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How To: Use Acrylics & Rubbing Alcohol 

11/5/2013

 
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Add rubbing alcohol to your acrylic paintings to create super cool texture effects in this step by step guide.

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Materials

  • Primed, stretched canvas 
  • 2 tubes of acrylic paints in contrasting colours
  • Foam roller
  • Isopropyl alcohol (99% U.S.P.)
  • 2 Spray bottles - one filled with water, the other filled with alcohol

Steps 1 - 5

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1. Use a foam roller to apply an even layer of acrylic colour (I chose Paynes Gray) to the canvas and let dry. 

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2. Use a foam roller to apply a contrasting layer of colour (I chose Titanium white) on top of the dry paint layer. DO NOT ALLOW TO DRY.

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3. Use the spray bottle filled with water to mist the entire surface area. 

NOTE This part can be tricky. Add too much water and the effect won't work, add too little water and the effect won't work either. I spray the surface until it is quite wet but not wet enough so that pools of water begin to form.

4. Use the spray bottle filled with alcohol to lightly mist the wet canvas. Ta da! The alcohol will repel the contrasting layer of paint and you will be able to see the dry layer underneath.

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5. Allow to dry and enjoy you're newly texturized canvas!

Pro Tips: 

Isopropyl alcohol can be purchase at most drugstores in Canada in 70% U.S.P. (less concentrated) and 99% U.S.P. However, more and more, I am finding that stores are placing the 99% U.S.P. behind the counter. If you can't find any on the shelve you might have to ask the pharmacist.

Make sure you do this technique in a well ventilated area. The smell of alcohol can be quite powerful depending on how much you use.
Jan
1/4/2015 12:23:48 pm

Hi,can you please tell me where you buy your alcohol, I understand your in Canada too and I would like to try this but don't,then know where to get it.I,m in Hamilton, on.thx so much,Jan

Sabrina Regier
3/10/2015 08:47:32 am

Anywhere where there is a pharmacy you can just ask the pharmacist since they keep it behind the counter

Alex
4/16/2015 04:41:02 pm

Love this idea! I can't wait to try it!

Julie Bolton link
2/8/2016 03:45:31 pm

Hello Samantha,

Love your work and your classes. I took a class of yours at the Calgary School of Art years ago (too bad they went out of business). Anyways, I use 99% rubbing alcohol in my paintings (sometimes quite a bit) and I find that when I am ready to varnish the painting my varnish does not go on smoothly or somehow does not adhere to the areas that had a lot of alcohol added. Do you have any suggestions?
I have tried both brushed on varnish and spray.
Many Thanks Samantha!
Julie

Samantha daSilva
2/10/2016 02:58:37 pm

Thank you for contacting me Julie! Please keep in mind that the painting process I teach is highly experimental. Using our materials, paints and tools in ways other than recommend by the paint company, opens us up to an array of unpredictability. This is a good thing! In your case, I have found that using spray varnish offers the best results. Another alternative is to leave your painting unvarnished. Best of luck and happy experimenting!

Emma
9/5/2016 09:26:28 pm

Hi Samantha,
I took a course of yours years ago and it was fantastic! It opened up a whole new scope of creativity for me. Is there a notification I can sign up for? If you are in Edmonton, I don't want to miss it and would like to take more classes.
Thanks,
Emma

Sandra
10/20/2016 09:16:04 am

Hi there, I have tried this technique a number of times without success. I seem to not be getting the right consistency with the paint.

Kathleen O'Byrne
1/27/2019 06:34:49 pm

have you heard of 'yupple' paper? it is similar to bristol board but is thinner and has a plastic feel to the shiney finish. look forward to your reply,. In Awe and Respect Sincerely Kathleen O'Byrne

Sire Tussing
4/3/2019 09:47:43 pm

I had some interesting results. I tried this on top of multiple layers on a canvas I had reused. I put at least 3 layers of different blacks and greys underneath but has some other colors and some sharpie further down. After I sprayed the alcohol the colors from much deeper down started to bleed through. Kinda cool.


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