Daniel Smith Watercolors - Why the Big Fuss?

[@MDCampbell]

Something I didn't mention in the video, which I wish I had, is that Daniel Smith, like many other brands, offers sample "dot cards" which are a great, inexpensive way to try before you buy, to get a tactile feel for their paints and their quality. :)

[@AafkeVultink]

I think instead i will buy me their essential set, 6 primary colors for under 30 euro's is one you cant go wrong with since you basicly use those in any set

[@summerbee80]

ya dot cards by schminke are amazing and very helpful if u dont have 200 bucks to spend, hint hint :P

[@AafkeVultink]

You are evil, you know i Iam a schmincke addict,or you would not say this,rofl, only have 26 pans of schmincke, i just want to share in the fuzz fun 😂

[@StarsinRain]

I am trying to create my own "set" and I got a 66 try-set for about $7-8 and it's really helpful before investing in buying tubes. I think a ~200 dot test sheet is about $10-15? It's really useful :)

[@AxiomEcho]

This little factoid makes me want to try them now. I lobe when companies have the consumer in mind with things like that.

[@teohyc]

Great to see that the Portable Painter has arrived safely on the other side of the world 😁

[@owingsart]

You discovered each other! The universe is now in alignment. :-)

[@SykesFW]

Teoh Yi Chie can you give info please on where to pickup that traveling pallet, thanks

[@benjisquenge]

I'm not sure where else you can get it, but they sell it on Amazon for around $30.

[@marsbeads]

Most art stores carry it, such as dickblick.com

[@superspark3257]

@@marsbeads is that really a art store or....

[@grayblosser6630]

I live in Seattle, where the DS store is, and I have to say the first time I visited DS was the best experience I've ever had in an art store. Their employees are so knowledgeable and kind and the selection is fantastic. They've remembered me every time I go and are quick to help. There's also a space to try out for free every color DS offers which is so much fun and great way to plan out a palette! I love how well DS rewets but also that they're completely dry in a palette. One note I have to offer, and I don't know if anyone else mentioned it, is that potter's pink is one of the hardest to rewet from DS if not the hardest, like it is with other brands. When I've used it in the store an employee always mentions to let water sit on it for a bit before using if you've let it dry.

[@MDCampbell]

How can I not be a little envious of your proximity to the DS store! lol! It must be wonderful! I did notice the Potter's Pink (and the Cerulean Blue, too) is tough to activate. I'll look for that when I use them again, soon. Thank you for taking the time to watch and for that valuable feedback! :)

[@nitikaaleart]

Potter's pink and also i found DS ultramarine violet takes a bit longer to rewet. I spray a bit of water in my palette before painting, makes rewetting quicker :)

[@jafetisraelmendezcastro5648]

Wow, I'm envy in the good way 😂 I have to buy ds being very expensive from other country so I can use it here in Mexico

[@SuperCutealien]

I need a Seattle weekend with my hubby. It’s a bit of a road trip. But I’d love to go to their store.

[@Lacroix999]

This is like some of the PrimaTek colors. But I always spray my whole palette before beginning anyways. It helps to have the colors ready for you so you’re paper doesn’t dry out while you’re getting them ready to paint with. So always prep your paints first before your paper! The only exception to this is if you want dryer paints and know you will be using them that way in your particular piece from the start.

[@sarahguy-levar7955]

My FAVORITE DS combo is Quin Gold, Quin Burnt Orange, and Indigo. The three make STUNNING landscapes.

[@LED816]

What’s amazing are the granulating colors. You need things like moonglow, rose of ultramarine, cascade green, imperial purple, sleeping beauty turquoise, etc. The way some of those colors pull apart is what makes everyone go crazy. You NEED to try those! You’ll fall in love with those colors. If you don’t like granulating colors, Daniel Smith probably isn’t for you. Many of their colors are also made from minerals and gemstones. You’ll actually see bits of sparkle from the gem stones in the colors. You should try their 238 dot card. They provide enough paint to do several small pieces with. I started with that and now have over 50 of their colors. But I like whimsical and fantasy watercolor so things like their interference colors and the granulating colors work wonderfully for me. (Yes I have a slight obsession with them lol)

[@AimeeFleck]

I freaking adore moonglow

[@marjoriejohnson6535]

Rewatching ...covid shutdown. Good review..agreed....

