Reducer / Extender

S

snufkin

Guest
Hello
I will start by admitting that I don't know what is the difference between extender and reducer, it's sound the opposite...
I use acrylic and mix it with an extender. now I realise that I've mistaken. Why not to use water instead? it's only for murals. Would I feel the difference? would the paint will be less stable for longer period of time?
Now I don't have a choice. The extender is about to finish which bring me to my next questions
did you once try to make a DIY extender? I saw recipes in the net but I'm looking for more of opinion than recipes....
Tnx
 
The way I understand it is reducer is something that would change the viscosity of the paint (thinning it) the extender is paint without pigment which will make you paint more transperent but do nothing for viscosity.

Hope that helps some.
 
Wow so I misused it?
I thought that the purpose is to make the color more suitable for airbrush. So by adding extender I made all my color more transparent - something I wanted to avoid. So I just need water instead?
 
Transparent colors are your friend. They allow for
more subtle color use.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
so extender is actualy transparent base? i always thought that extender is a liquid which extends drying time thus less tip drying


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
redcore said:
so extender is actualy transparent base? i always thought that extender is a liquid which extends drying time thus less tip drying


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Sometimes it is, depends on brand. But that is normally called retarder.
 
jgny1 said:
The way I understand it is reducer is something that would change the viscosity of the paint (thinning it) the extender is paint without pigment which will make you paint more transperent but do nothing for viscosity.

Hope that helps some.
Click to expand...
The way I understand it, reducer thins down the paint allowing it to be sprayed; extender slows the drying time so you have a chance to manipulate what you've created before it dries out.
Hope I got this the right way round!
 
Reducer is the paints solvent without the pigments. Extender is similar to reducer, but keeps the brilliance of the pigment the same while diluting the base so that the paint covers more surface area. In contrast, thinners and reducers often dilute the colour.
 
You can use water to reduce, but depending on what brand you use, there are other benefits to reducer. It can help with tip dry, dry faster, and cure tougher, help the paint stay mixed and give better flow, and allow more surface area coverage without craters etc. How useful that is to you depends on what you want to paint/surface etc. Reducing will mean more passes to acheive the desired colour intensity, but you want that to be able to build up and get variation in tone, and add more detail. I think using reducer makes life much easier, and I find the additional properties very beneficial to the way I paint.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Vaportrail
Homebrew Reducer for cleanup
Replies
2
Views
242
TruggyDriver69
TruggyDriver69
busanga
Wicked Paints Lure painter beginners selection
Replies
4
Views
421
JuanRi
JuanRi
M
TIPS to get the most from IWATA HP-AH?
Replies
12
Views
498
*MRC*
M
busanga
Help with set up to start painting lures
Replies
8
Views
558
busanga
busanga
A
AB Turbo questions.
Replies
6
Views
137
sky_drifter
S
Back
Top