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Alternative To Disposable Palettes
I use enamel and plastic mixing palettes as my palette (the ones with the wells) for acrylic painting. The ones in the art supply stores are not disposable. I finally came up with a good palette. I apply medium to the wells that hold the color with a brush before using. I allow this to dry.
When I am finished painting, I allow the colors in the palette to harden, once the paint had dried, I just peel the paint out of the wells!
It works great!
I dispose of the dried solids in the trash instead of letting them go down the drain.
Submitted by: Stan Kohler
Spring Valley, NY
skohler@optonline.net
Leather Repair
I have been using Liquitex Acrylic for about 4 years to do repairs on leather seats. It's durable, does not peel or yellow.
Submitted by Jim Cummings, Auto Enhancer
Loxley, Alabama
cummingsxx@aol.com
Cleaning Dried Brushes
As a dramatic arts teacher, my students build and paint masks, sets, puppets, etc., brushes are sometimes left to harden. I clean brushes dried with latex, acrylic, or tempera paint with run of the mill laundry fabric softener. Just soak the brushes until soft again. It'll often even work on oil paint just adjust the soak time. Sometimes a low tech solution is the best approach.
Submitted by Dave Brinton
Toronto, Ontario
davebrinton@hotmail.com
Creating Depth
Submitted by Michelle Muldrow, San Francisco,CA
mm@mmuldrow.com
My favorite way of working with acrylic medium is to use charcoal and pastel to create depth along with Liquitex Matte Medium to give it permanence. I then layer on washes of acrylic, to build the painting so that the end piece has some texture from the drawing technique and fluidity from the paint and matte medium.
Trays and Canisters
Submitted by Beth Goodtree,
Bloomfield, NJ
befcon@aol.com
Plastic ice cube trays make excellent vehicles for mixing and retaining batches of acrylic colors. At the end of your painting session, put a few drops of water on the surface of each color and cover the ice cube tray with plastic wrap. The paint will stay fresh for many days. When done with your painting, you can transfer the paint to empty jars or 35mm film canisters. Let the leftover paint dry in the tray, soak in water and it will clean easily. For free palettes, use old pie tins, aluminum trays from frozen food, or the clear plastic lids that cover the aluminum trays.
A Jumping Off Point for New Work
Submitted by: Jeff Kromer
Ephrata, PA
razorbackguppy@hotmail.com
Take strips of paper or canvas or pieces of work that were not successful and place them under your easel. While working with very fluid paint, let the drips fall onto these pieces of paper, thus creating "experienced surfaces". Using Liquitex Matte Gel Medium adhere them to a fresh surface as a jumping off point for a new work.
Smooth Away Your Wrinkles
Submitted by: Peter Cavaghan
Toronto, ON, Canada
petercavaghan@yahoo.com
In making large transfer prints it can be very difficult to place the medium coated back of the transfer onto a canvas or other support without large wrinkles and air bubbles. The larger the print, the more difficult they are to remove before the medium sets.
A way around this is to let the transfer dry face down on a wetted flat surface, once the paper backing has been sufficiently rubbed off. Squeegee the surface flat to eliminate the moisture underneath and create a strong attachment through the surface tension created.
When dry, coat the back of the transfer with Liquitex Gloss Medium & Varnish --some buckling may occur--but it will remain flat and stuck overall. Let dry. Coat the back of the transfer again, as well as a canvas or other support, and carefully place the canvas or other support on top. Make sure there is complete contact. Let set until the support can be lifted with the transfer adhered. This must be done carefully and it may help to use a spatula on a corner or edge to start lifting the transfer from the flat surface. There should be time enough to correct any imperfections before the medium sets.
Submitted by: Marybeth Snyder
Littleton, CO
mb_snyder@hotmail.com
If you like creating unusual textures, try an icing comb! I use a 3-sided metal icing comb that has different size teeth on each edge. I put my Liquitex Acrylic Paint onto the canvas by either using the comb as a scoop, or with a palette knife. I then begin creating texture by pulling the comb through the paint, spreading it across the canvas. You can create a clean set of ridges, or criss-cross the comb for an even more interesting texture. Add additional colors to the canvas and pull the comb back and forth through the colors for a truly unique mixture. The icing comb method can be used for exciting abstracts, or clouds and other realistic objects for which you'd like a special effect.
Murphy's Oil Soap
Submitted by: Pat Calderon
Indianapolis, IN
hcalderon4us@yahoo.com
I use a permanent divided pallet with a snap on lid for acrylic because I found it is easy to clean using a solution of Murphy's Oil Soap. I soak pallet and water container in the soap solution for 30 minutes, give them a swish with a cheap house paint brush which gets into all the corners, then rinse well so there is no residue to contaminate my fresh paint. I pour the soaking solution into a jar that I keep by the sink to drop my used brushes into. At the end of my painting day I swish the brushes over a 3M pot scrubbing (nylon) pad and rinse them well. For forgotten brushes with dried acrylic paint on them, use the same soap solution with a longer soak and even the paint dried into the ferrule will come out. I have even used Murphy's Oil soap solution to get splashes of dried acrylic out of my clothing and the carpet! (It will also get dried oil paint out of the carpet. I've had to use it for that too.).
