# Not sure if this is the right section need help with acrylics



## Valvaren (Feb 24, 2015)

Hi everyone, I'm really sorry if this isn't the right place, I hope it can be moved if so. 

Basically i've been making polymer clay work for awhile and using craft grade Americana paint for my pieces. I've recently thought about upgrading to a higher quality paint but there are a few things that have held me back.

Currently I don't use a pallet for my paints, I mix them in little plastic containers and keep them that way since I usually come back to the colors I mix and only really paint a piece a day.

I assumed I wouldn't be able to do this with higher level paints, and I felt this would end up costing me a lot in materials. 

I also read that there isn't much difference or point to switching from a craft grade to a higher grade of paint? I know there are things like lightfastness but I've seen another thread where lots of artists say these craft paints hold up fine.

I was really interested in moving to something like citadel or vallejo, but I would love other suggestions.

Thank you so much for your time, and again i'm sorry if this is the wrong place.


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## TerryCurley (Jan 4, 2015)

Hi and welcome to the Artist Forum. I'm afraid I don't have the answers you want but hopefully some one will.

I can tell you this much, I have painted in acrylic occasionally, and I have grandchildren that do also. Their student quality paints are much thinner and no where near the quality of artist quality acrylic paints.


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## Valvaren (Feb 24, 2015)

Thank you Terry for both the welome and your experience. I realize i'm probably using the paints I have all wrong since I tend to thin them down with water sometimes, perhaps that from the way I store them they then end up globby. 

I wouldn't say I get bad quality from the paints but i've started to feel as though they might be holding me back? 

For example these are two of my newer piece, I feel like I could have some better blending or just have the ability for subtler color shifts with a higher grade paint, but again it might not be the paint at all and just my ability that is the problem.


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## TerryCurley (Jan 4, 2015)

Wonderful pieces. I love them! 

Acrylics most definitely will dry quickly and get thicker so that you need to add water when stored in anything other than the tube. I've mixed too much acrylic myself for what I was doing and stored them in a little plastic bottle and it got thicker.

Have you thought about trying oil? That will take forever to dry! But unfortunately it will take a long time to dry on the piece also.


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## SherylG (Feb 27, 2015)

I do use many craft paints, sort of a mix of whatever I can pick up where I am. Personally, I think the craft paints spread well and are a thickness that I like and am used to using. I think you just have to try them all out and see what works for you. 

Of them all, I like good quality latex (acrylic) wall paints the best. Good quality wall paints are thick and are made to spread evenly, mix well and not clump. They mix very well with any acrylic paints. They also last a lifetime and you can buy the mistints at cheap prices. I keep my eyes open for them wherever I go. I always pour them from the can into jars where they keep much longer without skinning or clumping. I mix most of my own shades in little jars as well and find that they last a long time like that, provided the jar has a good seal. I sometimes buy white, which I use a lot of, in a large 4 litre can. The per ml price point is much cheaper than the cheapest craft paint. I save large mayonnaise and peanut butter jars to pour it into for longer life. It will last for years sealed in a plastic jar. I use smaller jars for immediate use. 

For myself, I find the artist paints in the tube to be a bit thick for my liking and I can't use them in the tubes. When I do buy paints in tube form, I squeeze them out into little jars and thin it a bit. I don't like that I can't put it back into the tube. Excess goes to waste. 

I'm new here and this is really my first posting, but I hope to be of help, if possible.


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## TerryCurley (Jan 4, 2015)

"Of them all, I like good quality latex (acrylic) wall paints the best. Good quality wall paints are thick and are made to spread evenly, mix well and not clump. They mix very well with any acrylic paints. They also last a lifetime and you can buy the mistints at cheap prices. I keep my eyes open for them wherever I go. I always pour them from the can into jars where they keep much longer without skinning or clumping. I mix most of my own shades in little jars as well and find that they last a long time like that, provided the jar has a good seal. I sometimes buy white, which I use a lot of, in a large 4 litre can. The per ml price point is much cheaper than the cheapest craft paint. I save large mayonnaise and peanut butter jars to pour it into for longer life. It will last for years sealed in a plastic jar. I use smaller jars for immediate use." 


I never would have thought of using wall paint and mixing it to make the colors you want. You are definitely knowledgeable and will be such a great asset to this forum. I looked at your work and it's amazing. Welcome to the ARtist Forum.


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## SherylG (Feb 27, 2015)

Thank you! I'm glad to have found this forum!


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