Reader Question – Can I use Latex Sample Paints?

There is really nothing like doing the work on a mural for your own child’s nursery.  Mamas who are expecting are the best because they go through that “nesting” phase and painting a baby nursery mural is wonderfully fulfilling.

This is a question that I just received from one of my readers concerning what paint to use.  I thought it would be helpful for those of you “Do It Yourselfers” out there.

“My husband is trying to paint a Wiinie the Pooh mural on a wall.  He has drawn winnie, eeyore, piglet, tiger and roo.  He has already drawn it on the wall and he is at the painting stage.  It’s not that big…it’s about 3 1/2 feet wide by 2 feet in height. I was wondering whether or not we could use the small paint samples that they sell in paint stores to paint the mural.  We need about 10 different colours and buying 10 different colour quarts to do this picture is a bit too big.

I went to Benjamin Moore and they sell small sample sizes and their paint is in between a flat and an eggshell.  Is that okay to use on a mural.  I tried to get more information about the paint regarding durability….does it leave finger prints, does it smudge, can it be washed..etc but I did not get a definite answer.  What do you think?  Is this okay to use?

I also went to Home Depot and they too have sample sizes but they told me the paint comes in flat and it’s not durable…meaning it will leave fingerprints and it could smudge.

We also went to Michaels craft store and looked at their acrylic paints but we found that a small tube of acrylic paint is about the same price as a quart of can of paint and we were not able to find the exact colours that we wanted.

Please help from a desperate mom-to-be who is due in a couple of weeks!!”

Yes, you can definitely use the small sample paints that many paint brands are now offering.  It is a great alternative to purchasing acrylic paints which you may have to mix to get the appropriate color.

As an artist, I often use all different kinds of paint for a mural job.  I use latex for the base work such as backgrounds, landscapes, etc.  I love to use those little mini rollers and roll on the larger areas.  This saves a huge amount of time.  And then I can go in and do the detail work with my acrylics and even mix in some latex as well.  And the acrylics don’t have to be those expensive tubes either.  I have a whole collection of acrylic craft paint that I use.  There are a lot more color choices.   And because my local paint store blesses me with those small latex sample paints that are discontinued, I even use those.

One suggestion I do have for when you do use both latex and acrylic paint is to mix in a little matte medium to extend the fluidity of the paint.  You can purchase this from any art supply store.  This is my little trick when working with my paint.

Instead of investing in expensive paint, spend your money on a few good brushes!