Oct 10, 20227 min read

Paint: Tell Me All About It!

Discover the basics of paint. It is so much more than just paint!

Paint is a go to medium for artists. It can be used on 2D (flat) and 3D (sculptural) surfaces. There are so many different kinds of paint and paint additives it can be daunting to leave the safety of watercolor or acrylic behind. Let's take the leap together into the big world of paint!

TERMS TO KNOW

Viscosity: The thickness of the paint

Binder: The binder holds the pigment and base together

Drying time: The time it takes for paint to dry

Base: The ingredient that makes up the body of the paint. Base affects viscosity, drying time and finish.

Finish: The finish is how much the paint when dry reflects or absorbs light. Smooth finish will reflect light and look glossy. Matte finish will absorb light and look dull or chalky.

Base: water

Binder: gum Arabic

Viscosity: low-medium

Drying time: fast (5-15 mins)

Finish: matte

You can buy watercolors in hard color palettes or in fluid squeeze tubes. Both the solid and liquid form of the paint can be used again after it dries on your paint palette by simply adding water back into the paint—this is different from oil and acrylic paint, which once dry is unworkable on the palette. This means that you can create your palette and continue to work from it without having to clean it in between sessions. However, watercolor is not workable once it has dried on your paper. The difference is that when watercolor dries on a nonporous plastic palette the water evaporates and leaves the pigment sitting on top of the plastic. When watercolor dries on paper the water evaporates and the pigment is left as a stain in the fibers of the paper.

The translucency and viscosity of the paint depends on how much water you add to it before applying it to your paper. Pigments mix will with watercolor but it can be challenging to get smooth transitions if you aren't used to the quick drying time. Watercolor paints can be mixed to create different colors in liquid form (the hard pallets are much harder to mix effectively). It is important to note that watercolor in liquid form is concentrated pigment so it can be difficult to determine what color you are creating because it they appear very dark until diluted with water.

French Quarter Bookstore, Watercolor by Dean Mitchell

Watercolor is a fast drying paint that can be diluted with water to various consistencies. It is a surprisingly versatile paint that can interacts with different properties to create beautiful and unique effects. When layered over wax markings such as crayon the paint is unable to adhere to the paper where the wax is, leaving it bare (this is called a resist). Using salt on top of wet watercolor creates a stippling by soaking up the watercolor paint that it comes in contact with, leaving a sponge-like effect.

Watercolor pairs nicely with pen and pencil drawing because it can be applied as translucent or more opaque color. If the paint is applied in translucent layers the drawing underneath can be an intriguing component of the artwork.

Base: water

Binder: acrylic binder

Viscosity: medium to high

Drying time: fast (10-20 minutes)

Finish: smooth and satin to glossy

Acrylic! Who doesn't love acrylic? It is durable, has strong color pigment and is easy to use! Acrylic can be use on it's own or with the addition of various mediums and additives such as Gloss Medium, Matte Medium, Glazing Medium, Gel Medium, Modeling Paste, Texture Gels, Retarding Medium, and Flow Improver (Check these out here!).

Acrylic paint can be very glossy or matte, medium to high viscosity (thickness) and various pigment strengths depending on the brand and style of acrylic paint you choose. For example Blick Acrylic Paint tubes tend to be more elastic and thick with a glossy finish. The high level of elasticity and viscosity in this paint makes it a great option for creating texture because it retains dimension and brushstrokes as you work. DecoArt Americana Acrylic Paints are a less expensive option of acrylic paint that comes in small squeeze bottles. DecoArt acrylic paints dry matte and are medium-low viscosity paints. Unless additional mediums or additives are mixed with this brand of acrylic paint, it will dry flat and can not retain any dimension on your surface. Golden and Liquitex brands are great brands if you are looking to create a high-quality work.

Pacifica Pier, Pacifica, 2021, Acrylic by Timothy Mulligan

Unlike watercolor, acrylic is opaque unless diluted with medium. If you add something like matte medium you can increase color depth, reduce gloss and add transparency. Modeling paste can be used as an additive to paint or under paint to create solid texture.

