Caran d'Ache Gouache Pan Set Review

[@thethriftyapprentice]

I researched this set before i purchased it. Caran D’Ache is pretty specific about the set being more like watercolors when used straight from the pan. The white tube is added to then turn the paint into more of a gouache after the white is added. When thinking of it this way, and using it as they recommend it is a pretty awesome set. Considering it is a 2 in 1 product the price actually isn’t that unreasonable. As you said, it’s about what the individual likes. However, I think it’s important to take in consideration the recommendations of use provided by the company. Your reviews are always full of important information. Thank you for sharing with us!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Thanks for sharing your experience with it! I agree and it is from the student line but there has been a lot of hype for this product and I know many people are looking for a more qouachevlike gouache so I just want to make sure people's expectations are met. I didn't mean to put down the product or anyone who enjoys it. Thanks for your comment!

[@sanctityjohnson289]

​@@thefrugalcrafter I appreciate your honest review. Don't feel bad! Not everything will come out with great reviews, otherwise why review them. (If you were like other KZbinrs who just said everything was wonderful, I wouldn't be as interested)

[@thethriftyapprentice]

@@thefrugalcrafter I don’t think you put it down at all. The wonderful thing about you is that you speak from your experience and always make that clearly known. I didn’t mean to sound any type of way other than just offering my two cents based on my experience. So please forgive if it seemed any other way.

[@thethriftyapprentice]

@@sanctityjohnson289 This was not my implication at all. I even thanked her for her review, and spoke on how valuable they are. At no point did I imply, or say she put down the product. I simply offered my experience as an artist with it. I am not one to promote a product because the masses do either. It just so happens that on this one product we don’t completely agree, and that’s perfectly okay. That’s how the art world should be. The ability to disagree about a product, and still respect each other.

[@sanctityjohnson289]

@@thethriftyapprentice Thank you. It's good to hear multiple perspectives on usage of art supplies...be it good, bad, so-so. People use things in different ways. Art supplies get so expensive to just impulse buy, esp without reviews. I'm tempted to buy this for the beautiful palette and the big, flat pans. But wanted to know if I'd actually use it.

[@marjoriebelt2842]

I’ve lived in Europe (and raised my children there) for most of my adult life. My children were required to buy sets very much like these in either the third or fourth grade. This was in the early nineties, and most children were really proud of their first set of “real” paints. They are not cheap in Europe, either, though I believe we were able to buy them at a discount because they were part of the student supply list. Both of my children (now adults) still have their paint sets and they are fine to paint with after all these years. Whenever one of the colors runs out, they can buy another little block and pop it in place. I use tube gouache for the very reasons you stated here - but the Caran d’Ache sets are still very popular with schoolchildren in Europe and they last long enough to be passed on to a second generation.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Wow! Worth the price then!

[@marysuze]

I love my caran d’ache gouache set, and yes was also surprised by that.

[@marysuze]

The brush was not good however, the hairs keep falling out

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Oh no, mine is good. I eonfer if they changed it. Mine is a synthetic.

[@sanctityjohnson289]

I always appreciate your honest reviews. Please dont apologize or feel bad for reviewing them. Thank you!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I'm glad you appreciate it!

[@hannahcrumley3103]

Thank you for this review! I gotta say those Carandache red boxes are beautiful! I love them!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

They’re gorgeous, aren’t they?

[@sanctityjohnson289]

I was tempted to buy it just for the palette and packaging 🫣

[@nancypalmer6729]

European children’s art supplies seem to be a higher quality than comparable sets marketed for kids in the US.

[@zdzislawaprzyborska5653]

this is not typical European school supply. I know it's marketed towards children in Switzerland, but salaries there are about 3 times higher than in the rest of Europe (their liberal banking law makes it go to place to wash dirty money). For the rest of Europeans it is expensive but what you need to take into account is the price difference: prismacolor and Derwent Lightfast are the same price here...

[@liart6219]

No, it’s Caran d’Ache that’s better than most brands. Students or professional supplies. And cost a lot for us European ,outside Switzerland, too.

[@zdzislawaprzyborska5653]

​@@liart6219but we also have koh i noor for really really cheap and the quality is premium (depending on the taste that is)

[@nancypalmer6729]

@@liart6219 I have a set of student grade Sennelier watercolors that’s really lovely, and some Schmeinke student grade paints that are similarly very good.

