Liquitex

Developing the first water based artist acrylic products in 1955, Liquitex has always been concerned with the needs of the professional artist. All Liquitex products are formulated by a unique team of chemists and artists: chemists with a wide array of skills in resin technologies and artists who help us to stay focused on the working properties.  This combinations allows us to make the most versatile ranges of intense, highly loaded, permanent colours possible. Liquitex is the only acrylic brand to offer three uniquely different ranges of professional colour to suit the needs of the artist.  That in mind, range-specific handling characteristics are established so that every Liquitex paint feels just right – never too sticky or slippery. The low-odour acrylic resin base represents the latest in acrylic resin technology, offering increased open time and producing colours of great clarity with very low wet-to-dry value shift. The paint films are highly flexible, durable, non-yellowing, UV resistant, water-resistant and pH neutral when dry.  All Liquitex Professional Colours can be intermixed with each other and as well as all Liquitex Mediums.

Drying Time:
The dry time for all water based artists acrylic media depends on how quickly the water can evaporate from the application. This is dependent on –

• The thickness of the product. For example, fluid varnishes will dry much more quickly than thick gels.

• The thickness of the application. For example, thin applications will dry much more quickly than thick applications.

• Relative temperature and humidity of the environment. For example, applications on warm, dry days will dry much faster than on cold, damp days.

• Absorbency of the substrate. For example, applications on absorbent surfaces will dry more quickly than on a hard, non-absorbent surface.

There is a difference between dry time and cure time.

Dry time is when the surface feels dry to the touch.

Cure time is when the acrylic film is fully stable, close to its maximum durability, water resistant and less vulnerable to attack by mild solvents. This usually takes at least three days for thin applications.

For paint applications other than blending, wait until the surface is touch-dry before applying more paint. Thick applications should be firm and no longer 'springy,' with no obviously wet portions remaining beneath. Dry time can be accelerated by using a hair dryer.

For varnish application, paint must be cured before varnishing. For two coats of varnish, wait until the surface feels completely dry to the touch before applying a second coat. This means that there should be no feeling of dampness to the hand when placed on the surface. Dry time can be accelerated by using a hair dryer. A good rule of thumb is to wait at least 12 hours between applications of varnish.

See our range of Liquitex paint, inks & mediums