Matisse MM3 Tension Breaker

MM3 SURFACE TENSION BREAKER | ACRYLIC FLOW MEDIUM

Using MM3 Surface Tension Breaker within a water and paint mixture will greatly facilitate colour penetration into absorbent paper or fabric grounds, i.e. raw canvas. It is a valuable additive in stain painting techniques and water wash applications when working on hand-pressed watercolour paper or absorbent, bleached but unprimed canvas.

For best results, the MM3 Surface Tension Breaker should always pre-diluted with the quantity of water used to thin the paint. Prepare a stock jar of water with 5-10% MM3 Surface Tension Breaker and use this water for the painting. MM7 Polymer Gloss Varnish (Gloss Medium) and the other mediums, such as MM4 Gel Medium and MM9 Acrylic Painting Medium, can also be treated with MM3

Surface Tension Breaker pre-diluted with water. The addition of a level teaspoon of pre-diluted MM3 Surface Tension Breaker to a 250ml jar of Matisse acrylic paint or painting medium will have a marked dispersing effect.

Unprimed canvas, which has been scoured and bleached (to remove cottonseed oils and seeds) or raw canvas, will perform better to stain painting techniques if the cloth is pre-washed in a water-diluted solution of MM3 Surface Tension Breaker. A diluted MM3 Surface Tension Breaker solution can also be brushed straight onto the stretched canvas and allowed to dry.

Airbrushing: To use Matisse Structure or Flow Formula acrylics with an airbrush, mix 1 part MM3 Surface Tension Breaker with nine parts water, then use to thin the paint to the desired viscosity. Airbrush artists will find that far less water is required to achieve the same viscosity (as chemical thinning has taken place); therefore, the colours will be far stronger and more intense than if the paint had just been thinned with water alone. Alternatively, Matisse Inks will all go through the finest of airbrushes.

Calligraphy: To use Matisse Structure or Flow Formula acrylics with calligraphy nibs, mix 1 part MM3 Surface Tension Breaker with nine parts water, then use to thin the paint to the desired viscosity. This blend will remain lightfast and will not fade, unlike many inks on the market. Alternatively, Matisse Inks provide fully lightfast colours in a water-based inks range of 24 colours.

Watercolour:  Traditional watercolour techniques can be achieved easily with Matisse colours blended with MM3 Surface Tension Breaker. This will allow artists to work with the complete range of Matisse acrylic colours as they would with watercolours. MM3 Surface Tension Breaker will also assist with the dispersion of pigment when you are employing acrylic paints for watercolour techniques. For more information on using MM3 Surface Tension Breaker for watercolour purposes, please refer to the Technical Guide in this book.