	in	the	certification	program	of	ACMI	(The	Art	and	
  Creative	Materials	Institute) 	All	Liquitex®	products	are	labeled	in	compliance	with	applicable	
  Federal	law	and	carry	ACMI	certification	seals 
  Products	bearing	the	AP	Approved	Product	Seal	of	the	Art	and	Creative	Materials	Institute,	
  Inc 	are	certified	in	a	program	of	toxicological	evaluation	by	a	medical	expert	to	contain	
  no	materials	in	sufficient	quantities	to	pose	a	health	risk	or	to	be	deemed	injurious	in	
  accordance	with	current	medical	knowledge	and	as	long	as	the	materials	are	used	in	the	
  10
  
  c h A p t e r  6 :  h e A lt h  &  s A f e t y
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  manner	intended 	This	program	is	reviewed	by	the	Institute’s	Toxicological	Advisory	Board 	
  These	products	are	certified	by	the	Institute	to	be	labeled	in	accordance	with	the	chronic	
  hazard	labeling	standard	ASTM	D4236,	and	the	U S 	Labeling	of	Hazardous	Art	Materials	
  Act	(LHAMA) 
  	
  The	CL	Seal	identifies	products	that	are	certified	to	be	properly	labeled	in	a	program	of	
  toxicological	evaluation	by	a	medical	expert	for	any	known	health	risks	and	with	information	
  on	the	safe	and	proper	use	of	these	materials 	This	seal	is	currently	replacing	the	HL	Health	
  Label	(Cautions	Required)	Seal 	These	products	are	also	certified	by	ACMI	to	be	labeled	in	
  accordance	with	the	chronic	hazard	labeling	standard,	ASTM	D4236,	and	the	U S 	Labeling	
  of	Hazardous	Art	Materials	Act	(LHAMA) 
  Safety	Data	Sheets	are	available	on	request	or	on	the	Liquitex®	website	at	www liquitex com 	
  For	further	health	information	contact	a	local	poison	control	center	or	call	800-445-7067
  eu leGIslatIon 
  These	regulations,	introduced	in	the	1960’s,	cover	all	products	available	to	industry	or	
  the	general	public	within	the	EU 	This	system	classifies	dangerous	substances	into	one	
  of	the	following	classifications:	TOXIC,	HARMFUL,	CORROSIVE,	IRRITANT,	OXIDISING,	
  EXPLOSIVE,	FLAMMABLE	or	DANGEROUS	FOR	THE	ENVIRONMENT 
  There	can	be	various	levels	within	a	classification,	for	example,	Very	Toxic	or	Extremely	
  Flammable 	Most	levels	of	classification	have	accompanying	symbols	and	“Risk	Phrases”	
  and/or	“Safety	Phrases” 
  Any	artists’	material,	which	falls	into	one	of	the	above	classifications,	must	be	labeled	
  accordingly 	The	two	most	common	classifications	in	artists’	materials	are	Harmful	and	
  Flammable 	The	risk	and/or	safety	phrases	will	vary	according	to	each	product 
  Note:	There	is	no	direct	relationship	between	the	EU	and	USA	systems	of	health	labeling	
  as	the	categories	used	have	different	levels	and	limits,	eg ,	Flammable	in	the	USA	is	not	
  automatically	considered	as	Flammable	in	the	EU 	
  USA ONLY labels may appear on products in the EU as Liquitex® products are sold 
  internationally. However, artists in the EU are advised to follow EU labeling.
