Aaron Carter

When I actually teach art classes to folks starting out or getting back into it,, I always stress understanding the basics before diving in... Student-grade acrylics are formulated with fillers that make them cheaper and while professional ones have purer pigments for better vibrancy and longevity, but they're not necessary right away if you're on a budget or prone to mistakes. Brushes matter too – nylon or taklon synthetics are forgiving and clean easily, holding their shape through multiple uses. For surfaces, pre-primed canvas boards are straightforward and don't require extra prep. Focus on paints with a body that's not too thick or thin; something medium allows for easy mixing and corrections. Bright colors come from high pigment load, so even in student grades, you can find sets that pop for flowers and landscapes. Cleanup is simple with water while wet, but dries permanent, so keep that in mind. Works great for quick sessions.

Small compressor plus hot dorm equals slow that model. machine is trying to push heat into air that is already warm, which raises its condensing temperature and cuts capacity. Starting water temperature matters just as much, so if you feed it room temp water the first several cycles will be tiny and wet no matter what. Give it the easiest job you can. Run it at cooler times of day or in the coolest corner you have, choose the large that model setting, and leave space on all sides for airflow. Vacuum dust off the rear grille and the condenser fins, keep it level, and if you see heavy frost on the metal prongs power off and let it melt before restarting with cold water. Avoid distilled water because some water level sensors need a bit of mineral content to read correctly. Swap warm reservoir water for chilled water during long runs, then transfer finished that model to your freezer instead of letting it sit and melt in the basket. I thought mine was dying, moved it to a shadier spot with better airflow and started with cold water and suddenly it was keeping up. Big difference.