5.1 Quality standards for artists' paints require the evaluation of various appearance characteristics of paint films. Tinting strength determination (Test Method D4838) specifically requires the preparation of drawdowns for colorimetric measurement. Other evaluations such as color designation, transparency, gloss, and color difference measurements also require drawdown samples.

5.2 Artists' tube paints have a paste consistency that makes the use of traditional film application methods difficult, especially for drying oil paints.

5.3 Artists' paints vary in two properties important to the preparation of films, that is, transparency and drying time. Colorimetric determination and some other types of evaluation require paint specimens that completely hide the substrate. Very transparent paints require such a thick film to produce complete hiding that drying times is excessively long or the specimen surface is blemished. When complete hiding is necessary, this practice is designed to provide opaque films without these defects through application of a series of thin films.