[@yurinaka99]

This comment is really old so I'm probably just annoying you - BUT (:D) if u like those moody granulation colors, try mixing any color (preferably bright and translucent) with pbk11 (lunar black/Mars black). The results are awesome and give those great moody heavily granulating and separating effect. :)

[@mydogeatspuke]

@@yurinaka99 or mix any of the other granulating pigments with each other. Cobalt greens with earthy browns, oh look now you've duplicated all of the green/brown shifting paints. Cobalt blues with any of the pinkish violet pigments or a saturated red, throw in a bit of viridian (the real one, not the Phthalo fake) and now you've made Moonglow. Magic. And it won't fade in sunlight like actual Moonglow does. Try Potter's Pink with that same green, saved yourself $20 on a tube someone else mixed for you. Some of the "super special" DS paints are just PBk11 and another pigment though, yes, usually a quin or phthalo. Which is shocking tbh. Even Royal Talens managed that, and in their student line at $2 for 10ml. Some of the cheapest pigments known to man thrown together in a tube, slap a label on it and suddenly it's worth a small fortune. Ridiculous.

[@masja1790]

Couldn't agree more 😊

[@lauradains2734]

I love how you boost up other artists. I've seen you do this before and I really have enjoyed the artists you've introduced me to. I had already been enjoying Teoh's work because another You Tube artist also gave him a shout out. I really appreciate the community within this community, if that made any sense. I would love to see it spread. I know there is a bit of competition for the valuable likes and subscribes - but I really like the artists who support their fellow artists.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, Laura! I really appreciate that feedback. It's nice when someone recognizes the little things in the videos that are somewhat backstage to the main topic. Teoh is terrific and I've admired his work, both in art and in video editing, for a long time. He's so incredibly thorough with his reviews, that I defer to him on specific topics. And yes, that glut for subscribers and likes is ever-present with the bigger names, some of us are merely here because we love what we do and just have an honest interest to share it. If I can build a channel based on that, then I'm happy! And fortunately for me, I have been blessed to be associated with many likeminded, kindhearted, and sincere artists whom I've admired, too, for a long time. Thank you again and I hope you are well! :)

[@vanessachishti1503]

I completely agree! Its so nice see a clutch of creators behind art channels talking about each others work, and writing warm, engaged comments on each others videos. ☺

[@bubbanme4]

I like your videos because your intro is brief, you stick to the subject matter of your video, and your information is well organized. Thank you for creating and sharing your content.

[@lechat8736]

I`m so glad when I see artists showing respect for each other's work :) "Bravo" to you and Teoh!

[@MojoDi]

I bought my first Daniel smith set a week ago and I am absolutely in love with them 😍

[@juststartingover2735]

Thank you for reinforcing how most of us paint “in the real world”. 👏👏👏👏

[@notvangogh]

Best review yet! You are so talented! I haven’t seen anyone paint the way you do! Am totally going to try it!

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, notvangogh, I appreciate that.

[@josephcollins6033]

Yes! Very informative. I will subscribe. And, I love the applause!!!! Hysterical!

[@gila1959]

All the 3 brands Schmincke and D Graham are also expansiv…thanx for video..

[@karabiroy3533]

Bravo..what a great impressive creation ..I'm inspire & enchanted ..

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you Karabi Roy! I'm grateful for your feedback and the time with this one! Hoping you are well! ~ Mark

[@manpotrait]

Thank you so much for sharing your video bro... The best

[@juststartingover2735]

Teoh absolutely does great reviews!,

[@traveldreamer4616]

Thank you. Great video. Like the comparison.

