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Hints and Tips

Mixing & Painting Techniques

Neutralising the paint:

When you first use Procolour Artist’s Colours you may be surprised at the sheer intensity of the colours. Don't be put off by this. Procolour Artist’s Colours simply have a higher pigment content than other paints thus making them better value as the paint will go further. Procolour Artists Colours simply need to be diluted more than you may be used to with other paints. Remember there is no way to increase the colour of a paint, you can only soften it, that is why Procolour has such a high pigment content if used straight from the bottle. If you prefer to use subtle hues and muted tones, you can easily neutralize the colours by using complementary colours.

Diluting with water:

Procolour Artists Colours have more pigment than other paints, so they may need more dilution. When diluting, add water to a small amount of paint, then gradually add more paint or water to produce the transparent colour you want. This way you should only end up with the quantity required.

Diluting with white:

To tone down a dark colour while retaining opacity, add small amounts of colour to the white to reach the desired tint. This is less wasteful than adding white to the colour. Because Procolour Artist’s Colours are so powerful, it takes a great deal of white paint to achieve lighter tones.

Brushes:

No special brushes are needed but Procolour Artist Colours are so pigment rich that you should wash your brushes a little more frequently than you may be used to. Procolour is so finely ground that the paint is very kind to all qualities of brushes causing less abrasive wear unlike many other paints.

Before opening the bottles:

Shake the bottles well before use. This is important. Tap them gently on your hand or a tabletop to clear the paint from the little spigot in the lid. Please note there is no smell to Procolour paints.

Keeping the paint fresh:

Be sure to replace the bottle tops when not using the paint. This keeps the paint fresh and usable.

Working with your existing stock:

If you are already using water-based paints such as watercolour, gouache or acrylics, Procolour Artist’s Colours are compatible and will work and mix with your existing paint supply. You do not have to throw away your paint supply in order to try Procolour.

All colours in the Procolour RANGE are lightfast. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being totally permanent and 10 having no light fastness qualities whatsoever, all colours are rated at numbers 1 or 2.
Because Procolour is waterproof when dry, colours that dry on the palette cannot be reused. Airbrushes should be cleaned immediately after use with water; if this is not done, it will be necessary to strip the airbrush down to its component parts.
Procolour is a water-based product, you CANNOT mix them with oils. You can however, mix Procolour with most water-based paints including watercolours, gouache, acrylics, plaka and poster paints.
All colours in the Procolour range are non-toxic and meet the requirements of the US ASTM standard D - 4236: "NO HEALTH LABEL REQUIRED." Procolour is manufactured exclusively for Linda Wain in Calgary, Alberta Canada by www.chromacolour.com




EXTENDING THE DRYING TIME:

Add Procolour Retarder:

Procolour is slower drying than acrylics - even so it is sometimes desirable to extend the drying time either on your palette or your work especially when working out of doors, or in a hot climate. Adding 30% to the mixing water or 20% to the colour on the palette will double the drying time on the palette.
Adding 20% of retarder to the paint will increase working time by a factor of four. As much as 20% retarder can be added without affecting colour, strength or opacity of the original colour.
Up to a maximum of 50% can be added but at this level opacity becomes less.

FOR SOFT EDGES AND INK TECHNIQUES:

Add Procolour Flow Improver:

When using Procolour as a watercolour, flow improver helps to control wet into wet techniques and helps to soften hard edges. When using Procolour as an ink, flow improver helps the paint to run off the nib of a dip pen more easily and so helps the execution of lines in one unbroken motion.

FOR AN ACRYLIC FINISH:

A Procolour Gloss Medium:

Procolour naturally dries to a matte finish; to produce an end result with a glossy sheen simply add a small amount of gloss medium to the colours on the palette. Gloss medium is also particularly useful for reducing the opacity of Procolour when transparent glazes are required.

FOR AN OIL OR IMPASTO STYLE:

Add Procolour Gel Thickener- 50ml

Thickens Procolour Artist Colours so it has a similar texture to oil paint for oil or impasto painting techniques. Up to 50% can be added without affecting the colour or flexibility of the paint. When mixing the gel thickener with paint it is recommended that a trowel shaped palette knife is used. This will ensure the 2 mediums a mixed together well.
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