Acrylic mixing amounts

[Sgt Rock]

Hello everyone, new to the site, but a great admirer of all your work out there. I have been away from the hobby for awhile, and am getting ready to start a figure...in Vallejo acrylics. A question for everyone regarding mixing amounts: I have seen the amounts to thin acrylics at something like 5 (distilled water) to 1 (paint). So, does this mean if I use 3 drops of a red, and add 2 drops of a white as my base mixture, I should then be adding about 25 drops of water?

Also, for Vallejo acrylics, what do you use in the water mixture besides distilled water?

I realize this has probably been covered before, my apologies. Thanks in advance for all your help and I look forward to seeing everyone's work.

 

[Brad S]

Hey John - Yes, that would be the correct mix if you are doing 5:1. And it is good to have a starting mix like such if just starting out. But in my experience all the colors dilute down differently from one another so you have to almost develop a 'feel' for how diluted the paint should be to cover how you want. And a way to do this is by diluting your mix down with 2-3 drops of water (if highlighting or shadowing), mix it in, and then load your brush, and brush some on a napkin or towel and decide if that is going to be too strong. If so, dilute some more. After time you will kind of know what you need to add and wont have to experiment as much.

I find that 2-3 drops is plenty while others take 5-6 drops of water or more. Of course this all depends on how opaque you want it to be. If base coating, I find that usually no more than 1:1 is sufficient. Some colors I dont have to dilute at all for basecoating.

Something I personally like to add to the paint is a flat agent. Usually Tamiya or PollyScale, but only when I basecoat. It helps with the brushstrokes and I like the dead flat finish for applying the highlight and shadows. If using Andrea of JoSonja paint I dont have to do this.

I've messed aroud a little with the paint extenders but very rarely use them. Sometimes when I'm TRYING to paint a design, the extender will make it easier to 'erase' the paint if I mess up. Which I always do.

This is my way of doing this....Hope it helps

Brad Spelts

 

[Einion]

Originally posted by Sgt Rock+Jan 11 2007, 01:52 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Sgt Rock @ Jan 11 2007, 01:52 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>A question for everyone regarding mixing amounts: I have seen the amounts to thin acrylics at something like 5 (distilled water) to 1 (paint). So, does this mean if I use 3 drops of a red, and add 2 drops of a white as my base mixture, I should then be adding about 25 drops of water?[/b]

Yes.

But you can thin acrylics from 1:1, for a basecoat maybe, all the way to 50:1, for light glazes; it all depends on the original consistency and on what you want to do.

<!--QuoteBegin-Sgt Rock@Jan 11 2007, 01:52 AM
Also, for Vallejo acrylics, what do you use in the water mixture besides distilled water? [/quote]
I've read a couple of recommendations for blending mediums you might consider trying. Here's a prior thread: http://www.planetfigure.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=5529

Einion