[@Art_by_Nicole]

The most used art supply’s for kids in the Netherlands is from Bruynzeel. Pretty cheap :)

[@tammylong111]

Thank you for being honest about how you feel about this product. I had this in my Amazon cart but I've changed my mind after watching your video because, I too, want opaque gouache. I try to watch your reviews before buying!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

You are very welcome, I'm glad I could help!

[@purplestarkatz]

I bought this set years ago, and my set is the old blue packaging with the grey rather than purple. I definitely don't regret buying my set, it brought me a lot of joy the last 2 years of my elderly cat's life, because I could just use this set with a waterbrush to paint, with my cat on my lap. Now, that being said, I only paid $16. I think I may have caught it when they were changing the packaging.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

It's nice to hear it brought you so much joy!

[@lyndacrawford521]

My mom bought me these some 40 years ago. I thought they were watercolors for years and I love how vibrant they are. Very nostalgic for me. Thanks for reviewing them. 🌺

[@thefrugalcrafter]

That's so cool! It's amazing how long they last.

[@smitachengappa]

You're so right about expectations Lindsay. I got a couple of these, a red and yellow, in a set with caran d'ache watercolour pencils and neocolor 2s. Didn't use the pans for a couple of years, and when I did the yellow was really grainy and clumpy, but the red was fine. I think I was expecting high quality gouache so was disappointed so it's good to know I had it wrong. Great review. How your dad is doing OK.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Thanks, he came back home today. I hope he can stay this time!

[@elaineacree]

Great review! I tried this set briefly a few years back, and then moved on to professional artist quality gouache. I had concerns over the lightfastness and opacity. For people looking for a high quality "school" tempera, ChromaTemp is awesome. ChromaTemp is a USA product. Non-toxic and safe for kids. The rep said some of the colors are even lightfast. Available from both Mister Art and Blick in 2oz bottles and larger at a very economical price considering the huge amount of paint that you get. Its not as portable as a pan set of course. I did find a list of the Caran d'Ache Gouache pigments and lightfast ratings on the old Wet Paint forum from 2017. They use the European Star system, so more stars means more lightfast. Three stars is the highest rating. Only the Magenta was one star. One reviewer said they use dextrin instead of Gum Arabic as the binder which may account for the feel while mixing. From Wet Paint Post (re-posted from an earler Artsy Lissa post): "I wrote to the Caran d’Ache company and inquired what pigments are in their gouache cakes tin. The below is what I received back. PS: I asked if PB59 was a typo and didn’t get a reply on that piece. Best regards ~Lissa" ………………………………………….. …………………….. Color reference, Color Name, Color Index, Lightfastness 001 White PW6 *** 005 Grey PW6 / PB15 / PBk7 *** 009 Black PBk7 *** 010 Yellow PY1 *** 030 Orange PO34 / PY3 *** 035 Ochre PY42 *** 059 Brown PY42 / PR101 / PBk7 *** 060 Vermilion PR4 ** 080 Carmine PR23 / PR170 *** 090 Magenta PR81:1 / PV2 * 120 Violet PV23 *** 140 Ultramarine PB59 ** (probable typo and the pigment is the usual PB29) 170 Cyan PB15:3 ** 180 Malachite Green PG7 / PB15:3 *** 210 Emerald Green PY3 / PG7 *** 230 Yellow Green PY3 / PG7 *** 240 Lemon Yellow PY3 ***

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Wow, you have really done your research! Thanks for sharing all of this. It’s interesting that they use dextrin as a binder. I would also watch out for the PY1 yellow. I know they have to sacrifice for non toxic qualities for student paints.

[@kindredmisfit8690]

I use this one too Completely agree it's more of a watercolour than a gouache, but I i still really like it

[@megperry5586]

I always appreciate your reviews. I bought this back when it had the grey. It is easy to grab and do a rough sketch, I have since bought real gouache to do more finished work. I do love the tin and honestly am trying to use it to refill it with other paints.

