How to Choose a Watercolor Brand - Your First Watercolor Palette 1/3

In this new mini-series, I'm going to guide you through how to put together your first palette (or any other palette). In this first episode, we talk about what brands to go for, and how find the perfect brand that fits your needs the most.

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Oto Kano
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[mnap]

I can't say enough how pleased I am to hear you say not to consider student-grade paints. Having seriously begun to learn watercolor 4-5 years ago, and purchasing student-grade materials (paints, paper, and brushes), I can fully attest to how utterly frustrating and discouraging the experience has been. I'm now in the process of replacing all of it and wish I had just spent the extra money from the start, even if it meant a smaller color palette or fewer brushes, most of which I've not touched anyway.

Also, thanks so much for the amazing Brands by Country list!

[schuhujin]

Totally agree with picking local brands. But: my argument is not only the cheaper prize, but first of all for ecological reasons. What is the point of buying brands from overseas, when you can buy local ones. Another Point I think you missed is, you don't even have to decide witch brand you like. You can mix them all, so pick the colors you like, not necessarily going for one single brand. You might coose local colours generally, but in some rare cases buy a specific color from overseas.

[amiefrisch]

For those on a budget in the US there is a Daniel Smith ultimate mixing set on Amazon for $56, waaay under the price anywhere else. That's how I started since it was the cheapest way I could find to get a bunch of great colors to start trying out. Now I'm getting more economical tubes of the colors that I want more of plus trying out new colors and brands.

[valasafantastic]

With the exception of Van Gogh. I consider them full art grade. The one quirk with them is they don't perform well straight from the tube they perform best after being re-wetted form dry for at least 3 days and best a week+.
I also remind everyone that you CAN and SHOULD mix brands! Get the best colours in various brands and put different brands int he same pallet!
Honey paints are 'worth it' as you can leave pallets open to dry even in front of a fan or use a hairdryer on low heat, etc.
Only if you are a youtuber or other reviewer is there a reason to segregate brands!
You can also enjoy opaque paints and mixed media. As well as LOVE gouache and mixing watercolour and gouache! There is no reason to be a 'watercolour purist'. NONE.
You can buy and use make up brushes to paint with! They are amazing. Yes even dollar store ones!
My Top tips (off the top of my head)
Empty half and full pans in bulk are usually available on Amazon.
Empty tins and sticky back magnets are usually available at dollarstores!
Make custom pallets using tins don't rely on things 'marketed' as for watercolours all the time!
Multi pigment mixes might be your JAM! Some are lovely and they have value.
You CAN mix your own dupes and custom colours! Invest in tubes tat are best for mixing other custom colours! Research pigments and specific dupes as needed. And I mean pre-mix them with a needle in an empty pan form tube paint. Do experiments then pre-mix up colours you love. The time saved will likely make painting more fun and you will likely paint more. some people (like me) do really understand colour mixing but don't like wasting time each painting re-inventing the wheel. You may not enjoy the time spent mixing as much too! Consider taking steps to pre-mix pans to save time later!
Pre-wet paints before using based on that paints need. Ex: Gouache eyedropper 3-5 droops, close pallet let sit around 8 min then open and mist spray. Dryer colours = eyedropper two drops wait 30 seconds then paint. Wet colours (like honey watercolours) may not require pre-wetting of so just a fine mist spray and go in immediately.
Use sponges for texture and abstracted backgrounds. (I don't see this mentioned enough)
Try to use each paper you have access to and experiment to see the techniques that make the best use of the paper. Some very cheap papers can't use watercolour well BUT might be amazing for gouache!
Do paper tests and try our coloured paper or Put a wash down as an under-painting of a colour that is very staining and doesn't lift well OR go mixed media and put a thin wash of waterproof ink or acrylic, etc.
Remember mixed media is a possibility and you can save a 'failed' watercolour by over painting with Gouache and /or coloured pencils etc. Save them to 'fix' later or just to see your progress.
You cna also make custom sketchbooks. Sewn or perfect bound! You can glue it yourself! You can build a gap into perfect bound so it does in fact lay perfectly flat! You can use loose papers and make them into a book later! You can meake custom sketchbooks of any papers you have and a mix of papers! You can make them different sizes and shapes! (requires large self healing cutting matt, exacto blade, metal ruler best with foam grip, awl, glue (even cheap white school glue works!), crappy brush to use for glue, beads, large needle, tapestry/thick thread, bone folder (or use ruler)) The most expensive is the self healing matt, several heavy books as weights. Look it up on youtube!
Paint the way YOU love! Follow your JOY. There is no one right way! All painters are just advise and sharing their way. Their way may NOT be YOUR way. Learn from several teacher BUT also Practice and experiment MORE than just reading books or watching instructional videos!
You can do it! Have fun everyone!

[arielle]

Wonderful advice for new painters! When I started learning watercolor in 1985, W&N was THE brand. But that was just too expensive for me. So, I went with Holbein and Grumbacher (DS didn’t make WC yet). Holbein was quite affordable in California at the time. In 1991 I moved to Germany and fell in love with Schmincke. Nowadays, I can buy whatever I want. To my surprise, I’ve found Szmal is my favorite. The more I use them, the more I like them. I also love certain Mijello Mission Gold paints. Those two brands have the heavily pigmented granulating and more opaque paints I favor. And reliable Schmincke makes up the rest of my paints. I strongly prefer pans over tubes. That was another surprise. I hope this comment helps others. Because most of what I was told to pick turned out not to be the best fit for my painting preferences. Except: 100% yes about using pro grade from day one!

