Q: I often see warnings about mixing different brands of
acrylic because of compatibility issues. Is this just hype, or are some
brands not interchangeable? If there are compatibility problems, which
brands can and cannot be mixed?
A: This statement is correct. The less expensive
acrylic paints do not have the pigment strength of the more expensive,
higher quality brands. Some of the less expensive acrylic paints are
also dyes instead of pigments. When you are mixing equal amounts of
higher-quality, stronger-pigment paint with lower-quality dye paint,
the stronger paint will make the mixture unbalanced.
It is not advisable to mix craft and artistic acrylic paints. Craft
acrylic paints are not archival and usually dry matte. Craft paint is
also thin and not meant to be thinned with water or a medium, and the
color strength will diminish. The artist acrylic paint will also make
the mixture unbalanced.
--by Camille LaPointe-Lyons