  laBelInG for CalIfornIa: proposItIon 65
  Beginning	in	2000,	a	wide	range	of	Liquitex®	products	began	shipping	in	North	America	
  with	new	health	and	safety	labels	as	a	result	of	action	surrounding	California’s	Safe	Drinking	
  Water	and	Toxic	Enforcement	Act	of	1986	(commonly	known	as	Proposition	65) 	The	act	
  was	intended	to	prevent	anyone	from	discharging	materials	that	are	known	to	cause	cancer	
  or	reproductive	toxicity,	and	that	could	contaminate	drinking	water 	Enforcement	is	achieved	
  through	litigation,	with	a	provision	that	allows	for	anyone	to	sue	a	company	that	might	in	
  some	way	violate	the	act 
  10
  
  c h A p t e r  6 :  h e A lt h  &  s A f e t y
  10
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  10
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  In	1998,	a	number	of	art	material	manufacturers	received	a	“Sixty-Day	Notice	of	Intent	
  to	Sue”	for	violations	of	Proposition	65 	The	products	cited	were	materials	that	have	been	
  evaluated	and	deemed	safe	by	a	board	certified	toxicologist,	and	that	are	subject	to	review	
  under	the	Federal	Labeling	of	Hazardous	Art	Materials	Act	(LHAMA),	an	act	that	is,	in	fact,	
  more	thorough	than	Proposition	65 	After	consulting	with	the	Art	and	Creative	Materials	
  Institute	(ACMI),	all	parties	were	assured	that	any	exposure	levels	in	these	products	were	
  below	the	levels	of	risk	as	defined	by	Proposition	65 	However,	it	was	determined	that	it	
  would	be	far	less	costly	and	less	damaging	to	enter	into	a	settlement	of	the	suit	rather	than	to	
  engage	in	protracted	litigation 
  A	provision	of	the	settlement	states	that	any	products	that	include	elements	considered	
  hazardous	under	Proposition	65	must	be	labeled	accordingly 	As	a	result,	artists’	colors	
  containing	cadmium	and	lead	are	required	to	have	special	labeling 	For	example,	the	labels	
  for	cadmium-containing	products	read:
  DO	NOT	SPRAY	APPLY 	This	product	contains	cadmium,	a	chemical	know	to	the	State	of	
  California	to	cause	cancer	by	means	of	inhalation 
  ZInC oxIde
  Zinc	Oxide	(ZnO)	is	the	pigment	used	in	the	production	of	Zinc	White 	This	pigment	contains	
  as	a	trace	element,	a	tiny	amount	of	lead	consisting	of	1	part	lead	per	million	other	parts	
  (1	ppm) 
  In	1978,	the	US	Consumer	Product	Safety	Commission	(CPSC)	banned	paint	(as	well	as	toys	
  painted	with	paint)	that	contain	lead	in	excess	0 06%	by	weight 	By	comparison,	a	1ppm	
  trace	amount	of	lead	in	the	Zinc	Oxide	used	in	Liquitex®	pigments	translates	to	0 0001% 	
  The	CPSC	recognizes	that	lead	shows	up	in	tiny	amounts	in	many	compounds,	and	that	
  under	a	very	small	threshold,	its	presence	is	considered	inconsequential 	For	the	pigments	
  used	by	Liquitex®	to	approach	the	level	deemed	hazardous	by	the	CPSC,	they	would	require	
  at	least	500	times	more	lead	than	they	do 	In	fact,	Liquitex®	uses	Zinc	Oxide	with	lower	lead	
  content	than	the	pharmaceutical	Zinc	approved	by	the	FDA	for	everyday	use	in	makeup 	The	
  final	product,	at	well	under	1ppm	lead,	falls	below	what	is	considered	to	be	the	detectable	
  threshold	(5ppm)	by	a	major	health	center	(Kirby) 	
  hoW safe are the produCts?
  Using	art	and	craft	products	is	safer	than	ever	before 	Over	the	last	decades,	new	
  generations	of	pigments,	vehicles,	adhesives,	and	other	raw	materials	have	been	selected,	
  not	only	for	their	potential	to	improve	the	performance	of	finished	product,	but	also	for	their	
  non-toxicity 	And,	in	the	interest	of	consumer	safety,	we	have	always	been	fully	committed	
  to	open	disclosure	regarding	the	safe	use	of	our	products 	Our	priority	is	safety 	You	can	
  use	and	enjoy	Liquitex®	products	with	full	confidence	that	we	select	our	raw	materials,	and	
  formulate	our	products	to	represent	as	little	hazard	as	possible 	And	for	the	products	that	
  contain	a	potential	hazard,	our	literature	and	labels	offer	the	most	up-to-date	health	and	
  safety	information	possible 
  
  c h A p t e r  6 :  h e A lt h  &  s A f e t y
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  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  10
