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Acrylic Mediums
Are you wondering what in the world an acrylic medium is? Then you are also probably wondering what they are used for? Well, at Cheap Joe’s we are always here to help! So, here is a somewhat short explanation that may be of assistance.
Acrylic paint is composed of two basic things: pigment and binder. The binder in all acrylic paint is an acrylic polymer, which gives the paint its consistency. The acrylic polymers that paint manufacturers use to make acrylic paints come in many varieties. There are some that are thick, thin, sticky, watery, jelly-like, or any combination in between.
Acrylics are also great because they wash up with water. They can also be thinned with water if you need to make slight adjustments in consistency. However, it is not recommended, that you use water exclusively to thin your acrylic. The reason for that is… that when you add too much water to your paint, you essentially breakdown the bond between the pigment and binder. Thereby, washing the binder off. The name for this problem is “sliming”. What happens is that the pigment will pool to the outside edge of your brush strokes and leave a blank space in the middle. The best thing to do when thinning your acrylics is to use a medium!
Acrylic mediums are the thing to use because they will prevent “sliming”, maintain the paint’s durability, and provide a consistent finish when the paint dries because they are made from the very same acrylic polymers that are in the paints. Acrylic mediums also allow acrylics to be used on more unconventional surfaces like fabric, or in airbrushes.
So, that should about cover it. Just click below for some more great information about the acrylic medium that’s just right for what you want to create. Just make sure that at least one acrylic medium is in your collection of acrylic painting supplies or craft supplies!
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