Paint thinning ratio

Paint thinning ratio describes how much water, or a dedicated thinning medium, is mixed into paint before it is applied, since most acrylic paints sold for miniatures are too thick straight from the pot to flow smoothly or show fine detail. A common starting point is a ratio close to one part paint to one part water for basecoating, thinned further for glazes and washes.

Getting this right matters because paint that is too thick clogs detail, dries with visible ridges and brush marks, and needs more coats to look smooth, while paint that is too thin becomes watery, loses pigment coverage and can pool unpredictably in recesses. Different techniques call for different consistencies, a milky, semi-transparent mix for layering, a much thinner mix for washes and glazes.

A wet palette makes it much easier to judge and maintain the right thinness over a painting session, since paint straight from a dry palette dries and thickens quickly. Beginners often either skip thinning entirely and fight thick, gloopy paint, or overthin it until color barely shows, and a small mixing cup or the back of a palette to test consistency before touching the model helps avoid both mistakes.