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Peter Smith

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Posted
I have deleted this post.

Edited
by Peter Smith

Entwined, abstract

Sandra Kennedy

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Posted
It could possibly come down to the quality of the paint Peter? I remember when I started using acrylics I was told that they did dry a bit darker. Now I think we have professional grade acrylics that don't have the same colour shift between wet and dry. I know that there are knowledgeable artists on the Forum who would be able to advise about this. One thing I find is that varnishing my acrylic paintings does brighten them up a bit.

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by Sandra Kennedy

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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What are you using to thin  them with?  If it's just water, and you paint thinly, considerable darkening - or more commonly, dulling - can occur.  Several suggestions for  you: one, get good acrylic paint - my choices currently are Winsor and Newton's artists' quality, Daler Rowney Cryla, and Chromacolour (for generally thinner applications).  I also use System 3, also from Daler Rowney; two, use an acrylic medium rather than water (though as it happens, I don't!);  three, try painting with a knife - no, not your kitchen knife, what  will the wife say?  A proper painting knife - some  of mine have worked very well (anyway, I thought so) with a knife, using thick paint; four, use thicker paint  - whether  oil or acrylic, thin paint can dry dull - though by thin, I really mean just one coat; five, get yourself a few pots of Chromacolour, from chromacolour.co.uk: you have to order online or by post/telephone, they're rarely to be found in shops.  Chromacolour is bound in a different type of resin from that used for regular acrylics - and was developed from paint applied to acetate,  by, e.g., the Disney company, in cartoons - an art now lost to computers, which is why modern cartoons so often look far less impressive than the old ones; six, what are you painting on?  If  it's watercolour paper, or a canvas board, try adding a coat  of white primer (misleadingly named 'gesso') - it could be your problem is sinking-in - paint being absorbed by the surface.
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Peter Smith

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I'm using Galleria acrylics which are the best I can afford and I paint on canvas. I tried using a knife and really didn't get on with it. I'll give Chromacolour a try though. I've never tried varnishing but it might be worth doing one to see if it makes a difference. It's not a big problem, more of an irritation. Thanks for your help both of you.

Edited
by Peter Smith

With Sarah, Phil, Ellen, Rose the dentist, and the granddaughter whose name I forget.

Robert Jones, Napa

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I've not used Galleria, but I understand they're pretty good - there's also a "Graduate" acrylic, at the less expensive end - I think that's what they're called anyway; I've used them, and found them surprisingly vibrant for the price.   I know  how expensive paint can be; oil paint is mostly at a quite whopping  price  when you move beyond the ochres, umbers, siennas etc, and acrylics are beginning to catch up - though very slowly, really.  Take a look at Chromacolour - last time I looked they were excellent value, the colour is clean and strong.
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Peter Smith

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I've used Graduate, it's OK but Galleria is better in my experience.