Question for people using acrylic paint in jars (not tubes or bottles)

[Mini Minmi]

What is the best way to work with acrylics in small jars?

In the hopes of upping my game by using slightly better quality paint, I bought a kit with a plethora of small jars of colors. But I've never worked with paint in anything but tubes or bottles.

Since I was going to use the color as is for most of my base coat and it's for a fairly large toy, I tried working directly from the jar, dipping my brush in. But I hadn't thought it through enough and the problem with doing that is that the jar stays open for a long period of time. Enough for the very thin layer of paint on the sides of the jar to "skin", and then that rubbery skin falls back into the liquid paint and it will likely cause a problem eventually if I catch it on my brush accidentally.

Therefore, I conclude that it is best to scoop some paint out into a mixing palette and keep the jars closed while you paint.

Unless there is some other way to work with jars that doesn't cross my mind?

What do you use to scoop some paint out of the tiny jars? I have some palette knives but the paint seems quite liquid.

Thank you!

[Newt]

You've got the right idea. One of the palettes with "wells" is helpful, especially if it has a cover so your little dabs of paint don't dry out too quickly; or you can make your own with an ice cube tray or liner from a box of candy, etc.. Cheap plastic pipettes are a good way to transfer paint from jar to palette. If you keep a jar of water nearby, you can use it to clean out the pipettes so you don't have to toss them after one use.

[Mini Minmi]

Excellent suggestion for the pipettes. I'll look for something similar locally. Many thanks for your help!

[Newt]

No problem!


I forgot to mention: you can also transfer paint with a drinking straw. Dip it in, cap it with your finger, and the paint will stay in until you uncap it.

[ITdactyl]

I use a wet palette.  I can get a bit of paint from the jar, close the lid, and the paint on my palette stays "workable" for a long time.  Since pipettes are scarce in my area, I use disposable coffee stirrers to stir(the paint) and transfer a bit from the pot to my palette.  It's crude compared to using pipettes, but having a cheap tool to stir, mix and transfer paints works for me.  And despite the name, I tend to keep them [instead of chucking them].. -quite handy as a color reference when dry (and -relatively- better for the environment).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QMPn5po5-m0

I only go back to my regular palette for metallic paints.

[tyrantqueen]

I used a wet palette in the past, for about one or two years. I used it to repaint a Rebor Acrocanthosaurus that arrived with a scratched snout.



I stopped using it because it wasn't helpful when I actually wanted my paint to be dry. And no matter how much or little I filled the sponge, my paint was always too runny.

I did like that it helped a lot with paint wastage (and it was also good for wet blending) but for me a dry palette is just easier.

[Mini Minmi]

@ITdactyl : I usually use all sorts of strange tools reused from different purposes, coffee stirrers are a brilliant idea. Or straws, like Newt suggested. I happen to have a lot of plastic straws handy because I give them to my cats as chew toys (better that than them chewing on wires or even furniture... Strange cats...).

I had heard of wet palettes before and had an idea what it was but hadn't really seen one in use, thank you. I haven't had any problems with paint drying out on my palette while I'm using it unless I'm using a really tiny amount, like for small details, but now I'll know how to avoid it if I need.

[ITdactyl]

Oh, it's not an ultimate painting solution as some youtube videos would suggest.  It just helped me stop worrying about my paints drying up and having to reopen my pots all the time.

@tyrantqueen  I also learned through a "mistake" that the wet palette and sponge painting aren't the best dance partners.  My victim was Favorite pteranodon.  I've since stripped and undercoated him.  He's just waiting for his new coat of paint.