[@mjpete27]

Lindsay, I believe that some of your “Maineness” is peeking through at the cost of this set of paints! Now this is NOT a bad thing it is just YOU! You are truly inspirational and such a kind person who never wants to yuck someone’s yum! As someone who wants the best product for what they do I test far to many choices, but I learned that I simply must be sure of my supplies! I fell for “popular tools” or a line of products because someone was just over the moon about them, but they were just not for me. It happens to everyone once in a while, I thank you for giving us your thoughts on these paints, you young lady are doing so much for so many! Thank you.

[@wanderingstar5673]

Lindsay definitely has the New Englander Pragmatism 🙂

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Yes. It was a tough one because if the price. If it was $20 it would be a great product so at $32-$50 I am much more critical. That's why I say the price because it's a factor.

[@personalgrowthcourseskmf5443]

Thank you for your honesty. It helped me make a decision. I'll wait patiently for a sale. If there is no sale... no loss.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I'm glad it helped!

[@patriciaschoenberg1261]

Your grid layout mixed media tutorial was so delightful that I got the Caran D'Ache paints and the grid! Thank you.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

That is so great to hear!

[@Heart_lais]

This was gifted to me from a fellow artist years ago and I only nailed to properly swatch them today. I also own the himi ones, which are lovely too, and tho my yellow ocher came sort of muddy I think I liked it for the sketchbook, I’ll probably have to get a new yellow ocher, but it’s not that pricey and I already learned how to detach it from the palette (which is in the old plastic model). I’m a watercolorist, so anything water soluble for me is a lot like having fun time 💘💘

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I agree!

[@Julie-vy3oz]

This was my first set of gouache and they were great for fun art journaling. I ended up giving the away to a coworker who likes to be creative. I use a lot of Holbein and W&N and recently bought the 12 set of Shin Han . I love gouache!!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

It sounds like you've got a great collection going!

[@martinanelsonartandpsychol6478]

When I read the German description on the Caran d’Ache website about this set, it becomes completely clear that it is intended for school lessons. Not so much when I read the English version 😊

[@thefrugalcrafter]

That is so interesting, I wonder why they wouldn't say that in the English version.

[@martinanelsonartandpsychol6478]

@@thefrugalcrafter I think it is more a linguistic problem we use different words for when you talk about a class in school and a class for hobby/workshop or adult learning etc… 😊

[@tart377]

I really appreciate that you factor in price and discuss it in your reviews!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

You are welcome!

[@berolinastrassmann]

I ❤ this set! Caran d'Ache says it is a 2in 1 set. You can use it as watercolor if used alone, and as a gouache if white is used. I've had it since the 90s and all colours are working well, even if they are well loved. The colours by themselves are indeed quite transparent. I've had it for over 30 years. Mine doesnt have a grey. Did your come with th transparent stickers to identify the gouache pan on the tin? I love those red tins. In 🇨🇭 and ither countries in Europe this is indeed marketed as student quality, which is still amazing sonce Caran d'Ache never made a bad quality product. Glad to see your review!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Yes, it came with the stickers

[@hildybean]

I like them for quick color, they re-wet easily and they don’t mold plus they wash out of brushes easily, all things I that I care about and jelly gouache didn’t do for me. I pulled them out of the tin and refilled it with full pans of watercolor (love it). I keep the gouache to one side and use it for quick color in sketchbooks. I agree with your comments Lindsey, but the truth is, I use these more than my Holbein tubes of gouache, and I disliked the jelly gouache so much that I gave it away 🤷🏼‍♀️. Thanks for the review!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

It sounds like you've found a great way to use them!

[@Anonymoi]

I agree with your assessment about these. And, I also noticed the difference in colors in the product I received versus what Blick showed. I watched a lot of videos and read a lot of blog posts about this product before purchasing it, and it seems there have actually been three different palettes available. I do wish I had grey just for convenience, but the violet color is very nice. The thing which pushed me over the edge to buy these was seeing the artist Emily Powell using them in a short video made to promote her latest show - she was in an artist residency on a British island and using these as a studio set for sketching and working out ideas. For that, it’s great, I think. I agree, though, that there are other products which cost less which can do the same thing. Even Faber-Castell’s Connector watercolor sets, which are quite opaque, work very well, although the pigments/fillers are not as finely milled. In the end I’m a sucker for those red tins.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

The tins are nice!

