Can You Hydro Dip With Acrylic Paint?

Hydro drip is a mind-blowing method to style a range of items using paint. Though it’s a bit different from traditional painting, you can use it to create impeccable 3D designs.

Can you hydro dip with acrylic paint? You can use acrylic paints to create interesting and gorgeous designs with the hydro dip technique.

What Is Hydro Dipping?

Other terms for hydro dipping include water transfer printing, hydro imaging, or even immersion printing, is an interesting painting technique. It allows you to apply designs and graphics to different types of three-dimensional objects.

Hydro dipping has been popular in the auto industry and other industries for years. Helmets, firearms, ATVs, and gaming controllers are also often painted using hydro films. Some modern artists known for experimenting with different techniques have started using it as well. They use it to style different materials like wood, metal, plastics, and more. Do you know the best part? This method allows you to print just about any design.

Types of Paints for Hydro Dipping

Though you can practice hydro dripping with any type of paint, you may not get the results youre looking for. Also, the paints you choose will affect the final finish.

Here are some of the best paint options for both beginners and experts to improve their artistic pieces.

Spray Paint

Many people use spray paint for the hydro dripping technique. They work great to create beautiful 3D designs on different objects. So if youve got a steady hand at using sprays for hydro paint, you can create some abstract designs as well. However, spray paints only work for 3D objects like hats and shirts rather than paper. Hence, theyre not useful to show off your skills on flat surfaces, limiting your range to old cans, helmets, plastic boxes, pots, and others.

Oil-Based Paints

You can use oil-based paints to get an amazing design on a flat surface like canvas or paper. Traditionally, hydro painting through oil-based paints helped create a marble effect on objects. Note that these oils are a bit difficult to handle for beginners, so be sure to master the hydro dipping procedure before using these paints.

Acrylic Paint

Can you hydro dip with acrylic paint? Whether youre a beginner or an expert, hydro painting is easy with acrylic paints. Its one of the best hydro dipping approaches, and it works on flat surfaces as well.

Every artist is known to have used acrylic paints at least once in their life. When you already have some experience with the medium, you don’t have to learn the basics and just start by creating your desired pattern on the water. Acrylic paints can also offer you a marbled effect, so you dont have to test the waters with oil-based paints.

Can You Hydro Dip With Acrylic Paint?

Yes! As we have discussed, acrylic paints are one of the best options for hydro dipping. Wondering why? Here are some reasons to choose acrylic paints for hydro dipping.

• Decorate 3D Objects: Do you want to decorate 3D objects like a planter? Don’t worry! You can get extraordinary outcomes using acrylic paints. These paints work best for just about every type of surface, whether it’s flat, round, or a complex 3D shape. You just need to follow the right steps for each object and get your desired results.
• Offers Marble Effect: The marble effect on objects looks very classy and attractive. Acrylic paints help you to get a marble effect on just about every type of object so that you don’t have to use other paints. In fact, you can also try paper marbling and turn any paper into an eye-catching piece of art.
• Gives Vibrant Surface: These paints provide a vibrant look, making your art stand out from the rest.
• Act as Versatile Paint: You can use it to paint any surface wax-free or oil-free surface. You can use it for plastic, wood, paper, and other types of materials.
• Provides Affordable Solution: These paints are much more affordable than other options. On top of that, you can use them based on your needs, unlike spray paints that spread through the air and provide less value for your money.

What Kind Of Paint Can You Use For Hydro Dipping?

As weve already discussed the kind of paints you can use, here is a quick review to help you understand their differences.

Paint Types	Paint Applications	Best Feature
Spray Paint	3D objects	Easy to apply in water base
Oil-Based Paint	Canvas and paper	Offers marble look
Acrylic Paint	3D objects, canvas, paper, and almost every type of object	Provides you versatility

5 Easy Steps to Hydro Dip with Acrylic Paint

The hydro dip may seem intimidating if you’re a first-timer, but it’s not. Try to enjoy the process, follow each step carefully, and stay relaxed. You might not get amazing results on your first attempt, but youll refine your skills with practice. Once you master it, you can experiment with different tools, designs, and objects.

So, follow the below-mentioned steps to style your desired objects with acrylic paints.

1. Use Basic Appliances

The first and most important thing you need is to gather all the necessary appliances. Not having the right tools and items will hold you back, preventing you from exploring your potential. Make sure you have the following things first.

• toothpick or brush
• water
• acrylic paint
• primer
• cornstarch
• a large container
• primer
• any three-dimensional item

2. Create Water Base

The base is the second most important consideration. A poorly-made base may not even allow the paints to fasten onto your desired objects, giving you awful and patchy results. If your water base is thin, it wont mix properly, and your design wont float on it. To prevent this from happening, prepare a proper base first.

Bring anything like a pot or jar to boil 2 to 3 cups of water. Leave it on high heat to boil. Then, mix 1/4 cup of cornstarch in a cold glass of water. Make sure it mixes completely. Pour the cornstarch mixture into the hot water, and turn off the heat. Allow the water to cool down, and your water base is ready.

3. Prepare the Paint

Since your water base is thick, you need to keep your paints thin. As youre using acrylic paint, you need to achieve the right consistency before using them. Take a container, pour your desired color, and add a few drops of water for a thin consistency.

It’s best to designate a container for each color to avoid washing it whenever you need to pour another color. Washing the container each time you add another color can be quite a hassle and will only slow you down.

4. Pour the Base into the Container

Now, your base and your paints are ready. Take a flat container and pour your base into it. Your base needs to cover at least 1 to 3 inches of the bottom so that you can easily apply the design to the object.

Now, start pouring acrylic paints into your container. Mix acrylic paints slowly to stay on top of your water base. Keep in mind that they will spread a bit along the water surface when you start adding paints, so add them in small amounts.

Also, if you want to make distinct shapes in the hydro dip container, use a toothpick or toothbrush. Use them with gentle hands and stroke the water to spread your paints.

5. Dip the Object

Now that youre aware of whether you can hydro drip with acrylic paints and the steps involved, heres the best part- getting the design on your object.

Grab the object you want to paint (if you are a beginner, it’s best to opt for paper). Use masking tape to hide areas of the object you don’t want to decorate. Let the tape set on the object for a few seconds.

Hold the object by the sides and dip it in water for a few seconds. Once the design fixes onto the surface, leave it to dry for at least 30 minutes. Then, you can enjoy showing it off to your friends, family, or customers.

Final Thought

Now, you probably have the answer, ‘can you hydro drip with acrylic paint? Well, its time to test your skills using acrylic paints to design your favorite objects and create stunning art pieces. Remember to follow the steps, choose high-quality paints that dont mix into your water base, and prepare a killer water base. Lastly, don’t worry if you fail at your first attempt. Just keep trying until you get it right.