Chaplain Desmodus
New member
How do these work? Are they any good? Brands?
What about washes and surface tension?
Thanks,
Des
What about washes and surface tension?
Thanks,
Des
Acryclic Flow Enhancers
- Thread starter Chaplain Desmodus
- Start date
I wrote an article on this stuff actualy. If you want to download it to read you can find it here:
http://www.geocities.com/paintingplace/Artcl_afe.doc
And if ya just want it plain and simple:
Acrylic Flow Enhancers
An acrylic flow enhancer is generaly a clear painting medium used to thin and/or mix paints. Basicaly it is like an \'invisible\' coat of paint. It helps paints keep a steady pigmentation so coating is much more opaque.
You may ask \"why not just use water, its free and clear!\" . Well water is -not- an acrylic medium (Duh). So by using water you are actualy diluting your paints potency. Alongside this you are fragmenting the pigment in your paint therefore leaving it to dry grainy.
How coarse this dries depends on the quality of paint you are using however. I like to use cheaper hobby paints and they have a low pigmentation. By using water in these paints I would get a grainy texture. But with flow enhancer it actualy helps this paint coat better and smoother.
Also this medium helps keeps paints workable longer. This is a great thing for blending as it gives you more time when you want to feather two colours together to make a blend. That is of course if that is your style of painting .
Acrylic flow enhancer also does wonders for washes and inks. It breaks up the surface tension of the said coat and helps it settle down better. It gets rid of those unwanted rings around your inking and washes that you would normaly get.
Alongside all this, it can be used to add to the shelf-life of your paints. Add a few drops to drying or thickened paint pots and shake it up to help restore them. Adding a stainless steel ball bearing or a stone or glass bead of some sort also helps the mixing process. Make sure you use a -stainless steel- ball bearing because if you dont the ball could rust and ruin your paints!
There are quite a few acrylic flow enhancers you can get nowadays. Off-hand I use Folkart extender and SC Johnson Future no-wax floor finish. Future floor finish is like the holy grail to alot of people who use it as an acrylic medium. Not much can be said about it aside all that I already have, but it is generaly superior to most anything out there. I use it to mix/thin my paints and I cant say enough good things about it. I use the folkart extender to keep my paints fresh and new. A few drops occassionaly to each paint pot keeps them ready to use.
Be sure to experiment with whatever extender or flow enhancer you get. Some are meant to be diluted and some arent. For example, Future floor finish is good used at a 1:4 mix of Future finish to water. On the other hand the Folkart extender is good used as is.
All in all its just another thing to be taken into account when it comes down to painting style and preference. But I would suggest it greatly !
http://www.geocities.com/paintingplace/Artcl_afe.doc
And if ya just want it plain and simple:
Acrylic Flow Enhancers
An acrylic flow enhancer is generaly a clear painting medium used to thin and/or mix paints. Basicaly it is like an \'invisible\' coat of paint. It helps paints keep a steady pigmentation so coating is much more opaque.
You may ask \"why not just use water, its free and clear!\" . Well water is -not- an acrylic medium (Duh). So by using water you are actualy diluting your paints potency. Alongside this you are fragmenting the pigment in your paint therefore leaving it to dry grainy.
How coarse this dries depends on the quality of paint you are using however. I like to use cheaper hobby paints and they have a low pigmentation. By using water in these paints I would get a grainy texture. But with flow enhancer it actualy helps this paint coat better and smoother.
Also this medium helps keeps paints workable longer. This is a great thing for blending as it gives you more time when you want to feather two colours together to make a blend. That is of course if that is your style of painting .
Acrylic flow enhancer also does wonders for washes and inks. It breaks up the surface tension of the said coat and helps it settle down better. It gets rid of those unwanted rings around your inking and washes that you would normaly get.
