Why Does Acrylic Paint Dry Darker?

While acrylic paint is much more versatile and allows for creative freedom, it’s not perfect. Working with acrylic paint can be a hectic experience, especially if you’re a perfectionist who likes everything to look exactly as it should be. One of the ways acrylic paint is difficult to predict is in the way it dries down. 

Acrylic paint dries darker because of the way it’s composed. There are three main components to acrylic paint: acrylic, pigment, and water. Acrylic is a milky, plastic substance that becomes transparent when it dries. Thus, the painting loses that light quality and becomes darker. 

This article will tell you everything you need to know about why acrylic paint dries darker. I will also explain the different methods you can use to counteract this tendency of acrylics so your paintings remain as vibrant as ever, so read on: Why Does Acrylic Paint Dry Darker?

Why Acrylic Paint Dries Darker and What To Do About It?

Acrylic paint comprises acrylic as a binder, pigment, and water as a vehicle. The structure of acrylic paint comprises milky-toned acrylic molecules (a plastic substance) and pigment molecules swimming in water. 

Depending on the environment, the paint will either dry faster or slower. Windy, hot, and dry environments make the paint dry very quickly. 

When the water evaporates due to external environmental factors, the acrylic molecules and the pigment form a solid film. The dark quality comes from the acrylic losing its milky color and becoming clear, which affects the pigment.

If you want to dive even deeper into this matter, here’s a YouTube video by Derivian, whose CEO and Head Chemist, Steven Patterson, explains what acrylic paint is. 

Compared to other paints, acrylic paint is more versatile. While it has some issues, the upsides of using acrylic paint outweigh its drawbacks. 

How To Stop Acrylic Paint From Drying Darker?

Unfortunately, you can’t stop acrylics from going darker. However, you can develop strategies to mitigate the issue. Note that the issue of acrylic paint drying darker diminishes when using high-quality paint. 

You should remember that most people wouldn’t even notice anything wrong with your painting. You’ll rarely encounter someone, aside from professional painters, who will point out that the paint you used is darker than it should be. 

Aside from you and the professionals who got used to this negative quality of acrylic paint, the dark effect is barely noticeable. However, as an artist, you still want to see your intended color on your canvas. 

Professional painters who got used to painting with acrylic paint have some tricks up their sleeves to deal with the common issues associated with using it. Let’s look at some ways that you can manage acrylics drying darker. 

Use Professional-Grade Acrylic Paint

A simple solution to the issues you’re facing while using acrylic paint is to spend more money. What I mean is to buy professional acrylic paint. 

When using low-priced, student-grade paint, it shouldn’t come as a surprise it doesn’t look good when it dries. Student-grade acrylic paint uses cheap pigments, which can also make your paintings look dull when they dry.  

Professional, high-quality paints use more color pigment, ensuring the darkening effect is less noticeable. 

Concerning professional acrylic paints, one brand that stands out to me at this point, it’s Golden Fluid Acrylics, which you can find on Amazon. What stands out the most about Golden is the Rich/vibrant pigments they use and the thick, buttery consistency of their colors. 

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Mix Your Paints to Be Lighter and Work in Layers

You can play it smart by making your paintings slightly light so they dry a little darker to the right/intended color. You may need to experiment with the paint to see how different shades dry down, so you can mix your colors correctly.

Some colors are more prone to drying darker than others, especially paints with blue tints mixed in. Experience is the best teacher, so the more you work with your paints, the easier it will be for you to identify which paints tend to dry darker than others and how much white or yellow you need to add to counteract the darkness. 

Changing the color tone of acrylic paint is an art that requires a decent degree of technical mastery, i.e., a novice might struggle with mixing the right colors and tones for their painting. 

Laying down thin layers of paint in a technique known as glazing is another way to put down just the right amount of paint so that it doesn’t get too dark when it dries. 

Each layer of paint is nearly transparent, allowing the light of the canvas to shine through. This technique makes the painted area appear luminous because the thin layers maintain the tone without obscuring the brightness of the base coat. 

Use a Varnish to Brighten Your Painting

Another way to keep your acrylic painting looking consistently bright, even after it dries, is to use a gloss varnish after painting. The glossiness of the varnish will brighten your painting, making the colors look more vibrant and eye-catching. 

Some matte varnishes can also help your painting look lighter, so experiment with the different varnish finishes to see what would work best with the colors of your painting. 

Final Words

So, there you have it! That should give you some very important tips for dealing with your acrylic paintings drying darker. 

Mastery of technical things like mixing the right color tones, using techniques like glazing, and applying the right varnish can make a big difference when working with acrylics. These methods separate the pros from those who are merely passionate about painting, so keep developing your skills!