Monoprinting
Squeeze out gentle curved lines of Liquitex acrylic paints on a square of glass or Plexiglas. Using a spray mister, wet the painted Plexiglas surface. Now mist a sheet of art paper. Place the plexi, paint side down onto the dampened paper. The colors will spread and blend instantly into a stunning image. You can either leave the image as is or manipulate the painting by swirling the Plexiglas and dragging the colors around. You are watching the painting develop through the glass. When you like what you have see, stop and lift up the Plexiglas. You can often rewet the same plate and make several more prints.
Submitted by: Cynthia Padilla
Dallas, TX
padillacasa@juno.com
Spray and a Blow Dry
Liquitex Soft Body Acrylic can be mixed with distilled water in a regular spray bottle, (like one used for misting plants) and sprayed onto a canvas or piece of material for a light background effect. "I often use a blow-dryer to speed up the drying process". You can achieve varied effects by misting dry canvas/material, or wetting the canvas/material before spraying with color.
Submitted by:
Christine Werner
Sault Ste. Marie
Ontario, CANADA
christinabella1@hotmail.com
A cheap and easy acrylic palette
After many attempts at finding a palette that was cheap, easy to clean, and able to save acrylic paint for days, I finally came up with a good palette. In my search I had purchased some outdoor plastic dinner plates that were inexpensive but turned out to be hard to clean, once the paint had dried. Now I use those same plates but I cover them with a piece of plastic wrap. Once I have used the palette, I just recover the plate with another piece of plastic wrap – It works great! Also to save the mixed palette for a day or even a week, I just mist the palette or place a moist sponge on the palette and cover with another plate or another piece of plastic wrap stretched tight. The plastic wrap locks in the moisture and keep the paint fresh.
You can also use a typical disposable palette and cover it with the plastic portion of a Plexiglas box frame. Include a damp sponge or mist with water before covering. To reduce the possibility of mold, use distilled water.
Submitted by Michael English - Dacula, GA
mikeecars@yahoo.com
Save a lot of grief later - mix up some extra color
When mixing specific colors it's always good idea to mix an extra in case touch up is necessary. This can save a lot of grief later. To save the paint, I use a recycled food jar with a screw cap for air tight storage. You can also use 35 mm film canisters. Just place a piece of masking tape on the side with some of the color on it for reference. Be sure to clean thoroughly before use. If the acrylic begins to dry, spray a fine mist of distilled water in the container and re-seal.
Submitted by Richard Michaud - Madison, WI
PALETTE SAVING TIP:
Buy a package of large, white plastic dinner plates and gallon size zip lock closure plastic bags. The plates are large enough to act as a painting & blending palette. When finished painting, store the "plate palette" in a zip lock bag and it will keep the paint moist and workable. If the paint starts to dry, mist the inside of the bag lightly with distilled water and store the palette overnight. Use plastic pizza box supports or inverted film canisters to keep the bag off the surface of the paint.
Submitted by Kathy Schifano - Grand Island, NY
KMSart@aol.com
BLENDING WITH A SPRAY BOTTLE
To blend acrylic paint on the canvas it is very handy to use a spray bottle. I have found that an old hair spray bottle works best because of the fine mist it has. (The finer the better.)
First, spray the area to be painted with water (just enough to moisten). Next, lay down the first color and give one more spray. Then add another color and spray it until it is at the point where it is the consistency of enamel. Flick the two colors together with a dry fan brush and they will blend like oils. (It is important the brush remains dry.) This technique takes a little practice but it allows for continuous tonal changes.
Submitted by: Jonas J. Olson, Bozeman, MT
PHOTOGRAPH COLOR MATCHING
If you paint from photographs, you may have trouble matching the colors that you see. Try placing a piece of clear plastic or acetate over the photograph. Put a dab of color onto the plastic and adjusting the tone by small increments on the palette. When the dabs of paint begin to disappear, you have a perfect color match. This is a much better way than testing on paper and holding it alongside the color that you're trying to match.
