Thanks guys.I'll have to try it out,since I use Tamiya paint often.If there are no instructions on the jar [ and judging Tam's paints,there won't be ] How much should be mixed in if airbrushing & for brush painting,do you also mix it in or pre-apply it ? Tamiya paints can be thinned with alcohol and lacquer thinner as mentioned. The Flow Improver cost about $12 USD for 250 ml and the Fluid Retarder about $10 USD for 118 ml. I have been using Flow Improver for thinning more often lately. Any way, the way you use the glue to make it crackle is to put down a pretty thick layer of glue over whatever surface you’re using and then before it dries, put a coat of acrylic paint over it. And half a tube of Acrylic Retarder. Thanks, keith r. "...That's an order,not a debate topic , Sergeant Rudzik...". - Doctor Faust In my years of painting I've always wondered what the hell we buy when we pay for a pot of acrylic retarder and so I sat down one afternoon and decided to do a bit of research. A non-primed, non-traditional surface often tends to suck up all the paint and will not be able to give you the result that you want. Thinning the thick and extremely viscous acrylic paint even out its consistency and makes it quite akin to that of watercolor or even gouache paint. So, if you’re not getting the right shade, we suggest that you employ mixing different colors together than just pouring in thinning mediums. This delayed drying time facilitates easier blending of colours and enables a smoother coat over large areas. So, if you prefer using the more standard #6 brush to lay down the initial steps of your painting, then we would recommend that you rethink your approach. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. For the pigment, you have two choices: You can use dry pigment. Tamiya acrylics can go down grainy in the right conditions (dry atmosphere, high pressure, big distance) & the retarder helps prevent this, it can also help with tip dry issues. Also, here are some tricks you can use to get your acrylic viscosity and shade just right: If perhaps you make your own canvas or just want to try out your thinned acrylic on certain non-traditional surfaces like wood or even metal, then we would advise that you prime the canvas surface before using it. I've been using the Golden brand for a couple of years now with acrylics and Future and had good results with it, one bottle will last a long time. Just remember that Tamiya's acrylic thinner also contains a retarder so if using rubbing alcohol to replace it consider using an acrylic retarder with it. Use in fine art. keith. This will prevent a lot of the water seepage, and help you get the viscosity that you’re looking for. Acrylic is made up of pigment, which provides the colour, and a colourless medium which binds the particles of pigment to the object being painted.. A lot of things can go wrong at the same time, and without the proper knowledge and know how it will be very difficult to get the shade and viscosity that you desire. Retarders, or slow drying mediums slow down the drying time of acrylic paint. Add up to 15% retarder to the medium. You can make your own slow drying medium by adding an acrylic additive called retarder to any regular acrylic gloss medium. Add 1/4 part to 1 part acrylic paint. You usually mix this with a small amount of water (usually 15% retarder to 85% water, read manufacturer instructions). Acrylic paints exclusively rely on ‘acrylic polymer emulsion’ which is a binding agent that is highly soluble in water, and thus grants the paint that very property. You can mix the extender with your paint right on the palette. When a budding painter squeezes out a dab of acrylic paint from the tube for the very first time, more often than not, he/she is quite taken aback by the sheer thickness of the paint. Find this Pin and more on DIYby Shannon Walbran. Liquitex Slow-Dri is one retarder that comes to mind & works just fine with the likes of Tamiya acrylics. This means that you will rarely be hanging around waiting for it to dry, but is a problem when trying to blend, as this process relies on the paint not being fully dry. 1.5 Parts Water. To participate you must either login or register for an account. Considering the fluctuations in its natural state that the paint goes through throughout its drying process, along with the various environmental conditions; for the lean over fat method, any drastic contraction in the state of the acrylic paint will lead to immediate cracking. The thicker the layers, the bigger the cracks. I purchased a couple of bottles of the retarder via eBay, they have shipped (from Hong Kong) and should be here in the next couple of weeks. Longer dry time = more working time and potentially less pulling up of dry/partly dry paint. There are other additives that you can add as well. Any guesses ? However, they are quite expensive, and we will be recommending them more for professional use than domestic and practice artworks. I mixed up a batch and used it for Model Master Acryl and K4 acrylics and worked beautifully in both. This paint retarder will make acrylic paint dry slower, enabling a smoother finish. It can be used up to a 1:10 ratio with Tamiya Acrylic Paints. There are a number of suggested 'alternative' retarders for acrylics circling on the internet. Often advertised as ‘flow improver,’ these mediums are specifically made to thin acrylic paint. However, a general rule of thumb is that more retarder used, the slower the acrylic paint will dry. Thanks Milair & Gamera. But, before you jump the gun here and immediately start adding water to your paint, it’s important to keep in mind that when it comes to acrylic, you can’t just blindly add water to it. If you are about to embark on painting a piece which you want to preserve for a very long time, then it’s best to go for those mediums which has the same binding ingredients as acrylic themselves. If gone by a simpler definition, it can be said that acrylic by its very nature is a water-soluble paint medium. When added to water it will slowly start to dissolve and become thinner in as a result. Using a Primed Layer to Help with Results, Selecting the Ideal Type of Brush for Thinning Your Acrylic Paint, The Fat Over Lean Method for Painting Longevity, recommending them more for professional use than domestic and practice artworks, getting your acrylic paint to the level of a stain which is even thinner than a wash, non-traditional surfaces like wood or even metal. Retarders & Improvers for acrylics are common & readily available in art stores / suppliers, most producers of artists acrylics (Liquitex, Golden, W&N...) marketing one or both. Use higher quality acrylic paints. Mont Marte Acrylic Retarder Gel slows down acrylic paint normal drying time. Water is perhaps one of the most effective and pocket-friendly thinning mediums that you will ever come across. No, we should be safe. when using lacquer thinner, they spray really thin and translucent, building up color slowly. In the MM it even thinned a very thickened paint found when opening for the first time. Note:A retarder is an agent, usually added to water, used to slow the drying time of acrylic paints, giving you more time for blending or layering highlights. Even if you’re itching to represent a piece and looking to use the color depth of acrylic to put your ideas to canvas, things might not go as you may have imagined it. Thanks again. 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