Working With Different Types of Paint:

Mixing Acrylic Paint:

1. Gather Supplies:

• Acrylic paints
• Palette – any material
• Brushes or palette knife
• Water

2. Squeeze Out the Paint:

Start by squeezing out the colours you want to mix onto your palette. Place them a few inches apart to give yourself space to mix in between.

3. Start Mixing:

Use a clean brush or a palette knife to begin mixing the colours. Start with small amounts of paint, adding more as needed to adjust the colour.

4. Observe and Adjust:

As you mix, observe the resulting colour and use the tips above to adjust.

5. Add Water:

If your paint is feeling too thick you can add a little water to your paintbrush and mix it in so your paint flows easier.

Mixing Oil Paint:

1. Gather Supplies:

• Oil paints – various brands often have different pigment concentrations and consistencies.
• Palette – wood, glass or acrylic.
• Painting Medium – Linseed oil, walnut oil, or other painting mediums to modify the consistency and drying time of your oil paint.
• Brushes and palette knife – have a set just for your oil paints
• Paint solvent – Turpentine

2. Squeeze Out the Paint:

Start by squeezing out the colours you want to mix onto your palette. Place them a few inches apart to give yourself space to mix in between.

3. Mix in the Medium:

Pour some of the medium on to your palette and mix a tiny bit in with your oil paints. Use a palette knife to mix the colours.

4. Observe and Adjust:

As you mix, observe the resulting colour and adjust accordingly. Oil paints allow for subtle colour adjustments because they dry slowly, giving you time to work with the paint.

5. Clean Tools Between Mixing – NO WATER!:

Clean your brushes and palette knife thoroughly with a suitable oil paint solvent before switching to a new colour, wipe dry with a clean rag.

Mixing Watercolour Paint:

1. Gather Supplies:

• Watercolours – these come in tubes or pan sets
• Watercolour palette – specifically designed with deeper wells (sections) to hold and mix the paints.
• 2 x jars – 1 for cleaning and one for mixing
• Brushes: Watercolour brushes are made from gentle fibres with fine tips

2. Squeeze out the Paint:

Ensure colours are in their own sections or wells.

2 Start Mixing:

Mix the paint on a flat area of the palette by gently stirring the colours together. Clean your brushes thoroughly between colours to avoid mixing unwanted hues. Rinse your brushes in clean water and gently blot them on a paper towel.

3. Test the Colour:

Before applying the mixed colour to your artwork, test it on a scrap piece of paper to ensure it matches your desired shade.

4. Keep Practising:

Watercolour mixing requires patience and practice. Don’t be afraid to experiment and explore different combinations on scrap papers to achieve the desired mixes.

Can I Mix Different Types of Paint?

Mixing different types of paint can be done, but it’s important to understand the characteristics of the paints you’re working with to achieve the best results. Generally it’s best to stick to mixing paints within the same category (water-based with water-based, oil-based with oil-based) to ensure compatibility and stability.

Water-Based Paints:

Acrylic and watercolour paints are both water-based, so they can be mixed together without any issues. However, keep in mind that acrylic paint dries to a plastic-like texture, while watercolour can reactivate with water, even after drying. Mixing them might result in a surface that is not entirely predictable but can make for some beautiful and unique art.

Oil-Based Paints:

It’s generally not recommended to mix oil paints with acrylic. Oil paints dry through oxidation and have a different chemical composition. Mixing them can lead to issues with drying, adhesion, and stability over time.

Oil and watercolour paints should not be mixed. Watercolour is water-based and contains additives that allow it to dissolve in water, while oil paints repel water. Mixing these two types of paint will not produce a stable mixture.

Experimentation and Testing:

If you’re curious about mixing different types of paint, it’s a good idea to conduct small-scale experiments on a separate surface before applying them to your artwork. This way, you can observe how the paints interact and whether the mixture provides the desired result.

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