Heavy body acrylics are more difficult to handle in the watercolour technique. They will need to be well-mixed with water on the palette to prevent thick bits of opaque colour from becoming part of the painting. Medium viscosity acrylics come in jars and are more liquid and easier to handle in the watercolour technique. Both types of acrylics can be used in the watercolour technique but, the fluid acrylics are designed to be used thinly. When heavy body acrylics are diluted, both the colour intensity and the binder weaken.
Fluid acrylics remain strong in colour intensity and binding strength.
A crylics will adhere to many differing surfaces excepting slippery, oily ones. Therefore, it is not necessary to prepare the paper with gesso or acrylic medium before starting a work. However, the behaviour of the wet paint is different than watercolour paint. To help with the movement of acrylics, Acrylic Flow Improver can be added to the water. T he same paint qpplications that are used in watercolour can be used when painting with acrylics in the watercolour techniques.