Liquitex Basics Acrylic Colour (400ml)

Video: Liquitex Professional vs. Basics Acrylic

Liquitex Basics acrylic paint pots are formulated to offer dependable standards of performance at an affordable cost. The acrylic paint has a thick and creamy consistency, which means it can retain peaks and brush strokes. Once dry, the Liquitex Basics acrylic paints have excellent light resistance, are non-yellowing and age-resistant, with a silky gloss finish.

The paints are also fantastic for learning colour theory and colour mixing and are also completely safe for educational use. Being mono-pigmented, the pure acrylic shares have a high colour intensity, ideal for layering and creating colour shifts. 

What is Acrylic paint?

Fast-drying and water based, Acrylic paint is comprised of a pigment suspended in an acrylic co-polymer binder. This is then applied to a support such as a canvas. The pigment fixes to the support upon evaporation of the water, producing a slight colour change in the process. Acrylic paint dries to a water-resistant, flexible finish, making it the ideal medium for a number of craft purposes including screen printing and model making.

All colours can be thinned with water to pale washes or used directly from the pot or tube. The quick-drying properties of the range enable the artist to work speedily, and a hairdryer may be used to further accelerate the drying process.

All Liquitex Heavy Body colours are fully intermixable and suitable for interior and exterior use, ideal for all art and craft projects. Different textures and effects can be created with these acrylic paints by adding a medium such as Super Heavy Gel or Glass Beads.

Once completed and dry, a thin layer of varnish may be applied, to protect and preserve artwork. Varnish is available in satin, matte and gloss finishes. Acrylic paints are water-based, so brushes used to apply the paint need only mild soap and water to clean them after use. This video illustrates how simple it is to clean and care for acrylic paint brushes.

What is the difference between professional acrylic paints and student acrylic paints?

Professional acrylic paints such as Liquitex Heavy Body and Liquitex Soft Body are formulated to use the maximum amount of pigment to achieve the ideal mixing and working properties and are milled to achieve thorough and complete dispersion of pigment within the vehicle, regardless of the resources required.

Student acrylic paints such as Liquitex BASICS and Liquitex BASICS Matt are formulated with sufficient pigment to offer dependable, if not ideal working properties and use pigments that in most cases require fewer resources so that they can be milled more quickly and efficiently.

This means that Liquitex BASICS and Liquitex BASICS MATT are going to give quality results at a great price. 

Which surfaces best support Acrylic paint?

Acrylic Painting Pads contain linen textured paper specifically designed for use Acrylic Colour. Incredibly versatile, Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic can be used on almost any semi-absorbent surface, including canvas, wood, fabric, ceramic bisque and cardboard.

In some cases, the surface may need to be first treated with a primer. Acrylic can even be painted onto a sheet of glass, and peeled off once dry.  This object can then be mounted as a free standing or hanging sculpture, or cut into pieces to make a mosaic.

Which brushes are best for Acrylic paint?

Specially developed for painting with acrylic colours, Acrylix brushes have synthetic soft filaments, good snap and perfect spring, making them ideal for acrylic painting. Acrylic paint may also be mixed and applied using palette knives.

Which techniques work best with Acrylic paint?

The following links show some techniques on how Acrylics can be used:

Faux Finishes: Marbling

Blending and Scumbling

Can you explain some of the terms used when painting with Acrylics?

Click here for a glossary of Acrylic painting terms.

Who is Liquitex?

Founded in 1933 by Henry Levison, Permanent Pigments, an oil colour producing company from Cincinnati, Ohio developed the first water-based artist acrylic paints. Their new formulation was launched in 1955, under the new company name Liquitex, an abbreviation of “Liquid texture”, which Levison believed better captured the product’s essence.

Today, Liquitex offers a vast array of intermixable vibrant acrylic paints and mediums, enabling artists to continually explore new and innovative ways of working with Acrylic Colour.