Article: Art supplies can be very expensive so, when starting out, you'll likely want to use student grade paints. These will be most affordable, but will also offer less coverage and greater shift in color as the paints dry. Artist grade (professional) acrylics, on the other hand, have higher levels of pigment, a wide array of colors, and limited color shift when drying. Student grade acrylics are not necessarily less useful or desirable than artist grade paints. Student grade paints are excellent for large scale projects or any under-painting you may have to do. Beyond the well-known fact that acrylics dry quickly, there are many other considerations you should be aware of when choosing your acrylic paint. Generally, you can expect that acrylic paint not fully dry can be revitalized by water, but it will not be able to be rehydrated after it is fully dry. This is important to take into account, because if you plan on using a color-lifting technique, as you would with watercolor paints like gum arabic, it will not work with acrylics. Once the acrylic has been used in a wash and dried, you will not be able to rehydrate the paint. Acrylics can give the appearance of many different styles. You can use your acrylics to create artwork that resembles watercolors or even more elaborate oil paintings. This, however, will require experimentation on your part. Different paints are made from different ingredients, and these will all have unique properties. With experience, you'll likely begin to develop an intuition for how much a certain kind of paint needs to be thinned to achieve your desired color. To do this consistently, you should note the process you used when you achieve a particularly desired shade through thinning. One of the most common kinds of acrylic paints, and the one you'll most likely be painting with, has a satin sheen, also called a semi-matte sheen. Other finishes common in acrylic paints are gloss and matte. If you thin your acrylic paint until it resembles the consistency of watercolor, you can apply this paint to your canvas to create a backdrop or scene. Once this acrylic wash dries, you can paint freely on to of it. In most cases, when an acrylic dries, it becomes water insoluble. This means that you can paint over your acrylic wash freely without worrying about paint running or the image becoming muddy. You may want to practice your color theory and the mixing of colors with inexpensive paints until you are confident in this. Acrylics dry so fast, so if you hesitate while blending your colors or take too long, your acrylics might harden before you can apply them to your canvas. You may find that you can prevent the drying process by using a dampened piece of paper or card stock when blending. Don't forget to mist your paints if you are using a plastic palette. Acrylic paint is great for layering, especially because once it dries it isn't easily affected by moisture or other applications of paint. If you plan on painting over an acrylic wash or background, you can create high contrast edges by putting a piece of masking tape where you want the sharp edge. The masking tape will keep the paint underneath protected from the second application of paint. Masking tape also has little risk of ripping paint free once you are ready to remove it from your painting.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Know the limitations of your chosen acrylic. Understand the constraints of the media. Practice creating your target tint or effect. Create acrylic washes you can paint over. Blend colors without hesitation. Use tape to create sharp contrast edges.

Your newfound feelings of affection for your girl friend may be light years from her own feelings about you. After all, yesterday you were both friends, while today, at least one of you has shifted into new territory. Has she given you any indication that she might be interested in something deeper than platonic friendship? Have you seen signs of flirting or wanting to be close all the time? Or does she act the way she always has done, friendly, attentive and affectionate but only in the way of a good friend? Paying attention to these things can help you have a better sense of the situation. See how she acts when she talks to you. Is she the same as she's always been, or has she been suddenly acting more self-conscious? If that's the case, then she may be nervous because she wants something more from you, too. However, if she does act exactly the same, it doesn't mean that she doesn't have new feelings for you. Still, it helps to try to gauge her feelings before you proceed. Was she always comfortable telling you about the guys she likes, but she has recently stopped doing that? This could be an indication that you may be the only guy she has feelings for. You may be so hung up on the idea of dating your favorite girl friend that you may not be reading the signs properly. If you have some trusted friends who have hung out with the two of you and can watch you in action objectively, then don't be afraid to ask them what they honestly think your chances are. A true friend will give you his honest opinion, and he may be able to tell you if he thinks she likes you, or if she just sees you as a friend. Of course, your friends may just be telling you what you want to hear. But if you seek out an honest friend and ask for an honest opinion, you may be in luck. This doesn't mean that your friends will be able to read the situation better than you can. But it does help to have your suspicions confirmed, or to have your friend break the news that the girl actually likes someone else. Be clear. The problem often lies in being nice, as friends usually are. Niceness is an admirable quality in friendship but it's bland when it comes to passion and love. Being nice rather than flirtatious and daring will give her the impression that you are a great friend, but not a great lover. If you keep it up, you'll most likely get stuck in the friend zone. The answer? You really need to flirt more! And if you don't think you're any good at flirting, don't worryflirting is, and should be, playful and fun. Don't let her do the usual "friend" things with you. Don't let her treat you like a girlfriend or tell you about a boy she likes. Make sure that she sees you as more than that. Before you go and ask out your girl friend, make sure that you're really ready to take the risk involved in asking out one of your friends. If she's one of your best friends, or is even your best friend, then you have to make sure that your feelings are really genuine and that you're ready to take the plunge, and to risk the friendship you have by dating. In the end, your friendship may be more important than your romantic relationship. The truth is that most relationships don't end in marriage, and you may not be able to return to your old friendship when you break up. However, if you really do like the girl and see a real future with her, then you should go for it.
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One-sentence summary --
Try to figure out how she feels about you. Ask your friends what they think. Avoid the friend zone. Make sure it's worth it.