Hi, Can I Help? This is my favorite medium.
Don

Don,
What do you use to protect finish your acrylic paintings? By means of protecting them.

I just realized that last question made no sense at all. I must have gotten up too early this morning. What I meant to ask is what do you use to finish your acrylic paintings?

Hi Billy,
Your red boat painting link said it doesn't exist.. Try it again.

You could have Deleated the first message, or Modified it.

Acrylic Polyurethane resin can be made hard or soft, the furniture industry makes a hard varnish that is water soluble, I've been using it on my acrylics as a final finish for twenty two years with perfect results, they are as clear as the day I put them on. Deft is one of several good brands you can get at any hardware store.

A good choice for acrylics, oil billboards or oil paintings without added wax is this coating by, Triangle Coating.
Clear Flex UV. Clear Satin or Gloss, non yellowing ultraviolet inhibiting, flexible, Water based, Acrylic Urethane coating. 1930 Fairway Drive, San Leandro, CA., 94577-5631
Here is his email.
gmolitor@tricoat.com

Thanks for the information Don. I was going to post my red boat picture, but it's not on location. I am going out to the river this weekend to paint on location for the first time. I am excited about trying it. I might have something to show you Sunday or Monday. Any suggestions on how I can make the experience more rewarding would be appreciated. I will be using acrylics. Once again thank you for all of your help so far. Do you except tips? lol...Later

Paint something small size, 5x7 or so, something you can get finished before the light changes.

Here's another one for you. I have been trying to use a charcoal pencil to draw before I paint. Only problem is the charcoal gets mixed with the paint and makes a mess. What can I do to prevent this. To stop this problem I use something like a wash to quickly "draw" my subject. This prevents the charcoal pencil problems. Is there another way to draw without having this problem?

I use a 2H pencil with thin lead and a kneaded eraser, just like with W/C's. Charcoal works with oil.
Two coats of acrylic jar white will cover anything. Don't use tube white, too thick. the jar white is the concistancy you want to paint with. And since you use 5x more white, use the jar white and transfer it to a squeeze bottle

Does acrylic have to have a finishing varnish?  Will it wash off if left to dry?

A finish like water based polyurathane evens out the final look of the painting. When you paint with acrylics your painting with different consistancies. the washes are flat, thicker paint has a gloss or sometimes just a sheen. If you don't want a high gloss (I do) use a matt finish. They look great too. The finish protects the acrylic with a harder surface. Both of them are uneffected by turpentine, or soap and water, alcohol will desolve either.

It won't wash off after it's dry but without a final finish it is more susceptible to scratches.

What can i do to achieve a smooth blend in acrylics like i am able to do in oils..? I used to paint in acrylics a lot and one day i tried oils and i do only wet on wet (single layer) in oils...and i love the smooth blending and transitions possible in oils and the ability to correct the painting while it is wet without making it look choppy....

I have that first love to acrylics still in me and i am trying to figure out how i can make it work like oils ...I will appreciate any tips and suggestions.

Rency

I know it's easier to blend with oils, poppy oil in the medium will keep it open even longer.
Keeping your acrylic washes thin will let you build up the color more slowly. An acrylic Retarder will also extend the working time. I prefer a hair drier and two coats of jar white if I want to change something. Acrylic painting is much easier when you coat the gesso with a layer of white paint, it's like oiling down the canvas before starting an oil painting.

It's jacaranda season here and I won't think about using oils. I paint what I see and it doesn't take changing anything after my original drawing. Setting the mood of the painting with the sky is the smoothest blend of paint I usually have to make. Ten minutes later it's dry and insoluble, except for using alcohol which will break down acrylics and oils. The smoothest blend I ever made was for the Lahaina Church, I explain the technique here.
http://www.wikihow.com/Paint-a-Sky-Using-Acrylics
This is last years jacaranda painting.
http://www.realcolorwheel.com/jacaranda2012.htm
Her is a list of my jacaranda paintings.
http://www.realcolorwheel.com/jacaranda2011acr.htm

PS, I made a new acrylic color paint from dry Opera pigment, I't another perfect magenta but not as dark as PR122. This year I want to do a 22x15 with just my primary pigments including the two new ones, Tartazine yellow, Opera magenta and the already perfect, Thalo blue.

Don thank you so much.
I really appreciate it.

Oh Man...your jacaranda painting is beutiful...i liked reading your journal along with the images of your painting's progression. i am going to check out more of those. thank you for the links.


Not being able to get Soft edges is the bigger problem I face in acrylics. I can get smooth blends in a big area like sky or water...but when it comes to small areas (for example the outer edge of someone's  face or a flower petal) i am having a hard time getting soft edges.
Any suggestions my Acrylic friends ?

In water colors you always make one edge soft, There is also something to be said for the"big blur", it happens out of the paintings "attention area". both areas require smooth graduations. Water colors are easier because if you start with a wet paper (wait until there is no shine on the paper, just an even sheen).

Don't depend on one stroke coverage, jump around and work on the dry areas. A thinner second layer often will give the appearance of a blurred edge. I just looked at a dozen of my acrylics and I can't say there are many strokes that are not full strokes even if they are thinned down strokes.

I don't use any retarder and the medium I use is Liquitex "water clear" Medium to hold my drawing strokes in place after I have made my charcoal drawing. It was made 2003 and it's called, Blending and Painting Medium. It extends drying time a little and makes blending edges a lot easier. It's clear and fluid like water. When the drawing has been lined and dry I wash the whole painting down with water. Sometimes I work on paintings for days or weeks, wash the painting often. I'm amazed at how much dirt accumulates. And if there are clumps of dried paint I won't hesitate to use a 600 grit wet dry sandpaper. My final painting in acrylics is smooth, usually my oil paintings are smooth too.

Hello Don,

Thanks a lot.
It is very helpful to hear from an experienced painter like you.


I think i have to admit the fact that with acrylics I should not expect it to behave like my oils. I have to work in layers. The technique i use in oils lets me paint in one layer and it gives me satisfying results. The mistake i made was trying to make acrylics work like that... but now i am going to work with acrylics with the knowledge that it is acrylic and should take advantage of it's own qualities...and i am going to have fun with them.

Man i looked at more of your Jacaranda paintings and journals ...no wonder you like painting them ..you are doing a super good job with those....i like those paintings.

Rency.

Respect the media, that's the key. Acrylics have enough good points to win the paint wars. No yellowing (all oil yellows), fast to paint with (pastels are faster and the revival of casein fix makes them smear proof permanent, grit ground to paint on board puts them in a very permeant class). Water based makes them cheaper. I can't tell the difference from an oil and acrylic if I didn't write it on the back.