Model Masters Acryl

My thinner I make up for craft paints imo works better in Acryl than their own Aztek thinner. 60/40 ( water to 91 isopropyl). I use filtered water from my kitchen dispenser. For every 3 oz of the blend 4-6 drops of Liquitex retarder and a residual amount of Dawn Dishwashing liquid. By residual amount, it's way less than a drop but just what I collect on a mixing stick and that also is for every 3oz.. And with this blend you can also venture into craft paints except for DecoArt which does not like alcohol.

That's my take and it's what I do myself. I don't even use the Aztek now. The retarder basically stops tip dry. The dish soap aids leveling and flow out. You can nix those products but will get tip dry.

Thanks for the tip!  I'll be trying it soon. Can I substitute distilled water for the filtered water? Like you, I've been experimenting with the acrylic craft paints like Ceramcoat,Anita's, Americana, and Apple Barrel. I've been using the blue colored windshield washer fluid to thin the paints with pretty good results too.

MR TOM SCHRY

Thanks for the tip!  I'll be trying it soon. Can I substitute distilled water for the filtered water? Like you, I've been experimenting with the acrylic craft paints like Ceramcoat,Anita's, Americana, and Apple Barrel. I've been using the blue colored windshield washer fluid to thin the paints with pretty good results too.

 

Distilled is just all the better. The key here is an actual alcohol content of 30ish %, the rest being water. I have not used washer fluid with Acryl as I've been quite happy with my combo. But with craft paint I find my combo a notch above washer fluid, washer fluid being seemingly about the same but it uses methanol not iso. It's not an exact science, I just eye ball the mix.

I do a couple of other blends for paints that can't handle alcohol but that's a topic for another thread.

Don't use Goldens retarder, a guy in another forum tried that and sprayed a bunch of goo. But Windsor Newton Gallerie should work, Genesis models makes his universal acrylic thinner with that retarder and flow aid too I believe. Sometimes I don't use the soap but a hint of Liquitex Flow aid, the judges are still out lol ( that is to say they both seem to do about the same job but you can wash dishes with one) ! I will note it is easy to over do the soap, I really mean less is better and just that trace amount is sufficient.