F.A.Q.s: Acrylic Paint

• Should I varnish my acrylic paintings?
  
• Can I use oil on top of acrylic? What about the other way around?
  
• Can acrylic be used directly on paper?
  
• I have some old acrylic paint in jars, and I think some of it went bad. Is it still ok to use?
  
• Is Utrecht Acrylic Paint good for mural painting?
  
• It's really hot and dry in my studio, and my acrylic paints are drying too fast (sometimes the paint on the palette skins over before I can even use it). What can I do to resolve this?
  
• Why are certain colors not available in the acrylic lines, or only available as “hues”?
  
• Can I mix different brands of acrylic paints?
  

Q: Should I varnish my acrylic paintings?
A: Acrylics are very tough and durable, but even a completely dry acrylic film remains semi-porous and can absorb dirt and contaminants. For this reason, paintings are always safer with some sort of clear coat to protect them. A coat of acrylic gloss or matte medium can offer some protection, and can be followed with a layer of removable spirit varnish like Utrecht Gloss Picture Varnish (Item No: 11407). Allow 7 to 8 days before application to ensure the painting is completely dry.

Q: Can I use oil on top of acrylic? What about the other way around?
A: Oils can be applied over completely dry acrylic paint; however, an alkyd-based transition layer is recommended before proceding. A coating of Utrecht Alkyd Painting and Glazing Medium (Item No: 11412) will promote good adhesion of subsequent layers. Acrylic paint and gesso should not be applied over oil paint, even dry paint. As oil continues to cure over a period of years, the bond with the acrylic layer will weaken and peeling will result. Of course, oil and acrylic colors are not compatible with one another on the palette. Back to Top.

Q: Can acrylic be used directly on paper?
A: Acrylic paint can be applied directly to paper without concern for permanence. However, some artists prefer to prime paper to accept acrylics so it will take less paint to cover the surface and to even out the appearance of applications. Paper can be prepared with Utrecht Acrylic Canvas Size (Item 6326) to preserve the natural appearance of the support.Very dilute acrylic paint can be used in the manner of watercolor on unprepared paper to very good effect. Back to Top.

Q: I have some old acrylic paint in jars, and I think some of it went bad. Is it still ok to use?
A: While acrylic paint has a relatively long shelf life, if it's been diluted with tap water and stored, foreign material has been left in the jar or containers have been left uncapped for extended periods, mold can result. Badly contaminated paint should be discarded, but if the majority of product seems unaffected, visible mold can be removed and discarded and a capful of ammonia added to retard further growth. Back to Top.

Q: Is Utrecht Acrylic Paint good for mural painting?
A: Yes, Utrecht Artist's Acrylic Colors are perfect for exterior murals; their tough, durable surface and high degree of lightfastness means your work will endure when exposed to the elements. For best results, surfaces should be prepared first with a good exterior primer, preferably alkyd-based bonding primer that will accept water-based acrylics. Then, the surface should be primed for artistic painting with Utrecht Professional Acrylic Gesso (Item No: 5102) to ensure good adhesion and optimal paint appearance. Finished work can be sealed with Gloss Medium (Item No: 3205) or Matte Medium (Item No: 3207) to facilitate easy cleaning and maintenance. Back to Top.

Q: It's really hot and dry in my studio, and my acrylic paints are drying too fast (sometimes the paint on the palette skins over before I can even use it). What can I do to resolve this?
A: Dispense larger piles of paint on the palette to extend working time and avoid waste from prematurely dry colors. To further slow the drying of acrylic paint on the palette, use a spray bottle with a 1:1 mixture of water and isopropyl alcohol to apply a mist of moisture over the palette periodically. The Sta-Wet palette (Item No: 31783) contains a sponge insert to retain moisture in the paint and a tight fitting lid for storage. On the canvas itself, a mist of water can prevent the gesso from being so “thirsty” and absorbing water from the paint. Utrecht Acrylic Retarder Medium can be also be added to color mixtures to prolong the open time of paint applications and improve flow. Back to Top.

Q: Why are certain colors not available in the acrylic lines, or only available as “hues”?
A: A few pigments are not compatible with acrylic emulsion, the vehicle for artists' acrylic colors. Genuine viridian (hydrous chromic oxide), for instance, will spoil acrylic emulsion. To see what happens, mix a small amount of genuine viridian tube watercolor with acrylic gloss medium. Observe the resulting mixture and decide whether you would want to paint with it! By careful substitution, Utrecht has developed very good replacements for the small number of colors which don't work well in acrylics, and we are constantly evaluating newly developed pigments for the permanent palette. Back to Top.

Q: Can I mix different brands of acrylic paints?
A: The very earliest versions of acrylic paints were sometimes not compatible, but that has not been so for a very long time. Today all brands of acrylic colors and mediums can be used together in any combinaton, creating infinite possibilities for creative expression! Back to Top.

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