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  dIsposal InformatIon: us enVIronmental proteCtIon aGenCy (epa) 
  soluBIlIty testInG data
  While	the	vast	majority	of	products	used	in	your	studio	are	inert	and	innocuous—there		
  are	some	that	require	special	attention 	And	all	materials	should	be	used	with	respect 
  Beginning	in	1999,	the	United	States	Environmental	Protection	Agency	(EPA)	began	
  reviewing	the	disposal	procedures	used	by	universities	and	colleges 	Because	of	the	
  pigments	and	solvents	commonly	used,	art	departments	were	included	in	the	review 
  Here	are	some	issues,	brought	to	light	by	the	EPA’s	interest	in	school	environs,	that		
  are	worth	reporting:
  •		The	Environmental	Protection	Agency	(EPA)	has	identified	eight	metals,	or	elements,	
  that	have	the	potential	to	be	a	health	concern 	Those	are:	arsenic,	barium,	cadmium,	
  chromium,	lead,	mercury,	selenium,	and	silver 	These	elements,	the	“RCRA	8,”	are	
  closely	monitored	by	the	agency 	And	some	of	them	are	found	in	pigments	used	in	
  the	manufacture	of	art	materials 
  •		Once	products	containing	those	metals	have	been	identified,	the	solubility	of	the	metals	
  within	these	products	has	to	be	measured 	These	elements	pose	a	greater	risk	if	it	can	
  be	absorbed	into	the	human	system,	or	the	environment 	If	it’s	largely	insoluble,	then	it	
  poses	far	less	concern 	As	a	result,	the	EPA	has	identified	certain	solubility	levels,	below	
  which	the	pigment	or	product	is	not	considered	to	be	hazardous	waste 	However,	above	
  this	level,	the	product	requires	special	disposal	provisions 
  •		Solubility	is	tested	through	the	“Toxicity	Characteristic	Leaching	Procedure”	
  (TCLP) 	TCLP	testing	determines	how	much	of	a	given	metal	goes	into	solution	
  within	a	carefully	monitored	acidic	environment 	The	limits	for	lead	and	chromium	
  are	5	mg/l 	If	the	solubility	of	the	element	is	less	than	the	EPA	limit,	the	product	is	
  not	considered	to	require	special	treatment 	
  •		In	response	to	the	request	from	a	major	university,	solubility	testing	was	performed	
  on	all	Liquitex®	products	that	contain	any	of	the	RCRA	8	metals 	As	a	result,	colleges	
  and	universities	can	be	better	prepared	to	select	and	manage	the	materials	being	
  used	in	studios 	
  •		The	vast	majority	of	Liquitex®	products	have	been	shown	to	include	none	of	the	
  RCRA	8	metals 	Of	the	few	that	did,	the	solubility	levels	of	almost	all	of	those	were	
  well	below	the	EPA	limits 	A	statement	of	TCLP	product	analysis	follows 
  If	specific	solubility	findings	and	numeric	results	are	required,	please	contact:
  Director	of	Communications
  Liquitex®,	PO	Box	246,	Piscataway,	NJ	08855
  
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  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
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  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  tClp produCt analysIs fIndInGs summary 
  Samples	of	all	Liquitex®	colors	containing	“RCRA	8”	metals	were	submitted	to	QC
  Laboratories	(Southhampton,	PA)	for	extraction	analysis 	The	results	are	as	follows:
  All	colors	containing	“RCRA	8”	metals	in	the	Liquitex®	Heavy	Body	and	Sofy	Body	
  Professional	Artist	Colors	were	tested 	With	the	exception	of	the	two	colors	listed	below,
  all	colors	were	proven	to	show	TCLP	solubility	within	the	limits	required	by	the	EPA
  for	classification	as	a	non-hazardous	waste 
  The	colors	that	exceeded	the	EPA	solubility	limits	for	Chromium	(5 0	mg/l)	are	as	follows:
  •		Liquitex®	Cobalt	Green	(Heavy	Body	and	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Colors)	
  Contains	chromium
  •		Liquitex®	Cobalt	Turquoise	(Heavy	Body	and	Soft	Body	Professional	Artist	Colors)	
  Contains	chromium
  Certification	statements	are	available	regarding	the	test	results	for	cadmium	pigments	used	
  in	the	manufacture	of	Soft	Body	and	Heavy	Body	Artist	Color	ranges 	The	statements	confirm	
  that	all	cadmiums	used	in	Liquitex®	Professional	Artist	color	ranges	exhibit	solubility	well	
  below	the	EPA	limits 
  safe studIo tIps
  (adapted	from	“What	Every	Artist	Needs	to	Know	About	Paints	and	Colors,”	by	David	Pyle,		
