Acrylic paint - brush bubbles?

[Historex Rob]

I’m just starting with acrylics (Vallejo).

I understand thinned paints are very important, and I immediately have seen an improvement in my painting - very smooth, even finish with no chalkiness, which has driven me batty in my various earlier efforts.

But…

I’m now sometimes getting lots of tiny bubbles when I make brush strokes.

I did a quick internet search and most comments on this indicated that I simply have the paint too thin… but what I am not understanding is, at the ratio I have the paint, I am getting good coverage in two or three coats, which I’ve read (and seen on YouTube) is ideal?

So, if I am getting good coverage, but still have bubbles, it must be something else causing them, yes?

Am I using too much pressure with the brush? Could it be the brushes themselves?

Any ideas?

Thanks.

 

[kevininpdx]

I used to use Vallejo for many years. Seems like too much binder in your paint. Could need a lot more shaking. Vallejo separates very easily and the pigment sticks to the bottom of the bottle.

 

[Nap]

Hi Rob

I agree with kevin , really shake those bottles , can’t see how the brushes would effect , apart from there might be remnants of washingup liquid in the brush if you use that when cleaning

Nap

 

[Historex Rob]

I used to use Vallejo for many years. Seems like too much binder in your paint. Could need a lot more shaking. Vallejo separates very easily and the pigment sticks to the bottom of the bottle.

I did notice this.

Even putting a few 4mm ball bearings in the bottle to agitate has not worked. I can shake the bottle for a minute straight and never hear the bearings hitting the sides of the bottle.

Should I be adding water to those bottles?

 

[Historex Rob]

Hi Rob

I agree with kevin , really shake those bottles , can’t see how the brushes would effect , apart from there might be remnants of washingup liquid in the brush if you use that when cleaning

Nap

I do use Pink Soap to wash them. I will try rinsing them before painting next time.

 

[VerSacrum]

I paint with Vallejo and this happens to me when my brush is overloaded (usually when rushing the basecoating process)

 

[theBaron]

I've gotten this when I've thinned my paint too much, whether water-based or other types of acrylic paints, or enamels. It's harder to do with oils, in my experience.
Using a wet palette has reduced the occurrence of this to almost nil, though.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Historex Rob]

I've gotten this when I've thinned my paint too much, whether water-based or other types of acrylic paints, or enamels. It's harder to do with oils, in my experience.
Using a wet palette has reduced the occurrence of this to almost nil, though.

Prost!
Brad

Brad, I hope you do not mind me asking… I have the small RedGrass wet pallet. I tried to use it, but I found mixing the paint was causing the paper to shred. I was using the brush end (round part of handle) to mix the paint. I either mixed too hard (?), or is it possible I had the sponge too wet?

How wet does the sponge in a wet pallet need to be?

 

[theBaron]

Brad, I hope you do not mind me asking… I have the small RedGrass wet pallet. I tried to use it, but I found mixing the paint was causing the paper to shred. I was using the brush end (round part of handle) to mix the paint. I either mixed too hard (?), or is it possible I had the sponge too wet?

How wet does the sponge in a wet pallet need to be?

Hi, Rob, no, I don't mind at all, glad if this helps.

The paper is fine, indeed, finer than Masterson's, at least. But it will stand up to several rinses, if done relatively carefully. I rinse my in the sink, by placing the paper on the bottom of the basin, then letting water run very lightly over it, to wet it. I using my fingers to rub away any congealed paint, and even an old toothbrush. With care, the paper can be reused a couple of times. So, if it's shredding when you mix paints, you might be applying too much pressure. A brand-new sheet should see no effects. After a couple of times rinsing it, it will deteriorate. But still, with a lighter touch, you might be able to do it without tears. When I first started working with a wet palette, it was homemade, and the paper I used was brown packaging paper. For as coarse and durable that paper is, even after several sessions, it began to shed fibers and eventually tear.

I mix paint just with the brush, though, no sticks, or the handle, or anything similar.

As far as wetting the sponge goes, after rinsing it and squeezing it to remove excess water-also done in the sink-I lay it in the container, pour water over it to cover, so that you can see water all around the sponge, then lay the paper down. I let the paper soak and settle naturally; for me, this is after it curls at the first contact, then unrolls itself across the sponge. Then I pour off the excess water. I can see the bottom of the container all around the sponge, with no standing water. I find this sufficiently wet for my use. As I work with it, and I notice the sponge drying out, I add water using an eyedropper; pouring water in was a little messy, I found. I add enough water that the sponge soaks it up, and again, the space around the sponge is wet, but there's not standing water. I can see the sponge soaking it up, and when it looks saturated, I know I've added enough.

According to Redgrass, the sponges are dishwasher-proof. I don't have a dishwasher, thought, so I can't speak to that. I have cleaned it by immersing it in warm water with some dishwashing liquid, squeezing it out, then repeating the cycle till it looked clean. I haven't had any problems with the sponge, following this process.


I hope that helps! Whatever the brand, I'm a fan of a wet palette, from Redgrass, or back to my old homemade one, made from a takeout container and a kitchen sponge. It made working with water-based paints so much easier for me.

Prost!
Brad

 

[Nap]

Well explained Brad ...reckon all would be lost without some version of a WP !

Nap

 

[Historex Rob]

Thank you, Brad. Much appreciated. I think I may have had things too wet… and I will try mixing paint using an old brush going forward.

 

[theBaron]

Very welcome, guys! Paint on!

Prost!
Brad

 

[blaster]

Hi all

Im absolutely not an expert. I tk that bubbles are caused by surface tension in the liquid. I tk prisitine water doesn’t have much bubbles. Dissolved solutes like paint contribute to increased surface tension.