Opaque White Paint Troubleshooting
- 1). Squeeze some opaque white paint onto a palette. Add zinc white paint to make titanium white paint flow better, and vice versa. An alternative to this method is to buy white paint that includes both titanium and zinc pigments.
- 2). Add a small amount of a medium of your choice to the palette. If you work with oil paint, try adding turpentine or mineral spirits first. If you work with acrylic paint, try adding water first. Mix the opaque white paint with the additive medium using a palette knife. Continue adding the medium until the paint reaches the desired consistency.
- 3). Add a second medium if needed, or start over with a different medium. If you work with oil paint, you may mix it with linseed oil, walnut oil or safflower oil. If you work with acrylic paint, you may add a wide variety of fluids and gels, depending on the results you want to achieve. For example, extender medium gives you more paint with less pigment in it. Blending medium is the same as extender medium, just with a different name. Flow medium is fluid that makes paint thinner and glossier. Slow dry medium increases the time it takes for acrylic paint to dry. Gloss medium is an extender medium that adds gloss. Matte medium is an extender medium that reduces gloss. Modeling paste or heavy gel makes paint thicker.
These media also help if you prefer to maintain a single white pigment in your paint. Mixing zinc white paint into colors has a mild, translucent white effect. Titanium white has an intense, opaque white effect on colors.
