How to Thin Your Acrylic Paint with Water: Painting Tips

Richard Baker
5 min readAug 24, 2021

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  • add a small amount of water to your acrylic paint can
  • stir the mixture with a painting knife until it becomes more fluid and smooth
  • add additional water as needed. The consistency should be about that of cream soup or heavy whipping cream, but not quite so thin as milk
  • if you are using gloss enamel instead of paint, use white spirit (mineral spirits) in place of water
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What is water-based acrylic paint

Water-based acrylic paint can be used on any nonporous surface. It can also be airbrushed onto surfaces with a smooth texture without clogging the spray nozzle or tip. The water in the paints can dilute to pourable consistency, making it much easier to clean up than oil-based painting mediums and may also provide some degree of protection for porous surfaces such as wood when applied directly over raw material and allowed to dry before finishing touches are put on

The main downside is that they can take more time to dry completely due to their hydrophilic nature which means that they attract moisture from the environment

Some people will mix colors together by adding small amounts of one color into another (for example, blue mixed into red can make purple), but this can lead to muddy colors

Why use water to thin acrylic paint for airbrushing

  • can you thin acrylic paint with water for airbrushing?
  • “mixing up” acrylic paints can be a difficult process. but using just enough water can make the blending and mixing of colors easier. plus, it’s reusable! (just remember to mix in new color gradually).
  • water is also very safe as an alternative to other liquids such as turpentine or mineral spirits that might have harmful effects on your health if not handled properly.
  • using this technique can help create more vibrant backgrounds and save time by cutting down on brush strokes — saving both money and headache later when painting details over top of these patches!”
  • can you use water to thin acrylic paint for airbrushing? yes! because the sprayer atom

How to thin your acrylic paint with water

If you’re having trouble with your paint drying in the brush or building up on top of each other, then this is likely to be what you need. You can thin out acrylic paints by adding water until the desired consistency and opacity are achieved (starting from about 50%). Read on below for more information:

  • When should I add water? This will depend upon how much paint there is left in your bottle but if you have enough to cover an entire canvas then it may not matter so much. However, if you find that only half of the tube has dried onto paper then adding some water might just do the trick.
  • How do I add water? It’s easiest to mix by adding a few drops of water and shaking your tube until you have the desired consistency. You can also use an acrylic palette, but be sure not to get any paint on it as this will dilute both colors that are already there.
  • Do I need to thin my paint every time I use it? This is up for debate — if you’re using more than one layer then yes, otherwise no. But regardless, be mindful of how much liquid is left in the bottle when deciding whether or not you should!

Tips for thinner or thicker consistency of your acrylics

Paint can be mixed with water to achieve a thinner or thicker consistency. A thin mixture will flow more easily from the brush and create lighter strokes, while a thick mixture is necessary for heavier duty work that doesn’t require any rinsing afterward such as bas-relief plaster casting etc. This allows you to get the most out of your paint by using it in all sorts of ways!

The Right Consistency: Thin enough so that it flows smoothly but not too runny where blobs drip off the side of your brush; Thick like peanut butter for heavy-duty projects when there’s no need for cleaning up afterwards.

Painting Tips: Nothing improves acrylics better than adding them together (don’t worry — you won’t ruin them). The consistency of acrylics can be changed by adding water.

Final Sentences: Thinning your paint with water is a great way to get the most out of it! Acrylic paints thinned down will flow much more easily and create lighter strokes, while thicker batches work better on heavy-duty projects where clean up isn’t necessary. No matter what consistency you’re looking for, this article has tips that’ll help make painting easier ;)

What are the benefits of using a spray bottle when painting with water-based paints

  1. You can customize the paint consistency, making it thicker or thinner. Add a few drops of water to thin out acrylic paints before use. It’s easier and faster than adding more paint when you’re painting with too much at once.
  2. Spray bottles are good for precision work such as detailing small areas or correcting mistakes in your project quickly without having to redo the entire design. Just keep shaking before using!
  3. Paint will dry faster if sprayed on top of other layers rather than being applied by brush strokes which minimizes stirring risks (somewhat). You don’t have to worry about blending colors together because they’ll just mix on their own due to gravity and movement from the air flow created from spraying them onto the surface.
  4. If you’re using a spray bottle to paint with water-based paints, be sure not to shake it too much before use because the heavier particles (i.e., pigment) in your acrylic will settle at the bottom of the container and lower down into the nozzle area making for less consistent painting results when sprayed on top of other layers or surfaces. Shake gently as needed before spraying each time.

When should you not use a spray bottle when painting with water-based paints?

Since water is the main ingredient in this type of paint, it makes sense to use a spray bottle when thinning acrylics. However, if you are using an oil-based product such as oils or waxes then you should not use a spray bottle because the droplets may clog up your airbrush. Instead, pour some of the mixture into another container and mix with water to create your desired consistency before spraying onto canvas or paneling. When pouring from one container to another be careful not to introduce any bubbles that will cause problems for your brush later on! You can put small dots of paint on a piece of paper towel so they don’t run together but leave enough space between them just in case one starts running down off the paper. You may also want to consider using a paint pot that has been specifically designed for thinning oils with water, or you can put the mixture into an airtight container and use it later when it’s time to clean your brush.

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Richard Baker
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Hey there! I'm Richard Baker, a miniature painter who's been in the game for a solid decade now. I've been painting miniatures for ten years and I've got a ...