[@MDCampbell]

I'm really happy you liked this, R Fatimah Jafri! And I'm grateful for your time to watch and especially to share your thoughts. Stay well and thank you! :)

[@ColoredMud]

I like how you tested them on lower grade paper (at least for watercolor paper) because that's what I use when out sketching; something that could take water if need be, but that's also suitable for pencil or ink sketching. I really want to try these watercolors now, thanks for this! :)

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, MyArtJourney! I held off on Daniel Smith because of the price tag. But, it irked me and I _had_ to know!!! lol! I just checked the receipt and the total came to $193 with my teacher discount. To me, that's a great deal for what I got, and that's what I consider an investment. It's not for everyone, but like I said, if money is an issue (which it's always been for me), then starting off slow and simple is the best way to approach. As for the paper, I used a higher end paper to do the swatch cards for the sets and to do the line test, so at least I got to see how they look on good paper. Thanks again for checking it out! Grateful for your thoughts! Cheers! :)

[@ollie54able]

Nice presentation. Look forward to a full blown painting on quality paper and to hear your reaction. I have my choices of these paints & do love the richness of their colors.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, Liam! I appreciate your time and thoughts. I, too, am really looking forward to sitting down and getting to know these paints on a higher end paper. Stay well! :)

[@onthehill3381]

I love ‘em all! I put together a DS palette comprised of colors that Paul Signac (1863-1935) used. He traveled around France to a lot of ports doing paintings of the coastal landscape and ports. I thought it would be a fun way to try out the DS line.

[@KateTheSleepyTeacher]

I recently found out that they mix their pigments dry which means that they can have paints with lots of pigments in them (moon glow is an example - it has three) and they don’t get muddy when mixed with other colors. Since it is mixed dry the multiple pigments act as one. Isn’t that cool ?!

[@MDCampbell]

It's super cool, Kate! One thing I love about those multiple mixes, like Moonglow, is that when they dry you can see, very subtly in the wash, the varations of colors going on. I was thrilled the other day when I was using the convenience colors that I mixed in this video to see they had a similar effect where I could distinguish a subtle hint of yellow in the greens. Thank you for checking this out and already waiting for Math Monday! hehe!!! :)

[@KateTheSleepyTeacher]

M.D. Campbell that is so cool. Moonglow is such an amazing color.

[@KateTheSleepyTeacher]

M.D. Campbell ooou I still have to film :) but Monday is just around the corner and I’m excited for this one

[@sharonbayger5387]

TheSleepy Teacher thats great information. I love moonglow and some others that behave this way

[@KateTheSleepyTeacher]

sharon bayger I’m a huge Daniel smith fan. They are amazing :)

[@robynrainwater]

My experience with DS are the amazing colors with granulation and color shifting/blending properties. Try Green Gold, Bloodstone, quin sienna…. They are amazing for landscapes and textures. Those are just three but those made me switch to Daniel Smith from any other brand. I love Daniel Smith products.

[@c8Lorraine1]

Thank you. I also wondered “what is the fuss over Daniel Smith watercolours “ Very good review. I appreciate you taking the time to explain it to us.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much, lorrane! And I appreciate your generous time watching and leaving your feedback. It means more than you know! I'm thrilled you enjoyed this one! Stay well! ~ Mark

[@bonniemiller1819]

Thanks Mark. Great comparison. I use DS but not the others. Will have to try them. Great job.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, Bonnie! As i say in cooking, "one cannot live on chocolate chip cookies, alone." Actually, that may be wrong. I think I could in that case! lol!

[@KimberlyFalvoTorres]

Great info! I like how honest your opinion is. Love you videos..keep doing what you do!.

[@pattiwest2939]

Thanks for the information!!! You do a beautiful tutorial!!!

[@MDCampbell]

I really appreciate your feedback, Patti West! Thank you and thank you, also, for watching! Cheers! :)

[@Amywazwaz06]

I also hear such good things about Daniel smith. Nice to hear s good explanation above it the differences. Your line test was Really telling. Great way to show differences.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much, Amy! I appreciate your time watching and especially your feedback! :)

[@InLiquidColor]

Whoa! This really took off didn't it?! Congrats Mark!