Alongside all this, it can be used to add to the shelf-life of your paints. Add a few drops to drying or thickened paint pots and shake it up to help restore them. Adding a stainless steel ball bearing or a stone or glass bead of some sort also helps the mixing process. Make sure you use a -stainless steel- ball bearing because if you dont the ball could rust and ruin your paints!
There are quite a few acrylic flow enhancers you can get nowadays. Off-hand I use Folkart extender and SC Johnson Future no-wax floor finish. Future floor finish is like the holy grail to alot of people who use it as an acrylic medium. Not much can be said about it aside all that I already have, but it is generaly superior to most anything out there. I use it to mix/thin my paints and I cant say enough good things about it. I use the folkart extender to keep my paints fresh and new. A few drops occassionaly to each paint pot keeps them ready to use.
Be sure to experiment with whatever extender or flow enhancer you get. Some are meant to be diluted and some arent. For example, Future floor finish is good used at a 1:4 mix of Future finish to water. On the other hand the Folkart extender is good used as is.
All in all its just another thing to be taken into account when it comes down to painting style and preference. But I would suggest it greatly !
I\'m not really picky, and so I use water as my extender... or just simply mix more of the given color. As for wet blending, I use FFF (future floor finish) mixed into the paint before applying, and that keeps things nice and wet while working (although, I really do prefer to paint in layers, its easier, faster, and less hassle).
Joe
Joe
Corwin the Confused
New member
Zilo\'s site on Extenders?
Zilo,
I went to your site on Extenders an it was not available. Could you please paste it here?
Thanks,
Corwin the Confused
Zilo,
I went to your site on Extenders an it was not available. Could you please paste it here?
Thanks,
Corwin the Confused
Corwin the Confused
New member
Zilo\'s site on Extenders?...still not working....
Zilo,
Your site doesn\'t work for me. Could you please paste the aqrticle here?
Below is what I get when I go to that address.
Corwin the Confused
Yahoo!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This page is not available.
We\'re sorry, but this page is currently unavailable for viewing.
If this site belongs to you, please read this help page for more information and assistance.
For general questions see our main help area, or search for other member pages.
Zilo,
Your site doesn\'t work for me. Could you please paste the aqrticle here?
Below is what I get when I go to that address.
Corwin the Confused
Yahoo!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This page is not available.
We\'re sorry, but this page is currently unavailable for viewing.
If this site belongs to you, please read this help page for more information and assistance.
For general questions see our main help area, or search for other member pages.
C
Con EL Pueblo
Guest
Retarder = Flow Enhancer?
I would really like to know how peoples\' experiences with retarder (W&N) are like...
I\'ve ordered some home, hoping that it\'ll do the trick of flow enhancing, but are these two things different ???
\"Vernon! That light! ...The Jeffersons\' dog is back!\"
I would really like to know how peoples\' experiences with retarder (W&N) are like...
I\'ve ordered some home, hoping that it\'ll do the trick of flow enhancing, but are these two things different ???
\"Vernon! That light! ...The Jeffersons\' dog is back!\"
farseerlum
New member
stuff for paint
i have had some problems with some of these products.
one of them stratifies different paint pigments so that i see one color but underneath that color is a different one. not a biggie cos i just mix it up a bit more and it\'s cool again. but it is something that catches me occaisionaly.
another is that it dries to a diferent texture. sort of rubbery and chewy. at least it does on the palette i don\'t notice any difference on the mini.
just some wierdness. expected really.
i have had some problems with some of these products.
one of them stratifies different paint pigments so that i see one color but underneath that color is a different one. not a biggie cos i just mix it up a bit more and it\'s cool again. but it is something that catches me occaisionaly.
another is that it dries to a diferent texture. sort of rubbery and chewy. at least it does on the palette i don\'t notice any difference on the mini.
just some wierdness. expected really.
SteppinRazer
New member
Does anyone else ever have these dry corners of green when using Future to thin paint?
madartiste
New member
Retarder/ Flow enhancer
I\'m going to second Con El\'s question about Retarders vs. Flow enhancers. I have some acrylic retarder and it does indeed thin the paint and make it flow better. But I wonder if the flow enhancer is something else?
