In blog posts and workshops the warnings can seem dire: add too much water, we are told, and the acrylic binder will break down, causing paint to flake off or adhesion to fail. Some will set the magical mark at 30%, others at 50, but almost universally the rules are presented
Artists like to paint on many kinds of surfaces and objects and with many types of media, but the surface or the paint may not be compatible. We understand that most people would not have standard cross hatch adhesion testers at home, so we would like to provide a way
Plywood (Common) Qualities of plywood vary greatly. If applying water media on thin plywood. Cradling or bracing is recommended to avoid warping. Although you can draw or paint directly on the plywood panel with oils, watercolors, or dry drawing media, we recommend a barrier for most applications. When painting with
Unfinished Artist Panel (Maple, Birch, or similar) These products are typically found in art supply stores and are generally a good option; kiln dried, relatively stable, and engineered for this purpose. Acrylics, Oils, Watercolors & Drawing: You can draw or paint directly on wood panel. When painting with any acrylic paint, medium,
Watercolor paper varies widely depending. Follow the recommendations for media by the manufacturer. In general, thicker ones are less prone to buckling with water media. For best results, use the media as recommended by the paper manufacturer and test. When working on watercolor paper with acrylics, watercolors, and dry drawing
Medium Density Overlay, MDO Found in hardware stores, this sign painter’s material provides proven stability. Although you can draw or paint directly on the MDO panel with oils, watercolors, or dry drawing media, we recommend a barrier for most applications. When painting with any acrylic paint, medium, gesso, or ground,
Acrylic Sheeting Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), known by the trade names Crylux, Plexiglas, Acrylite, Lucite, and Perspex is among several transparent thermoplastics often used in sheet form as a shatter-resistant alternative to glass. PMMA is an excellent choice for acrylic painting. No size or ground is needed. Prepare by cleaning with
Leather Leathers and finishes vary greatly. So, testing an area or similar materials before beginning is highly recommended. Bend and stretch the test mimicking normal wear. If cracking appears in testing, then follow the instructions for adding GAC 900 to acrylics for softness as recommended in the article linked below.
Hardboard: Wood pulp fibers and binders are formed under extreme pressure and heat. These products can be susceptible to moisture. Although you can draw or paint directly on the hardboard panel with oils and dry drawing media, we recommend a barrier for most applications. When painting with any acrylic paint,
Sketching and Drawing Paper These papers vary widely. Thicker ones are less prone to buckling with water media. For best results, use the media as recommended by the paper manufacturer and test. When working on these types of papers, acrylics, watercolors, and dry drawing media, a barrier is not required.
