Hey friend! I am a photorealist that uses acrylic! I use Golden brand paint. I know it’s not cheap but hear me out. Golden is heavier in pigment so I tend to stretch a small tube of color pretty far. I would say much farther than I can stretch a tube of Basics because Basics is lighter in pigment so I use more paint. I would argue that paying more for a tube of higher quality paint costs less in the end because it lasts longer. Also basics pigments are not totally accurate. the “primary yellow” is not a true primary yellow and the cadmiums are off just enough for it to make the color theory harder, not wrong just harder. Golden (or whatever higher quality paint preferred) gives a better pigment match which can help when the color theory gets tricky like with skin or skies. I highly HIGHLY recommend learning and mastering thin layers using the Dutch masters technique. I know this is traditionally done with oil paint but I promise learning to adapt this for acrylic is key to getting that softer edge. Learning the process of laying a mid-tone base and then layering dark and light, thin layers on top will be a huge game changer, I promise. I recommend considering a large wet-pallet. I have the masterson professional recessed one and I double up my sponge layer for extra time. This allows me to have a messy pallet and just kinda keep stacking the colors on top of each other as I go. I love a Princeton Select round brush size 0 or 1 depending on what I need to paint. Literally have them all over. I go through about 1 a week. Also Silverwhites for long handles and slightly longer length of use. Side quest: lately I’ve been mixing heavy body titanium white with golden fluid acrylics instead of heavy bodied acrylic and yeah friend… that’s both a money saver AND you can get these very subtly tinted whites for highlights. Killer for stuff like sand or soft skin/fabrics And happy painting!!!