tried to paint
You said you tried to paint.
Did you mean painting as in a work of art or painting a wall or what?
yeah artwork wise - but there is some painting in the apartment I should do too when I have the umpf for it. I have no canvasses right now just these big pieces of cardboard - I'll still working into them - they make the paint look shitty when it dries though - it's a media *shrugs* I like the lofi aspect to it but will have to continue to work into it until I work out how to bring quality into painting on it..
I started to post something last night, but I felt like you probably already know this if you are indeed a starving artist. If you have tried this, then ignore me - I mean no disrespect.
You mentioned cardboard, but have you white-washed the cardboard and then coated it with sanding sealer or simply give your affordable (free) (plywood, masonite, backer board, scammed foamboard from signs or posters ) media a coat of off-white paint of a different type from your artist colors. Use a fine textured roller and your surface will retain a "tooth" after it dries. It won't be absorbent, though, so it will really only work with oils or heavy acrylics.
This of course does not work for watercolors, but if you are really into water colors, you probably already have experience making your own absorbent paper from scrap, right?