Exploring Liquitex Bio-Based Acrylic Paint: A Sustainable Art Revolution

In the world of art, acrylic paints have long been a staple for artists, providing versatility, durability, and vibrant colours. However, as sustainability becomes an ever-increasing concern, many are looking for ways to reduce their environmental footprint without sacrificing the quality of their creative materials. Enter Liquitex Bio-Based Acrylic Paints - a line of eco-friendly paints that brings both innovation and sustainability to the art world.

In this article, we will explore what makes Liquitex Bio-Based acrylic paint unique, the significance of the term "bio-based," and tips on how to incorporate these environmentally conscious paints into your artwork.

What Does "Bio-Based" Mean?

The term "bio-based" refers to materials that are derived from renewable biological sources rather than traditional petrochemicals. In the case of Liquitex Bio-Based Acrylic Paint, the paint's binder (the substance that holds the pigment in suspension and helps it adhere to surfaces) is made from bio-derived ingredients, rather than petroleum-based ones. These ingredients are sourced from plants, ensuring that the production process leaves a smaller carbon footprint.

Liquitex has made a commitment to sustainability by ensuring that 50% of the resin used in their bio-based acrylic paints is sourced from renewable materials. While they still offer the same high-quality pigment load and performance as traditional acrylics, these bio-based options are part of the growing movement toward greener, more responsible art-making materials.

Why Does Bio-Based Matter?

How to Use Liquitex Bio-Based Acrylic Paint

Liquitex Bio-Based Acrylic Paints can be used just like any traditional acrylic paint, making them incredibly versatile for artists of all levels. Whether you are painting on canvas, wood, or paper, these paints can handle a variety of techniques, from washes and glazes to impasto and textured work.

Here are some tips for making the most out of your Liquitex Bio-Based acrylics:

• Surface Preparation: As with any acrylic paint, it's important to properly prepare your surface. If you're working on canvas, make sure it's primed with gesso to ensure the paint adheres smoothly. For wood or paper, you may want to apply a primer to prevent absorption and achieve an even application.
• Layering Techniques: Liquitex acrylics, including the bio-based range, dry quickly, allowing you to work in layers. Start with thin washes or underpainting, then build up to thicker layers as needed. You can experiment with Liquitex mediums (which are also eco-conscious) to alter drying times or create different textures.
• Blending and Mixing: One of the joys of working with Liquitex acrylics is their blendability. Mix your colours directly on the palette or try blending them directly on the canvas for softer transitions. You’ll find that the bio-based formula offers excellent mixability, allowing you to create custom colours and gradients with ease.
• Experiment with Techniques: Acrylic paint is known for its adaptability to a wide range of techniques. Try using Liquitex Bio-Based acrylics for everything from traditional brushwork to palette knife application, glazing, or even pouring. You can thin them with water for washes or mix them with gels and pastes for textured effects.
• Sustainable Tools: For an even more eco-friendly studio practice, consider pairing your bio-based acrylics with sustainable art tools. Reusable palettes, brushes made from sustainable materials, and biodegradable or recycled canvases can complement your shift toward greener art materials.

Why Artists Should Consider Bio-Based Acrylics

• Eco-Conscious Practice: As artists, we have the opportunity to make choices that support sustainability. Liquitex Bio-Based Acrylic Paints allow you to reduce your environmental impact without sacrificing quality or performance. If you're passionate about protecting the planet, switching to bio-based paints is a small but significant step toward eco-conscious artistry.
• Ethical Art Creation: By using renewable materials in their paints, Liquitex supports ethical production practices. If you care about where your materials come from, bio-based acrylics align with a growing trend toward transparency and responsibility in the art supplies industry.
• Same Liquitex Quality: Liquitex has built a reputation as a trusted, high-quality brand, and their bio-based line maintains this standard. Artists who are already familiar with Liquitex will find that their bio-based acrylics offer the same vibrant pigments, smooth application, and durability as their traditional paints.

A Step Toward a Greener Future

Liquitex Bio-Based Acrylic Paints are more than just a nod to sustainability—they represent a new chapter in the world of art materials. As environmental concerns continue to grow, more artists are seeking out products that align with their values, and Liquitex is leading the charge with their innovative, renewable, and eco-friendly paints.

By choosing Liquitex Bio-Based acrylics, you are not only supporting sustainable practices but also ensuring that your art reflects a greater commitment to protecting the planet. The future of art is bright, vibrant, and bio-based—now is the perfect time to be a part of it.

Viscosity and Vibrancy of Bio-based acrylic paint

Liquitex Bio-Based Acrylic Paint offers a smooth, high viscosity that allows for easy application and versatile techniques, from detailed brushwork to layering and texturing, whilst retaining the vibrancy of the pigments.

Liquitex Professional Bio-Based Gloss Gel and Bio-Based Gloss Medium

Liquitex offers two eco-friendly products, Bio-Based Gloss Gel and Bio-Based Gloss Medium, both designed for artists, but they serve slightly different purposes in terms of texture and usage:

Summary:

• Bio-Based Gloss Gel: Thicker, used for texture, impasto effects, and creating thick paint applications.
• Bio-Based Gloss Medium: Thinner, used for glazing, extending paint, and smoother finishes.

