BASICS

ACRYLIC
The everyday acrylic range.

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BASICS
ACRYLIC

Everyday acrylic paints,

mediums and tools. For all
types of artist. All types
of painting. Formulated
with artist-grade pigment.
Now with an expanded color
palette, more mediums and
a fresh look.

We invented the world’s first water-based acrylic paints

back in 1955. Basics is our student-quality line formulated
to the exacting Liquitex standard.

Paint character:

Medium viscosity

Fine art pigments

Satin finish

Easy blending

Range of opacities

Essential mediums & tools

Fully AP certified for safety

and educational use

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72 12 05
COLORS MEDIUMS BRUSHES
Basics is for all - from those new to painting to experienced
artists. Ideal if you’re a beginner. If you’re on a budget.
Perfect for underpainting or sketching if you’re a serious
artist. And for color scoping and exploration if you’re a
creative professional.

Formulated with lightfast* fine art pigments, the Basics

collection is made up of 72 medium viscosity acrylic colors, your
essential 12 mediums and 5 starter brushes in a range of sizes.
*Fluorescent and metallic paints are naturally less lightfast.
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The colors

A palette of 72 colors made with the highest quality

fine art pigments.

You’ll find all your essentials as well as some specialty colors,

all with a good pigment load. It’s balanced for beginners and
artists with more experience, for fine art and design work.

The mediums

Adjust your paint with an expanded range.

The collection includes everything you need to prep and finish

your work, and to change your paint’s character. This is your
essential range when starting to use mediums and designed
to be an accessible option, especially when used with
Basics colors.

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Look & feel

More functional. More streamlined. Easier to use.

You’ve told us what you want out of your paint tubes and
bottles – and we’ve designed our Basics packaging accordingly.
The design lets you see more of the true paint color inside
and shows all the technical information - pigment, opacity,
lightfastness and safety information - on the front.

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 ACRYLICS:
THE BASICS
There’s no more versatile paint system in the world.

Acrylic paint is made of two carefully balanced elements –

pigment and a water-based acrylic emulsion, which binds it
all together. When you squeeze the paint out of the tube, the
water in the emulsion starts evaporating into the air. Once it’s
all evaporated you’re left with a dry, flexible acrylic film of color
which is permanent, water-resistant and extremely stable.

They dry quickly

They flex

You can clean them

up with water while wet

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 They’re permanent when dry

They stick to almost

any surface

They are low odor

You can adjust them

with mediums

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TERMS
EXPLAINED
AP SEAL
Basics colors are independently tested by the Art and Creative
Materials Institute at Duke University, and hold the Approved
Product (AP) safety seal. This means they are certified to
contain no materials in sufficient quantities to be toxic or
harmful to humans or to cause health problems.

PIGMENT
The color particle that dictates a paint color. Some paints
contain just a single pigment, others more than one. The
individual pigments are listed on the pack and color chart.

OPACITY/TRANSPARENCY
Each pigment has its own character so the symbol tells you
if it’s opaque
semi-opaque
or transparent

LIGHTFASTNESS
How long will it resist fading? Each pigment is rated on scale
by the American Society for Testing & Materials (ASTM). Basics
paints are all ASTM I (excellent) or II (very good) and considered
permanent and lightfast* for 50-100+ years in gallery conditions.

MASSTONE UNDERTONE
The color straight from the The color applied thinly or diluted
tube – rich and concentrated. - generally more transparent.

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TINT SHADE
When a color is mixed When a color is mixed
with white. with black.
*Fluorescent and metallic paints are not given a rating by the ASTM.
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WHY CHOOSE
BASICS?
Liquitex invented artists’ acrylics back in 1955 and
we’ve specialized in acrylics ever since.

Basics gives you the perfect balance of quality and economy.

Made for all artists, Basics acrylics are student-quality.
This means they are made with the same lightfast*, fine art
pigments we use in our professional range but just a lighter
load. Mediums are easy to use and give an archival finish.
Brushes are well-designed and resilient.
*Fluorescent and metallic paints are naturally less lightfast.
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Highest quality pigments

The same quality fine art pigments as our

professional range.

