Top Tips on Acrylic Fluid Paint Preparation by Djanmich.

So let's get started!

Top Tip No 1: Make sure that you are using 'Artist Quality' acrylic paints, and I urge you to purchase the most premium brand you can afford, such as, "Golden, Matisse, Atelier, Liquitex, Amsterdam Acrylics', the list goes on. So just make sure when you are selecting your brand, be sure to check that is says "Artist Quality" and not "Student Quality", the difference is 'Day & Night' when it comes to overall quality and finish.

Top Tip No 2: Now as mentioned above quality is paramount, and by using the top tier brands you will notice a great difference with your finished artwork, and the same advice applies to the following. So now we will be talking 'Mediums', and I urge you to select your mediums based upon the brands mentioned above, and more specifically, choose "Artist Quality" brands. While it might seem obvious to match your paint brands with your medium brand, it's not a necessity. So I invite you to just pick which ones fit into your current budget and go from there. But for me personally I have tried and tested numerous brands, and have now found which ones work best for myself.

• A medium is a substance that is added to paint to change one or more of its properties. In acrylic mediums, these mixtures can be incorporated into the pigment to lengthen its drying time, make it thicker, or change the texture. Mediums are bought in addition to paints.

Top Tip No 3: Avoiding 'Cracking' once your paint has fully cured onto your chosen surface.

Firstly, I must mention that although most pre stretched canvases are already primed, I still prefer to use an 'Artist Quality' Gesso to create an extra thick, and subtle textured surface to aid in adhesion.

To do so I use a wide brush to apply, and with a 'crosshatch' pattern technique (brushing up and then across) you will create a surface that will hold and allow for stronger adhesion.

How I have been avoiding those undesirable "Cracked' paint finishes is by mixing 'Artist Quality' paints with the following 'Artist Quality Mediums'.

• Pouring Medium by 'Atelier'

• Thin Viscosity Medium M9 by 'Matisse'

• Gloss, Matte or Satin Varnish by 'Liquitex'

• Fast Medium/ Fixer by 'Atelier'

Now, when using 'Pouring Mediums', being the main auxiliary for your 'Fluid Paintings', I have found that most 'Artist Quality' brands pretty much have the same overall finish, with the exception of the new 'Liquitex' Gloss, Matte and Satin 'Pouring Mediums'. The top tier brands will generally produce a higher quality finish with more flexibility and lower crazing. But for now find a brand that is cost effective for your current budget, and I will explain how you can still gain great quality in your finished works.

I start by squeezing out a generous portion of 'Heavy-Bodied, Artist Quality' paint by 'Matisse', and then begin by gradually mixing small amounts of 'Thin Viscosity Medium M9' by 'Matisse', until the paint starts to become softer and more flexible to the touch of my palette knife. Once the paint enters in to a more 'goey' state, 'like warm honey', I will then move the mixture into a cup.

It is now at the stage where I can add in a little 'Varnish' by 'Liquitex', the purpose of this addition is to add strength to the paint mixture, and also you can get creative by mixing in either a 'Gloss, Satin or Matte' depending on your desired sheen finish. I then will lower the viscosity even further with 'Fast Medium/ Fixer' by 'Atelier'. Now, just use a touch of this medium as it will thin down your mixture quite quickly. So the idea behind this addition is to breakdown the 'Heavy-Bodied' paints further, but also this substance will dry your paints sooner, which in my experience eliminates the chance of your paint mixtures to cure too slowly, which increases chances of the water particles within the products to evaporate too quickly. I believe this contributes to 'Cracking' in cured 'Fluid Paints'.

• Avoid using hair dryers with a high heat setting, this will cause your paints to crack as well. If you are needing your paint layer to dry sooner, just add in more of the 'Fast Medium/ Fixer' and you can use a hair dryer on a cool setting to help the curing process along.

Once the desired viscosity of the 'Fluid Paint' mixture has been achieved I will then begin to add small amounts of 'Pouring Medium' by 'Atelier', this will thicken up the mixture, and the idea is to get it either back to the desired 'warm honey' state. Or indeed your own ideal viscosity based on which ever 'Fluid Painting' technique that you are using. It is then a good idea to leave your mixtures in their cups for at least 5 minutes or more, to allow any bubbles within the mixture to come to the surface and release.

