Sticky Acrylic Paint

**eminkey2003** · February 9th, 2009, 12:14 AM

I noticed that acrylic paint stays sort of sticky even months after it dries. Is there any way to make it completely dry, either while or after painting?

Also, which dries acrylic faster-- hot or cold air?

**Elwell** · February 9th, 2009, 12:22 AM

Questions:
What brand of paint are you using?
Are you adding anything besides water to the paint?
Is the pant layer soft and sticky?

Answer:
Hot air, of course.

**eminkey2003** · February 9th, 2009, 01:09 AM

I'm using Craft Smart, Liquitex Basics, and Amsterdam. I've found that the more professional brands tend to be thicker. I usually don't add anything to it, but I think the paint that was mixed with water is a bit less sticky when it dries. The dried paint is a little soft, yeah. I can make a mark with my fingernail that quickly heals.

**Elwell** · February 9th, 2009, 01:18 AM

Those are all student grade paints, which tend to be underpigmented. Using artist's quality paints would solve a lot of the problem (more "bricks," less "mortar."). As long as the paint isn't gummy and doesn't redissolve in water it should be fine. A coat of matte varnish or medium should cut down on the surface tackiness, at the cost of some gloss.

**Bruce Pluto** · February 9th, 2009, 07:01 AM

I don’t know about the painting conditions you are working in eminkey2003 or maybe that you are applying the paint very thickly but I myself use Liquitex and most of the time it is dry in 15 minutes. So I’m not sure what is causing this problem for you.

Bruce

**Ilaekae** · February 9th, 2009, 11:10 AM

I think what you're questioning isn't a "drying" problem as much as it is a natural tendency for many plastics to be "sticky" or "soft" to the touch. The copolymers used in painting don't become "hard" the way an oil painting or varnish does, especially in heavy straight applications, but have a through-and-through softness that is normal to the medium. That's why your fingernail mark pops back out to some degree, and why you can make a mark in the first place. This causes problems with dirt and nicotine/smoke in the air collecting on the paint surface faster than with varnished pieces and oils. It also causes MAJOR problem if acrylic paintings are stored face to face, or pushed up against each other front to back. NEVER stack paintings on canvas panels on top of each other--the weight of the pile will make them stick together enough to damage them when you try to separate them.

This isn't as big a problem when additives (sand, glass beads, dirt, etc.) are added to increase the texture/thickness of the paint since it breaks up the slick uniform surface.

**Qitsune** · February 9th, 2009, 12:08 PM

I have this exact same problem, with paint from a frame sticking to the surface of a painting after storage and ruining the edges of the painting. Of course now the frame is also chipped from the loss of paint. I'm thinking of storing them between layers of waxed paper next time. The same goes either with matte or gloss varnish...

**Ilaekae** · February 9th, 2009, 04:30 PM

Qitsune, the wax paper works beautifully, especially if you cut strips and fold them down a couple of times longwise to form a sort of narrow cushion. It keeps one high point of the canvas from jamming into the frame to some degree.

Wax paper IS moisture sensitive, so another way is to cut long strips of thin translucent polyethelene drop cloth material into long strips about an inch wide and tack them on the outer edges of the painting so that about an 1/8" (or what ever's appropriate for your frame) or so hangs over the front edge. It takes a little practice, but you can fold this edge over so it comes between the frame lip and the painting front. It will sit tightly, but won't stick. POLY does NOT stick to anything...even glues.

If you're really good with tight spaces, you can actually tack the strips of poly to the INSIDE of the frame sides so a bit hangs over to the front when the painting is inserted.

I did something a bit strange back in the sixties with a couple of my paintings in wooden frames--I tapped in tiny tacks with :high" rounded heads about every 8" to a foot or so at the extreme face edge of the paintings. Not hard enough to leave more than a pinhole, but solidly enough to form an "air-break" of space about 1/32" all around the painting edge. DON'T get paint on these tacks or they'll stick to the wooden frame.