All Liquitex paints use the highest quality pigments and go

through the same rigorous manufacturing process. The only
difference is that with Basics we use a lower concentration
of pigment than our professional paints. For Basics, fine art
pigments are selected and milled using the latest basket
bead-mill technology, in the same way as Soft and Heavy Body
Acrylics. Pigments are ground with tiny reinforced ceramic
beads to give fine dispersion, great color development,
strength and brightness, before being added to the acrylic
emulsion.

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Economical

Push your budget harder with Basics.

Use on their own or combine together with professional

materials – if they’re made by Liquitex, they’re all intermixable.
Perfect for everyday use, for sketching out preliminary
ideas, for underpainting before laying down your final paint
application and for covering large areas.

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Archival quality

Your work has a life beyond you.

Hanging on a client’s wall. In a gallery. It needs to stay as

you intended. As with all Liquitex paints, the pigments have
passed extensive tests for lightfastness. Your work will have
the greatest archival permanence possible, withstanding color
shifting or fading to stay vibrant and true.

Safe

Basics acrylics are safe for you to use.

All colors hold the Approved Product seal from the

Art and Creative Materials Institute and are ideal
for studio and educational use.

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THE RANGE

0.34oz 4oz 8.45oz 14oz 32oz

& 2.54oz (118ml) (250ml) (400ml) (946ml)
sets only 72 colors 36 colors 30 colors 22 colors

Techniques

Basics acrylic colors are ideal for all painting

techniques plus:

Sketching & underpainting

Color theory/mixing

Collage & mixed media

As you gain experience, you’ll want to try new techniques.

Experiment with your materials or pick up one of these
ready-made Basics techniques kits, which gives you all
the tools you need, plus a step-by-step guide.

Building texture

Wet on wet

Intermixing

Intro to mediums

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 8.45oz (250ml) 5 shapes
& 3 larger sizes of Gesso in a range of
12 mediums brush sizes

Surfaces

If your paint sticks to it, you can use it.

Canvas

Paper & board

Wood

Masonry

Metal

Styrofoam

Stone

Ceramics

Textiles

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MEDIUMS
How do you make your acrylic paint work harder?

These mediums cover all the bases and are a good introduction
before you enter the world of professional mediums. They let
you prep your surfaces, adjust viscosity, flow and sheen. You
can change paint opacity, drying time and texture, or protect
your finished work. Start with one of our intro sets or buy them
individually.

GLOSS FLUID MEDIUM

A colorless acrylic medium.
GESSO Mix with color to thin and add
An opaque matte white ground. transparency or use on its own
Apply to surfaces to seal and as a collage adhesive. Gives an
prepare before painting. archival gloss finish.

GLOSS GEL MEDIUM

A colorless acrylic gel medium.
Mix with color to thicken, add GLOSS HEAVY GEL
transparency and slow drying As Gloss Gel Medium, but
time. Gives an archival gloss thicker. Ideal for impasto
finish. applications.

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MATTE FLUID MEDIUM MATTE GEL
A colorless acrylic medium. A colorless acrylic gel medium.
Mix with color to thin and add Mix with color to thicken, add
transparency or use on its own transparency and slow dry
as a collage adhesive. Gives an time. Gives an archival matte
archival matte finish. finish.

COARSE TEXTURE MEDIUM

A grainy effects medium. Mix
IRIDESCENT MEDIUM with color, use on its own or
A reflective metallic medium. overpaint. Great for special
Mix with color or use on its own. effects.

LIGHT MODELING PASTE MODELING PASTE

A lightweight opaque paste An opaque paste for 3D
for 3D effects. Mix with color effects. Mix with color and
and build in thin layers, or build in thin layers. Overpaint,
overpaint once dry. sand or carve when dry.

WITH WITHOUT WITH WITHOUT

GLOSS VARNISH MATTE VARNISH

Protects your finished work Protects your finished work
from UV damage, dirt and dust, from UV damage, dirt and dust,
with an archival gloss finish. with an archival matte finish.

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BRUSHES
Basics brushes are the perfect way to begin.

Made with long handles and white nylon bristles, they’re

durable, easy to clean and hold good amounts of color. Their
medium-soft texture bristles give the ideal responsiveness for
Basics paints and any soft/medium-bodied acrylics. Choose
from five shapes in a range of sizes.

