Thickening paints

[OSHIROmodels]

Is there a medium available that can thicken paints but not necessarily 'thin' the pigment too much?

[Cubs]

I was wondering the same thing today, trying to use some paint I'd mixed myself in a pot and thinned too much. I presume warming it up (with lid off) would evaporate the excess water and thicken the paint, but trying to get the temperature and timing right would be beyond me. I'd not doubt be having a conversation with my wife about why I'd ruined her new silicon baking sheet with a puddle of melted paint and plastic.

[Blackwolf]

Put a good amount in your palette well,wait till it forms a skin on the surface,break skin before it dries out (haha,obviously).
I use this system for dry brushing trees, buildings et cetera, before oil washes...

[Codsticker]

Is there a medium available that can thicken paints but not necessarily 'thin' the pigment too much?

Have you looked at the Golden or Liquitex sites? It seems like if such a product existed one of them would make it.

Edit: As a matter of fact, here ya go.

[OSHIROmodels]

Cheers fellas, I think we have a winner 

Although the drying time is somewhat off putting. I’ll get a bottle/tub and see how it goes.

[CookAndrewB]

From the Liquitex website:

"How can I get really really thick color?
Try mixing your paint with Gloss Heavy Gel, Gloss or Matte Super Heavy Gel or Liquithick Additive. Each will give you a different result - Liquithick is more of a structural, opaque, spongey effect. The gels will be more rich and transparent."

Not totally sure a "spongey" effect is what you are describing. I'm not an expert, but I generally find that adding some matte medium (not a ton) to thinner acrylic paints does the job. I find that thinner paints almost always have low coverage regardless of the addition of matte medium, but the matte at least allows me to give it enough body to dry brush, even if I need to do a couple passes vice one. Just my amateur opinion. I've never tried a super heavy gel, but I would be tempted to start there before the Liquithick.

[westwaller]

Perhaps acrylic extender medium? Or a small amount of something like impasto medium? I believe PVA glue has similar properties to a lot of acrylic thickeners I've certainly read about fine artists using it to thicken paint in the past so it might be worth an experiment with that on the palette first?

[Cait Sidhe]

Lifecolor makes a thickener which I picked up a while ago. I've only used it a couple of times but seems to work. If the paint is really low pigment though you can get that effect where you're just pushing the paint around the surface.

https://www.snmstuff.co.uk/product/lifecolor-thickener-22ml/

[Codsticker]

Lifecolor makes a thickener which I picked up a while ago. I've only used it a couple of times but seems to work. If the paint is really low pigment though you can get that effect where you're just pushing the paint around the surface.

https://www.snmstuff.co.uk/product/lifecolor-thickener-22ml/

That looks like it could be the stuff.

[Hammers]

Put a good amount in your palette well,wait till it forms a skin on the surface,break skin before it dries out (haha,obviously).
I use this system for dry brushing trees, buildings et cetera, before oil washes...

I would suggest the same if you don't want to lower the pigment percentage.

[vexillia]

I recommend using plain talc.  I use it to matt standard acrylic paints.   If I add too much it turns to paste but can be thinned by adding water.  With Vallejo & craft paints this hardly affects the overall colour.   See links below for more details.

https://blog.vexillia.me.uk/2014/05/painting-tips-5c-matting-acrylics-with.html
https://blog.vexillia.me.uk/2011/09/painting-tips-5a-matting-acrylics-with.html
https://blog.vexillia.me.uk/2011/05/painting-tips-5-talc.html

[Bugsda]

Plaka, can be as thick as you want it, but a bit out of fashion nowadays 

[CookAndrewB]

Vexillia,

Wow, great articles. Sat down and read all three, plus the Unvarnished Truth. Good stuff. I'm going to give the talc thing a go with some thin craft paints. If it gets too screwed up I'm out less than a dollar. If it makes them useable, and of a consistent finish, then bonus!