How to Thicken Acrylic Paint with Specialty Gels & DIY Hacks

Acrylic paint is a water-soluble, quick-drying paint mixture popular among artists. However, because it's so thin, acrylic paint doesn't produce much texture in a painting. Luckily, there are many ways to thicken and add texture to the paint. In this article, we’ll teach you how to make acrylic paint thicker using thickening gels, cornstarch, and other DIY methods.

How do you thicken acrylic paint?

Use a commercial thickening gel for the best way to thicken acrylic paint. These are specially designed to mix with acrylics without reducing their quality. Mix your paint and gel in a 4:1 ratio with a palette knife, using less gel if you want a slightly runnier texture. Once mixed, you’re ready to paint!

Section 1 of 3:

Thickening Acrylic Paint with Commercial Gels

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Buy a thickening gel designed for acrylic paint. The best way to thicken acrylics without a risk of ruining your paint is with specialized thickening gel. Gels like these are designed to use with acrylic paint and shouldn’t affect the finish or color of your paint.^{[1]
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- Find acrylic thickening gel at a hardware or arts and crafts store.
- There are thickening gels designed for other types of paint, make sure your gel is compatible with acrylic paint. This information should be printed on the label.
- Art expert Jeanine Hattas Wilson says acrylic gel will help paint “hold its structure” on the canvas, and make it “look impasto.”^{[2]
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  Jeanine Hattas Wilson
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  Expert Interview. 7 July 2021.} Impasto is a painting technique in which paint is thickly added to a canvas with visible brush or knife strokes.
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Or, choose a textured gel to give your paint a rough, textured finish. A textured gel is a type of paste with sand, powder, or other similar ingredients mixed in to give the finished product a rough, coarse look. These gels can also make acrylic paint thicker, so choose this option if you’d like your painting to have a textured finish.^{[3]
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- Some examples of textured gels are stucco, modeling paste, and resin gel.
- If you don’t know which type is best for your needs, ask an employee at the arts or hardware store.
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Spread out the paint on a palette or dish. Take the paint tube and squeeze out the amount of paint you plan on using. Then, spread it out with a palette knife so the gel will mix more easily. If you’re mixing colors, do this before adding any thickeners.^{[4]
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- Add more paint later if you didn’t squeeze out enough.
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Mix the gel into the paint in a 1:4 ratio. Use your palette knife and scoop out some thickening or textured gel. Use no more than 1 part gel for every 4 parts of paint. Any more could make the paint unstable. Then, stir the mixture until it reaches a uniform consistency. You’re now ready to paint!^{[5]
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- Add less gel if you want thinner paint. Just don’t exceed a 1:4 ratio.
- If you’ve never done this before, start with a small amount. Mix it into the paint and see if you like the consistency. Add more until the paint reaches the thickness you want.
- Use your paintbrush or a palette knife to mix water-based thickening gel in. If you’re using a textured gel, use a palette knife to mix it in.
- Remember that thickening gel usually makes paint dry faster, so start painting right away after adding it.

Section 2 of 3:

Thickening Acrylic Paint with Cornstarch

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If you’re on a budget, make your own thickening gel at home with cornstarch and water. Start by mixing these 2 ingredients together in a bowl. Stir the ingredients so they thoroughly combine.^{[6]
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Boil the mixture in a saucepan until it thickens. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and place it on the stove over a low heat. Stir the mixture with a spoon occasionally. As the water starts boiling, the mixture should thicken. Stir more often at this point. When the mixture becomes a thick paste, it’s finished.^{[7]
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- Give the paste enough time to cool before using it in your paint.
When the mixture has cooled down, you’re ready to mix it into your paint. Start by getting the colors you want and squeezing them out on your palette. If you’re mixing colors, do this before adding the paste.^{[8]
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Add the paste until the paint reaches the consistency you want. Use just the edge of your palette knife and scoop out some thickening paste. Mix it into the paint and see how it changes the consistency. To make the paint thicker, add more paste. Start painting when the paint reaches the consistency you want.^{[9]
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- If you’ve never done this before, consider experimenting first to find the right consistency. Use a small amount of paint and add some paste. Then spread the paint on a canvas and see how it looks when it dries. Repeat this process until you find the mixture you like best.