ROUND
A round or pointed tip bristle for detail, glazing, controlled washes and
filling in small areas.

BRIGHT
A short, flat bristle with edges curved in at the tip, great for short,
controlled strokes.

FLAT
A rectangular, square-ended bristle for bold strokes and chisel-like
lines, great for washes, impasto, filling in wide spaces and straight
edges.

FILBERT
A flat, oval-shaped bristle for broad strokes with a soft edge, the
filbert is super versatile and great for blending.

FAN
A flat, fan-shaped bristle for
smoothing, blending, softening,
feathering and adding textural
effects.

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PROGRESSING
As your budget expands, or you get more serious, you may
want to start exploring the more specialist lines of Liquitex
Professional.

Higher pigment loads give stronger colors, a wider range of

mediums let you create new effects. And you try different
acrylic paint textures and formats – from inks to fine art
spray paint.

BASICS PROFESSIONAL
Good pigment load High pigment load

Good range of colors Wide range of colors

One consistency Choice of paint

of paint viscosities and
(medium viscosity) formats

Straightforward Different series

pricing - same pricing according
prices across all to pigment and
colors of the same manufacturing
size complexity

Choice of 12 mediums Choice of 48 mediums

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COLOR CHART
159 045 410 830 163
CADMIUM YELLOW TRANSPARENT PRIMARY CADMIUM YELLOW CADMIUM YELLOW
LIGHT HUE YELLOW YELLOW MEDIUM HUE DEEP HUE
PY3 PY128 PY74 PY74 • PY83 PY83 • PW6
II I I I I

292 047 311 116 415

NAPHTHOL TRANSPARENT CADMIUM RED ALIZARIN CRIMSON PRIMARY
CRIMSON RED DEEP HUE HUE PERMANENT RED
PR170 PR209 PR170 • PV19 PR206 • PR202 PV19
II I II I I

115 391 263 186 680

DEEP PRISM PURPLE DIOXAZINE LIGHT BLUE
VIOLET VIOLET GRAY PURPLE VIOLET
PR122 • PV23 RS PR122 • PV23 RS PV23 • PR188 • PW6 PV23 RS PW6 • PV23 RS • PB29

II II II II II

470 570 770 046 660

CERULEAN BRILLIANT LIGHT BLUE TURQUOISE BRIGHT
BLUE HUE BLUE PERMANENT BLUE AQUA GREEN
PB29 • PB15:3 • PG7 • PW6 PG7 • PB15:3 • PW6 PW6 • PG7 • PB15:3 PG7 • PB15:3 • PW6 PG7 • PW6

I I I I I

218 222 840 205 530

LIGHT LIME BRILLIANT GREEN BRONZE
OLIVE GREEN GREEN YELLOW GREEN GRAY YELLOW
PG7 • PY74 • PY42 • PW6 PG7 • PY74 • PW6 PW6 • PY3 • PY74 • PG7 PY42 • PB29 • PW6 PY42 • PBk11 • PR101

I I II I I

331 128 434 436 430

RAW BURNT UNBLEACHED PARCHMENT TRANSPARENT
UMBER UMBER TITANIUM MIXING WHITE
PBr7 PBr7 PW6 • PY42 • PBk11 • PR101 PY42 • PBk7 • PW6 • PG7 PW6

I I I I I

238 049 052 051 054

IRIDESCENT IRIDESCENT SILVER GOLD BRONZE
WHITE GRAPHITE

NR NR NR NR NR

984
FLUORESCENT
BLUE

NR
985
FLUORESCENT
GREEN

NR
72
COLORS
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 620 720 510 151 321
VIVID RED CADMIUM CADMIUM RED CADMIUM RED PYRROLE
ORANGE ORANGE HUE LIGHT HUE MEDIUM HUE RED
PO73 • PY139 PO73 PY74 • PR9 PR170 • PR9 PR254
I I I II I

810 048 500 114 590

LIGHT ROSE MEDIUM QUINACRIDONE BRILLIANT
PORTRAIT PINK PINK MAGENTA MAGENTA PURPLE
PW6 • PO36 • PR188 PR188 • PW6 • PR122 PW6 • PR122 PR122 PW6 • PV23 RS
I I I I II

