{"id":744192,"date":"2016-04-08T16:43:44","date_gmt":"2016-04-08T15:43:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/?p=744192"},"modified":"2016-04-10T10:42:35","modified_gmt":"2016-04-10T09:42:35","slug":"adding-opacity-to-acrylic-colours","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jacksonsart.com\/blog\/2016\/04\/08\/adding-opacity-to-acrylic-colours\/","title":{"rendered":"Adding Opacity to Acrylic Colours"},"content":{"rendered":"

The new Schmincke Opaque Medium works great for making transparent acrylic inks opaque, which is what it was designed for. I was hoping it might also work for heavier acrylics but my experiments got mixed results.
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Some pigments are naturally more opaque or more transparent because of the nature of the particles from which that colour is made. But what if you want a certain colour but a different opacity? Can you change the opacity of a colour?<\/h5>\n

A common solution for artists if they want the hue of a certain pigment which is transparent, but they wish it to be opaque, is to add a small amount of Titanium White. The key is to add enough to add some opacity without lightening the colour too much. It is never perfect, the colour becomes more pastel as it becomes more opaque and you choose where on that spectrum is acceptable for what you are trying to achieve in your painting.<\/p>\n

Schmincke have created a new product that adds opacity without adding pigment. Schmincke Aero Opaque Medium<\/strong><\/a> is specifically designed for use with their Aero Colours<\/a> which are the very fluid acrylics (acrylic inks). But I wanted to see if it would work as a general opacifier for other acrylic colours. I tested it with three consistencies of acrylic: heavy body, fluid and ink. But it works best with the inks, which is what it was designed for. You only need to use very small amounts with acrylic inks as compared to the other consistencies of acrylics as well. <\/p>\n

Making transparent acrylic inks opaque<\/h5>\n
\"It<\/a>
It is most successful for what it was designed for – to use with acrylic inks. The inks are very sensitive and you get a big change for a small amount of medium. I added a smidge more to the ink as I moved to the right in this image.
You can get opacity with just a little bit added and without much colour change.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

\"Schmincke-Opaque-Medium\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Characteristics of the Schmincke Opaque Medium<\/h5>\n