While there’s nothing wrong with adding gesso to acrylic paint, gesso won’t make the paint thicker. In fact, Gesso has the consistency of fluid acrylics so adding it to heavy body acrylics would actually thin them out

Painting impasto entails applying thick paint straight onto the painting surface. Impasto techniques contribute towards expressive paintings, for the thick paint adds an element of texture and movement to the painting, which can give satisfaction to the oil painting process.

Expressionists used the impasto technique for its expressive traits and to draw attention to a certain aspect of the work. Van Gogh is said to be a pioneer in using the impasto technique. Van Gogh used impasto not just to add dimension to his paintings but to add emotion and movement.

Thicken acrylic paint with corn starch To use corn starch, mix a one and a half cups of water with two tablespoons of cornstarch. Put the mixture in a saucepan and heat it until it produces a thick solution. Once it cools down, add the solution to the acrylic paint to get the right amount of consistency.

Trying to thicken acrylics is no exception. To the frugal artist, it may make sense to turn to a common household product that is known for thickening things. Corn starch and flour are two that often come to mind.

You can thicken watercolor paint with flour or cornstarch. First, you will need to mix the cornstarch with water. Take one cup of cold water and add 1 tablespoon of cornstarch or flour in it.

Acrylic Impasto Painting Techniques Typically, in oil painting, the impasto technique is when you use thick paint, directly from the tube. With acrylics you can build up a thick, textured surface by applying the paint straight from the tube or thickening with a gel medium.

So here are 5 tricks to help you get even better:

1. Work quickly. Acrylics dry faster than other types of paint.
2. Don’t put too much paint on your palette.
3. Be careful blending.
4. Acrylics wash off your brushes with soap and water.
5. Create opaque colors without mediums.

Ahead, find the best synthetic brushes for acrylic paints, as recommended by ARTnews.

• Princeton Velvetouch, Mixed-Media Brushes.
• Royal & Langnickel Zen Series Set.
• Da Vinci Oil & Acrylic Long-Handled Paint Brush Set.
• Winsor & Newton Artisan Brush.
• Grumbacher Degas Bright Oil and Acrylic Brush.

Best Acrylic Paint Brushes

• Grumbacher Goldenedge Acrylic Paint Brush.
• Princeton Acrylic Paint Brush.
• Mont Marte Gallery Series Acrylic Paint Brush Set.
• Royal & Langnickel Short Handle Acrylic Paint Brushes.
• Jerry Q Acrylic Paint Brushes.
• Winsor & Newton Monarch Acrylic Paint Brushes.
• Blick Master Bristle Brushes.
• da Vinci Acrylic Paint Brushes.

Therefore, I recommend you buy synthetic paintbrushes for use with acrylic paints. You can still use natural-hair brushes on acrylics, but make sure that they’ve been cleaned of any oils or turpentine (which will repel acrylic paint) and be sure to clean them quickly after each use.

The 8 Best Paint Brushes

• Best Overall: Wooster Brush Q3211-2 at Amazon.
• Best Budget: Wooster Brush Q3118-1 at Amazon.
• Best Kit: Presa Premium Set at Amazon.
• Best Four-Inch: Purdy XL at Amazon.
• Best Two-Inch: Wooster Brush Q3108-2 at Amazon.
• Best One-Inch: PROFORM TECHNOLOGIES Proform CS1.0AS at Amazon.
• Best Angled:
• Best Fine:

Pricey paint brushes can save you time and money in the long run, says professional painter Chris Berry. For one, higher-quality brushes will give you straighter lines, which means less time cutting in where two colors meet, Berry says.

Natural bristle is the best choice for oil-based paints, varnishes, shellac, alkyd enamels, stains, and polyurethanes. The highest quality bristles come from mainland China.

The roller is more economical to use than the brush since its porous surface holds much more paint and distributes an even layer of paint much faster. The smoother the wall, the shorter the filament length should be (approx. 10mm), but in general it’s better to take advantage of a roller with longer filament.