[@carolesauter4205]

I’ve had these since the 80s. My second set actually. I first used them for calligraphy in my dip pens. We mostly wrote with paint. These are finely ground so flowed nicely. Also, I added a drop of gum Arabic. Helps it to perform better when writing. Nice video . Well done

[@thefrugalcrafter]

That's interesting about the gum arabic!

[@Crystal_Seeker71]

Thank you for the review Lindsay you made me realize a few things about these I did not know 😊

[@thefrugalcrafter]

You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful.

[@lynnedenio3418]

I use this set for plein air painting and sketching. If you come into it with a tube paint preferance you will probably not be happy. They aren’t designed for heavy professional studio work. But I think they are perfect for accenting my pen sketches.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

That makes sense, I can see how they would be ideal for sketching.

[@zeldacheri]

Steve over at the Mind of Watercolor did a review of several lines of gouache several years ago, and he rated this set pretty highly - he admitted he was pleasantly surprised how well it performs for a pan gouache. I own three sets of gouache, including this one -- Talens and Arteza are the other two. To be honest, I end up needing to add white to pretty much all the brands' colors when I need something really opaque. But I do admit to being terribly biased towards CDA products since I live quite close to Geneva and feel a certain loyalty to local products 😊

[@michellecampbell4194]

As I was watching I was thinking ‘try Titanium White’ just before you said that! 😂 I have this set but need a Titanium White to try it with them.😊

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I’m glad I’m not the only one who thinks of that! 😊

[@michellecampbell4194]

@@thefrugalcrafter that white gouache they included is …. ahem…. Not good 😂

[@DontTakeItPersonall]

Hey Lindsay, just found out there's an Ocean City Job Lots in NJ! It's about 30-40 mins from my home, may venture there on my day off. Had Job Lots & Odd Lots closer, but they closed down years ago. I really miss those stores, great for a TIGHT budget.

[@bookishindian]

i bought that Ocean State Job Lot set more recently than Lindsay and it has changed quite a bit .... was very disappointed in it, just fyi

[@thefrugalcrafter]

That's exciting! You never know what you'll find at those places.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Oh no! Thanks for the update.

[@bookishindian]

@@thefrugalcrafter i truly hope it was just a fluke, but they were so chalky... however i think that there are Lukas and Pelikan seas that are similar to what the Phoenix set once was? ( maybe?)

[@nancyloomis3046]

I'm sure these are very nice! I'll just stick with my Pelikan opaque set of 24 that I figure is similar in quality & is currently $32.35 on Amazon. The magenta color in this set is gorgeous, btw. Thanks for your review, Lindsay!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

The magenta is so bright and vibrant!

[@Linda-qq5mg]

Thanks for the very good review Lindsay.😊

[@thefrugalcrafter]

You are very welcome!

[@Sisu282]

Lindsay! it's like you knew i have this exact set on my Blick cart omg!

[@Sisu282]

i'm gonna be honest after watching this i am even more convinced about buying these! I think they are perfect for what I need! I am more of a watercolorist but want the added opacity of these for some pieces (don't need them to be super opaque though) and I also much prefer the ease of pans which is why i've been so hesitant to buy gouache. I understand the hesitancy if you are primarily a gouache artist but for me I think these fit the bill more! Once I have them I will probably make a review as well :)

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I'm glad it was helpful!

[@hughrenetaylor5412]

Thank you for doing this review! I have been interested in this set. Would like to purchase at some point. 😊

[@thefrugalcrafter]

You're welcome! I hope it was helpful.

[@mjpete27]

Hullo Lindsay, thanks for sharing your experience with us! I have gotten “caught out” when buying student art supplies and using them for a professional piece of art! I am still trying to test out several brands of gouache and yes, of course I have watched a truck load of videos! I purchased some white gouache from DaVinci almost 4 years ago now. I am a fan of opaque watercolor paint and adding a titanium white can opacify a color, but it does create a more tinted color. I am just not going to spend money on a gouache that I simply don’t know the lightfast properties! I want to stay with at the minimum a professional grade product! CaranD’ache is a wonderful art supply company and their “student grade” products are used by so many professional artists is a real testament to their quality! I have used my Neocolor sticks for over 40 years and most colors are lightfast, just look on the side of your stick! Thank you for sharing this sweet video with us! Please take care, be safe and enjoy your afternoon. Still sending you, your Dad as well as the rest of your family best wishes and healing.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Thanks I just got back from visiting him at the hospital. That's why my video was late today, I thought I scheduled it and realized I didn't! Thank goodness i can from my phone!

