GOLDEN Artist Colors started creating Fluid Colors on a custom basis for artists requesting a low viscosity, pigment-saturated paint. Some of these artists wanted to pour, puddle and drip their acrylic paints, others wanted to stain with the acrylics using them as alternatives to watercolors, and still others wanted to use the paints for spray application. Many artists were already thinning Heavy Body paints with water to achieve these effects. Although simply adding water or medium to the Heavy Body Acrylics sufficed to meet the needs of most artists, some complained that the resulting paint was not strong enough. These artists desired an undiluted acrylic that would provide optimal tinting strength and coverage.

Eventually, the popularity of the Fluid custom formula reached a point where GOLDEN was able to introduce it as a standard line of product. The Fluid Acrylics are formulated similarly to GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylics, the main difference being the viscosity or consistency at which the paints are finished. Hence, the pigment load or color strength of the Fluid Acrylics is comparable to the Heavy Body Acrylics. In fact, because of the greater leveling of the Fluid Acrylics, some artists believe the Fluids are actually stronger than the Heavy Body colors.