Why Is Your Acrylic Paint Not Spreading?

Painting with acrylics can be challenging, and nothing is worse than having issues with your paint while working. Acrylic paint can be tricky to use at times and doesn’t spread easily. What could be the cause of your acrylic paint not spreading?

Your acrylic paint is not spreading because you’re not priming your canvas correctly beforehand, using the wrong paintbrushes, or the color has dried out. To fix this, you can prime your canvas with gesso, use synthetic paintbrushes, and mist your acrylic paints while working. 

Don’t feel disheartened if you’re trying too hard to make the colors flow. In this article, I will discuss why your acrylic paint isn’t spreading and how you can fix it. Why Is Your Acrylic Paint Not Spreading? There are several, potential reasons:

One – You’re Not Priming the Canvas Correctly

One of the main reasons your acrylic paint is not spreading is that your canvas isn’t primed correctly. Some store-bought canvases already come pre-gessoed, but it’s usually not enough. 

Priming your canvas is essential if you want the most out of your paint. If you don’t prime your canvas, the fabric will soak up the acrylic paint you use. The color will become difficult to spread because it will go into the weave of your canvas instead. 

When you prime your canvas, you create a layer between the canvas and the paint you need to use so that this doesn’t happen. 

How To Fix 

If you buy a primed canvas, gently sand it enough to remove that primer layer. Then add your layer of gesso, a primer you can get in different colors to match your painting surface. The gesso will dry down to a thin layer of hard, textured paint, making it easy for acrylic paint to glide across. 

You can use one coat of gesso, but applying two layers will give you a smoother finish. If you opt for a double layer, allow the layers to dry between applications. You can also sand the last layer slightly if it’s not as smooth as you’d like for it to be.

Two – Using the Wrong Paintbrushes

Using the wrong paintbrush will also cause your paint not to spread smoothly. Good quality brushes made for acrylics have stiffer bristles to help push color across the canvas since acrylics have a thicker consistency than watercolor. 

Also, acrylics can damage your brush if you’re using bristles made with natural or animal hair. As acrylic paint is acidic, it can break down natural hair fibers causing them to deteriorate quickly after a few uses. 

When you work with acrylics, you want a heavy-duty synthetic brush. On the plus side, synthetic brushes are a cruelty-free option for painters looking for a vegan alternative.

How To Fix 

The best way to fix this issue is to ensure you’re buying the correct paintbrushes. Higher-quality brushes will be better for brush strokes and can spread acrylics better. 

Additionally, synthetic brushes won’t degrade as much as natural-fiber brushes, so you’ll get consistent results every time you paint.  

Here are a few of the best types of brushes you can use for acrylic painting:

• Princeton Velvetouch 3950 Series (link to Amazon): This is a professional-grade brush set that simulates the quality of sable paintbrushes. The handle is made from sustainable FSC wood, and the bristles are a mix of synthetic and animal-friendly materials. 
• Winsor and Newton Artisan Brush (link to Amazon): This brush has stiff bristles but will also maintain spring and shape when wet, perfect for working with color right out of the tube. 
• Royal and Langnickel Zen 5pc Brush Set (link to Amazon): This brush set is suitable for painters of all skill levels. It has a recyclable handle made from ABS plastic. 

Last update on 2024-04-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Three – The Paint Dries Before You’re Done

Acrylic paint dries very quickly because it contains water, making it challenging to spread when exposed to air over long periods. 

When paint starts to dry, it’s hard to spread it across a canvas because it’s no longer close to a smooth liquid texture. The more you try to spread it, the more you’ll get choppy paint strokes, or the paint won’t stay in place. Paint drying out can also make it hard to blend within your painting.

Typically, student-grade acrylics dry faster than professional variants because their composition is mainly water with low levels of everything else. Higher-quality paints have a more buttery texture and contain less water, so they take longer to dry than cheap, craft acrylics. 

How To Fix 

This can be a hard one to fix, but there are ways to keep acrylics from drying out as soon. When you need a lot of paint, don’t put too much on your palette at once. Use small amounts as you go so the paint can stay in the tube for longer and unexposed to air. 

You can lightly mist your palette with a spray bottle, so your acrylic paints stay moist longer. Be careful not to drown your palette in water, or your acrylic paint will become too runny. If your acrylic paint dries out and becomes thick, you can use a fluid additive that makes it a bit thinner. 

Also, make sure you’re buying higher quality acrylic paints that don’t dry out as quickly, such as the Golden Open Acrylic Landscape (link to Amazon). This set of eight acrylic tubes has slow drying times and a relaxed working property, giving you more time to blend and work your art. 

Last update on 2024-04-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Final Words

Acrylic paints can be difficult to spread along a canvas due to improper canvas priming, using the wrong brushes, and if the paint dries before you finish working. 

Priming your canvas prevents the weave from absorbing paint and creates a smoother surface for your paint to go on. Synthetic brushes are best for acrylic painting because they can withstand the acidity of the paint, whereas natural brushes can’t.

Acrylic paint dries rather quickly, so use small amounts as you go. Also, use a misting spray bottle to spray your palette to keep the colors moist for longer.