Why Have Flat Colours in a Round World....

Natural wall paints behave differently to acrylic emulsions as they more easily pick up and reflect distorted surfaces and surrounding colours.

Unlike acrylic paints where the plastic molecules are very tightly bound together leaving a more even flat finish, our paints, using natural plant resins and pigments, when studied microscopically reveal a looser gap between the molecules of paint allowing it to refract and reflect light differently, often giving it a more living feel. You will find that as the day goes by and in different light conditions, walls painted with Auro natural paints reveal a depth of colour and subtle tonal changes unattainable with modern acrylic and vinyl paints.

However, any dimples or unevenness in plasterwork also show up to a greater degree due to the light bouncing off at more varying angles. Similarly, if using a thick or medium pile roller a slight patternation may be revealed from the fleece particularly with some of our darker colours, this is quite normal and often leads to a pleasing optical effect. If a more even finish is desired we recommend using a micro-fibre roller, not over working the surface and finishing on an up stroke. Always cut in corners and around light switches to a wet edge and don’t overload the brush. Auro paints can be thinned down with water to get a more even flow. All our emulsions can be sprayed which offers best results for flat finishes. Our lighter colours and white don’t show these optical effects.

All paints absorb and reflect surrounding colours on their surface, the depth of this effect depends on different light conditions, this is known as a metameric effect and again, because of the associated molecular structure, can be more prevalent in natural paints. Look at any coloured swatch under a florescent light compared to natural daylight and you will see a stark difference. We recommend trying tester pots to ascertain any perceived change in colour particularly in darker rooms with less natural light.