320 380 381 316 420

PRUSSIAN ULTRAMARINE COBALT PHTHALOCYANINE PRIMARY
BLUE HUE BLUE BLUE HUE BLUE BLUE
PB15:3 • PV23 RS • PBk7 PB29 PB29 • PB15:3 • PW6 PB15:3 PB15:3

II I I I I

142 317 224 350 312

BLUE PHTHALOCYANINE HOOKER’S GREEN PERMANENT LIGHT GREEN
GRAY GREEN HUE PERMANENT GREEN DEEP PERMANENT
PB15:3 • PW6 • PBk7 • PB29 PG7 PG7 • PBk9 • PY74 PG36 • PBk7 PG7 • PY74 • PW6

I I I I I

416 601 330 335 127

YELLOW NAPLES RAW RED BURNT
OXIDE YELLOW HUE SIENNA OXIDE SIENNA
PY42 PW6 • PY42 • PY83 PY42 • PR101 • PBk9 PR101 • PY42 PBk9 • PR101

I I I I I

432 599 310 244 276

TITANIUM NEUTRAL PAYNE’S IVORY MARS
WHITE GRAY 5 GRAY BLACK BLACK
PW6 PY42 • PBk9 • PW6 PBk9 • PBk29 • PR122 PBk9 PBk11

I I I I I

053 981 982 983 987

COPPER FLUORESCENT FLUORESCENT FLUORESCENT FLUORESCENT
YELLOW ORANGE RED PINK

NR NR NR NR NR

KEY TO CODING
OPACITY RATING ASTM LIGHTFASTNESS RATING
Opaque I
Excellent
Semi-Opaque II Very good
Transparent NR Not ASTM rated

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A HISTORY OF
INVENTION
Challenging the established ways of doing things is
in our DNA.

It’s how we invented the first water-based acrylic paint in

1955, helping to revolutionize the art world. Before 1955, oils,
watercolors and solvent-based acrylics were the only choices
for artists. Our new acrylic, created by our founder Henry
Levison, could be used on almost any surface. It dried quickly,
cleaned-up with water and worked in a range of viscosities.
Henry tried to come up with a name that captured the essence
of the medium and the fact that it could go from fluid liquidity
to heavy texture - and everyplace else in between. He called it
Liquid Texture or Liquitex.

Infinite
intermixability

Create your own techniques with archival results.

Liquitex intermixability gives you the power to combine

any of our paints and mediums, any way you like.
Compatible binders let you seamlessly layer, blend
and mix all our products with stable, archival results.

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 The Liquitex
intermixable system
All products are water-based and lightfast*

HEAVY BODY ACRYLIC (105 COLORS)

High viscosity acrylic, ideal for impasto and
texture. Retains crisp brush strokes and palette
knife marks.

SOFT BODY ACRYLIC (100 COLORS)

Low viscosity acrylic. Multi-technique,
with great surface coverage. Retains subtle
brush strokes.

ACRYLIC GOUACHE (50 COLORS)

The most highly pigmented of all our paints.
Solid, flat, matte. No brush strokes. No cracking.
No need to dilute.
PROFESSION AL

SPRAY PAINT (100 COLORS)

Professional pigmented matte paint in a spray.
Low odor, water-based technology, highly lightfast*.

ACRYLIC MARKER (50 COLORS)

Permanent acrylic paint made with fine art
pigment. In a marker-style pen for the
ultimate control.

ACRYLIC INK (35 COLORS)

Ultra-fluid acrylic ink made with lightfast* fine
art pigment. No dyes. No fade. Water-resistant
when dry.

MEDIUMS
Acrylic mediums for every technique.
Every surface. From high functioning preps
to experimental effects and finishes.

TOOLS
Professional brushes, palette knives and
accessories. Designed with artists. Built to last.
BASICS

BASICS (72 COLORS)

Everyday acrylics, mediums and tools made for
all artists - from students to professionals.

*Fluorescent and metallic paints are naturally less lightfast.

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Artists’ acrylics
since 1955.

liquitex.com

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