[@thegremlyn343]

This just popped up in my feed as I'm playing with the Daniel Smith dot card. So far I'm loving the colours and you're right about how easy they are to activate and the brush is just loaded with pigment. I'm looking at moving up to a professional grade of paint that I can afford. With a bit more time in hoping to pick out my starter colours and build from there. Thanks for the great and honest review.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much for checking this out, Lucy A, and also for the thoughtful feedback! I remember years ago, when I was getting into watercolor, the only one available was Windsor & Newton (never heard of Daniel Smith back then). I would put aside a few dollars every week, and once a month I'd go to our local art store (no Amazon back then) and buy one tube. They were expensive, too, at about $7-10 per tube. But it was so worth it! It took me a while to build up a good set, which I exhausted years ago. Nowadays, I just love the availability of supplies online, having access to SO many products I never knew existed! It's amazing! Good luck with your creative journey and I have a feeling you're going to have a GREAT time exploring! Best wishes ~ Mark

[@rubyduby2656]

I liked your suggestion of buying primaries and making own set of convenience colors. I always thought about mixing on pallet, but never thought about making up a half pans worth to keep. Smart idea

[@journalartpages922]

Granulation and a unique pigments are the best part of Daniel Smith watercolors. They are pricey, but you will quickly find your favorites. Great tip about the sample swatch color card as well! I am sure you are enjoying your newly picked up Daniel Smith tubes. Great video, keep exploring!

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, Journal Art Pages. I totally agree and I'm enjoying these paints to the fullest! Stay well! :)

[@journalartpages922]

Thanks so much for your reply. I am glad to hear your investment is paying off! I love honest reviews and really appreciate when artists show the art they are actually doing with their paints. I only forgot to mention that I do a lot of wet-into-wet painting and that's where I absolutely enjoy the granulation. Also also agree about the koi watercolors you mentioned here, they are fantastic for illustrations and the use of color within smaller area, since they are pretty concentrated and slightly more opaque. While Daniel Smith colors, I feel, need to spread their wings on larger size papers (just my opinion). Thanks again! Armella

[@cindylabare960]

Thank you, I just preordered a set of Daniel Smith through art snacks and was wondering how they would be. I am excited to get them! I have the koi set now and wanted to upgrade to a better set.

[@MDCampbell]

Cindy LaBere, I love my Koi set to take with me for traveling. It's perfect! But, for my professional work and my personal art, I go with the big three: Daniel Smith, M. Graham, and Schmincke, just because their quality is extremely good. I really hope you enjoy them as much as I do! Cheers! :)

[@weiqiuyou9402]

I also have koi and want to upgrade to Daniel Smith as I've been painting more recently. I'm looking at the 24 half pan set.

[@marcynewman3863]

You have to know how helpful these videos are for beginners. Was great to see your method with the tiny travel set and how you use the water brush. Thank you. I don't really understand a dot card, is it just a wee bit of paint to sample? I will investigate that.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, Marcy Newman! I appreciate your kind feedback. As for dot cards, a lot of paint producers give away or sell dot cards so you can try before you buy. I have never ordered or purchased a dot card, but I have made them for friends. For me, I'm all-in when buying products. I don't care for samples.

[@AlaneLane]

Thank you for sharing your review.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you for checking this one out, Alane Lane, and yes, I also love M. Graham, too! For totally different reasons. Stay well! ~ Mark

[@chuchuu1312]

Im glad you're using that kind of thin paper to test because im also using the same kind of paper, it's not made for watercolor but I love how the watercolor painting turned out when it dries

[@MDCampbell]

I feel the same way, Chu Chuu!

[@RavicaArt]

For others who want to try out these paints before investing a lot of money I really love their dot charts :)

[@MDCampbell]

Yes! I just pinned a message above about this. I wish I'd called it out in the video. Thank you for the reminder and for checking out the video! Cheers! :)

[@margomargo2]

i also wanted to try Daniel Smith watercolors. I just got three 1/2 pans of the primary colors i thought i could get the most use of. Haven't fully explored them yet, though - but, will do!

