Acrylic paint too thick?

[MadAboutNails]

Hoping someone can help me..... :o When i do my nailart, I sometimes find that when I paint or press the brush onto the nail to make flower petals etc, the paint has started to thicken/dry out. Difficult to explain..kinda gives a texture effect... doesn't look nice and smooth anyway. The paint i use is from a craft shop but maybe it needs thinning?

I've seen some fantastic freehand nail art in here and even I'm only at the basic flower stage it's disheartening when i can get the petals etc in the right place but the paint just looks. . blotchy!

Cheers for any advice. . .

 

[Christie's Nails]

Sounds like your paint is old. I know exactly what you mean by "textured".
If it is acrylic craft paint you can thin it with water. but when my paints get like that I just toss em. So much easier than hassling with it. If you think the store is selling the paints old... check way back in the rack.. to possibly find the newest stock. Open the lid just to check the consistency. Or sometimes a certain brand of craft paint is thicker than others. Try a different brand or a different store.

 

[MadAboutNails]

Thanks Christie. . .

The paints are those little pots that are all attached together in a line. I'll try thinning first, then binning! Hmmmm. . .they didn't cost much in the first place so I guess I should just look for new paints.

By the way, your nails and nailart is fantastic Christie!

 

[TracyUK]

Hi now you have mentioned the little pots I remember finding exactly the same..i used them way back ....you will see such a difference if you switch to the little tubes of good quality paints sold in art shops... hope this helps

 

[Christie's Nails]

Yeah those little pots dry out quickly. I used them once too. They are convenient though. You could try emptying out the pot that is too thick.. rinse it out and refill from a larger container that does not dry out quickly.
I use inexpensive craft paints... shake the bottle then take off the lid and use it to dip my brush in. That way you still have control of how much paint you are getting on your brush.

 

[MadAboutNails]

Do you have to thin these out or can you use straight from the tube? Sorry if it's a daft question!! Do you use a little palette or something... eek..is that another daft question too??!!?!

 

[LayStar]

I use artist's acrylic paint, which aren't too thick or too watery. But when detailing, I water the paints down.
Just take a pallette - or I used to use a dinner plate! - and load a brush up with paint, and dab it onto the pallette. Dip your brush it water, and then mix it in the dabbed paint. Keep doing this until you reach your desired consistancy. If you make it too watery - just add more paint!!

Hope this helps

xxlaylaxx