Acrylic
A contemporary artist's colour

Created in America at the beginning of the 20th century, acrylic is the most modern artist colour. It followed the introduction of acrylic paints for industrial and household use. Fluid acrylics for design and contemporary art exploded in the 1950's in the USA - Liquitex being the pathfinder, and appeared in Europe in the 1960s - 'Cryla' from Daler-Rowney being the first and of high viscosity. Classical artists and traditionalists, preferring their oils and watercolours are sometimes dismissive of this new medium, however acrylics are really a choice alternative and represent a still growing artistic technique to get into.

A fascinating texture

Like all paints acrylics are made up of two main components: pigments - which determine the colour, intensity, light resistance, transparency and covering power; and binders - which determine viscosity, drying times, and the final surface texture of the finished work. Acrylics differ from oils and watercolours in that the binder is an emulsion mix of acrylic resin and water; oils and watercolours are made with a pigment plus an oil or gum Arabic base - very little water is used in their production. This difference gives the acrylic colours a supple and flexible texture - and an effect even approaching that of an oil paint in the more viscous versions - and when dry forms a satin film with a homogenous elastic texture.

A great drying time

Another way that acrylics differ from other paints is their shorter drying time, which is great for some but can be problematic for others. In fact this property of the paint allows colours to be superimposed over each other and second coats to be applied easily - being careful of course not to over moisten the other coat. The other slight drawback of acrylics is, some claim, to be more wasteful with acrylic than any other colour as the paint soon dries on the palette whilst you are working - to avoid this try not to be too ambitious and use smaller quantities from the tube, and moisten the paint regularly with a good brushful of water - but not too much as this will dilute the colour! If you are using acrylic for the first time you may be surprised at the luminosity of the colours, how easily they mix together, and the rich colours remaining after the paint has dried. Acrylics have great resistance to the passage of time and do not yellow. Add in the fact that acrylics have a neutral pleasant smell and you really have a paint that can be enjoyed by all.

The fundamental choice for flexibility

The flexibility of each coat means that canvases can soon be rolled up after drying without risking damage to the work. If applied in very dilute coats amazing glaze effects can be created. If applied in a thick coat with a wide bristle brush or painting knife, you can create effects similar to that of an oil paint. In the ranges we offer, acrylic is available in thick, creamy, or fluid consistencies - your choice depends on what you require from your paint. Flexible bottles are great for busy classrooms, murals, or large area work and usually contain fluid acrylics. Tubes for the individual artist perhaps working on a smaller scale, usually contain thicker acrylics and are rather like the typical packaging of an oil colour. These are ideal for relief and structure work. Pots usually contain creamy acrylic, sometimes called heavy body acrylic, and these can be applied with a knife as well as brush. These elements of flexibility of application in use have produced masterpieces from famous artists such as David Hockney, Brendan Neiland, Bridget Riley and of course Andy Warhol in the 20th Century.

Application

Click here to buy Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Inks

Click here to View Airbrushes

A myriad of possibilites

The majority of artists apply their acrylic in thick coats, but explore a bit by further diluting with water and see the resemblance with watercolour appear. It has even been suggested that water colourists starting out should practice their washes with acrylics! The idea is to dilute the colour enough so that you can see the last wash through the current one, and yet not dilute so far that the new wash is hard to make out. Make sure that the last wash is dry before applying the next though! Use clean water for each dilution and use a flat or synthetic brush for the washes. Round and smaller brushes are ideal for detail.

A matter of effect

Highlighted by the oil works of Van Gogh in the 19th century, thick effect styles offer a completely new dimension to a work of art. As mentioned earlier thick acrylic can be applied with a flat brush, knife, or colour shaper, just as an oil paint and the lines and marks of the brush/knife are left in the acrylic as it dries. Create amazing effects such as waves, ripples, landscapes, trees and even foliage. Thinner acrylics need not be thrown away if you adopt this technique - simply mix them with one of the many thickening mediums on the market.

