Acrylic retarder

More time to blend, without switching to oils

The one frustration most acrylic painters share is how quickly the paint dries. Colours skin over on the palette, blends turn streaky, and soft edges harden before you’ve finished them. Acrylic retarder fixes that. Mixed into your paint, it slows the drying, so the colour stays workable for longer and you can take your time.

It’s what makes wet-on-wet techniques possible in acrylic. Blend skies and sunsets, soften shadows, glaze, and build smooth gradients in a way that normally needs oil paint. It’s water-based, mixes easily into any acrylic colour, and dries clear without changing your colour.

Why you’ll like it

• Slows the drying time of acrylic paint, so you have longer to work
• Helps with blending, soft edges, and smooth gradients
• Makes wet-on-wet painting much easier
• Mixes into acrylic paint on your palette
• Water-based, with no strong fumes
• Dries clear, so it doesn’t change your colours
• A 75ml tube, which goes a long way since you only need a little
• Useful for portraits, landscapes, skies, and any painting that needs soft transitions

Great for

• Blending skies, sunsets, water, and clouds
• Soft shadows and smooth gradients
• Portraits and skin tones
• Wet-on-wet and glazing techniques
• Slowing the drying of paint on a hot day or in dry air
• Keeping paint workable on the palette for longer
• Art classes and workshops

How to use

1. Squeeze out your paint on a palette.
2. Add a small amount of retarder, and mix it in with a brush or palette knife until it’s even.
3. Paint as usual. The mixture stays workable for longer than paint alone.
4. Clean your brushes and palette with water and soap when you finish.

How much to use
Use it sparingly. As a rule of thumb, start with a few drops, or no more than about 5% of the volume of paint. The more you add, the longer the paint stays wet, but too much can stop the paint from drying properly. Check the instructions on the tube for the recommended mixing ratio and follow them.

Tips for better results

1. Start small and add more only if you need it. It’s easier to add than to take away.
2. Test on a spare sheet first, since drying time changes with the temperature, humidity, and thickness of the layer.
3. Mix the retarder thoroughly into the paint, so you don’t get patches that dry at different speeds.
4. Allow extra time before layering over paint that contains retarder, and make sure it’s completely dry first.
5. Use it in thin to medium layers. Very thick layers with retarder can take a long time to dry.
6. Close the cap tightly after use, and don’t let the tube freeze, since freezing can ruin water-based mediums.

• Adding too much retarder can leave the paint sticky or weaken the paint film. If a layer stays tacky for a long time, it likely has too much retarder in it.
• Retarder slows drying but doesn’t stop it. Paint will still dry in time.
• Retarder isn’t a thinner. If you want runnier paint, use water or a flow medium.
• Keep out of reach of young children.