Frequently Asked Questions
Process Questions
Can I use these with Gouache or Acrylic Paints?
You can use Guoche or acrylic paints on your mixing cards and use the same indexing/ organization system; however the mixing technique will be different. Instead of building up layers to achieve light to full intensity values, you will work opposite. Since gouache, and especially acrylic is more opaque, you will begin with the full intensity and add white to achieve lighter values. Of course there are different thinning techniques that are exceptions.
Can I trade Gouache or Acrylic color mixes?
Not yet. Hopefully in the near future.
Product Questions
Can’t I just make my own two-color mixing cards?
Of course! I hope the information found on this website helps you make sense of watercolor color mixing. My hope is that our Alora Wild trading cards take some of the work out of repeatedly drawing mixing charts and offer some fun patterns that would be time consuming to draw over and over.
We’ll be offering stencils in the near future if you’d prefer to replicate your own after getting started.
However, to participate in the Trading Tribe, you must use materials purchased from Alora Wild. See above.
Why don’t you sell digital downloads of the mixing cards?
There are very few home printer models that can accept 140 lb watercolor paper and also use water-resistant ink. Many purchasers might realize this after purchase and be disappointed.
For those that do have capable printers, the printer settings and margins for thick, manually loaded paper are different for each model, a bit finicky to say the least, and it took me MANY attempts to get mine correct for my printer.
I’ve chosen not to spend our small business hours providing printer tech support. We’re working on physical stencils that I believe will fill this gap, and maintain the analog wonder of the study of watercolor.
Do you ship outside of the United States?
Not at this time, but hopefully soon in the future!
What about the plastic sleeves?
I let this stop me for a very long time, and I’ve spent a great deal of time looking at non-plastic options . In the end the sleeve protectors offer the most cost effective and safe way to ship the cards - flat. Flat shipping is much more cost effective than box shipping.
The plastic sleeves are not single-use and don’t need to be discarded, as they are a great way to organize and view your cards. (I still have my 1980’s coin collection in the same 3-ring binder sleeves after 40 years.)
The 3-ring binder sleeves are made from Polypropylene and are acid-free with no PVC.
I’ll revisit the search for non-plastic packaging in the future.
Trading Tribe Questions
Is there a membership fee?
Not at this time and hopefully never. Creativity comes in waves, and it’s not our intention to have a membership fee that you need to worry about monthly. The cost of the trading tribe is built into the product cost so you only pay when you have time to participate.
Will my home address and private information be shared?
No, you can participate in the trading tribe without the recipient seeing your real name or home address. All mail will go through Alora Wild, LLC’s address and all mail will have the return and outgoing address as Alora Wild, LLC.
Can I use my own paper and make my own trading cards?
To participate in the trading tribe, you can only use the materials ordered through Alora Wild. The cost of running the group is incorporated into the cost of materials to avoid membership fees. It also provides a bit of consistency to the experience. You also begin the trade when you order materials. Your recipient set of cards arrives with your blank set. This helps eliminate a shipping run, reducing postage costs and the chance of shipment loss, and reduces energy and time demands while protecting the artist’s privacy.
What if I get colors I already have or don’t like?
We are working on a database to create a profile with your preferences and collection of colors?