I was thinking about what should be my first post. Usually, when I start a new project or painting, I clean up space and organize my tools.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ce9f3d_0a057cd2dbcc4868a00e73ae4076e657~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_65,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/ce9f3d_0a057cd2dbcc4868a00e73ae4076e657~mv2.jpg)
It was the same in May when I finished school and started painting again. So, I sorted my acrylic colors and found out that I use only a small part of what I actually had. I also added one box where I stored new metallic shades, which I fell in love with. When the colors are in the tubes, it is sometimes difficult to use the full range available, so I created a sampler of all my colors.
The time spent in this activity was relaxing, fun, and definitely worth it.
Now, when I mix colors on canvas, I always have these samplers handy, and I know exactly what colors I can and want to use. I had no idea how a color sampler can free up the process of applying colors.
Also, the next time I go to a store, I will take the sampler with me. It won't happen to me again that I buy a color that I already have!
I printed a template with marked circles for color on thick paper. The middle black dot is vital because, thanks to it, I can find out how much the paint is opaque. This helps me to imagine how much the colors will overlap with each other when they are layered.
![](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ce9f3d_5f30ee5be8b947f1a6efb58bbcf8cc85~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_147,h_110,al_c,q_80,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,blur_2,enc_auto/ce9f3d_5f30ee5be8b947f1a6efb58bbcf8cc85~mv2.jpg)
Here, you can download a template if you also want to have a better overview of your available colors.