• When mixing, go slowly to avoid producing bubbles, and to also achieve a more consistent product.

Top Tip No 4: Now considering what has been mentioned above, when it comes to avoiding those annoying 'Bubbles' in your 'Fluid Paintings', there are a few points I'd like to cover.

Try to avoid mixing your concoctions too rapidly, as this will create not only a lower consistency, but also 'bubbles'. And it is well advised that you allow some rest time once you have completed your paint mixtures, I also like to cover mine up to avoid any contamination. Now in terms of a time frame, 5 minutes is the minimum, but you may need more time as it really depends on your unique mixtures.

Once you have applied your 'Fluid Paints' to the canvas or wood panel, keep an eye out for more of those 'Bubbles' to appear, as they will, and it is best to pop them as soon as possible before the paint begins to cure. The best way that I have found, which is quite a common method, is to use a 'blow torch', and I would advise using a cooking torch, as the other types you can purchase from hardware stores produce far bigger and hotter flames, and you will easily burn the paint/ surface.

The idea is to quickly glide the flame over the areas that have those tiny 'Bubbles', keeping a safe distance as to avoid burning. You will see them all popping away in no time, as thus producing a much nicer finish with your 'Fluid Paints'.

Top Tip No 5: Eliminating 'Flat Finishes' , and 'Increasing Tone and Saturation' with your 'Fluid Paintings'.

Now you may have noticed once your 'Fluid Paints' have cured, they finish rather flat in

appearance, and I know with my art works, with the techniques/ methods that I use, having a 'Rounded' finish is highly desirable.

Especially with pieces like you see in the 'Featured Image below', or when creating a 'Gravity Drip-Pour' type painting. It makes for a far more valuable appearance in your works, not to mention the lovely texture it adds with a 'Rounded' paint pour finish.

So to achieve this look I will begin by using more paint, and by using the above concoction method to achieve a thick, resin type viscosity. This will aid you in avoiding 'Flat lifeless Finishes'.

• Don't be afraid of using more product, it might seem like a bigger cost in your budget, but remember its not about the money, it's about final outcome of the piece. I know for my works that quality is paramount. They must be created to last and look amazing for many decades, if not centuries to come!

By using this method above I have found that the 'Tone and Saturation' of my colours have remained true, as too when they first come out of the tube. Again high quality is my top priority when it comes to creating a painting.

Top Tip No 6: 'Colour Mixing';when one tone collides with another, and the varying effects via different viscosities and mixtures.

When it comes to 'Fluid Painting' there are various effects that can be created, and then there are those that appear by ways of a 'Happy Accident'. While I don't claim to know the perfect recipes to produce certain effects, I have discovered some via my many trial and error excursions.

In order to create a 'Celling' effect you can use a product known as 'Floetrol', this can be found at your local hardware store. And is mixed in with your 'Fluid Paint' mixtures, only apply small amounts as too much can take away from your overall 'Saturation Point'. It is also advised to have a lower viscosity mixture when you are wanting this effect, so keep that in mind, you'll need a 'runny honey' type consistency.

And if you are wanting a 'Smooth Colour Mix', with a touch of transparency, I like to use a 50:50 mixture of 'Thin Medium' by 'Atelier' and deionised water. This will create an 'inky' type consistency and allow colours to 'bleed' into one another, which works epically great with 'transparent' colours.

Finally there is of course those who like their 'Fluid Paints' to sit side by side, layer over the top of each other, or twist and combine with a clean and opaque finish. So to produce this I will use more paint, keep my mixtures super consistent, and closer to that 'resiny, warm honey' feel. It will also help to use either opaque or semi-opaque colours.

• Another way to produce this type of strong but flexible consistency is to mix some 'Satin or Gloss Gel Medium' by 'Atelier' with your paints, before you use the above concoction.

Thank you for reading, and happy painting!

Yours sincerely,

Dylan @Djanmich Fine Art