Captivating Realism

As well as all of these amazing properties and effects, acrylic has one more trick up its sleeve and that is the amazing lifelike ability it has to recreate the real world - as demonstrated in the picture by the Austrian artist Karen Hollaender. Her work - entirely in acrylic - has been described as photo quality genius and her style - somewhere between Edward Hopper and Salvador Dali is widely admired.

Alkyds - somewhere between an oil paint and an acrylic

Developed as an oil paint with an acrylic's drying time, alkyd colours are made up of oil, alcohol, and acidic bases. Drying time is about 24hrs dependant on ambient conditions, and work can be continued for many hours before the drying process begins in earnest. Alkyd is really a fast drying oil colour and is best known in the 'Griffin' range from Winsor & Newton, which was developed in 1976 to respond to the needs of artists who needed their oils to dry quicker.

Click here to buy Winsor & Newton Griffin Alkyd Oil Colour

Versatile acrylic colours can be used for watercolour techniques on paper and for oil style painting on specially primed paper or canvas.
To help you find a way in to acrylics, try these two simple step by step exercises courtesy of Collins Learn to Paint Acrylics by Alwyn Crawshaw.

Acrylics are the most versatile artists' painting mediums. You can use acrylics for just about anything - from fine art painting to decorative arts and crafts. They're used in model-making, for interior and exterior murals, theatrical scenery, airbrushing and screenprinting. Until the middle of the 20th century artists had been working with the same painting materials for hundreds of years.
Watercolours, oils and tempera. It wasn't until the early 1960s that the technology used for industrial coatings was applied to fine art colours and the first acrylic colours for artists were launched in
Europe.


Acrylic paints are made by the suspension of pigment in an emulsion of acrylate resin and water to create rich deep colour. Acrylic colours dry more quickly than oils through uniform evaporation of the water in the binder. As the colour dries, the acrylic resin around each tiny particle of pigment fuses to create a flexible water-resistant film. Use them straight from the tube - or mixed with a little water, for impasto and oil style painting. Paint in thin dilute washes of colour for watercolour effects. Acrylics give a water resistant eggshell finish which doesn't fade, yellow or crack. An acrylic painting on canvas can be rolled up and stored without danger of the surface cracking. And, once they are dry, acrylics are light fast and permanent.


Acrylics are water-based so they're mixed with water, which means you don't need to use solvents during the painting process - or for cleaning up afterwards. Yet once they're dry, acrylics become waterproof, so you can use them outdoors - even in wet weather. The rapid-drying characteristic of acrylic colours enables the artist to apply layers of colour in quick succession, and to finish a painting in a fraction of the time it would take in oils. Neat acrylic paint applied thinly will dry in about a quarter of an hour. Allow a day or more for thick layers of impasto. While it's still wet, acrylic resin looks slightly milky. As it dries, acrylic colour tends to go slightly darker and deeper. Because of its fast drying, colour cannot be manipulated on the surface for long periods.
To keep colour on the palette moist, Daler-Rowney developed the Stay Wet palette, specially designed to keep acrylics workable for weeks. Simply soak the absorbent layer in the bottom of the lidded tray, and squeeze your colour onto the disposable paper palette above. When you've finished, throw the used sheet away and replace with a clean one. Acrylics can be used in a variety of painting techniques. For a watercolour style of working, thin the colour well with water and apply layers of dilute colour. As each glaze dries, it becomes insoluble, so you can over paint without the risk of lifting the layer beneath and losing the purity and translucency of the colour. The water resistance of acrylics is a big advantage with other techniques too - like scumbling and dry brush work. For clear bright colour, limit yourself to mixes of only two or three colours, and don't over mix. For fine art, use on stretched canvas, canvas panels, primed board (eg. Tintoretto) and special acrylic painting paper. For decorative painting, use them on just about any surface from wood to plaster.

Apple - in an oil technique.

