Friday, August 3, 2012

Mixing and Thinning Paint - Part 1: Research

Since inadvertently drying out my Flesh tone paint I've been researching mixing and thinning artist acrylics. I'm probably making more work for myself than is necessary, but humor me.


Google Search Term: thinning liquitex to paint miniatures

Most interesting Links:



Key points: Makes a “thinner” of 50/50 Acrylic Medium and Wet Water (water mixed with either Isopropanol or Dishwashing liquid) [Can also use flow aid]

The Flow Aid (a Liquitex product) recipe is to dilute 1:20 with water. The Wet Water recipes I have are from a model railroading book. Wet Water: 16oz Water + 1tsp liquid dish soap. Super Wet Water: 8oz Water + 8oz Isopropanol (Rubbing Alcohol, usually 70%).



  • This thread on Warseer seems to have some good info too:


The third post down by CarbonCopy talks about dealing with the translucency that can come from thinning Liquitex and gives the 1/1/8 (Floor Polish/Alcohol/Water) formula for thinner. And talks about 1 drop thinner to 2 drops paint.

  • And this Article from Reaper:


A really good article on the subject. Gives two recipes for thinner and then fives pictures of consistency for thinned paint based on its usage. with the guidelines Basecoat 1:1, Layering 4:1, Wash 10:1 (solution:paint)

One other thing I noticed in this article is they are thinning the Reaper paints from the pot. In other words already "thinned" by comparison to art acrylics which can be as thick as toothpaste.

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I originally got started with the idea of making my own washes and found this resource http://www.awesomepaintjob.com/index.cfm/resources.recipes

I have matte medium, flow aid and acrylic inks. So we are in business on the supplies end.

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(Later that same day)

Well I went ahead and bought a bottle of GW Dwarf flesh. $3.75 for 12ml!? I went to a local game store that I drove by last week because I had something to do across the street. For reference:

Crusaders Retreat

13825 N 32nd St # 11 (Thunderbird Rd & 32 Street), PhoenixAz 85032-5680

So stay tuned to the misadventures of a guy trying to get back into painting tiny little men. In part 2 I'll try to document how these experiments pan out.

Also if anyone wants to share their basic painting ideas or techniques, feel free. Most of what I found here has been a revelation to me.

And finally welcome to new followers:

Ed the THW Guy needs no introduction, check out 2Hour Blog and of course the Two Hour Wargames  Store. 

brutpaul, another THW afficionado. His Google friend doesn't show his blog but it is No Guts, No Glory! I am particularly a fan of the comic book style battle reports.

EinarOlafson is a very talented painter and has three sites. Lost in Carcosa (I like the Pulp Horror stuff), Soft Wars (nice 1/72), and Einar Olafson Painting (very well done).

Beccas from Wargamer Blue some really nice WWII Aussies.

Okay, whew! That really wraps it up.

1 comment:

  1. You are a braver man then I. I am to scared to try paint mixing for fear of either failing horribly or succeeding and not being able to repeat the results. :)

    ReplyDelete