How to Thin Acrylic Paint

A Guide to Thin Acrylic Paint

Acrylic paint is mainly made of color pigments, and binding agents, and occasionally others contain added agents, which provide properties like durability.

What Is Acrylic Paint?

Acrylic paints can be thinned by adding water, a pouring medium, or using an acrylic binder.

Can You Thin Acrylic Paint?

Different Ways to Thin Acrylic Paint

This is the most popular, easiest, and cheapest way to thin acrylic paint. The most common ratio to use is 50% water to your paint, but some say 30% is sufficient. 

Water

Using an acrylic painting medium like an airbrush medium might be a better solution. The airbrush medium has a consistency similar to water and is easy to use.

Thinning Medium

You can easily use an acrylic binder instead of water, which does not influence the paint properties including color intensity in any way.

Acrylic Binder

Pouring medium was designed to help with improving the flow of acrylic paint. The medium is used mostly in the now popular art form of acrylic pouring.

Pouring Medium

This can be improved by adding acrylic binder and some water. Stir and you should be able to work with the paint again.

Reviving Dry Acrylic