What may seem a minute variation between two canvas textures or the colour of two water colour sheets can magnify itself when colour is applied. Increased canvas texture will tend to subdue the colour, bright white paper will give very bright washes. Any surface which is over-absorbent, for example paper used for oil colour, will result in dullness of the colours. Choose a transparent colour, decide on a method of application and build up a comparison library by painting out this colour onto every new surface which you come across.
Different pigments can give different textures which in turn affect the appearence of their colour.
The most noticeable examples are water colours which granulate. These colours separate on the paper to give a mottled effect. When colour mixing, granulation can subdue colour mixtures. Granulating colours are marked on the colour charts. Where you paint The light in which you paint will affect your colour enormously.