What are some unusual colors?

What's the best paint from these? Tempura colors, Gauche colors or Acrylic colors for canvas?

• I'm starting my interior Designing degree and they have asked for a set of materials. " A selection of Acrylic paint colors: They are usually available by: Ready-mix tempura colors Gauche colors Acrylic colors for canvas " I have to buy a variety of colors from any of these paints. Which one should I go for? Which one is the best? And if you could pls explain the differences in them. Thank you. :)

• Answer:

  If you are going to paint on a canvas substrate (any type of material that you use to paint or draw on) then I suggest you use acrylic paint. It dries quickly, so you will have to spray your palette often, and you could use an extender base medium to slow down the drying process, but use it very sparingly. It can separate the pigment structure, and create a problem with the outcome of your painting. The structure of tempura paint becomes chalkier when dry, and it has a tendency to flake off. It will rub off when touched. The problem with tempura and water colors is that both of them do not like to have multiple layers of pigment built up on each other because of the chalky characteristics of the medium base; it has a tendency to lift the dried pigment below the new wet paint application, and creates a hole in that area of the painting. You can fix the problem with a lot of skill that is developed through time working with the medium. The best way to accomplish this is to use more of a dry brush application technique to lay down the pigment in the “hole” area only. You will have to keep the brush as dry as possible with only enough moisture on it to lay down the pigment. Tempura paint structure is best done on a cotton fibered paper. FYI: Use only professional grade paint to do any art work. Gauche has a nice paint structure that is best done on illustration board or gessoed wood because it will crack on a substrate that is pliable like paper. Any give in the substrate structure creates an unstable environment for this rigid paint structures. Many other paint mediums like oils, acrylic, etc. have a pliable characteristic quality to their structure, which allows some movement within the substrate without destruction happening to the painting. The gauche can be layered without to much difficulty, and it leaves a nice shiny surface. Do not use too much water with the pigment or again the paint structure will dilute, and give you a milky glaze that distorts the under painted surface, and leaves an undesirable look to the work. Personally, I would recommend the acrylic paint for a beginner because it takes some understanding about the paint quality of the other two choices list in this question. Acrylic is somewhat forgiving, but it dries to fast, as all three of these paints do. If it does dry to fast then you can paint over it without any problems. Also, if the paint builds up to high from numerous paint applications then you can use the palette knife to scrap off the excess, and repaint it. I hope this information helps. Respectfully, Linda db/artist