Hi Guys,

I have a little problem. I have been drawing for years and really enjoy it and recently I have started painting with acrylics.

The trouble is - for me - the paint doesn't seem to cover that well and I wondered if I've been missing something!!

I have been using acrylic on canvas...

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Hi
I've been using acrylics for a while, but once I bought a set of really cheap ones and they were real rubbish.
I don't know where you live, but in Britain I've found that Reeves, Windsor and Newton or Cryla will cover anything. You can use them watered down like watercolour for washes, just with a little water for slightly more detailed stuff, or straight for really detailed stuff or a bumpy effect, depending on size of brushes. I know this doesn't sound very technical, but it works.
Norma

Make sure the paint does not say Transparent on label
Golden is a very high quality paint but some of the fluid acrylic line is transparent. I am not sure about other manufactures but I would assume there are some that make transparent version of thier paints.

Thanks for the response!

I've been using Daler Rowney 'System 3' and also Winsor & Newton 'Finity'. I don't think either are transparent! I've sometimes been applying them neat without any flow enhancer and the colour is still a bit washy.

I'm starting to think that I'm applying them in the wrong manner.

I'm trying to create one of those minimalist print type things - a bit like the vectors that you would make on Adobe Illustrator. But the colours just aren't applying solid enough......

I wouldnt go with System 3 even though they are a bit cheaper. The brands I use are Winsor & Newton Finity and Galeria which flows much easier.

I wonder if you have primed your canvas. I tend to paint on just about anything I can find, and with a cheap tin of emulsion to first cover the surface I am ready to go as soon as it is dry.

Thanks for the info - i'll give a first coat a try.

I didn't want to use System 3 but money was tight at the time and paints can be really expensive!! But I'm gradually building my colour reserves!!

Thanks all!!