[@OhJodi69]

I like adding a dab of Chinese White to watercolor, to give it more "body", I'd call it. It doesn't whiten the paint like titanium white does. I discovered this with my first Cotman set, which comes with Chinese white. I still use that little pan of it with my better grade paints....I like how it helps bring some color "forward" in a painting.

[@Escherlife]

I’ve been wanting to try these for ages, but I already have professional tube gouache, a huge set of jelly gouache and a couple of opaque watercolour sets. Oh, and the fact that it costs $72 in Australia is causing the pause 😂❤

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I hear you!

[@ElizabethMayoleth]

Great review, I've been seeing these pop up lately on people's videos and was wondering about them. They look to me to be exactly how you showed and told us your experience with them was. And for that price? ugh. Thanks, Lindsay!

[@PcakeTheMadDoodler]

Nice review., and I appreciated your take on the set. I got mine recently and also got a purple, and my yellows were also backward compared the the swatch thing it comes with. Btw, this is the only gouache I've used that comes up easily when dry and rubbed gently with a dry paper towel. I'm guessing that's more like tempera, but I haven't used tempera since grade school.

[@Craftaartissaurus]

Great review, had been thinking of getting these, only heard people raving about them, these are $76 here in NZ so was on the fence but liked the thought of on the go gouache don’t think these are worth that sort of money. Thanks for an honest review.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I’m glad you found the review helpful!

[@bonnerdebbie]

Thanks Lindsay!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

You're welcome!

[@CautionArtistatPlay]

Great video, Lindsay! My set has the grey in it. It's interesting to see that they replaced it with purple. It looks like a pretty color, kinda wish my set had it, lol! I agree that they feel more like an opaque watercolor than a gouache. I mainly love them for their convenience, and I love the pan size! Also, I feel like your white is standing out better than mine. It makes me wonder if they updated that a bit too.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Maybe they did but it's not as opaque as my bleedproof white.

[@CautionArtistatPlay]

​@@thefrugalcrafter​@thefrugalcrafter oh for sure, the bleedproof white can't really be beat in my mind. The white in my set felt pretty much useless to me lol. When I saw you swatch yours on the black, I was like oh wow, that looks better than mine haha. But I can see why you still felt the need to bring in a different white. I am really picky about white, I want all the opacity when it comes to white lol.

[@eBookHoarder]

I have three of these and I purchased the orange, scarlet and the deep purple in the tubes. I once saw an olive color tube but the shipping prevented me from purchasing it. I am interested in open stock pans. I am going to check how many grey pans I have when I get home. I have the Pheonix and Pelican in the 24. The Pheonix is for my granddaughter. Very affordable, but I have the Caran D'ache for her when she finishes it.

[@PaintSplash5]

One thing it has going for it is it's dried down. However, if on the fence over Neocolor II's verus these, get the Neocolors. They pretty much work as translucent gouache.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

The neo 2s can get quite opaque too!

[@wanderingstar5673]

The messiness and storage issues with the jelly gouche has seemed kind of cumbersome to me. The ease of use of this product makes it a more appealing. Thank you for the great review. 🙂

[@thefrugalcrafter]

My pleasure:)

[@annettefournier9655]

Thanks Lindsay 🎉❤

[@thefrugalcrafter]

You’re welcome!

[@madhabitz]

Oooh, good tip on colors leaching through white gouache that isn't the titanium -- didn't know that! Very cool that they offer open stock pans -- this is something that has nearly become a deal-breaker for me lately. Yes, Blick price is less than the List Price, but it's that way for all of the products they sell. Blick price *is* their price -- it's not a sale, the price isn't going to suddenly jump back to that $52.50 List price. Having said that, I agree with you that the Shinhan set is better quality anyway...... and they do sell their tubes open stock. Also, no Job Lots on the West coast. :*( In the department of For What it's Worth, Pelikan brand paints are worth a look as well -- the pans look similar to your $5 set. They've been around forever and are a load of fun. They've got transparent watercolors, and opaque watercolors -- I believe that they refer to these as gouache on some of the packaging I see when doing a search-- Blick's has this (gouache) set of 24 for $28.56. Pricing on Amazon is as low as $32.35.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

It is so good to hear your thoughts on this set.