Submitted by Kathy McGovern of Enfield, England
ENVIRONMENTALLY SAFE CLEANING TIPS
I use flat enamel pans as my palette for painting. To avoid letting dried up pieces of paint go down the drain, especially since I have a septic system, this is what I do. When finished, I wipe any wet paint off the palette with a damp rag. Then I scrape the hard blobs off with a plastic putty knife. Then I fill the pan with water, let it sit for a bit till all the dried paint scrapes off easily with the putty knife. I then pour the liquid with the solids through a sieve that I made using a large embroidery hoop and plastic window screen. This catches the solids that would other wise go down the drain. The solids then dry on the screen and I can easily remove them. When painting outside, I follow the same process, except to pour the scraped pan and its water into a thick bottomed cardboard box. The bottom of the box traps all the solids and lets the water filter through. The box will last quite awhile and keep all the solids from accumulating on the ground. I will also wash out my brushes in a container and let the water evaporate outside, then dispose of the dried solids in the regular trash instead of letting them go down the drain.
Submitted by: Loretta Shigo, New Hope, PA
REMOVING TAPE
I like the tip of the month about the low adhesive 3m Scotch 811 Removable Magic Tape. However, with some tape, there could be a problem with removing paint from the surface when the pulling off the tape. I find helpful to pull the tape either down or off to one side. Pull parallel to the surface at a 90-degree angle instead of pulling straight up in the air. This helps reduce the possibility of the tape pulling off the paint. If paint pulls off to easily then a good bond between the paint and the surface was never achieved.
Submitted by: Ojeni Lambson, Baltimore, MD
RESTORING BENT BRISTLES
To restore the shape of bent brush bristles, First Thoroughly clean the brush using the proper thinner , wash with cold water and soap, rinse well, reshape bristles by pulling the bristles gently though your thumb and first finger. Now dip the brush, up to the ferrule, into mucilage glue. Reshape the bristles a final time, set aside with bristles pointing up. Let stand for a few days. The dried Glue acts as a cast for the bent hairs of the brush. When ready to use, rinse out the glue in water and your brush should be restored to good working order.
Submitted by: Kenneth G. Young, Keyport, NJ
KEEPING ACRYLIC PAINT FRESH
I find that used takeout food containers, the kind that hold sauces or condiments, are perfect for keeping acrylic paint fresh until the next painting session. They come with their own air-tight lids so you don't have to worry about spillage or drying out. They are small enough for even small quantities of paint. Great for mixed colors! They are both disposable and re-usable. They stack easily and hardly take up any space. The clear plastic makes it easy to see what colors you have stored. I use them all the time.
Submitted by: Cheryl Suggs, Bladensburg, MD
MAKING SHARP, CLEAR LINES
To make a sharp clear line or segment use drafting or 3M Scotch 811 tape. Place firmly on the surface (either painted or unpainted) in straight or curved lines. Lightly coat the edges of the tape and adjacent surface with clear matte acrylic medium which will dry in a few minutes. When dry, paint whatever you wish and remove the tape, leaving a clear, sharp line. Using tape to make a clear line or separation can be time consuming but yields excellent results.
Submitted by: Win Warren, University Park, MD
EXTENDING THE WORKING TIME OF ACRYLIC PAINTS
Acrylic paint tends to dry quickly... a benefit for some artists and a drawback for others.
1) Keeping the paint on your canvas wet for hours: This technique to slow the drying of acrylic paint takes advantage of the permeability of acrylic gesso and the fact that moisture evaporates both through the acrylic paint surface film itself and the canvas support wicks moisture out the back - your paint film is drying in two directions. To prevent impurities from contaminating the paint film (Substrate Induced Discoloration - SID), I first pre-wash my cotton canvas/rinse three times/machine dry on very low heat. Then after attaching to a temporary stretcher, I apply three (thinned with 20% distilled water) layers of acrylic gesso and. Then, after allowing the gesso layers to completely dry, soak the back of the canvas with distilled water, and attach wet (thick) sponges to completely cover the back of the canvas. You have now have a stay-wet canvas. The dried gesso acts as a semi-permeable membrane, allowing water through to keep the paint moist. This technique, along with using appropriate additives for the paint, allows you to paint even in relatively thin glazes for hours with acrylics.
2) Keeping your palette moist: We can find several varieties of covered-moisture-retaining palettes that help keep acrylic paints in working condition. The best consist of a large plastic tray on which a large, flat sponge is placed. After soaking the sponge in water, a special palette paper is placed over it, and the paper acts as a palette surface. The palette paper allows water vapor to permeate, keeping the paints moist. If the sponge stays wet, paints will remain wet for hours. This palette has a cover to further extend working time. Instead of using the special palette paper, I use a section of prepared canvas as described above, that is cut to fit in the plastic try, soaked with a distilled water/retarder mixture, thus giving a superior palette surface to work from.
Submitted by: Charles Burgess, Pace, FL
ALTERNATIVE TO COMMERCIAL PALETTES
I use acrylic paint on canvas. Lately I've noticed plastic mixing palettes in the art supply stores are very small, kind of costly, and are not disposable. My personal alternative is to save styrofoam egg cartons. When using up to six colors, I have six empty slots for mixing various shades. Covering with plastic wrap and closing the lid keeps the colors separate, moist and ready for me to come back to them. This is my inexpensive, disposable, stay moist alternative to commercial palettes.
