How do I clean Liquitex Basics?

Clean wet paint with warm soapy water; for dried paint, use brush cleaner or isopropyl alcohol.

Art Shed Blog Product Guides Liquitex Basics Acrylic Australia

For artists seeking a versatile, reliable, and cost-effective acrylic paint, the Liquitex Basics Acrylic range offers an impressive selection of 72 colors. Whether you're underpainting, sketching, or experimenting with new techniques, this range provides the quality and consistency needed for various artistic endeavors!

Watch: Liquitex Basics in Action (1-min overview)

What Sets Liquitex Basics Acrylic Apart?

Let’s get nerdy for a second (the fun kind of nerdy).

Liquitex, established in 1955, introduced the world's first water-based acrylic paint. Liquitex Basics was designed as a high-quality, accessible acrylic range that uses artist-grade pigments, the same ones found in their pro line, albeit with a lighter pigment load. That means vibrant colour and smooth consistency, without the premium price tag. Perfect for layering, sketching, experimenting, or, our favourite, underpainting with purpose.

Made in France, these paints are developed with care and serious technical brains behind them. Think:

Key Features:

Pigment Quality: Utilizes fine art pigments ensuring vibrant and consistent colors

Lightfastness: Rated ASTM I or II, indicating excellent to very good resistance to fading.

Viscosity: Medium viscosity allows for smooth application and versatility across techniques.

Finish: Dries to a satin finish, suitable for various artistic styles.

Compatibility: Fully intermixable with other Liquitex products, including mediums and professional paints, ensuring seamless integration into your existing toolkit.

Tips From The Shed: All Liquitex ranges are made to work together, so go ahead—mix your Basics with Heavy Body or pour in some Gloss Medium. They’re besties.

Techniques to Explore with Liquitex Basics

Underpainting
Utilize Liquitex Basics for establishing tonal values and composition. Its quick-drying nature and affordability make it ideal for laying down the foundational layers before applying more expensive paints.
Ideal for: oil painters building a grisaille layer or acrylic artists blocking in big shapes.

Blocking In
Define major shapes and color areas early in your painting process. The medium viscosity ensures smooth coverage, allowing for efficient development of your composition.

Tip From The Shed: Save your premium pigments for detail work. Liquitex Basics has your back on the heavy lifting.

Mixed Media and Collage
Incorporate Liquitex Basics into mixed media projects. Its compatibility with various surfaces and mediums makes it suitable for collage work.

Texture Creation
Combine with Liquitex Basics Modeling Paste or Texture Medium to add dimensionality to your work. Experimenting with these combinations can yield unique tactile effects.

Why Artists Choose Liquitex Basics

Affordability: Offers a cost-effective solution without sacrificing quality, making it accessible for students and professionals alike.

Versatility: Suitable for a range of techniques and surfaces, from canvas to wood.

Consistency: Provides reliable performance, ensuring that artists can achieve desired results consistently.

Safety: Non-toxic and low odour, making it safe for use in various environments, including educational settings.

The Paint Specs: Let’s Break It Down

Finish: Satin

Lightfastness: ASTM I or II (excellent to very good permanence)

Viscosity: Medium body – smooth, creamy flow

Dry Time: Touch dry in 15–30 minutes

Opacity: Varies by colour – clearly labelled on each tube (transparent, semi-opaque, opaque)

Surfaces: Works beautifully on canvas, wood, paper, cardboard, and fabric (when used with a fabric medium)

Binder: Acrylic polymer emulsion

Mixability: 100 % compatible with all Liquitex ranges (yes, really, they’re made to mingle!)

FAQs

Is Liquitex Basics lightfast?

Yes! Most colours are ASTM I or II rated, meaning they’ll resist fading over time—perfect for long-term work.

Can I mix Basics with other Liquitex products?

Heck yes. The entire Liquitex ecosystem was designed to mix seamlessly, whether it's Basics + Heavy Body + Pouring Medium.

Is Liquitex Basics good for canvas?

It’s made for it. Canvas, wood, paper, cardboard—it’ll cling to just about anything.

Can I use this range as an undercoat?

Absolutely. That’s actually one of the most common pro uses. Lay your foundations with Basics, finish with the fancy stuff.

How do I clean acrylic paint up?
While the paint’s still wet, it’s a breeze—just use warm water and a bit of soap. But once it’s dry? Acrylics mean business.
If it’s already dried:

• For brushes: Soak them in warm, soapy water for a few hours. Add a dash of brush cleaner if you’ve got it. Gently work the bristles with your fingers or a brush comb to loosen the paint.

• For palettes/surfaces: Try peeling it off if it’s on plastic (kind of satisfying tbh). For stubborn spots, a bit of isopropyl alcohol or an acrylic paint remover can help.