Bubbles when painting! Help!

[cram]

Just been painting a horse using Foundry Acrylics watered down with tap water and there was little bubbles in the paint when I brushed it onto the figure, if I did not manage to brush all of these out then when the paint dried they popped and left little craters! I've not experienced this problem before and I've been painting for years!! Any help on the cause and how to avoid it in future?

Many thanks.

[DELTADOG]

Break surface tension thats the physics behind. You are in the UK right? Buy a bottle Future Floor Wax or Emsal Floor Wax or any other ACRYIC Based Floor Wax and give a half Teaspoon in each Paintpot. Never again bubbles on surfaces, longer fresh paints and a better behavior of the paint while being applicate on the surface.

[snitcythedog]

I agree with Deltadog that the Future (read Pledge multi surface in the UK) will work but it will also add a bit of gloss to the paint.  For more information about its many uses check out the complete future.  http://www.swannysmodels.com/TheCompleteFuture.html  You can also add a drop of finish jet dry to your mix.  That is designed to break the surface tension of water.  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Finish-Jet-dry-Rinse-Original-Liquid/dp/B0026WRHK6  Any similar liquid spot reducing agents will help kill bubbles.  Hope that gives you a couple of options that might help. 
Snitchy sends.

[zemjw]

I have had this when touching up the bits the spray primer missed, mainly due to over thinning and overenthusiastic application of the paint ("hey, it's just the undercoat, no need to worry about it" kind of approach)

Flow improver has helped. I use Liquitex flow aid, mixed as advised on the bottle. It definitely helps, but I've also found that painting more slowly makes bubbles less likely.

It could also be something in your tap water that day, so it may be worth picking up some distilled water and trying that.

[cram]

Thanks everyone for the help on this.

I gave the Pledge Multi surface a go and its helped a lot. Still get the odd little bubble, but it pops as I move the paint over the surface, no more little craters!

[dbsubashi]

It may not be your paint it may be the brush. I find i get bubbles with old or dirty brushes. Try cleaning your brush (I recommend B&J's the Master brush cleaner) with an acrylic brush soap. If that doesn't work, you may need a new brush mate.

[cram]

Thanks. I've ordered some of that brush cleaner now too.

[Mindenbrush]

I thin my paints with a mix of flow enhancer, retarder and matt finish but still get the odd bubble if I apply the paint too quickly  so I will often softly 'blow' over the figure which breaks the bubbles down.