  Krause	Publications,	©	2000,	with	permission	from	the	author)
  When	working:
  •		Always	make	sure	that	there's	plenty	of	fresh	air	and	ventilation,	particularly	when	
  working	with	solvents 	
  •		If	spray	applying	any	products,	wear	an	approved	mask 	A	spray	booth,	or,	even	
  better,	an	extraction	system,	vented	to	the	outside	is	recommended 	
  •		If	working	with	powdered	pigment,	the	above	provisions	for	ventilation	are		
  equally	important 	
  •		Always	keep	all	materials,	especially	solvents,	tightly	sealed 	This	means	keeping	
  the	threads	on	lids	and	jars	wiped	clean,	to	ensure	a	better	seal	when	closed 	
  •	Art	materials	should	never	be	exposed	to	heat	sources	or	to	naked	flame 	
  •		Do	not	eat,	drink	or	smoke	when	working 	You	never	know	what	may	end	up	on	
  your	fingers,	your	food,	or	your	cigarette,	and	then	get	swallowed	inadvertently 	
  •	Avoid	skin	contact,	particularly	with	solvents 	Don't	paint	directly	with	your	fingers 
  •		Don't	wash	or	rinse	brushes	in	the	palm	of	your	hand 	Doing	so,	particularly	if	
  laden	with	solvent,	is	a	particularly	efficient	method	for	driving	pigment	into	and	
  through	your	skin 
  
  c h A p t e r  6 :  h e A lt h  &  s A f e t y
  111
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  111
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  safe studIo tIps (cont )
  •		When	washing	brushes	or	palettes	or	other	tools	 	 	 	First,	wipe	them	free	of	color	
  with	a	paper	towel 	If	using	stiff	brushes	with	thick	color,	like	oils	or	acrylics,	an	old	
  toothbrush	works	well	for	scraping	free	excess	color 	Allow	the	product	on	the	towel	
  to	dry	completely	before	disposal 
  •		If	working	in	watercolor	or	acrylic,	rinse	with	water 
  •	Wash	the	brush	with	a	conditioning	soap 
  •	Never	store	brushes	resting	in	a	container,	head,	or	tuft,	down 
  •		Do	not	point	your	brushes	in	your	mouth 	Swirl	the	brush	in	a	cup	of	water,	or	
  solvent,	to	check	the	point 
  •	Excess	solvents	can	be	disposed	of	at	your	local	recycling	center 	
  •		As	a	safeguard	for	groundwater,	do	not	dispose	of	excess	oil	or	acrylic	color	or	
  solvent	down	the	sink 	Instead,	use	the	following	guidelines:
  ›	 	When	finished	painting	with	acrylic	colors,	allow	waste	paint	and	paper	towels	
  to	fully	dry	before	disposal 	Why?	Because	the	dried	polymer	vehicle	will	
  provide	some	containment	for	the	included	pigment,	minimizing	the	risk	of	
  solubility	in	landfills	and	wastewater 	
  ›	 	Lead-based	colors,	or	any	solvents	used	with	lead-based	colors,	should	never	
  be	disposed	of	in	household	trash	or	down	the	drain 	
  ›	 	For	disposal	recommendations	and	regulations	pertaining	to	all	art	materials,	
  as	well	as	more	toxic	solvents,	aerosol	cans,	and	highly	toxic	pigments	(like	
  lead-based	colors),	visit	the	website	for	the	Center	for	Safety	in	the	Arts	at	
  NYFA,	at:	www artswire org:70/1/csa/	
  Street	Address:	
  155	Avenue	of	the	Americas,	14th	Floor,
  New	York,	NY,	10013 	
  •		If	paint	or	solvent	is	somehow	splashed	in	your	eyes,	flush	immediately	and	
  thoroughly	with	cold	water 	
  •	Clean	up	all	spills	immediately 	
  •		Unless	specifically	labeled	as	safe	for	children's	use,	keep	artists'	materials	away	
  from	children 	Because	of	lesser	size	and	body	weight,	youngsters	are	subject	to	
  greater	risk	with	these	products	than	adults 	
  Wash	your	hands	when	you're	done 	Wipe	any	color	or	excess	materials	from	your	
  hands	with	a	paper	towel 	A	good	soap	or	hand	cleaner	should	be	perfectly	adequate	
  for	a	thorough	cleansing 
  
  reference
  07
  c h A p t e r
  c h A p t e r  7 :  r e f e r e n c e
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  # 
  Color name 
  series # 
  hue  
  Value 
  Chroma 
  lightfastness “I” opacity pigment* pigment name 
  116 
  Alizarin crimson hue permanent  
  2 
  3.30r 
  2.86 
  3.94 
  i 
  tp 
  m 
   quinacridone (pr 206), 
  quinacridone (pr 202)
  660 
  bright Aqua green  
  1 
  4.88bg 6.03 
  9.04 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   chlorinated copper 
  phthalocyanine (pg 7), copper 
  phthalocyanine (pb 15), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  570 
