Editorial desk · Practical notes

Make a useful paint swatch page

Label the paper and each paint before making a sample. Leave room beside every swatch for a note and use a consistent brush or application method for comparison.

Compare a stronger wash with a more diluted one. Let the page dry before deciding how the colors look together.

Date the sheet and keep it with your materials. A swatch describes that paint on that paper under your working conditions, rather than a universal result.