[@colleenmcchesney1482]

Wow you’re the first artist I have watched that has used the Sakura Koi watercolors as well as the others mentioned. That brand was my very first set of watercolors to get me inspired and interested in painting. I have upgraded to the Winsor & Newton set of paints but I also wondered what the hype was with Daniel Smith watercolors as well. Thanks for comparison of the paints.

[@MDCampbell]

Yes, Colleen McChesney, I do still love the Sakura Koi and was literally just recommending them to a beginner artist just yesterday. There's a lot of those kinds of sets on the market, especially on Amazon, so it's hard to know which ones are good and which aren't. I bought into the the Prima Marketing paints and really enjoyed those, too; however, they weren't lightfast and had no information about how they were made. As for Daniel Smith, it's like buying Nike shoes versus buying at Payless. Sure, they both do the same thing, but one is a higher end product with strict manufacturing guidelines and top quality materials, while the other produces on the cheaper side. It all depends with comfort level and budget, I suppose. Anyhow, thank you for lending your thoughts and taking the time to check this out. Stay well (and stay cool!). Best wishes, Mark!

[@jasonjones362]

I have just recently discovered your channel and I love it. As an artist myself, I enjoy watching videos of other artists. My theory is that one is never too experienced or too old to learn something new. I am now a new subscriber. Keep up the good work!

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, Jason Jones! I'm sincerely grateful for your support and your generous words. Thank you so much! :)

[@marjoriejohnson6535]

Hope you like both the Daniel Smith's and the painters palette as much as I like. M.gram I love but not for travel. I found that cheap water colorsat a.c Moore that I empty and fit into painters palette or you can get empty half palettes from painters palette now. I carry the extra colors with me when traveling then depending on where I choose the colors I want to use from the 60 I carry with me putting chosen colors into portable painters palet...th5e water is really a good size but since I start with large diluted wash I do carry an extra mixing tray clipped to it. And a little spray bottle filled with clean water.

[@Jennifer-wr9si]

Do you mix colours from different brands and if so, have you noticed any problems? Like mixing DS and WN or MG and Schmincke?

[@MDCampbell]

Hi Jennifer K. I have mixed different brands, specifically Daniel Smith and Windsor & Newton, and the only issue with them was when the paint dried in the pan, it sank in a bit. I also noticed when I paint with them, I can see a clear color separation (for example when making green). Not a problem, but noticeable. When I'm painting straight out of the tube or from pans, mixing has not been an issue that I've noticed. I will add that I do not mix any other brands with M. Graham paints, specifically because they have honey in them and the others don't (except Sennelier, which I don't use). I hope this was helpful. Cheers! :)

[@rosieleat6868]

Nice! Great review :). Cracked me up, the laughter and appaulase in the 'coffee' break lol!!

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much, Rosie Leat! I really appreciate your time and generous words! Stay well! :)

[@CreateSomethingNewEveryDay]

Very useful video! Thank you so much for uploading it!

[@MDCampbell]

Thanks so much for checking this out! Cheers! :)

[@adriannemartin1515]

Nice review and excellent production values in your video. Thanks.

[@MDCampbell]

Hi Adrianne! Thank you so much for your lovely comment! It really means a lot! I hope you're well! Best wishes! :)

[@wakeupuk3860]

