The working qualities of manufactured paint, as well as artists' individual techniques, influence the appearance of paintings. The artist Gluck (1895-1978) noted changes in the surface appearance of paint once dry, which gave an unwanted suede effect; this is to say, brushstrokes in perpendicular directions had a distinctive appearance. The artist's attempts to find out what component of the paint caused this effect, and the response of artists' colormen to repeated queries, are discussed. Changes in the processing of linseed oil seemed a likely cause, though proof was impossible; one firm succeeded in making paint free of the suede effect for Gluck, at prohibitive expense, and the undesirable property could be limited somewhat by mixing polymerized linseed oil during painting. Modern production methods seemed to give rise to paint showing the suede effect. -- AATA