  brilliant blue 
  1A 
  7.91b 
  5.08 
  9.61 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   copper phthalocyanine (pb 
  15:3), chlorinated copper 
  phthalocyanine (pg 7), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  590 
  brilliant purple 
  1 
  1.73p 
  5.01 
  11.15 
  ii 
  o 
  m 
   carbazole dioxozine (pv 23 rs), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  840 
  brilliant yellow green  
  1 
  6.22gy 8.07 
  10.07 
  ii 
  tl 
  m 
   phthalocyanine green (pg 7), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6), Arylide 
  yellow 10g (py 3), Arylide 
  yellow fgl (py 97)
  530 
  bronze yellow 
  1 
  1.77 y 
  5.26 
  4.9 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   synthetic iron oxide yellow (py 
  42), synthetic iron oxide red 
  (pr 101), synthetic iron oxide 
  black (pblk11)
  127 
  burnt sienna 
  1 
  0.2yr 
  3.43 
  4.16 
  i 
  o 
  s 
   calcined natural iron oxide 
  (pbr 7)
  128 
  burnt umber 
  1 
  4.22yr 2.63 
  0.92 
  i 
  o 
  s 
   calcined natural iron oxide 
  containing manganese (pbr 7)
  150 
  cadmium orange 
  4 
  3.06yr 6.86 
  14.99 
  i 
  o 
  s 
   cadmium orange (po 20)
  720 
  cadmium orange hue 
  2 
  3.98yr 6.98 
  13.01 
  i 
  tl 
  m 
   perninone orange (po 43 
  dl), titanium white (pw 6), 
  diarylide yellow hr70 (py 83)
  311 
  cadmium red deep hue  
  2 
  5.00r 
  3.29 
  8.25 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   naphthol carbamide (pr 170 
  f3rk), quinacridone violet b 
  (pv 19)
  152 
  cadmium red light 
  5 
  7.67r 
  4.96 
  14.11 
  i 
  o 
  s 
  cadmium red (pr 108)
  510 
  cadmium red light hue 
  2 
  7.50r 
  5.01 
  13.4 
  i 
  tl 
  m 
   naphthol As-ol (pr 9), Arylide 
  yellow 5gx (py 74 lf), titanium 
  dioxide (pw 6)
  154 
  cadmium red medium  
  5 
  6.28r 
  4.48 
  13.82 
  i 
  o 
  s 
  cadmium red (pr 108)
  151 
  cadmium red medium hue 
  2 
  6.25r 
  4.3 
  13.59 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   naphthol crimson (pr 170 
  f3rk), Arylide yellow fgl 
  (py 97)
  163 
  cadmium yellow deep hue 
  2 
  8.98yr 7.43 
  12.46 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   diarylide yellow (py 83 hr 70), 
  Arylide yellow 5gx (py 74 lf), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  *s= single pigment m=mixed pigment
  ComposItIon and permanenCe Chart
  11
  11
  
  c h A p t e r  7 :  r e f e r e n c e
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  *s= single pigment m=mixed pigment
  # 
  Color name 
  series # 
  hue  
  Value 
  Chroma 
  lightfastness “I” opacity pigment* pigment name 
   160 
  cadmium yellow light 
  3 
  7.63y 
  8.81 
  12.94 
  i 
  o 
  s 
  cadmium yellow (py 35)
  159 
  cadmium yellow light hue 
  3 
  6.85y 
  8.73 
  11.9 
  i 
  o 
  s 
  bismuth vanadate (py 184)
  161 
  cadmium yellow medium 
  3 
  2.39y 
  8.27 
  14.21 
  i 
  o 
  s 
  cadmium yellow (py 35)
  830 
  cadmium yellow medium hue 
  1A 
  2.11y 
  8.01 
  12.78 
  i 
  tl 
  m 
   Arylide yellow fgl (py 97), 
  diarylide yellow (py 83 hr 70), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  164 
  cerulean blue 
  3 
  3.29pb 3.96 
  9.25 
  i 
  o 
  s 
  cobalt chromite (pb 36)
  470 
  cerulean blue hue 
  2 
  3.01pb 4.05 
  9.52 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   complex silicate of sodium 
  and Aluminum with sulfur 
  (pb 29), chlorinated copper 
  phthalocyanine (pg 7), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6), copper 
  phthalocyanine (pb 15:3)
  166 
  chromium oxide green  
  2 
  9.49gy 4.19 
  4.25 
  i 
  o 
  s 
   Anhydrous chromium 
  sesquioxide (pg 17)
  170 
  cobalt blue 
  4 
  6.94pb 3.33 
  11.43 
  i 
  o 
  s 
   oxides of cobalt and Aluminum 
  (pb 28)
  381 
  cobalt blue hue 
  1A 
  7.48pb 3.09 
  12.9 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   complex silicate of sodium and 
  Aluminum with sulfur (pb 29), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  171 
  cobalt green  
  4 
  4.93bg 3.72 
  4.56 
  i 
  o 
  s 
  light green oxide (pg 50)
  172 