Started WC painting about three years and after watching loads of videos like yours, loving the granulation of Daniel Smiths went out and spent over all about $150 (£110) on their tubes. Initially very happy with them and would agree with every thing you said. BUT after three years found paint I put in my palette that I don't use much, become pretty much rock hard and in regard to reactivating them with just a watery brush, no way, even squirting some water over them, find may have to leave them for a couple of days to get the consistency I am looking for. Yes, I expect I am being too fussy and the professional artist would say I am expecting too much, and that you only take what you need from a fresh tube. Maybe for them, but I found I was wasting a lot of paint by squeezing too much out and dirtying the top of the tubes (for the next use) by applying a brush directly to the tube. At the time of buying my Daniel Smiths bought a small starter set of M.Grahams and found they do not go hard and reactivate very quickly with just an even light touch of a watered brush. The only thing that was a problem was liking and following Geoff Kersey's KZbin videos, he sells a plastic palette (very thin and extremely expensive for what it is) but it comes with a sponge cover that once covered with a plastic lid is meant to keep paint squeezed out into a palette wet for a long time, as long s you keep wetting the sponge. I did this for my M.Grahams and left on the shelf, spraying the sponge twice over two months, but on opening found a horrible green mould and spots all over the paint, most likely due to the honey in it. I don't use it now, I simply take my dried up M.Grahams and spray with water and they become very moist. Yes they don't have the number of and amount of graduation colours, but I found that after a while too much graduated areas looks forced and not natural. As such M.Grahams do have graduated paints and by mixing can pretty much get a good range of hues if you need to be graduated. Plus found M.Graham's support to be fast, good knowledge and the personal touch is much better than Daniel Smiths.

[@suitelady1749]

I wish you had included windsor-newton in your comparison. It is less expensive and more available for me. Good video!

[@nataliedubious5241]

@Awenda you're looking at over $80 for the most basic cotman half pan set in Australia, i skipped straight over them

[@christinamoxon]

@Awenda interesting, because their cotman range are not nearly as good as their professional range. And here in the UK they're nice and affordable. Daniel Smith are harder to find and expensive. And M Graham impossibly so. I would recommend WN professional paints but their cotman range are not very good.

[@An45789]

Agreed,i bought a bigger cotman set because when I started I loved the 12 set so much. Bud it is awful..especially for 40 euros,it is chalky.some colors are OK bud i will sell it again

[@weiqiuyou9402]

@@christinamoxon In US I saw that Daniel Smith 24 half-pan set is even a bit cheaper than Winsor Newton professional 24 hal-pan set. So probably just buy whatever professional watercolor cheapest in your region is the best choice.

[@M123Xoxo]

@@phillipstroll7385 Sorry this is a lie. Winsor and Newton paints are all made in France. Daniel Smith paints are made in the United States in Seattle. Neither have ever made anything in China.

[@kanabapuka]

Thanks, just the info I needed.

[@MDCampbell]

That's great to hear, Leon Wilken! Thank you for letting me know. Stay well!

[@vlawton100]

I really enjoy your reviews thank you so much .

[@MDCampbell]

That's very kind of you, virginia lawton. Thank you for the thoughtful words! :)

[@AnastasiaR]

I have really wondered about these. Watercolor is down on my list of favorite mediums, mainly because I often find them to be dull. I have Winsor and Newton ones. Maybe I just need these lol

[@MDCampbell]

Thanks for checking this out, Anastasia! I appreciate your time. I used Windsor & Newton for many years, thinking they were the end-all to watercolors. That's because in the 80's, the stores I shopped at only carried W&N. Once I learned about other brands, especially from other countries, it was like the world burst into color. One of my students came in last week with a set of student grade W&N paints and considered them to be "the highest end paints" she'd ever used. I wanted to tell her that there are far better paints out there and she'd get so much more from them, but I realized she'd saved up for months to buy these student grade paints and was SO happy to have them. So, I just reveled in her joy for the paints she bought. :)

[@AnastasiaR]

M.D. Campbell oh man that is SO true! When it comes to learning it’s really fine to use student grade as long as they aren’t terrible. Then there comes a point where our skill surpasses the materials and we know that our work could look better. I never noticed they were dull until recently but now it’s all I see haha

[@debl3063]

I have a basic travel set of W&N paints that I bought my senior year of college. That was over 20 years ago, so I also remember not seeing many alternatives in the art store. I was just amazed they came in pans. I had only ever seen cheep kids paints in pans before. I bought my set and used it all the time for the next ten years. Loved them. I've bought other brands over the years and hold onto that original set with some nostalgia.

