Young Blonde Girl Wet In The Bathtub With Acrylic Paints

Only a proper, artist-grade acrylic gesso should be used to prime canvas in preparation for painting with acrylic. (However, acrylic paint can be applied to raw canvas if so desired without any negative effect or chemical reaction as would be the case with oils)) It is important to avoid adding non-stable or non-archival elements to the gesso upon application. However, the viscosity of acrylic can successfully be reduced by using suitable extenders that maintain the integrity of the paint film. There are retarders to slow drying and extend workability time and flow releases to increase color-blending ability.
Painters and acrylic
Prior to the 19th century, artists mixed their own paints which allowed them to achieve desired color, thickness, and to control the use of fillers, if any. While suitable media and raw pigments are available for the individual production of acrylic paint, due to the fast drying time and other technical issues, hand mixing may not be practical.