[@pamelaavery2483]

I bought mine May 2022 and mine has grey. I love purple 💜

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Interesting! I wonder what's up with the purple vs grey?

[@GraceAnnaShack1]

Thank you so much for this review I’ve been wanting this set might pop in an order ty very much 😊😊

[@GraceAnnaShack1]

Forgot to ask I wonder if they are available in uk 🇬🇧

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Yes. They are probably cheaper for you. Check your local art supplier.

[@GraceAnnaShack1]

@@thefrugalcrafter tyvm I will 😊

[@RJHail]

​@@GraceAnnaShack1yep definitely are.

[@GraceAnnaShack1]

@@RJHail ty 🙂👍🙂

[@psychicstacy]

Thanks for this review, I have always been curious about these. I have the caran dache gouache tubes but I don't really like them

[@RJHail]

I.think the pans are far better than the tubes. I've used the tablet ones like a watercolour and a gouache since high school, so over 20 years. I have a lot of nostalgia around these.paints so I am probably biased too.

[@craftykat]

Really nice review, Lindsay! I bought this set back in June and still haven't tried it out, other than swatching.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Thanks 😊

[@brendawalsh8254]

Lindsay would you consider the Phoenix set a gouache since you are comparing to the CD gouache? I only have the gelli gouache you recommended and we used in your class.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

No, it's closer to watercolor. It's an opaque watercolor but not as opaque as gouche.

[@nadeaner.cowley513]

Great review! I keep seeing videos of and with this set...and i keep getting tempted (even tho i know the quality isn't up to my own personal standards), Its the tin or the big Caran DAche name or something...lol anyway...great review as always. ❤

[@thefrugalcrafter]

It is definitely a pretty set!

[@justacatwhocantype]

I like these. However, I never use the colors on their own, I always add a bit of the white to make it more opaque and creamy. Can't compare it to high quality gouache like Schmincke or Winsor and Newton, but it's a good paint. And you are saying the Himi jelly gouache is not as good as the other jelly ones? Oh no, LOL, I finally let curiosity get the best of me and bought some jelly gouache, even though I needed more gouche like a hole in the head. And I went for the Himi because it was on sale. Haven't gotten around to trying it yet. Hope I won't be disappointed.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Himi is fine but I prefer annigoni.

[@lisathaviu1154]

Pelikan used to make an opaque watercolor. These seem more like those.

[@jennw6809]

The tin is such a great feature of the Caran D'ache products. I love my Neocolors, both I and II! I think I'll skip this one though. I've been drying some DaVinci gouache since you discovered how great it pans, this reminds me to try it!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

DaVinci gouache does make great pans!

[@RJHail]

I wish we could get Da Vinci paint in the UK without ridiculous shipping as so.many US artists seem to love them.

[@jennw6809]

@@RJHail DaVinci is great for those in the US, but I do feel it's very comparable to W&N watercolors. (Which is awfully expensive for us over here). The DaVinci gouache really disappointed me, but I hear it's better dried. I vastly prefer W&N gouache, so you actually have the edge there!

[@Starkravingsober2020]

Just found the Pheonix tablets set for $8.99 on Amazon! Thank you!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

That’s a great deal!

[@Iwanttodrawachicken]

Thank you for this review, I've often wondered about these paints. Just to let you know, the moter on your lens is getting pretty loud when it's auto focusing.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I appreciate you letting me know about the lens!

[@gertietheduck]

Do Phoenix manufacture the Koh-I-noor opaque watercolour cakes as a white label product? I was looking on Amazon and could not find the Phoenix set this side of the pond… but I noticed that the Koh-I-noor set looks exactly the same!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I'm not sure, many brands sell this exact set (as the Phoenix I mean)

[@dawn4224]

You can used it up and then refill the pans from tubes with a professional set in a beautiful tin. In the meantime, have fun with this paint!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

That is a great idea for using up the pans!

