Rikki B.
Rikki is a professional painter and therapeutic art coach.
Welcome to This Week’s Bud to Bloom Topic: Mastering Watercolor and Acrylic Mixing
Are you Team Watercolor or Team Acrylic? What if I told you that you don’t have to choose? By mixing these two mediums, you can unlock new artistic possibilities and create stunning effects in your artwork!
Let’s dive in and explore how you can master the technique and how to mix colors of different mediums.
Can You Mix Different Types of Paint?
The short answer: Yes and no. It all depends on the type of paint. A simple rule to remember is that water-based mediums, like watercolor and acrylic, can be mixed freely. Since both dissolve in water, they blend smoothly and can be layered for unique textures and effects.
However, oil-based paints, like traditional oil paints, don’t mix well with water-based mediums. If you try to combine acrylic with oil paint, you’ll end up with a separated, globby mess. Over time, these layers may not adhere properly, leading to the deterioration of your artwork. While oil and acrylic can sometimes be used together in layering techniques, that’s a discussion for another time!
Why Mix Watercolor and Acrylic?
Yes, you absolutely can mix watercolor and acrylic, and I personally love using this technique! It’s become second nature in my creative process because each medium brings something special to the table:
- Acrylic dries quickly, builds layers effortlessly, and is excellent for blocking in shapes.
- Watercolor is rich in pigment, flows beautifully, and soaks into the surface for organic, expressive effects.
How to Mix Watercolor and Acrylic for Stunning Results
Acrylic’s water-based formula allows it to be diluted with water, which can create fluid washes and drips. However, adding too much water can weaken the pigment, making the color appear less vibrant. This is where watercolor comes in!
To maintain strong pigment while creating washes, you can:
- Apply watercolor over dry acrylic layers to add depth and luminosity.
- Pre-mix watercolor and acrylic on your palette before adding water to control vibrancy.
This combination allows you to achieve bold, layered effects while keeping your colors rich and saturated. Below, I’ve included test swatches on canvas to show you how this technique works in action!
Ready to experiment with watercolor and acrylic mixing? Try it in your next painting session and unlock a whole new level of creativity! 🎨✨
Check out the experiment here:
In this graphic, I’ve created a visual comparison of watercolor pigment vs. acrylic pigment and the results you get when mixing the two.
Let’s start with the acrylic-only row. Each thumbnail gradually contains more water, with the final one being a very diluted wash. While the color remains red, you’ll notice that by the last thumbnail, most of its vibrancy is lost—sometimes an effect you may want, but often a limitation when aiming for bold washes.
Now, looking at the watercolor-only row, the difference is clear. The red remains much brighter and holds onto its vibrancy even as it’s diluted. The final thumbnail still has significantly more pigment compared to the acrylic wash. The same applies to the pink watercolor—I absolutely LOVE this 
pink! Even at its most diluted state, it retains a rich, vibrant hue.
Now, Let’s Mix Them!
The last two rows show a red watercolor + red acrylic mix, gradually thinned out just like the previous examples. What do we see?
Comparing the final thumbnail of the reds, this combination produces the brightest and most consistent wash, outperforming either medium on its own. The pink and red mix shows a similar result—high vibrancy and fuller coverage across each stage.
These mixes are fantastic for washes because they give you the best of both worlds:
- Watercolor provides rich, glowing pigment.
- Acrylic ensures even, lasting coverage.
I hope this inspires you to experiment! Try mixing watercolor and acrylic in your next wash or artwork, and let me know how it turns out! 🎨✨
Do you want to start painting but don’t know where to start? Try one of Artvanas ONLINE PAINTING TUTORIALS and take the guesswork out of creating. Get everything you need to complete a fun project with acrylic paint, all tutorials include comprehensive supply lists, example images and printable stencil files if applicable. Start your journey today HERE
Or join one of our local instructors for an in-person painting class in Washington State HERE