- Draw the apple first.
- Mix Cadmium Yellow, Titanium White and
a little Bright Green and use No 10 brush
to paint the top left area of the apple.
Make sure all your brush strokes follow
the shape of the apple. This is most
important.
- Add Cadmium Red and a little Crimson to
the mix and fill in the apple shape.
- Using the same colours but darker, paint
the shadow areas on the apple. Add
Ultramarine to the mix for the darkest
shadows.
- Finally paint the background in
Coeruleum and Titanium White, and add a
shadow to sit the apple on the ground. 

  

Mackerel - in a watercolour technique.

- Draw a faint outline in pencil. Use plenty
of water and allow colours to mix wet-onwet.
Starting with the head and working
down to the tail, use a mix of Cadmium
Yellow Cadmium Red, Ultramarine and a
little Crimson. Remember to leave some
white paper unpainted.
- Now put a pale green wash mixed from
Cadmium Yellow and a touch of Bright
Green over the body. Where it goes over
Simply soak the absorbent layer in the
bottom of the lidded tray, and squeeze your
colour onto the disposable paper palette
above. When you've finished, throw the used
sheet away and replace with a clean one.
Acrylics can be used in a variety of painting
techniques. For a watercolour style of
working, thin the colour well with water and
apply layers of dilute colour.
As each glaze dries, it becomes insoluble, so
you can over paint without the risk of lifting
the layer beneath and losing the purity and
translucency of the colour.
The water resistance of acrylics is a big
advantage with other techniques too - like
scumbling and dry brush work.
For clear bright colour, limit yourself to
mixes of only two or three colours, and don't
over mix.
For fine art, use on stretched canvas, canvas
panels, primed board (eg. Tintoretto) and
special acrylic painting paper. For decorative
painting, use them on just about any surface
from wood to plaster.
the white paper it will look shiny. Where it
covers the first stage wash it will give
more variation of colours and make them
darker. Add a little more work to the head.
- Paint a dark edge on the top edge of the
fish, add detail to the head and paint the
eye. The result will depend on how the
colours mix together on the paper and
the phenomenon of "happy accident".

The product of an 'attention to detail' production process, Gerstaecker 'Acryl' acrylic gives a brilliance, a texture, and most importantly a result that is already winning many new friends

Gerstaecker acrylic is made from the finest pigments mixed with an acrylic resin base that brings out the brilliance of the colours and gives them their artist quality properties.

Click here to buy Gerstaecker Acryl Acrylic Colour

An amazing journey through production

The production manager responsible for each colour is responsible for the process from start to finish. Once the raw materials have passed quality control, they are mixed together in a secret recipe - all the time under the watchful eye of the production manager. This secret recipe gives Gerstaecker acrylics a touch of originality. Other than their colour brilliance and consistency, Gerstaecker acrylics have a drying time a little longer than usual, something that allows more time for thought when working with this colour range. The homogeneity of the texture is constantly checked by production staff that carry out regular tests. All colours are conceived with respect for the environment and contain no toxic materials. Their odour is neutral and not unpleasant.

The covering power of the colour is also checked with the Damier test - where a blob of colour is drawn out over a black and white, tiled surface - the opacity can then be measured.

Quality checked in the lab at all stages

Artists themselves, the on site laboratory staff are constantly checking raw materials, not only as they arrive, but throughout the production process. Samples are regularly taken from all stages of the production line and tests are carried out and swatches produced and kept for future reference. Every now and then the lab staff produce larger pieces of artwork to check overall performance of the product.

Winning new friends

The consistency of Gerstaecker acrylic has already won many hearts since its debut in early 2004 and is particularly popular with people working in the open air; its lightfast properties and longer drying time being the reasons for this. All of the typical properties of an acrylic are also there and like other acrylics it can be applied with bristle and synthetic brushes and be applied in thick coats if so wished.

Classic Manufacturing:

The production process itself is very similar to that of any paint:
Mix the pigment with the binder,
Eliminate pigment residues,
Mill on the rollers,
Then bottle and label.
Old-fashioned test are still used throughout the process such as the Hegman test to check pigment particle size, and other tests of lightfastness, opacity, and longevity. These ensure great quality control and a constant consistency of acrylic with a price to quality ratio that remains very competitive.

