Drying inhibitor for acrylic paints: application features

A feature of acrylic paints is their high drying rate after application to canvas, paper or another surface. This quality is appreciated when carrying out many types of artwork. However, there are cases when a too rapid thickening of the paint layer is, on the contrary, undesirable.

To increase the time of fixing the acrylic color can use a special composition - a drying retarder.

It is necessary to slow down the drying of paint if you need to continue working with a certain layer, create a shade of play on it, or work with semitones. In this case, the artist applies the method of feathering, which can not be performed with thick paint. The same change in the consistency and speed of drying color is necessary when drawing shadows.

The composition, which slows down the thickening and drying of the applied layer of acrylic paint, is a transparent gel-like mass.

Depending on the percentage of glycol in the inhibiting composition, the time of complete drying of the color coat can vary from half an hour to 4-5 hours. Also, the rate of thickening and drying of the color will vary depending on the ratio of acrylic paint and thickener in which they were mixed.

When diluting the acrylic color with water, the initial tone is strongly distorted., and the color consistency becomes watery and inconvenient to apply. The moderator does not distort the original color. At its application the shade does not change and does not grow dull. Often, the color, on the contrary, gets the best texture and becomes brighter.. Therefore, often slowing down composition is used in order to achieve a particular visual effect when drawing.

When working with a composition that slows the drying of acrylic paints, you need to follow certain rules:

• One way to use a retarder is to mix it with paint. To do this, about a quarter of the retarding composition (25% of the color of the color) should be mixed with acrylic paint. Stir the retarder and the paint should be thoroughly. To do this, you can use a brush or a wooden stick. With this ratio, a thin layer of acrylic color completely dries in 30-40 minutes. Drying time of an average thickness of a layer or 2-3 layers will be 2 hours.
• The retarding compound can be applied in a 1: 2 ratio (1 part of the retarder and 2 parts of paint). The resulting composition will be more liquid and pliable when working with a brush. Drying time of a thin layer of color will increase to 1 hour.

• When mixing acrylic paints and retarding composition in a 1: 1 ratio, you get a mixture of consistency of liquid sour cream. This composition can not be used with some artistic techniques. Full drying of the layer at this ratio of compositions will occur in 2 hours.
• Do not mix paint with a large amount of drying retarder. If the amount of retarder exceeds the amount of color, it adversely affects the quality of the resulting solution.In the coloring composition bubbles form, which prevents its uniform application.

• The optimal ratio of acrylic color and retarding composition is 1: ¼ (part of the paint and a quarter of the drying retarder). At observance of such proportions, the properties of color are preserved, and the consistency of the finished mixture is optimal.
• To create an artistic effect of “smoke”, in addition to the retarding composition, a small amount of water is added to the paint. Also similar composition is used to paint the base or background. Adding water allows you to make the consistency of color more liquid, which allows you to cover a large surface area with paint. It is worth remembering that the use of water with a moderator significantly increases the drying time of the layer.

Many artists are familiar with another way of using a retardant composition. In this case, the acrylic color is not mixed with the retarder.

• Slow moistened wet brush. Then on the brush is taken the desired color of a clean undiluted Kohler.
• Using the palette, the paint and the retarder are evenly distributed along the brush (for this, several strokes are made throughoutthe surface of the brush from the bottom up and from top to bottom). The palette can be replaced by an ordinary porcelain saucer.
• After checking the color on the palette and the distribution of the compositions on the bristles, you can start applying the color scheme.

The largest manufacturer of drying retarders for acrylic paint in our country is company "Tair". Brand products are in demand by customers and have a lot of positive feedback from art lovers and professional artists. Often, the retarders of this manufacturer are used in professional art schools and schools.

For more information on the curing retarders for acrylic paints, see below.