Daniel Smith Watercolor Essentials Mixing Set Review. Limited Palette + Bonus Watercolour Ground!

Today I will be taking a fairly in-depth look at this split primary set of six watercolors by Daniel Smith. A split primary means there are three cool primary colours and three warm ones (ie red, blue and yellow). I'll swatch them, make a large mixing chart and also do some paintings to see what can be made with a limited palette. This set also comes with a small bottle of watercolour ground, which can be painted on other surfaces to create a watercolour paper texture. I tested that out too!

Daniel Smith Essentials Mixing Set on Amazon (includes affiliate links)

Find me on social media;

Want to send me something? Here's my PO Box!
Rebecca Tregear
PO Box 6246
Vermont South
Victoria 3133
Australia

As always, thank you so much for subscribing, watching and supporting my channel!
Becky x

[MirandaWatsonArt]

This is the exact set I have my Beginner Watercolor students buy and they paint the entire semester with just these 6 colors. It's so fun!

[starr-starr]

Probably the best professional starter set, hands down. Spectacular paints, and you really learn a lot just by sticking to these six colors.

[lamargot]

WInsor Newton and Demco have watercolour varnish. I think Maimeri Blu does as well.

Something I've never tried: would resin work??

[lozantoninocreations]

Resin would be the best way to seal the tile i think. It can also tolerate heat, so works well for a hot cup of coffee and your art will look beautiful forever 🙂

[deeanncross]

That little 6 tube set is where I first started down the Daniel Smith watercolor trail. It's when I made my first mixing chart. I think your little mouse painting is particularly charming. Thanks for experimenting with the watercolor ground so we'd have an idea how it performs.

[jillwiswall]

Wow! I love how that tile turned out! Watercolor ground is such an interesting creature, isn’t it? I’ve had some good luck with sealing watercolor pieces with Dorland’s wax medium.

[pennypop]

Great set of colours. Let us know how the tile works out with a coating to seal it. Thanks Becky :)

[annadownya]

I mostly use watercolor ground on sketchbook covers, but will occassionally use it to fix sizing issues on paper. I want to test whether it can be tinted like gesso can. That may be my weekend project.🤔 everything looked beautiful! Glad you're having fun with your new set.

[lunastefanieroy]

Thank you so much for reviewing this! I've been thinking of purchasing it for a long time.

[tempest]

Those are the colours I always pick and I add a burn Siena, sap green and purple or burnt umber dependend on the brand so it gives me more freedom but I do love to mix the colours...

As for the ground I've used some and I do like it to metal surfaces or plastic so I can use watercolor the thing is that it's a rough texture and the watercolours are always tough to contain since they do their own thing in a way we can't control as much.

I usually seal with transparent spray and it works

Have a great weekend :)

[dianethoroughman]

Hello Becky, as you know I love Daniel Smith paints. It was fun to watch you paint and use the ground. I have ground, but I haven't tried it.

[Elvraie]

Very interesting set for people wanting to learn colour mixing. Great artwork, too.

[lindahazel]

I would appreciate a video about color mixing and the chart.

[CJCalvertArt]

I love these!! Got mine almost a year ago and made a travel palette which I've been loving. Awesome review and first impressions, Becky!

[Azkademon]

A very interesting and informative video, I really loved the tile painting, wow that turned out soooo good! Would resin work to seal it in? and your little mousey looks like a squirrel to me :D super cute!! I'm a huge fan of DS paints but I'm such a lazy artist, I can't be bothered with the faff of mixing my own colours if I can help it hahaha so I just buy the colours I want!! :D

[jonmahashintina]

i think the ground can be replicated with a gesso with some spoons of chalk powder mixed in. something for you to test? ive done it on paper, i haven't tried it on ceramic to test if it sticks.

[patriciatolliver]

Patty- I agree about the ground. Someone suggested Goldens Satin Glazing Liquid. That works a bit better. I used it on Amazon paper just to see and I was able to use water color which did not bleed through.

[fuzzydragons]

great looking macaw!!😀i have heard so many various things about the watercolour ground, some people like it, some people hate it

[FaithAnnNB]

The only time I’ve used watercolour ground was to cover a painting in my sketchbook that I didn’t care for. It saved the sketchbook page, but not my favourite texture to paint on. I’ll probably save it for that purpose. Love the tile!! You did so much with that new set!!

[frenchgrama]

Those mixed colours on your chart are just gorgeous🙃. Where did you get that tube opener please - I sooo desperately need one 🙏