[OhJodi]

*I have an unpopular opinion:* I have to raise my hand and say that for any beginner, who has never played with just mixing colors, before, and learning about the color wheel, I found great value in the $15 Cotman sketcher's box. No, they are not great paints. But I felt FREE just to smear them together and get an idea about warm and cool colors, etc, without worrying that I was wasting pricey paint. And I practiced some brush strokes, and painted some small then quickly graduated to much better paint. The bonus is that the sketcher's plastic palette is great for filling with better paints, when on the go. And there are a few Cotman colors that I do use sometimes with my better paints. If I had started with Daniel Smith, I would have been so anxious about using expensive paint for "nothing".

[jojojo]

My tip- Look on eBay for used vintage students stuff from like the 1960s or whatever. My parents had some lying around, nherited from various family and they were so good! If you can get used to them you’ll find the pigments are amazing. Student paint and paper has got worse and worse over the last few decades, and sadly now I also know from experience that now some colours of w&n professional is indistinguishable from their 1980s Cotman.

[SigneofHorses]

Finding the brands and different colours is indeed though. One major help in this for me are YOUR VIDEOS!! I started out with my ancient Van Gogh 12 pan travel palette. It was the only thing available next to W&N back in the day (25 years ago) After picking up painting and illustrating again more seriously a few years ago I was dumbfounded by the choice or paints and brands and colours. Your videos have been a huge help on decision making. I love Holbein and Schmincke and with the online possibilities they are affordable and available here in the Netherlands. Combining it with the cheaper Van Gogh ones. I also found a fabulous seller who does half pans from tubes and she’s amazing help picking colours for me. She has found my favorite red and gave me advise on greens (undersea and zoisite) as well as make me like Daniel Smith paints.

[susanavenir]

Roman Szmal pan sets are surprisingly affordable in the U.S. via Jackson's in the UK, especially during the periodic sales. Superb paint. For tubes, I'm into Qor. Crazy surprises, gorgeous colors. Started with Winsor & Newton. Bleh.

[lark]

My solution for using Sennelier is I buy them in pans. They rewet beautifully. By using the pans, I can build my travel palette with them and no worries about goopy paint leaking all over the palette.

[keeponkeepinon]

Thank you for talking about student grade vs. professional. When I took my various studio art classes years ago, we were instructed to by professional paints. In fact, student grade supplies were not even discussed as an option (for all the reasons you discussed). Even though professional paints, etc. are always more costly, ... it's so worth it to purchase professional grade materials. Professional quality art materials produce the effects they're supposed to produce (when practiced). So if beginners use student grade paints, as you stated, they get easily frustrated trying to produce what can only be achieved using quality paints and paper. Thank you again for your valuable research, tutorials, and experience!!

[Jazzgriot]

I bought a bunch of Windsor & Newton today, and the assistant asked if I wanted the professional version, and I said yes, but I'd intended to get the Cotman (students) version. After seeing this video I'm glad I got the best quality in the end, even if the cost went up more than I'd planned. I'm eager to try them out now to see if my painting responds to the upgrade. Cheers.

[bigjohnnygee]

I'm going to go against the grain and say that student grade paints are fine if they're from a reputable brand like Cotman. The 12 pan mini Cotman set can be had for about £10 in the UK and comes with a small brush. At that point all you need is an A6/A5 sketchbook and you've got a great plein air kit that you can keep and upgrade as you develop. Some of the colours included are great for inclusion in a professional set as well, such as their alizarin crimson hue, cerulean hue and burnt sienna (which is more of a "burnt orange" hue).

[zerogoldfish]

Thanks for all the effort you put into these vids and into the written resources. The lists are really helpful. I wanted to mention Rosa Gallery Colors from Ukraine. Discovered them only recently. Small range, heavily based on Cadmium in the yellow and red spectrum, but very reasonable priced. I’ve not found much difference between them, Schmincke Horadam and Talens Rembrandt in my pallette. They’re definitely pro grade.

Miscellaneous: Congrats on your house plants, they’re beautiful. And that hair style looks good on you.👍🏼

[VS-rvbtartnfun]

Your content is getting advanced n professional with time, very very helpful and very informative videos. The information you give probably takes years to learn by self, and very few masters deal the topics you choose, which are way more important than they seem. Thank you very much for sharing such a gem of content . Lots of love ❤️

[WhiteWulfe]

The student versus professional... I wholeheartedly agree. So many videos and blogs will be all "hey, if you're curious pick these up, they aren't that expensive". Much easier to learn techniques with higher quality product, doubly so given it feels like there isn't that much of a price difference between a starter of professional versus a set of student grade. But I'm also in a position where paying out $200 CAD is "only" a month of my hobbying budget. Many aren't as lucky, and they're lucky to be able to have that kind of spare cash over six months or even a year.

[beedee]

I miss you much. Sending you all the very best x

[loveandlife]

Thank you for this Oto. I am one of those that pretty much buys whatever I want. I’m a Daniel Smith girl and love them so much! To grow my palette I would order a new color or two each paycheck. Before you know it you get a large collection.
I do love Sennelier and Schmincke also. M. Graham is beautiful paint with a huge punch of pigment but they never dry for me. I live in very dry climate and my M. Grahams are sticky. That’s a deal breaker for me so I will not buy more. Sennelier gets hard enough that I can use and store them normally. I love the honey feel of the paint.
Thank you for being honest and unbiased. So many videos are biased toward videographer preference. I look forward to the next one in the series.

[lellemaris]

If you're in Europe and want to go for a really good student grade paint at a very reasonable price: pick van Gogh, they're incredible. Just take their tubes and not the half pans, because these are too gooey. The tubes are great though! And they're vegan, too 😉

[NoHugsPlease]

Windsor Newton is a British company, but they are made in France. Just for the record 😁 But I not sure if that impacts the price