Can\'t say I\'ve had trouble with \"dry corners of green\" with Future. Wish I could help...
I\'m going to second Con El\'s question about Retarders vs. Flow enhancers. I have some acrylic retarder and it does indeed thin the paint and make it flow better. But I wonder if the flow enhancer is something else?
Can\'t say I\'ve had trouble with \"dry corners of green\" with Future. Wish I could help...
C
Con EL Pueblo
Guest
Retarders...
Could anyone helps me (us) out here? I\'m really curious about this ???
Btw, kind of of-topic, but anyway, I have just tried brake fluid for cleaning of some old miniatures. Very, very nice. Strips virtually all the paint, isn\'t flammable, and you don\'t have to wear silly amounts of gear to protect yourself and your flashy designer clothes
\"Vernon! That light! ...The Jeffersons\' dog is back!\"
Could anyone helps me (us) out here? I\'m really curious about this ???
Btw, kind of of-topic, but anyway, I have just tried brake fluid for cleaning of some old miniatures. Very, very nice. Strips virtually all the paint, isn\'t flammable, and you don\'t have to wear silly amounts of gear to protect yourself and your flashy designer clothes
\"Vernon! That light! ...The Jeffersons\' dog is back!\"
C
Con EL Pueblo
Guest
Retarders...
Could anyone helps me (us) out here? I\'m really curious about this ???
Btw, kind of of-topic, but anyway, I have just tried brake fluid for cleaning of some old miniatures. Very, very nice. Strips virtually all the paint, isn\'t flammable, and you don\'t have to wear silly amounts of gear to protect yourself and your flashy designer clothes
\"Vernon! That light! ...The Jeffersons\' dog is back!\"
Ps. sorry if this appears twice, have computer trouble :flame:
Could anyone helps me (us) out here? I\'m really curious about this ???
Btw, kind of of-topic, but anyway, I have just tried brake fluid for cleaning of some old miniatures. Very, very nice. Strips virtually all the paint, isn\'t flammable, and you don\'t have to wear silly amounts of gear to protect yourself and your flashy designer clothes
\"Vernon! That light! ...The Jeffersons\' dog is back!\"
Ps. sorry if this appears twice, have computer trouble :flame:
Corwin the Confused
New member
Ok? Is my computer broken?
Hello? Is this thing on? ??? Test 1, Test 2....
Zilo, I am not trying to be a pain but I guess by now I have become one. When I click on your quoted link above or the link in the 2nd post, the page doesn\'t load.
Please, anyone, paste the article here in this post so that I can see it.
Pulllllllllllleeeeeeeez.
Thank you!
Hello? Is this thing on? ??? Test 1, Test 2....
Zilo, I am not trying to be a pain but I guess by now I have become one. When I click on your quoted link above or the link in the 2nd post, the page doesn\'t load.
Please, anyone, paste the article here in this post so that I can see it.
Pulllllllllllleeeeeeeez.
Thank you!
Here it is, once again for you corwin
Acrylic Flow Enhancers
An acrylic flow enhancer is generaly a clear painting medium used to thin and/or mix paints. Basicaly it is like an \'invisible\' coat of paint. It helps paints keep a steady pigmentation so coating is much more opaque.
You may ask \"why not just use water, its free and clear!\" . Well water is -not- an acrylic medium (Duh). So by using water you are actualy diluting your paints potency. Alongside this you are fragmenting the pigment in your paint therefore leaving it to dry grainy.
How coarse this dries depends on the quality of paint you are using however. I like to use cheaper hobby paints and they have a low pigmentation. By using water in these paints I would get a grainy texture. But with flow enhancer it actualy helps this paint coat better and smoother.
Also this medium helps keeps paints workable longer. This is a great thing for blending as it gives you more time when you want to feather two colours together to make a blend. That is of course if that is your style of painting .
