Acrylic Painting System.

This painting system works only if used as a complete system. It may appear to be expensive at  £71, but it isnt, as it eliminates most wastage and reduces the risk of misuse.  The quantities should last a year.  Another key part is to have more than sufficient paint on each table to stop inter-table pupil movement.
Acrylic paints give a good realistic finish and simulate industrial painting techniques.  The colours are bold, give good coverage and are quick to dry.   The paints can be used in an air-brush to give a brush free finish and they dry quicker.

Paints.

Daler Rowney System 3 Acrylic Paints.  10 x 500ml. bottles @ £47.50 White x 3,   Black x 1,  Cadmium Red x 1,   Leaf Green x 1,   Colbalt Blue x 1,   Burnt Sienna x 1,   Cadmium Yellow x 2,

Dilute the paint in the ratio of 500ml of paint to 500ml of water.  Empty the paint into a 4 pint plastic milk bottle and use the 500ml of water to wash out any remaining paint.  The large bottle allows the paint to be mixed by shaking.

Containers

8 Plastic Mixing Pots with lids on a tray/pallet.   5 sets @ £11.75

The diluted paint is kept in these small pots in the classroom.   They are very easy to keep clean. The only major problem is to get the pupils to put the correct lids back on and one solution is to paint the colour on the lid.   It is surprising how little cross contamination occurs. Use spare pots for pupil's special colours but most pupils use the colours striaght from the pot.   Any paint contaminated by an errant brush can normally be used as an undercoat.

Brushes

Size 1 Imitation Sable, Sizes 2,4,8 Flat Bristle.  10 per packet   @ £11.83

A major problem is the time taken for the paint to dry.  Approximately 10 - 15 min. if put on thinly.  However, anything over a few minutes is too long for today's impatient pupils and waiting for the paint to dry can lead to discipline problems.   Forced drying in an oven sucessfully speeds up the process.
One point to put across to the pupils is to obtain a good flat surface before painting followed by one or two well rubbed down undercoats.   This is the reason for including three bottles of white paint as they can be used for undercoating.   A better alternative, is to use a proper acrylic undercoat/primer as it is thicker, fills in small imperfections and dries better giving a smooth surface ready for top coating.   Wet 'n' Dry used with water is better than glasspaper as it does not tear the plastic film of the paint.

Materials can be obtained from GLS Dudley.