Numerous acrylic accessories have been developed to bring out the best in acrylics. Play with consistencies, effects, intensities, and drying times to your heart's content.

Painting Medium & Gel

Mixed directly with the colour to increase its fluidity, make it more transparent, or glossier, these fluid products based on acrylic resins offer many possibilities.
With these a matt, glossy, or satin finish can be obtained as can subtle glazes and striking washes.
These mediums and gels are typically mixed 10 to 50% with the colour dependant on the brand and desired effect.

Click here to buy Schmincke Acrylic Fluid Medium Gloss

Retarders

Due to the quick drying nature of acrylics some artists feel rushed to get on with their work, so retarders were developed to slow down the drying process by a few minutes to a few hours dependant on brand and quantity used. Retarders are especially popular with open-air painters who when working outdoors in windy and warm conditions find that their drying times become much shorter. Retarders should be carefully measured when adding as surpluses change the colour values of some paints. The maximum quantity to use varies from brand to brand but is generally 10 to 30%.

Click here to buy Rubens Acrylic Retarder

Modelling Paste

This popular medium, sometimes called structure paste, is very popular among acrylic painters as it thickens the paint and allows the artist to create effects such as clouds, ripples, and rivers. Originality can be further developed by adding sand, wood, metals, crystals etc into the paste. The weak colorant in the paste hardly dilutes your colours either; in fact all it alters is the thickness. For really thick applications we recommend several coats. Up to 50% proportions can be mixed into colours.

Click here to buy Gerstaecker Light Modelling Paste

Texture Gel

A fascinating set of mediums that can be used as primers, coats on their own, or mixed with colours. Texture gels extend the plasticity of an acrylic giving them volume and originality. Normally these gels incorporate elements in suspension such as sand, marble dust, beads, black lava, and quartz crystal flakes as well as glitter and sequins. Chosen carefully and applied in different areas throughout your work these gels bring completely different effects and impact.

Click here to buy Liquitex Black Lava Texture Gel

Example of Work:

This piece was made from Schmincke Primacryl Titanium White, Ivory White, Yellow Ochre, and Raw Umber, Gerstaecker Light Modelling Paste, and sand.
The modelling paste was applied to the support with a knife,
Sprinkled with sand, and remixed with the knife. It was then left to dry.
When dry the washes were prepared - diluting a drop of each colour with good quantities of water.
Colours were then applied with a brush as desired.

Click here to buy Schmincke Primacryl

Based in the idyllic setting of Zurich in Switzerland, itself famous for its artistic talents, Lascaux was founded 40yrs ago by Alois K Diethelm. Being an artist himself, Diethelm could continue his passion and benefit from the advice (and sometimes constructive criticism!) of his artist friends.

The chair of Lascaux has since been taken over by Alois' daughter, herself an artist too. She has led the new generation of Lascaux, with her team, to create exceptional products and constant innovations.

The key to Alois Diethelm's success was the launch of a paint that allowed artists to work on a large scale, many wanted to - it was simply the fact that previously there had been nothing suitable. Acrylic represented the best solution to the problem, even though it was dismissed by artists as something more for children than huge masterpieces! However Lascaux managed to re-value acrylic and more importantly tell artists that their acrylic was the solution.

Since then Lascaux has become a firm favourite of professional artists, art teachers and therapists, graphic studios, restorers, conservationists, and prestigious museums. In just 3 decades Lascaux has climbed to first place in the world for manufacturing water based colours and picture restoration products.

Taking its name from the famous works at the Lascaux caves, Lascaux wanted to put its focus on the long life and resistance of its products. Lascaux has developed 10 ranges and numerous mediums to meet needs and is always on hand to offer technical support and teaching in any technique. Within this theme, Lascaux often organises events to try and demystify their products and allow artists to become fully acquainted with them. Lascaux also produce a large range of comprehensive supporting literature for all their products, including how to get started, mediums, health and safety sheets and the usual colour charts. All of these are available on request from Great Art.