Acrylic flow enhancer also does wonders for washes and inks. It breaks up the surface tension of the said coat and helps it settle down better. It gets rid of those unwanted rings around your inking and washes that you would normaly get.
Alongside all this, it can be used to add to the shelf-life of your paints. Add a few drops to drying or thickened paint pots and shake it up to help restore them. Adding a stainless steel ball bearing or a stone or glass bead of some sort also helps the mixing process. Make sure you use a -stainless steel- ball bearing because if you dont the ball could rust and ruin your paints!
There are quite a few acrylic flow enhancers you can get nowadays. Off-hand I use Folkart extender and SC Johnson Future no-wax floor finish. Future floor finish is like the holy grail to alot of people who use it as an acrylic medium. Not much can be said about it aside all that I already have, but it is generaly superior to most anything out there. I use it to mix/thin my paints and I cant say enough good things about it. I use the folkart extender to keep my paints fresh and new. A few drops occassionaly to each paint pot keeps them ready to use.
Be sure to experiment with whatever extender or flow enhancer you get. Some are meant to be diluted and some arent. For example, Future floor finish is good used at a 1:4 mix of Future finish to water. On the other hand the Folkart extender is good used as is.
All in all its just another thing to be taken into account when it comes down to painting style and preference. But I would suggest it greatly !
Acrylic Flow Enhancers
An acrylic flow enhancer is generaly a clear painting medium used to thin and/or mix paints. Basicaly it is like an \'invisible\' coat of paint. It helps paints keep a steady pigmentation so coating is much more opaque.
You may ask \"why not just use water, its free and clear!\" . Well water is -not- an acrylic medium (Duh). So by using water you are actualy diluting your paints potency. Alongside this you are fragmenting the pigment in your paint therefore leaving it to dry grainy.
How coarse this dries depends on the quality of paint you are using however. I like to use cheaper hobby paints and they have a low pigmentation. By using water in these paints I would get a grainy texture. But with flow enhancer it actualy helps this paint coat better and smoother.
Also this medium helps keeps paints workable longer. This is a great thing for blending as it gives you more time when you want to feather two colours together to make a blend. That is of course if that is your style of painting .
Acrylic flow enhancer also does wonders for washes and inks. It breaks up the surface tension of the said coat and helps it settle down better. It gets rid of those unwanted rings around your inking and washes that you would normaly get.
Alongside all this, it can be used to add to the shelf-life of your paints. Add a few drops to drying or thickened paint pots and shake it up to help restore them. Adding a stainless steel ball bearing or a stone or glass bead of some sort also helps the mixing process. Make sure you use a -stainless steel- ball bearing because if you dont the ball could rust and ruin your paints!
There are quite a few acrylic flow enhancers you can get nowadays. Off-hand I use Folkart extender and SC Johnson Future no-wax floor finish. Future floor finish is like the holy grail to alot of people who use it as an acrylic medium. Not much can be said about it aside all that I already have, but it is generaly superior to most anything out there. I use it to mix/thin my paints and I cant say enough good things about it. I use the folkart extender to keep my paints fresh and new. A few drops occassionaly to each paint pot keeps them ready to use.
Be sure to experiment with whatever extender or flow enhancer you get. Some are meant to be diluted and some arent. For example, Future floor finish is good used at a 1:4 mix of Future finish to water. On the other hand the Folkart extender is good used as is.
All in all its just another thing to be taken into account when it comes down to painting style and preference. But I would suggest it greatly !
Corwin the Confused
New member
Thanks Zilo
Thanks Zilo,
I guess I misunderstood you. I thought your article was more in depth than what you wrote in the 2nd post. Now I understand your confusion :idea: about what I wanted. I am sorry to have taken the thread down this path.
Thanks Zilo,
I guess I misunderstood you. I thought your article was more in depth than what you wrote in the 2nd post. Now I understand your confusion :idea: about what I wanted. I am sorry to have taken the thread down this path.
