Airbrush paints come in all sorts of different color combinations, consistencies, and applications. But are they waterproof?
Of course depending on the project you have at hand, you may need a paint that is waterproof… whether that be to seal a surface that is porous, or to simply hold up against the elements outside for an extended amount of time…
Today we will be discussing just that,
The waterproofing factors in today’s modern paints, along with the paint options you have for better water resilience for those projects that are likely to get wet.
Now simply put,
Under most circumstances airbrush paint is waterproof especially if the paint is solvent based. However, water-resiliency comes into question when speaking of water based airbrush paints, such as acrylics.
Though acrylic airbrush paint is water-resistant once dry, it usually struggles to hold up when submerged in water for extensive periods of time. Especially if acrylic paint is over-reduced prior to application.
Let me further explain,
Obviously you must pair an airbrush with very thin paint, otherwise the paint will not flow through the airbrush nozzle and atomize properly. But there is a point at which you can add to much reducer to your paint, essentially over-reducing the paint (Making it to thin).
Now over-reduced paint does not cause an issue for the airbrush (if anything it makes it easier to atomize the paint). But the issue arises when the paint hits the canvas and dries.
You see, Acrylic airbrush paint (Which is the norm in the airbrush industry) consists of 3 main parts:
- A Pigment – pigment is essentially ground down color granular’s that give the paint its color.
- A Binder – binder is basically the glue that holds the pigment together once the paint has dried.
- A Carrier – carrier of the pigment and binder. By adding reducer to your paint you basically add to the carrier.
When you reduce acrylic airbrush paint, you essentially dilute or weaken the pigment count, as well as the binder. Now, the binder is the part to be aware of when it comes to the water-resilience factor of acrylic airbrush paint. Given the binder is the glue holding the pigment together once dried, the more you dilute the binder, the weaker it will become…
Meaning the paint will not be as strong when up against water when it is over-reduced (over thinned), as compared to being reduced to a correct consistancy.
So technically speaking, You can make acrylic airbrush paint closer to a waterproof factor by maintaining a thicker consistancy (Reducing the amount of reducer/thinner you put in the paint).
You can also do this by using an acrylic fluid medium as your reducer, or a mix of acrylic medium and paint reducer. Given that acrylic medium is designed to maintain the binding levels within acrylic paint when its reduced down.
Aside from that, If you are looking for a paint that can hold up to submersion in water for an extensive amount of time (A truly waterproof paint). I would recommend opting for a solvent based paint.
Solvent based paints are a little more hazardous to spray, so you’ll need safety equipment for sure, along with a spray-booth (possibly). But you’ll get a finish that will hold up against water much better then any water-based paint.
How To Make Water-Based Airbrush Paint Waterproof
So, there are ways to make common acrylic airbrush paints waterproof.
Coat Of Clear
The first way requires an added coat of clear essentially sealing the painting. Think of it like placing your painting inside a sealed plastic bag. But instead of a plastic bag, its a coat of clear paint with the original painting underneath.
Typically this consist of a solvent based clear coat. Simply a can of lacquer clear coat will work great for small projects especially This Can Of Clear Coat (On Amazon). If your looking for cheap but resilient clear coat you need to go with the option linked. It is a 2 part clear coat, making it Automotive compliant, so you know it will hold up against the outside elements for long to come, and will certainly waterproof your artwork when used correctly.
As and example of this method,
An artist that comes to mind that does this exact tactic is Mouth Of Madness on YouTube. However, he sprays his paintings with a clear coat more for general protection of the painting, as well as, to make the painting pop just a little more. But this is a great tactic for waterproofing really any kind of paint that is none waterproof. Also, this tactic is commonly used in the automotive industry to seal up artwork on vehicles to protect them from the outside elements.
Add An Additive
The Second way to waterproof water-based acrylic airbrush paint is to simply mix in a paint additive before application that will be water resilient once dry. Now, I haven’t personally attempted to mix in a “Waterproofing” additive into my paint before. But the concept makes sense.
If you attempt this method, be sure to due your research so you get the correct additive for the paint your using.
Conclusion
Though acrylic airbrush paint isn’t completely waterproof to the point it can be submerged for an extensive amount of time, it is usually quite water-resistant. Now I say “Usually” because you can over-reduce acrylic airbrush paint to the point it dilutes the binder in the paints so much it struggles to hold the pigment particles together.
Nonetheless, if your looking for a fully waterproof paint, I’d say opt for a solvent based enamel or lacquer. Especially if you are painting, say, a remote control boat, or something that will be heavily exposed to water. Though another option you have is to use water-based airbrush paints for your artwork, then seal the artwork with a lacquer clear coat (Or something related). A great product for sealing your projects is This Clear Coat (On Amazon).
Anyway, I hope you were able to find some value here! If you have any further questions regarding the airbrush do be sure to take a look around the website. Airbrush Insider is dedicated to helping all in the airbrush community!
This is Colt signing off!
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