Know How in Colours

Lascaux colours are made in a solvent free process and there are regular, strict toxicology tests carried out. The protection of the environment is also a first consideration, all colours are water based and cleaning is carried out solely with water. Waste water is purified in Lascaux's own on site filtration and purification system producing more than 10 million litres of perfectly pure water every year.

Lascaux colours are the result of a traditional production process. Each colour has its own alchemy, its own recipe, and manager, who is responsible for the batch from start to finish. Just as a chef would use ingenuity to create the perfect dish the manager does the same for his colour - adding a little more or less here and there to ensure the product is the best at the end. As regards to colour, or pigment, Lascaux has a gigantic store at any one time making sure the same colour is available for many months, and no dramatic differences should be noticed in the colours sold.
Production starts in the mixing room where the ingredients are added one by one, and in a specific order into the large mixers. Almost immediately a rigorous quality control process swings into place and samples are regularly taken off for analysis.

After mixing the colour then passes onto the rollers where any remaining pigment particles are ground out between the steel triple roll mills. As this happens air gets mixed into the paint making it more homogenous. All Lascaux products, including mediums, pass through this milling stage. After this stage the product is bottled or tubed, as required on semi automatic machines. Labels are applied after this stage, by hand, just to give that final personal touch to the production process.

All raw materials are closely examined in the lab and the final product is subjected to traditional tests of lightfastness, age, and water resistance etc. Lab technicians are always looking for possibilities to improve the product or colour ranges.
Lascaux has also developed an interesting freeze test. If the paint freezes fast then thaws back to the original state quickly, then the colour will be passed and left untouched. If however the freeze and thaw is slow then this can be damaging, as certain elements freeze and thaw faster than others - if this happens a colour is subjected to further tests.

Some examples of Work

During the summer of 1998 more than 800 life size plastic cows painted by around 400 artists and designers were exhibited throughout Zurich. The majority of the works were created with Lascaux products namely Uni primer, Studio acrylics, and UV transparent varnish. In 2004, Great Art supplied UV varnish to many artists involved in the Cow Parade project throughout the UK, Eire and Sweden.

Another example is this shop front mural in Zurich, with marbled studio acrylic colours applied on primer and then covered with UV Varnish.

Lascaux Studio acrylics have proven themselves in numerous exterior works and resist the passage of time and the elements well. However in order to last the painted surface must be carefully prepared and the correct mediums used. It is also recommended that a final top coat of varnish is used to seal the work when dry.

You can use brushes, rollers, or even rags to create murals and the choice of support is enormous - wood, plasterboard, masonry, concrete, stone, and metal - although this must be finely polished first.
Begin by cleaning, dusting off, and degreasing the support to be painted. The surface should now be primed - for example with Lascaux Paraloid B72-10%. The excellent penetrating properties of this primer impregnate the surface and reinforce it and we recommend that 2 coats are applied - the second whilst the first is still wet in roughly 360ml/m2 quantities. For interior work, use Hydro-ground - an acrylic dispersion that can be diluted from 1:1 to 1:4. The next stage is to apply 2 coats of Uni primer diluted with about 10% water. An approximate guide to quantity is 230ml/m2. When dry colour can then be applied using Gloss(1), Mat(2) or Satin(3) medium if desired. A thickener will help prevent paint running and make it easier to apply. The final stage is 2 coats of UV transparent varnish (diluted with 20% water) - this will further protect your work from UV rays and takes about 6hrs to dry.

For internal frescoes Studio acrylic remains the colour of choice. Why not mix it with Structura paste, A or B modelling paste, or impasto gel to create some great effects? UV varnish is normally unnecessary indoors - unless work is in the path of direct sunlight, which should be avoided wherever possible.

The suggested use of Lascaux products in the above examples is in no way concrete advice - although application instructions should be followed. Art and the creation of artwork are so varied and it is a truly personal choice of methods and materials - each piece of work is an individual's interpretation of an idea. For this reason we always recommend you try a test area first and select from the vast ranges in the Great Art catalogue - you don't have to do what we tell you! In fact the best pieces of artwork are often made if you just go with your judgement! Happy acrylic painting!