[@le2382]

Thanks for the honest review, I really appreciate it. I guess it would be a fun product to try if it was heavily discounted (like 30%-50% off) but it does seem pricey for what it is. I’ll wait and see if it’s ever on sale, but I wouldn’t buy it full price when I have Holbein and Shinhan gouache, which I love. BTW, I successfully booked a spot on your free Michaels class in November and I’m in Canada, I booked on my laptop rather than mobile or tablet, so maybe that makes a difference?

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Good to know! Several Canadians said if you check out as a guest it works too!

[@le2382]

@@thefrugalcrafter yes, I did that too, I checked out as a guest.

[@TheSporkFactory]

I bought that set a while ago at £29, which I thought was okay, but I've looked again just now and its currently priced (at least on Cassart) at £33.25 on sale, £36.95 normal price and the RRP is £47.99 which is a bit mad.

[@gertietheduck]

Wonder how the phoenix cakes compare to the Holbein opaque cakes? They look similar (if chalkier)

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Not sure, I don't have the holbein

[@gertietheduck]

@@thefrugalcrafter I’m the other way around (don’t have the Phoenix set) but def don’t need to buy another set of paints just to check, haha

[@SuzanneLorang]

Hi, Lindsay, Well, Caran d'Ache heard you. They seem to have added the word "Studio" to their packaging to avoid confusion. The paint is definitely gouache (i.e. opaque watercolor), and not tempera, which traditionally has an egg yolk binder. Any chance you'd like a box of 24 Marabu gouache pans? They are definitely vintage ("Made in West Germany" hasn't been in vogue since 1990.), and were well-used by a book cover artist. Ciao, S.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Regular tempra is like this, egg tempra is a different paint popular before the invention of oil paint in the Rennesance. Most realistic Gothic paintings were egg tempra. This would be a school tempra. The memeri gouache cakes sound cool!

[@felicitycrowe6971]

This might seem like a crazy question, but do you think that the cakes would lever out of the pans intact or do you think they would break/crumble? I was just wondering what they would be like to draw with … and if you could get the cakes out you could see if that fabulous packaging was good for some of your tube gouaches… just a thought…

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I'm not sure

[@spiroch2187]

For a very long time i did see em but always thought, nope to expensiv! Did try linell gouache at that time, not cheap in europe but also nice... than after watching a few videos people using this caran'd ache palette and looking quite happy i did buy them😏 well, they were ok but not in any way did they back up the high price. Not long afterwards i did see theyr price got even more higher... from 30€ to 40😅 glad i "only" had 30 to pay, but still sad i did buy them. Gonna stay with normal tube gouache, theyre in every aspect better than this ones

[@deborahbloom4624]

Lindsay, do you think this tin is big enough (tall enough) to house the Tonic watercolor pots?

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Good call! They would totally fit!

[@deborahbloom994]

Thank you!

[@askialuna7717]

When I first saw this set somewhere, I thought it was way too expensive because it was aimed at children, like the other opaque watercolours here. They usually cost are maximal ca 14€ back years ago if it wasn't bought on offer. For a Pelikan box with 24 colours, which are already considered "good" quality for the school. At that time, I was still unfamiliar with the Caran de Arche brand, like many other brands. I thought it was something like branded clothes that offer similar quality at a more expensive price. I now know that it is more of a niche product and fills a gap between children's and artist's gouache. I would have bought a set like this if I hadn't come across a seller on Amazon who was selling old DR gouache paints for 1€ to make room in the warehouse, which the shop pays for.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Yes, the warehouse clearing sales are where you get the best deals on Amazon!

[@MaryYoungblood-xy8vg]

I have never heard of Ocean State Job Lot and I am from the west/southwest. Maybe just a New England/East Coast thing.

[@donnakelly8911]

In AZ, they have big lots instead of Job lot, similar type store

[@annettefournier9655]

We have Big Lots and Ocean state job lot. In New England. Our Big Lots never has art supplies like Job lot.

[@MaryYoungblood-xy8vg]

Big Lots are closing a lot of stores in Arizona. Not sure how long we will still have them. Nearest store to me is Sierra Vista about 80 miles away

[@annettefournier9655]

@@MaryYoungblood-xy8vg the one Big Lots in my town is closing as well.

[@lesleyegbert4807]

The Phoenix set is on Amazon for $8.99 at the moment.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I saw that!

