Acrylic PaintsI have experimented with several different brands of acrylic…..they all have their pros and cons.  A lot depends on the techniques you use and your painting style.  I tend to use a lot of transparent layers, mixing my paint with water or glazing medium.  I need an acrylic that is highly pigmented so the color will remain strong when diluted.  I currently am using DecoArt’s Traditions.  These are a fluid acrylic…meaning they have a consistency similar to cream, where as, your traditional tube acrylics tend to have more of a consistency similar to softened butter.  They dry fast, but not too fast.  One thing some folks see as a “con” with this brand….is the lifting of color.  “Lifting color” simply means that even after the paint has dried, I can go back in with a little water and a little scrubbing and “lift” or remove some or almost all of the paint.  So in the layering process it is important to seal each layer with a light coat of glazing medium to prevent previous layers from “lifting”.  I personally like this quality.  I can “try out” if you will a glaze layer before I commit to it.  There are also some pretty nifty textures that can be created using this technique as well.

My Typical Palette:
Burnt Umber
Burnt Sienna
Raw Sienna
Titanium White
Black
Ultramarine Blue
Medium Gray
Hansa Yellow Medium
Naphthol Red Lt
Glazing Medium
Acrylic Varnish for sealing and protecting the final painting
Gesso: is typically used in priming surfaces, but I also like it as a mixing white.  It is especially useful for achieving more opaque coverage when needed.
Fine Mist Spray bottle filled with tap water:  I keep this handy to mist my paints to aid in keeping them moist on my palette.  I have also been know to spray it on my canvas to create different paint effects.  Just love those drips and runs!

As to the palette itself.  I use the disposable Acrylic palettes.  I just like the ease of clean up.  They come in a tablet form….use the top sheet and when you are done…tear it off and throw it away.

Tip:  Building a painting with transparent layers can add depth and sparkle to your work.

Questions and comments are welcome here…..