Section 3 of 3:

Other DIY Methods to Thicken Acrylic Paint

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Baking soda Add baking soda to your paint to thicken it and add texture. Spread out your acrylic paint on a palette or dish and slowly mix in a bit of baking soda at a time until you reach your desired consistency. The more baking soda you add, the chalkier the paint will become.^{[10]
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- Since baking soda adds texture to acrylic paint, this method will not work for any projects that require a smooth, glossy finish.
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Sand Some pre-made textured gels include sand, but adding sand straight to your acrylic paint can save you some money. Simply pour out your paint and use your palette knife to mix in the sand a little bit at a time until you like the consistency. This will give the paint a grainy texture while still being easy to spread.^{[11]
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- The type of sand you use will affect the final texture. Try different types of sand to see which you prefer.
Dry coffee grounds are similar to sand in that they thicken acrylic paint while also changing the texture. If you mix too many grounds into the paint, it may become too coarse and hard to spread. Add a few at a time to find the right consistency and give your painting a fun, unique texture.^{[12]
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Gesso Gesso is a type of paint primer used to protect surfaces and make them smoother. When mixed with acrylic paint, gesso makes the paint slightly thicker, but it also lightens the color. Try different ratios of gesso to paint to find a color and consistency that you like.^{[13]
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- While gesso allows you to thicken acrylic paint without changing the texture too much, it may not be the best option if you want to work with darker colors.
Mix some glue into your acrylic paint to help thicken it while keeping a smoother texture. Start with a little bit at a time, as adding too much glue can keep the paint from drying properly. This may not be the best option if you need your project to dry quickly.^{[14]
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White flour is used to thicken foods like gravy, so it can technically thicken acrylic paint as well. The downside to using flour is that if you mix it for too long, the texture becomes sticky and gummy. If you want to try thickening paint with flour, it’s probably best to only use a little bit.^{[15]
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Joint compound Joint compound is a type of paste typically used to seal joints in walls. It’s light gray in color and has a texture similar to cake frosting. When mixed with acrylic paint, it becomes a bit gritty and lightens the color. Joint compound is relatively inexpensive, so this is an affordable DIY option to thicken your acrylic paint.^{[16]
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- Paint mixed with joint compound has a tendency to crack after it dries.

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What does acrylic gel do for acrylic paint?

Jeanine Hattas Wilson
Professional Painter
Jeanine Hattas Wilson is a Professional Painter and the President of Hattas Public Murals, Inc. With nearly 20 years of experience, Jeanine specializes in creating, overseeing, designing, and painting murals. Jeanine holds a BA in Advertising from Marquette University and a Studio Painting Minor from The Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. She has studied at The Atelier Artien in Paris, France, Los Angeles Academy of Figurative Art, and under renowned artists such as Robert Liberace, Michael Siegel, and William Cochran. To date, Hattas Public Murals has painted nearly 5,000 commissioned works of art in homes and commercial and public spaces.

Jeanine Hattas Wilson

Professional Painter

Expert Answer

Acrylic gel thickens your paint and helps make it look a lot more glob-like on your canvas.

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Tips

Artists have other suggestions on thickening acrylic paint ranging from sprinkling in talcum powder to mixing in crushed eggshells. Experiment if you'd like to find a different method. Just remember that mixing other things into your paint could affect its color, finish, and drying ability.

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In general, the most effective way to thicken acrylic paint is to use a commercial thickening gel. While DIY methods can work, they often cause the paint to crack or become discolored over time.

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Warnings

Always test out your paint mixture before using it for a painting. Put a small amount on a canvas and let it dry. Make sure you like the color and texture before using it in a piece.

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