  cobalt teal 
  4 
  8.31bg 5.89 
  9.16 
  i 
  o 
  s 
  light green oxide (pg 50)
  169 
  cobalt turquoise 
  4 
  8.26bg 4.16 
  5.79 
  i 
  o 
  s 
  cobalt chromite (pb 36)
  300 
  deep magenta 
  3 
  6.54rp 3.02 
  5.59 
  i 
  tl 
  m 
   quinacridone magenta (pr 
  122), quinacridone violet (pv 
  19 dl), titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  115 
  deep violet  
  3 
  1.33r 
  2.56 
  2.76 
  i 
  tl 
  m 
   quinacridone magenta (pr 
  122), quinacridone violet (pv 
  19 dl)
  186 
  dioxazine purple 
  2 
  9.44r 
  2.42 
  0.49 
  ii 
  tp 
  s 
   carbazole dioxozine (pv 23 rs)
  450 
  emerald green  
  2 
  3.79g 
  4.24 
  7.98 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   chlorinated copper 
  phthalocyanine (pg 7), Arylide 
  yellow fgl (py 97), titanium 
  dioxide (pw 6)
  350 
  green deep permanent  
  2 
  6.81g 
  3.07 
  3.4 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   phthalocyanine green (pg 7), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6), Arylide 
  yellow fgl (py 97)
  325 
  green gold 
  4 
  7.93 y 
  3.87 
  3.26 
  nr 
  tl 
  s 
   Azo methine copper complex 
  (py 129) 
  225 
  hooker’s green 
  1A 
  7.73bg 2.47 
  0.38 
  i 
  tl 
  m 
   carbon black (pbk 7), 
  phthalocyanine green (pg 7), 
  deep hue permanent Arylide 
  yellow 5gx (py 74)
  224 
  hooker’s green hue permanent 
  1A 
  7.40 gy 2.95 
  2.27 
  i 
  tl 
  m 
   chlorinated copper 
  phthalocyanine (pg 7), 
  tetrachloroisoindolanone (py 
  110)
  322 
  indanthrene blue 
  3 
  6.44 p 
  2.37 
  1.55 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
  Anthraquinone blue (pb 60)
  324 
  indian yellow 
  2 
  8.24 yr 6.34 
  11.21 
  i 
  tl 
  s 
  isoindolanone (py 139)
  237 
  iridescent Antique gold 
  2A 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  nr 
  o 
  m 
   mica coated with titanium 
  dioxide and iron oxide
  234 
  iridescent bright gold 
  2A 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  nr 
  tl 
  m 
   mica coated with titanium 
  dioxide and iron oxide
  11
  11
  
  c h A p t e r  7 :  r e f e r e n c e
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  *s= single pigment m=mixed pigment
  # 
  Color name 
  series # 
  hue  
  Value 
  Chroma 
  lightfastness “I” opacity pigment* pigment name 
   236 
  iridescent bright silver 
  2A 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  nr 
  tl 
  m 
   mica coated with titanium 
  dioxide and iron oxide, 
  stainless steel
  229 
  iridescent rich bronze 
  2A 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  nr 
  o 
  m 
   mica coated with titanium 
  dioxide and iron oxide
  230 
  iridescent rich copper 
  2A 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  nr 
  o 
  m  
   mica coated with titanium 
  dioxide and iron oxide
   235 
  iridescent rich gold 
  2A 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  nr 
  o 
  m 
   mica coated with titanium 
  dioxide and iron oxide
  239 
  iridescent rich silver 
  2A 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  nr 
  o 
  m 
   bismuth oxychloride (pw 14), 
  synthetic iron oxide black (pbk 
  11)
  238 
  iridescent white 
  2A 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  nr 
  tp 
  s 
   mica coated with titanium 
  dioxide
  244 
  ivory black 
  1 
  1.58pb 2.28 
  0.09 
  i 
  o 
  s 
  bone black (pbk 9)
  770 
  light blue permanent 
  1 
  4.84b 
  6.99 
  7.78 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   copper phthalocyanine (pb 
  15), chlorinated copper 
  phthalocyanine (pg 7), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  680 
  light blue violet  
  1A 
  6.54pb 6.03 
  10.68 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   complex silicate of sodium and 
  Aluminum with sulfur (pb 29), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  650 
  light emerald green  
  3 
  0.90g 
  6.25 
  10.07 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   chlorinated phthalocyanine 
  (pg 7), Arylide yellow fgl (py 
  97), titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  312 
