Too much water..

[Saterus]

When adding water to your paint, how do you make sure you dont put too much water in? If you do end up adding too much water, how do you fix it without adding a lot of paint to it?

(I'm trying to practice painting, and I dont want to throw a lot of paint onto the pallet because I'm just painting 2 models. I added too much water to the red I'm trying to use, and now its too runny for what I need to do.)

[slorak]

For most intents and purposes you should be shooting for a thickness around heavy cream. Unfortunately every paint is different and how much water you will need will change. I would get a dropper bottle for your water and do a drop at a time, mix the paint and see how well it works.

If you mix it too thin - not sure what you can really do other than add more paint. Maybe let it sit for a bit and let some of the water evaporate? Though you wouldn't want to wait too long or the paint will dry up.

cheers,

-Mike

[Saterus]

I've been reading a lot of the painting tutorials from the top of this forum and my goal was heavy cream consistancy. It didnt quite end up that way. I think I'll grab a dropper for next time, but for now, I'm waiting to see if it will thicken back up if I let it sit for a while. I'm stirring it occasionally (every 5 minutes or so) so that hopefully it will just thicken up, without drying out the paint.

[Jon Quixote]

Are you pouring the water?

What I do (I don't have a dropper) is take an old paint brush, dip that in the water and then squeeze the bristles so that little drops fall onto my pallet and the I mix it in. I try to use a little bit of water and then more if it is still too thick, as if it it too thin(like ink) then you have to waste a lot of paint thickening it up again.

[Krakgrenade]

This is a matter for golfers - those who talk about "feel"
Adding water to the get the right consistancy is about feel and experience really. You should be able to tell fairly quickly if its the right amount for th emanufacturer of paint.

However i strongly recommend the use of an acrylic flow improver. What you will notice if you use pure water and paint on a mini is that it goes blotchy and dries in all kinds of ways with no real control over the flow of paint. Adding a couple of drops from your brish of flow improver binds the diluted paint together and gives you fluid control. It then dries as a layer rather than a blotch.
Depending on your country depends on brands and availablility. In the UK going to a place like Hobby Craft and checking their paint range out will get you this product and is essential in my opinion!

[LictorInTheGrass]

Really it doesn't matter, as long as it doesn't get TO thin. Do several layers and you'll find an excellent surface and whatnot. That's what I've begun to do on my special models, regular guys I don't bother.

[slorak]

This is a matter for golfers - those who talk about "feel"
Adding water to the get the right consistancy is about feel and experience really. You should be able to tell fairly quickly if its the right amount for th emanufacturer of paint.

However i strongly recommend the use of an acrylic flow improver. What you will notice if you use pure water and paint on a mini is that it goes blotchy and dries in all kinds of ways with no real control over the flow of paint. Adding a couple of drops from your brish of flow improver binds the diluted paint together and gives you fluid control. It then dries as a layer rather than a blotch.
Depending on your country depends on brands and availablility. In the UK going to a place like Hobby Craft and checking their paint range out will get you this product and is essential in my opinion!

Couldn't agree more. It is almost like a zen sense!

Yeah I use a bottle with dropper that is a 40/40/20 mix of water/Future Floor Wax/Liquitex Extender. It works very well.

Cheers,

-Mike

[Saterus]

So what everyone is saying is "Don't put too much water into the paint". I assume there is no hope for paint that met this fate?

[slorak]

So what everyone is saying is "Don't put too much water into the paint". I assume there is no hope for paint that met this fate?

It's not ruined just thin. You will either have to thicken it up or add several layers.

Cheers,

-Mike

[LictorInTheGrass]

I'd rather learn patience with thin paint and do several layers, than make a mistaken with extender. That would be a expensive mistake should you add to much and ruin you paint.