Tools of the trade; Gunk, your miracle acrylic supplement!

"Gunk" is a self made solution to aid the thinning and lengthening of the working life of acrylic paint.  If prefer to use a palette, this stuff will become your next best friend. Do you have a problem keeping your paints from drying out before you've finished using them? Do you have a problem with your paint separating when you thin it with water? This is the solution for you.

Ingredients:

Filtered or boiled water.

Flow Improver

Acrylic Fluid Retarder or Slow Drying Medium

Bottle to contain solution. 

The quantities of the above vary from person to person, but a good rule of thumb is: 5 parts water, 4 parts flow improver and 1 part drying retarder (Anne Foerster's recipe).  I prefer to have my solution slightly stronger; I like to think of it like squash syrup which can be diluted, so I tend to use more 6 parts drying retarder and 2/3 parts drying retarder.


How to use?

Once this solution has been made, simply add a drop or two or it to your paint and away you go. Hopefully, you should find the transitions between shades will be smoother and that the paint on the palette will be useable for longer.