  light green permanent 
  2 
  1.42g 
  5.09 
  10.24 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   chlorinated copper 
  phthalocyanine (pg 7), Arylide 
  yellow fgl (py 97), titanium 
  dioxide (pw 6)
  810 
  light portrait pink 
  1A 
  6.42r 
  8.04 
  5.67 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   naphthol As (pr 188), 
  benzimidazolone (po 36), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  275 
  manganese blue hue 
  3 
  3.86 pb 3.88 
  9.46 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   copper phthalocyanine (pb 
  15), chlorinated copper 
  phthalocyanine (pg 7), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  276 
  mars black 
  1 
  4.79rp 2.44 
  0.04 
  i 
  o 
  s 
   synthetic black iron oxide 
  (pbk 11)
  500 
  medium magenta 
  1A 
  2.84rp 4.95 
  12.59 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   quinacridone magenta (pr 
  122), titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  292 
  naphthol crimson  
  2 
  5.64r 
  3.85 
  11.72 
  ii 
  tp 
  s 
   naphthol carbamide (pr 170 
  f5rk)
  294 
  naphthol red light 
  2 
  7.36r 
  4.56 
  13.56 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
   naphthol As-ol (pr 9)
  601 
  naples yellow hue 
  2 
  9.90 yr 7.58 
  8.16 
  nr 
  o 
  m 
   chrome titanium yellow (pbr 
  24), titanium white (pw 6)
  599 
  neutral gray value 5 
  1 
  9.97bg 5.03 
  0.15 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   bone black (pbk 9), raw umber 
  (pbr 7), titanium/mixing gray 
  dioxide (pw 6)
  436 
  parchment 
  1 
  7.22y 
  8.32 
  1.68 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   carbon black (pbk 7), 
  phthalocyanine green (pg 7), 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6), iron 
  oxide yellow (py 42)
  11
  
  c h A p t e r  7 :  r e f e r e n c e
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  l i q u i t e x ®   /  t h e  A c r y l i c  b o o k
  *s= single pigment m=mixed pigment
  # 
  Color name 
  series # 
  hue  
  Value 
  Chroma 
  lightfastness “I” opacity pigment* pigment name 
   310 
  payne’s gray  
  1 
  3.62pb 2.36 
  0.31 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   ultramarine blue (pb 29), bone 
  black (pbk 9), ultramarine 
  violet (pv 15)
  316 
  phthalocyanine blue 
  1A 
  0.14p 
  2.37 
  4.6 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
   copper phthalocyanine (pb 15) 
  (green shade)
  314 
  phthalocyanine blue 
  2 
  9.03 bp 2.27 
  4.09 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
   phthalocyanine blue epsilon 
  (pb15:6) (red shade)
  317 
  phthalocyanine green 
  1A 
  9.88bg 2.57 
  2.23 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
   chlorinated copper 
  phthalocyanine (pg 7) (blue 
  shade)
  319 
  phthalocyanine green 
  1A 
  0.43bg 2.74 
  3.36 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
   chlorinated and brominated 
  copper phthalocyanine (pg 36) 
  (yellow shade)
  391 
  prism violet 
  2 
  9.77 p 
  2.5 
  1.35 
  ii 
  tp 
  m 
   dioxazine carbazol (pv 23), 
  quinacridone magenta (pr 122)
  320 
  prussian blue hue 
  2 
  9.10bp 2.29 
  1.05 
  ii 
  tl 
  m 
   copper phthalocyanine (pb 
  15:3), carbazole dioxozine (pv 
  23), synthetic black iron oxide 
  (pbk 11)
  326 
  pyrrole crimson 
  4 
  3.53 r 3.04 
  7.36 
  nr 
  o 
  s 
  pyrrol crimson (pr 264) 
  323 
  pyrrole orange 
  4 
  9.06r 
  5.41 
  14.62 
  nr 
  tl 
  s 
  pyrrol orange (po 73)
  321 
  pyrrole red 
  4 
  6.16r 
  4.23 
  13.86 
  i 
  o 
  s 
  pyrrol red (pr 254)
  118 
  quinacridone blue violet 
  3 
  8.66rp 2.47 
  1.71 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
  quinacridone violet b (pv 19)
  108 
  quinacridone burnt orange 
  3 
  5.93r 
  2.91 
  2.48 
  i 
  tl 
  s 
  quinacridone (pr 206)
  110 
  quinacridone crimson 
  3 
  3.98r 
  3.58 
  9.28 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
   gamma quinacridone red 
  (pv 19)
  114 
  quinacridone magenta 
  3 
  9.25rp 3.02 
  5.82 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
  quinacridone magenta (pr 122)
