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Where Art Meets Science

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Image by Louis Reed

The problem, I soon realized, was that I had jumped into this new activity with all the enthusiasm and zeal of any fan without actually trying to understand the basics of what I was trying to do.  In chemistry, paint is a beast in and of itself.  It's different from normal solids or liquids.  It acts differently from most solutions.  So I had to take a step back and re-learn the basics of paint.

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To begin with, paint is a colloidal suspension.  What that means is that you have particles (in this case, pigments) that are suspended in a liquid.  This liquid is generally made up of solvents, binders and additives.  Acrylic paints are typically made up of pigments, binders and a solvent, which in this case is water.

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Image by Cris CL

Pigments

Pigments are fine granules or particles that give the paint its color.  The pigments used give each paint color its own unique set of properties.  Titanium white, for instance, uses titanium powder, which gives the resultant paint a very bright, opaque property compared to other whites.  Cobalt blue, similarly, is different from other blues.  The pigments used can determine a particular paint's specific gravity or density, and sometimes even the surface tension, which can impact how that paint interacts with other paints.

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Image by Pawel Czerwinski

Binders

Binders used in acrylic paints serves two functions: first, it acts to hold the pigment in place while the paint is drying, and second, it forms a protective film over the pigment once all the water has completely evaporated and the paint is dry.

Image by David Becker

Solvents

In the case of acrylics, water is the solvent used.  Water mixed with the binder creates a polymeric liquid wherein particles of pigment are suspended.  Paint straight out of a tube contains all three ingredients.  However, once the paint is applied to paper, canvas, or other materials, the water will begin to evaporate.  Once the water has completely evaporated, what you are left with is dry paint, which is essentially a clear polymer film that contains particles of colored pigment.

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