Coloring your latex!!!

[emma11]

I've been looking all over online to see what's the best colorant for latex. I know that there are coloring kits specifically FOR latex, however, I've also heard that thinned acrylic paint works just as well.

And if that's true, I have more acrylic paint than I can count!

My only concern is that it may not be water proof, or would come out in teh water, though I'm not exactly sure how that would work. It would also be much easier for me to airbrush the tail with....

Help!

[Mermaid Fenicia]

I use acrylic paint to color latex when I'm making elf-ears. ;)

[Mermaid Dottie]

Fenicia knows her stuff. I just ordered some monstermakers latex to go over my neoprene. I also ordered some of their special tint in two colors, but I'm gonna go get some acrylic, as well, to mix with latex for detailing, etc. I'll let you know what works out the best, shall I?

[ShyMer]

I used createx for my tail, which seemed to work okay. Createx is water based, but if you mix it with enough latex, it sticks just fine under water. Acrylic should be the same.

I would also like to say that the pearly createx would most likely look nicer on top of a regular opaque base color.

[Mermaid Fenicia]

At make-up-school we used both acrylic paint and water-based face- & body-make-up to mix into the latex. Both work fine to color your base to paint with latex. We also used the same water-based make-up to paint details onto the latex without mixing it to give it a brighter color. When the make-up has dried, we sprayed over it with a clear acrylic gloss to keep the colors nice. ;)

[emma11]

Awesome! Thanks so much everyone for the helpful information. It saves me money, since I have access to a massive amount of acrylic paint.

Fenicia! I have never made something that has to last in the water before, so that acrylic will still work? Just to be 100% sure, lol. And clear acrylic gloss seems like it might make the tail stiff and then crack with movement? Either way, all this help is really appreciated!