  112 
  quinacridone red  
  3 
  5.43r 
  4.11 
  10.77 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
   quinacridone red gamma 
  (pr 209)
  109 
  quinacridone red-orange 
  3 
  5.48r 
  3.18 
  6.88 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
  quinacridone/pyrrolopyrrol
  330 
  raw sienna 
  1 
  4.98yr 4.48 
  5.44 
  i 
  o 
  s 
  natural iron oxide (pbr 7)
  331 
  raw umber 
  1 
  9.38yr 2.91 
  1.11 
  i 
  o 
  s 
   natural iron oxide containing 
  manganese (pbr 7)
  335 
  red oxide 
  1A 
  9.01r 
  4 
  7.47 
  i 
  o 
  s 
   synthetic red iron oxide 
  (pr 101)
  315 
  sap green permanent 
  2 
  8.48 gy 2.9 
  2.06 
  i 
  tl 
  m 
   isoindolinone (py 139), 
  phthalocyanine blue (pb 15:3), 
  synthetic iron oxide black 
  (pbk 11)
  432 
  titanium white 
  1 
  — 
  — 
  — 
  i 
  o 
  s 
   titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  129 
  transparent burnt sienna  
  3 
  7.33 r 3.12 
  2.75 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
   synthetic iron oxide red 
  (pr 101)
  130 
  transparent burnt umber 
  2 
  6.35 yr 2.72 
  0.19 
  i 
  tp 
  m 
   synthetic iron oxide yellow 
  (py 42), synthetic iron oxide 
  red (pr 101), synthetic iron 
  oxide black (pbk 11)
  430 
  transparent mixing white 
  1 
  2.52pb 9 
  0.71 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
  zinc white (pw 4)
  332 
  transparent raw sienna  
  3 
  6.70 yr 4.68 
  5.49 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
   synthetic iron oxide yellow 
  (py 42) 
  11
  
  c h A p t e r  7 :  r e f e r e n c e
  *s= single pigment m=mixed pigment
  # 
  Color name 
  series # 
  hue  
  Value 
  Chroma 
  lightfastness “I” opacity pigment* pigment name 
   333 
  transparent raw umber  
  2 
  4.28 yr 2.81 
  0.17 
  i 
  tp 
  m 
   synthetic iron oxide yellow (py 
  42), synthetic iron oxide red 
  (pr 101), synthetic iron oxide 
  black (pbk 11)
  327 
  transparent viridian hue 
  2 
  6.78 bg 2.72 
  2.72 
  i 
  tl 
  s 
   chlorinated copper 
  phthalocyanine (pg 7)
  730 
  turner’s yellow 
  2 
  2.08y 
  7.04 
  9.89 
  ii 
  tl 
  m 
   Arylide yellow 10g (py 3), iron 
  oxide yellow (py 42)
  561 
  turquoise deep 
  2 
  6.66pb 2.38 
  2.2 
  i 
  tl 
  m 
   copper phthalocyanine (pb 
  15:3), chlorinated copper 
  phthalocyanine (pg 7)
  380 
  ultramarine blue (green shade) 
  1A 
  9.32 pb 2.28 
  7.29 
  i 
  tl 
  s 
   complex silicate of sodium and 
  Aluminum with sulfur (pb 29)
  382 
  ultramarine blue (red shade) 
  1A 
  9.4bp 
  2 
  8 
  i 
  o 
  s 
   complex silicate of sodium and 
  Aluminum with sulfur (pb 29)
  434 
  unbleached titanium  
  1 
  0.93 y 
  8.03 
  2.73 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   titanium white (pw 6), 
  synthetic iron oxide yellow (py 
  42), synthetic iron oxide red 
  (pr 101), synthetic iron oxide 
  black (pbk 11)
  392 
  van dyke red  
  2 
  1.97yr 2.69 
  1.38 
  nr 
  tl 
  s 
  benzimidazolone (pbr 25)
  398 
  viridian hue permanent 
  1A 
  3.69bg 2.6 
  0.98 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   raw umber (pbr 7), 
  phthalocyanine green (pg 7)
  740 
  vivid lime green  
  1A 
  7.73gy 7.1 
  10.38 
  i 
  o 
  m 
   Arylide yellow fgl (py 
  97), chlorinated copper 
  phthalocyanine (pg 7) , 
  titanium dioxide (pw 6)
  620 
  vivid red orange 
  3 
  0.78yr 5.45 
  12.74 
  nr 
  tp 
  m 
   pyrrol orange (po 73), 
  isoindolanone (py 139)
  411 
  yellow light hansa  
  1A 
  0.48gy 8.6 
  10.97 
  ii 
  tp 
  s 
  Arylide yellow 10g (py 3)
  412 
  yellow medium Azo  
  2 
  6.55y 
  7.98 
  11.69 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
  Arylide yellow 5gx (py 74 lf)
  414 
  yellow orange Azo 
  2 
  8.58yr 7.12 
  13.04 
  i 
  tp 
  s 
  diarylide yellow (py 83 hr 70)
  416 
  yellow oxide 
  1 
  0.39y 
  6.18 
  7.5 
  i 
  o 
  s 
   synthetic hydrated iron oxide 
  (py 42)
  11
  11
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SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Crafts/Art/Painting/Acrylic Book; A Comprehensive Resource for Artists.pdf