Submitted by: Celabria Deondria Baker, Savannah, GA
HELPFUL PAINTING TIPS
1. Reduce clutter and keep paint tubes and mediums containers within reach by putting them on a lazy susan.
2. Use glass tea candle holders for small amounts of paint mixtures or mediums. They clean up well and have enough weight to keep them from sliding around.
3. To clean a mop brush for blending without rewetting, simply rub over a baby wipe followed by a paper towel.
4. If you need to soak a brush in cleaning solution, clip it to the inside of a tea candle holder or tin can with a clothes pin. This keeps the brush from resting on the bottom and distorting its shape. After cleaning, dress it with hair gel or mousse. to helps to condition and restore its shape. Hair gels and mousse rinse out easily with water.
Submitted by: Ginny Sargent, Lowell, MA
LONG BRUSH HANDLES
Some artists paint brushes have very long handles. I place the handle end of these brushes in an electric pencil sharpener and shave them down to comfortable length. This gives me a point on the end that make perfect dots! It can also be used as a stylus to move or scratch into wet paint on the canvas.
Submitted by: Hope Malott, Elizabeth City, NC
THE REMBRANDT METHOD IN ACRYLIC
Paint using only black and white, mixing them in order to obtain a variety of grays. Add Gelex or Liquithick to paint with a thicker stroke (Impasto) as desired.
When the picture is finished or almost finished, then apply Gel Medium to the surface that you wish to modify. Add a small amount of primary or secondary color to the gel so it remains transparent and allows the background painting to show through. For example, orange could be added to a gray figure in order to get a transparent flesh colour. You will obtain textures and colors that are not available by using other techniques.
Submitted by: Alejandro Fuentes, Miami Beach, FL
MAKE PAINTING A SMALLER TASK
The most important studio tip I could possibly give to another artist is this: At some point the thought process must progress to actually picking up the brush and painting. If you feel there isn't enough time in the day or that you don't "feel" like painting at that moment, make painting a smaller task. Make it a 5-minute sketch. Eventually, through no fault of your own, you will find yourself devoted to your work.
Submitted by: Marianne Huebner, Whitefish Bay, WI
INEXPENSIVE PALETTES AND WATER BOWLS
I like to use the inside of a cool whip container as a palette for my acrylic or oil paints. When I have a fair amount of left over, that I intend to use later, or another day, I can easily store it by taking the bowl part of the coolwhip container and placing it over the coolwhip lid pallette. It seals nicely, and avoids mess.
P.S. I also like to use these frozen cool whip containers as my water bowls for acrylic or watercolor painting. I can use the lid to keep the water from spilling as I carry to where I will be painting. Also, I don't have to get up so frequently, as they stack nicely, and when my water gets dirty I can open up a new bowl of water to continue painting without interuption.
Submitted by: Christine Garcia, Laie, HI
OBTAINING STRAIGHT LINES
To obtain straight, perfectly accurate lines when painting buildings, windows etc.. use white plastic artist tape or 3M 811 tape. Place the tape firmly on the canvass ( it can go directly over canvas or on top of an already painted acrylic surface). Smooth edges down tight with a palette knife, burnisher or plastic ruler. Apply your paint slightly overlapping the tape. Remove before paint or medium fully dries by slowly lifting the tape up in the opposite direction from the way it was placed. Even thick paint, heavy gels and Texture Gels can be applied using this procedure and you will get a perfectly straight edge every time.
Submitted by: Ginger Cook, Tomball, TX
CLEANING ACRYLIC PAINT FROM BRUSHES
Paint brushes tend to collect paint near where they meet the metal ferrule. The paint dries and over time builds up to the point where it begins to spread the brush hairs and interferes with the flexibility and performance of the brush. To save the brush, soak in a citrus based brush cleaner or acetone. When the paint begins to dissolve, work the cleaner through the bristles until clean. Protect your hands with rubber gloves. Rinse thoroughly with water and work hair mousse into the bristles. Shape the brush and let dry. The hair mousse will condition natural bristle brushes. The stiffening and setting of the mouse will help restore the original shape of natural and synthetic brushes.
Do you have a studio tip to share with Liquitex users everywhere?
Have you found a more efficient way of doing something? How about a unique technique? Perhaps you'd like to share the unexpected results of an experimental session? Let us know!
Tips can be general studio suggestions, mixed media, experimental, etc., but should not be specifically related to oil painting technique. Every month we will publish the best Tip we have received, its author's name and hometown, and he/she will receive a $50 value package that will include the Acrylic Book and some Liquitex product as our way of saying thank you.