Both products offer a glossy finish and align with bio-based, eco-friendly practices, but the gel is for texture, while the medium is for extending and thinning paint.

The Liquitex Bio-Based Matte Gel and Bio-Based Matte Mediumare both eco-friendly acrylic products, but they differ primarily in their texture and intended usage:

Liquitex Bio-Based Matte Gel:

• Texture: This gel has a thicker and more viscous consistency, similar to that of heavy body paints or traditional gels.
• Uses: It’s used to create texture and body in acrylic paints. It can build up thick applications, add dimension to artwork, and create brush stroke effects.
• Finish: When dry, it produces a matte finish, which reduces the reflective quality of the paint surface.
• Mixing: When mixed with acrylic paints, it increases the paint's thickness without diluting the pigment, making it great for textural effects while maintaining colour intensity.
• Bio-Based Content: It contains bio-based ingredients, contributing to a more sustainable, environmentally friendly art material.

Liquitex Bio-Based Matte Medium:

• Texture: The matte medium is much thinner and has a fluid, smooth consistency, making it ideal for glazing, thinning paint, or extending it.
• Uses: It is typically used to extend the working time of paints, increase transparency, or create smoother surfaces without altering the original texture. It’s ideal for blending, layering, or applying thin washes of colour.
• Finish: Like the gel, it dries to a matte finish, reducing shine and giving a non-reflective, flat appearance to the paint.
• Mixing: When mixed with acrylic paints, it thins the paint, making it easier to spread or use in thin layers while maintaining a matte surface.
• Bio-Based Content: Like the gel, the matte medium also features bio-based ingredients for a more eco-conscious choice.

Summary:

• Bio-Based Matte Gel: Thicker consistency, used for creating texture and impasto effects with a matte finish.
• Bio-Based Matte Medium: Thinner, more fluid, used for extending paint, creating smooth, transparent layers, and achieving a matte finish without adding texture.

The key difference is that the gel is for building texture and body, while the medium is for thinning and extending paint, focusing on smooth, flat applications with a matte finish. Both are matte and eco-friendly.

Opacity, transparency and semi transparent.

Liquitex's Bio-Based Acrylic Paints offer the same performance as their traditional acrylic lines but with bio-based ingredients. While the opacity of any acrylic paint depends primarily on the pigment, Liquitex typically provides clear labels on their tubes to indicate whether a colour is opaque, semi-opaque, or transparent.

Here’s a breakdown of common pigments found in Liquitex Bio-Based Paints based on their typical opacity:

Liquitex's Bio-Based Acrylic Paints offer the same performance as their traditional acrylic lines but with bio-based ingredients. While the opacity of any acrylic paint depends primarily on the pigment, Liquitex typically provides clear labels on their tubes to indicate whether a colour is opaque, semi-opaque, or transparent.

Here’s a breakdown of common pigments found in Liquitex Bio-Based Paints based on their typical opacity:

Opaque Liquitex Bio-Basesd Paints:

Opaque paints cover underlying layers completely, providing solid coverage. These colours will mask the surface beneath them.

Semi-Opaque Liquitex Bio-Based Paints:

Semi-opaque paints provide moderate coverage, partially obscuring the surface beneath while allowing some light or colour to show through.

Transparent Liquitex Bio-Based Paints:

Transparent paints allow underlying colours and textures to show through, making them ideal for layering and glazing techniques.

Alizarin Crimson Hue Permanent

Yellow Light Hansa

Bright Aqua Green

Medium Magenta

Titanium White

Mars Black

How to Identify Opacity in Liquitex Bio-Based Paints:

Liquitex marks their products with opacity symbols on the packaging:

• Solid square = Opaque
• Half-filled square = Semi-opaque
• Empty square = Transparent

To determine the opacity of a specific colour in the Liquitex Bio-Based line, you can check their product labels or refer to their website, which often provides detailed colour charts showing the opacity of each colour in the range.

Liquitex Canvases and Recycled Canvases

Using Liquitex recycled canvas offers several key benefits for environmentally conscious artists. Made from 100% recycled materials, these canvases help reduce waste while maintaining the same high-quality surface artists expect for their work. The durable, primed or unprimed 2surface is ready for acrylic, oil, and mixed media applications, ensuring versatility and performance. By choosing recycled canvas, artists can create with confidence, knowing they're supporting sustainable practices without compromising on artistic potential.

Liquitex Basics Cotton Canvases Multi-Packs

Smooth cotton canvases, triple-primed and ready to paint. Made with FSC certified wooden stretchers and back stapled for full edge-painting. Available in a choice of sizes. Perfect for acrylic colours/ mediums and oil paints. Primed weight of 9.9oz, acid-free and archival.

Choosing Liquitex bio-based acrylic paints and recycled canvas offers artists the opportunity to create sustainably without sacrificing quality. The bio-based paints provide the vibrant colour, smooth application, and durability that Liquitex is known for, while utilising renewable resources to reduce environmental impact. Paired with their recycled canvas, made from 100% recycled materials, artists can enjoy a high-performance painting surface that supports eco-friendly practices. Together, these products empower artists to make environmentally responsible choices, ensuring their creativity leaves a positive impact on both their art and the planet.