Brushwork: Blending Wet Into Wet (floating color)
Wet color is applied into wet color on the painting surface. Colors blend together, each color being affected by the color(s) adjacent and underneath. Each brush mark is softened by the wet color it is painted into. Since acrylics dry quickly this method often requires additives and/or mediums to be added to the paint. This slows drying and increases the ease of blending.
HELPFUL HINTS
- Control the painting environment. Maintain high humidity and/or use atomizer to spray paint surface while blending.
- It is easier to blend wet into wet using Liquitex Heavy Body Artist Colors. Thick paint applications dry slower than thin paint applications.
- Use Flow-Aid Water mixture instead of water when thinning paint.
- Add 10% Slow-Dri Fluid Retarder to Flow-Aid Water mixture.
- Apply Slow-Dri Fluid or Gel Retarder directly to painting surface or brush, prior to blending.
BLENDING WET IN WET USING LIQUITEX Soft Body CONCENTRATED ARTIST COLORS
Slow-Dri Fluid Retarder:
- Increases "open" time for improved color blending, without significantly altering paint viscosity.
- Can be used in conjunction with Flow-Aid.
Flow-Aid Flow Enhancer:
- Improves blending, smooth transitions and spread of colors by reducing friction of paint surface.
- Large areas of color can be more easily covered by slightly thinning paint with Flow-Aid Water.
- Flow-Aid Water (1 part Flow-Aid, 20 parts distilled water) mixed with paint will have better leveling properties, spread in a consistent manner and dry to a smooth surface with little or no brush stroke.
- Improves blending by increasing "open" time and improves spread of paint.
- The more medium used, the more transparent the color will be.
- Aids color blending without changing paint viscosity. Colors dry to a gloss finish.
- The more Gloss Medium & Varnish used, the more transparent the color will be.
- Aids color blending without changing paint viscosity. Colors dry to a matte finish.
- The more Matte Medium used, the more translucent the color will be.
- Increases paint viscosity and aids blending by increasing open time.
- The more Slow-Dri Blending Gel, the more transparent the color will be.
- Aids color blending while increasing the paint viscosity. Colors dry to gloss finish.
- The more Gloss Gel and Gloss Heavy Gel Medium used, the more transparent the color will be.
- Aids color blending while increasing paint viscosity. Colors dry to matte finish.
- The more Matte Gel Medium used, the more translucent the color will be.
BLENDING WET IN WET USING LIQUITEX Heavy Body ARTIST COLORS
Slow-Dri Gel Retarder
- Mix with colors to increase "open" time for improved color, without significantly altering paint viscosity.
Slow-Dri Fluid Retarder
- Increases "open" time for improved color blending, while decreasing paint viscosity.
- Can be mixed with Slow-Dri Gel Retarder.
Flow-Aid Flow Enhancer
- Improves blending of colors while reducing paint viscosity.
Gloss Blending Fluid Medium
- Improves blending and decrease paint viscosity. Adds transparency and maintains integrity of paint film.
Gloss Gel Medium and Gloss Heavy Gel Medium
- Gloss Gel Medium aids color blending without changing paint viscosity.
- Gloss Heavy Gel Medium aids color blending while increasing paint viscosity. Colors dry to glossy finish.
- The more Gloss Gel and Heavy Gel Medium used, the more transparent the blended color will be.
- Imparts oil-like quality to blending techniques. Colors dry to a gloss finish.
Slow-Dri Blending Gel Medium
- Maintains viscosity and aids blending by slowing drying time.
- Adding Slow-Dri Blending Medium increase transparency.
Matte Medium and Matte Gel Medium
- Matte Medium aids color blending while decreasing paint viscosity. Colors dry to a matte finish.
- Matte Gel Medium aids color blending without changing paint viscosity.
- The more Matte Medium and Matte Gel Medium used, the more translucent the paint will be.
Gloss Medium & Varnish
- Aids color blending while decreasing paint viscosity. Colors dry to a gloss finish.
- The more Gloss Medium & Varnish used, the more transparent the color will be.
Apply Slow-Dri Blending Fluid Medium directly to the painting surface prior to handling.