How to blend acrylics?

[Luftbct]

Apologies for the question. I'm sure it has been covered. I did search the site over and never really got the answer I was lookign for. Can someone give me the basics of blending acrylics, esp. in faces? I have used oils up till now, but want to give the acrylics a try. Got the Andrea face painting set to experiment with. Thanks in advance!

Tuck

 

[sam b]

Hi mate the best site I found when I started was calvin Tan site google him and look down the right hand side of his page .
Good luck Sam

 

[Meehan34]

keep the paints very thin. You're not really blending them you are creating layers to soften the transition between light and a shadow and even between different colors.

 

[megroot]

Here is a very good explanation.
http://www.vallejo.si/MCNavodila.html

Marc

 

[housecarl]

This is good Bryan. http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/painting-a-face-step-by-step.12338/
Carl.

 

[Einion]

What search terms did you try Bryan? Even though I miss some of the search features in the previous forum software (made it easier to refine searches) the current search does find relevant matches.

Looking for blending acrylics gave three or four pages of returns related to the topic, including this one:
http://www.planetfigure.com/threads/please-bring-me-up-to-speed.39679/

Once you've read about layering - which is how most blending is done in acrylic-type paints - you can then search for that to find more on it specifically. Other things to look up include retarder, stay-wet palette etc.

Einion

 

[Patrick Kamsma]

This might also help:
Explanation by Marion Ball:
http://www.mb-miniatures.com/media/artikel_pdf/Painting_technique_EN.pdf

 

[Nap]

Hi Bryan ,
When I am using Acrylics I find that using W & N blending fluid (a retarder) works really well , is glossy till it dries ...which it does .

Available at all good art shops or on line .

Nap

 

[redarmy27]

Ah good topic. I'm on that journey as well Tuck!

Hi Bryan ,
When I am using Acrylics I find that using W & N blending fluid (a retarder) works really well , is glossy till it dries ...which it does .

Available at all good art shops or on line .

Nap

Nap, great advice. I'm currently using some diluted Vallejo Retarder Medium cut with water while implementing the advice given by yourself and the other fine gentlemen here. The results are damn near sexual. I can't believe the "blends" I'm getting now, especially with the retarder. I'm ordering some blending fluid right now, is it

Winsor & Newton Blending Medium or the Winsor and Newton - Galeria Acrylic Medium - Acrylic Fluid Retarder?​

 

[Kevin D.]

When y'all use retarder, what is your blend ratio of retarder to paint please?

Thanks,

Kevin

 

[Einion]

When y'all use retarder, what is your blend ratio of retarder to paint please?

Most retarders will say on the label the maximum amount you can safely use - with some if you add too much the paint won't dry properly, or at all; with others (retarding mediums, not just retarder) you can use as much as you want. So it really depends on the specific product.

Einion

 

[Pops]

Thanks for the tip Einion. I just bought some Vallejo retarder the other day and you've answered my question. Cheers.

 

[dubik]

Thin the paint, add highlighting/shadowing color gradually, use moist brush. It's very important to have a little bit of paint on a brush. Also one recipe doesn't work for all colors even from the same brand. I find that light colors doesn't have to be thinned that much comparing to dark. But again, there is no definitive rule
There is also miniature mentor videos which shows how to blend colors, but painters are extremely talented and skilled, which means that they get much better results then not so skilled painter...