[@Bloomkyaaa]

I'm grateful I bought this set years ago because it lasts a long time and it is currently unavailable on Amazon...

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I'm so glad you've enjoyed it!

[@personalgrowthcourseskmf5443]

Amazon has it for 34.99

[@Jlalode]

I was disappointed with this set too. But I like to spray them generously and let them sit for 5 min. before using for sketchbook fun.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

That is a great tip, thank you for sharing!

[@livingnordic4280]

Isn’t one gouache and the other watercolors?

[@thefrugalcrafter]

In name, yes, but they are both somewhere in the middle

[@elizabethjehnzen]

One of these days, would you mind going over what the differences are between watercolor, gouache, and opaque watercolor? Some ppl say gouache is opaque watercolor, as they use the same binder. But then I hear others say that some watercolors are opaque, and some gouache are transparent. In this video you said that this is less like a gouache and more like an opaque watercolor. I know tempera is a different kind of paint that is an egg based binder, and how you mean this paint is like that. I'm just confused about where the line is for gouache and watercolors. I use gouache and watercolors together a lot. Is that mixed media? They have the same binder, so no? I've been scratching my head over this for awhile. I've googled, and asked questions in Facebook groups, and it seems no one really knows.

[@felicitycrowe6971]

… and even though traditional tempera uses an egg binder, has that been replaced by some sort of acrylic base, b/c the term “tempera” now seems to be used synonymously with cheap acrylic paint for kids sometimes?!?! It’s all so confusing!

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Only egg tempra uses an egg binder. Tempra is like a poster paint, there is no acrylic in it. It would be a starch or dextrin, maybe gum arabic binder like watercolor. Tempra doest cure like acrylic, it can rewet. Egg tempra can still be purchased or you can make it with dry pigments, after and a fresh egg yolk. It's a painstaking medium that I have no interest in. It's like working in colored pencil with tiny hatches of fast drying color. Maybe I'll do a video of the difference in the paints.

[@felicitycrowe6971]

@@thefrugalcrafter thank you so much for that succinct reply! It basically answers all my tempera questions in one go!😊

[@alexserra9605]

Wait a minute Is this a re-upload? It says one day ago. But I remember you uploaded this couple months ago maybe I don't know the timing but I watched it and I know it for a fact I watched it because I even said before you did about the gray and the purple color. Deposit right in the beginning Is this every upload or did you review a different set from caran? I feel like I'm going nuts but I know 100% facts

[@thefrugalcrafter]

No, I did an intentional art haul when I bought them and a video of the tutorial of the grid layouts and a video of the neon sign so maybe you ste thinking of one of those 3.

[@arlyhelm6219]

This morning i got a message from you headed something like: Enabling, Beware. When i clicked on the first link i lost the original message and cannot find it.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

It's on my community tab, let me see if I can post a link: youtube.com/@thefrugalcrafter?si=9Q3aVSXDDKLW4P9F

[@artandmusic09]

Personally I would not pay 30 bucks for this. On a really good day, W&N gouache can be around 30 and the Holbien mixing set is 30

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Valid.

[@aprill551]

That set is a wild $69 on amazon canada. nooooo thanks.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I know, it’s pretty pricey!

[@hansendesigns]

nice but not lightfast, so just for sketching. :)

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Yes, they are more for sketching!

[@hansendesigns]

@ ⭐️

[@veystone2580]

Shame they changed that color to grey, which in my opinion is so easy to make; there's no need to include it, let alone substitute a more useful color with it.

[@michellecampbell4194]

Fortunately it’s the other way around. They took the grey out and replaced it with violet 😊

[@veystone2580]

@@michellecampbell4194 Wait what?! 😅😅😅😅

[@veystone2580]

​@@michellecampbell4194 I understood she said when she bought hers it came with that deep violet but that now it comes with a grey! Am I wrong? 😅 I'm gonna check Blick! 😅

[@DieterPrivate]

Both the gray and purple can be bought open stock. My set from last year came with gray. So or there are 2 variants, or they are transitioning. Don't like the gray at all.

[@veystone2580]

​@@michellecampbell4194 ​​Well, I checked on Blick and I wasnt mistaken. What they offer now is the gray instead. 😉