How to Make Watercolor Brushes Work With Acrylic Paints

Although watercolor brushes can be used to work with acrylics, it is not recommended. Acrylic paint must be more thoroughly cleaned from a brush to prevent the paint from drying on the bristles, particularly where the bristles meet the ferrule. Even the more intense cleaning process acrylic necessitates may ruin a delicate watercolor brush. However, in a pinch, watercolor brushes may be used for acrylic.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Acrylic paint
• Watercolor brush
• Palette
• Water
• Palette knife (optional)
• Gesso (optional)
• Acrylic retarder (optional)
• Primed canvas or watercolor paper
• Soap

1. Lay out your paints on the palette, directly from the tube.

2. Drop water onto the paint with the brush. Mix the paint and water either with a palette knife, or with the brush. Be careful not to spread the bristles of the brush. The acrylic should be thin, though it may not need to be as thin as watercolor.

3. Dab the paint onto the brush tip and apply it to the canvas. Use a slightly more delicate touch than you would with an ordinary acrylic brush.

4. Keep the brush wet. Do not allow acrylic to dry on the brush at any time.

5. Soap the brush bristles thoroughly many times and rinse thoroughly every time, after you have finished painting. Do not wait to wash the paint from your brushes. The number of times you will soap and rinse your brushes depends partially on the amount and thickness of the paint on the brushes. A good rule of thumb to follow is to continue to wash the brush well beyond the point at which you are certain they are clean. Do not mash the bristles of the brush in order to get the paint from the area near the ferrule; use patience. Allow yourself much more time than you normally would for cleaning.

Tips & Warnings

• You may find that the watercolor brushes won't work the paint onto a canvas as well as ordinary acrylic brushes. This will depend partially on your brushes, and also how much water you have mixed with the acrylic. Add extra layers of gesso to the canvas for a smoother, less absorbent surface. This way the paint will easily rest on top of the canvas, and you won't need to spend as much time forcing the brush into the little spaces of a highly textured canvas. If this doesn't work, consider painting with acrylic on watercolor paper. Instead of watering down the acrylic, you may consider using acrylic retarder to thin the paint. If you try this, you must be careful not to use too much, or your paint will not dry correctly.

References

• Watercolorpainting.com: Watercolor Brushes