It's recommended that you use pre-primed surfaces or apply gesso to your canvas, paper or board before painting. A primed surface ensures the permanence of your painting and creates a perfect base for your paint to sit on top of! Gesso allows your paint to fully adhere to your surface (a bridge between your surface and paint).

Base: water (with chalk filler)

Binder: gum Arabic or dextrin

Viscosity: medium

Drying time: fast (5-30 mins)

Finish: matte and non-reflective

Gouache is a popular paint used by artists for design work like posters, illustration and comics because the colors are rich and solid. Gouache comes in tubes and pan sets. Gouache is a lot like watercolor paint but dries more matte and opaque, rather than translucent.

Untitled, 2003, Gouache and Pencil by Laylah Ali

Gouache dries slightly darker for lighter hues and lighter for darker hues. This makes it challenging to create exact color matches from one painting session to the next. If you want to create a large area that is one color, it is best to mix enough paint for the entire section on your palette.

Gouache can be reworked and blended on your palette or painting after it dries. It is a great companion to chalk pastel drawings and watercolor paintings!

Base: water and calcium carbonate

Binder: starch or cellulose

Viscosity: low

Drying time: fast (5-10 mins)

Finish: matte

Tempera paint is a common paint found in classrooms because it is inexpensive, nontoxic and somewhat washable. Tempera paint fades over time and dries rigid—It is not a good option for any surfaces that are are smooth or flexible because it will flake and chip. It is best to use tempera with absorbent surfaces like newspaper (paper mache), paper, and cardboard. Tempera paint is great for art projects that are temporary such as window art because it can be cleaned away easily with water.

Daybreak - A Time to Rest, 1967, Tempera by Jacob Lawrence

Tempera uses a chalk like binder that creates a opaque, matte finish when dry (similar to gouache). This paint isn't capable of holding form to create texture because it has a low viscosity. Although it is an opaque paint, coverage is not a good as gouache or acrylic. Tempera can be re-activated with water once dry on the palette. You can find tempera paints in tubes, cakes and sticks.

Tempera is an inexpensive option for practicing techniques or planning for a larger painting in another medium. If you are interested in trying gouache paint then consider starting with a small set of tempera paints.

Base: oil

Viscosity: high

Drying time: slow (18-24+ hours)

Finish: rich and shiny

So far we've discussed water based paints but lets get into the world of oil base! Firstly, it is important to understand that certain mediums and additives used for oil painting produce fumes as they dry (such as mineral spirits). Because of this it is critical to have proper ventilation in your working space. Additionally, Oil paints require soap and water to clean. Two great options are Murphy's oil liquid soap or Ivory bar soap. Gently massage the soap into the bristles and rinse clean. If you plan to continue working on the same painting you can wipe your brushes, dip them in an oil additive like poppyseed or safflower oil and lay them flat until you are ready to use them again. If they are left too long, however, the paint will cure and your brush will be ruined.

Oil paints are slow drying, which means they can take up to 24 hours or more to dry to the touch and even longer to fully cure (meaning the paint is fully dry). This adds a level of complexity to the process of painting but it also extends the working life of your painting. The oil in the paint allows for excellent blending. You can achieve smooth transitions of color and you can also lay down solid strokes of paint. Oil paint can be applied opaque or translucent depending on additives and mediums mixed with the paint. Mediums affect the finish, viscosity or drying time of oil paint. For more information on oil paint mediums check out this article on Jackson Art!

Lady with Fan, 1917-18, Oil by Gustav Klimt

Just like with acrylic it is recommended that your surface be primed with an oil ground to ensure that your paint adheres properly. You should apply size (glue like sealant) to your canvas under the ground to prevent your surface from absorbing the oils in your paint. If you want your painting to last be patient and properly prepare your canvas or board.

Studio Practice

Choose and complete one or more of the worksheets below! Have fun and remember to comment with any questions or thoughts. Happy painting!

Vocabulary

Viscosity The thickness of the paint Binder The binder holds the pigment and base together Drying time The time it takes for paint to dry Base The ingredient that makes up the body of the paint. Base affects viscosity, drying time and finish. Finish The finish is how much the paint when dry reflects or absorbs light. Smooth finish will reflect light and look glossy. Matte finish will absorb light and look dull or chalky