[@Rosemarie04921]

My Winsor&Newton paints are way on the back burner at this point. I've switched to a DS transparent-only colors only palette and am setting up a smaller M.Graham palette, again only the transparent S. I'm happy making that decision.

[@charliebaker1427]

Cotman are not bad but professional is pretty good

[@summerbee80]

Nice review Campbell, my teacher in Japan said if you buy tube paints and you re fill the pans, do them in 4 stages. This way each layer gets time to activate and harden then apply another layer till you reach 4 layers and by that time the pan will have a beautiful flat shine and if cracked this is no biggy cos you apply water anyway.

[@MDCampbell]

Hi dimension w! I think that's a practical way to set the pans. I do it in two stages with half pans and three with full pans, just because there's so much more space. With M. Graham and Sennelier, though, the paints contain honey so they are very very slow to dry. DS and WN dry much faster. Thank you for your thoughts and checking this out! :)

[@debbieborden7651]

Thanks. I'm enjoying your videos. Good info. On a few I've heard you mention Windsor and Newton but you don't say if your talking about Cotman or pro grade. Can you specify which please? Also, when I look at them watches of the four brands, I liked the look of these M graham the best.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you for taking your time to comment, Debbie Borden! As for W&N, I don't use the student grade paints but only the artist grade. I had a set of Cotmans, but didn't enjoy them. W&N artist grade are very good, however. I am partial to M.Graham, as my experience with them has been nothing but positive. Cheers! :)

[@empress_craft]

Agree -- Schmincke does take longer to activate with water. I tend to mist mine and leave to sit for 5 minutes, before I use them.

[@TandZAptLife]

Hi. Great video. What is the name of that blue tape you used please? Do you have to do anything special to it before you tape it down?

[@MDCampbell]

That is 3M ScotchBlue™ Painter's Tape for Multi-Surfaces, but I also use Pro Specialties black tape, and regular masking tape from the hardware store. The thing is, it's not so much about the tape, as it is how you _prepare_ the tape. I recommend taking your length of tape and pressing it down on the leg of your pants, on your bed sheet, or across your chest to pick up enough lint to keep that tape from having too much adhesive to stick to the paper. Also, when pulling your tape off, never pull it straight off - ie. for vertical strips, don't pull it off straight up... for horizontal strips, don't pull it straight off to the side. _Always_ pull your tape off at a 90° angle AND away from your painting/drawing. Pull slow and low, too, to keep from tearing the paper and pulling your artwork off with it. Just some thoughts! Hope this was helpful! Thank you, T and Z RV Life! Cheers! ~ Mark

[@katf3836]

I love Teoh's channel!! BTW, thanks for the review. I won a little travel set that she used Daniel Smith's paints in. I absolutely love it. Thanks again!

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, Kat F! Glad you enjoyed this one! Cheers!

[@JunkyardSam]

Great overview of Daniel Smith. I like that you didn't oversell the brand, just a good honest review of some great paint. Seeing it in action as a travel set was unique and useful content. Thanks for posting this!

[@kimmieRH05]

I came across one of your videos and haven't left your channel yet.... I'm thoroughly enjoying your channel!!!👍🏼👍🏼 I love the DS watercolors. The majority of my palette is DS with some Windsor & Newton, M. Graham, and Sennelier thrown in. I also have lots of different student grade palettes. I enjoy them all.... for me it had more to do with what is available in my area. I do think you will really enjoy them. Congrats on Teoh's giveaway. I also follow him, and you are so very right, he is very talented!! I want to start Urban sketching and he is a plethora of information. I subbed to your channel and am looking forward to following you!! Happy painting..... 😁

[@wolfsid00196]

Man this is a really nice review and very practical. Thanks!

[@MDCampbell]

Really happy you enjoyed this one, MaeJuno! Thank you!!

[@marysu4]

One thing you really missed are the FUN colors!! Cascade Green, Undersea Green, Moonglow, Rose of Ultramarine, just to name a few, are why so many people (including me!) love Daniel Smith!! It's the granulation where a second color just falls out on the page and makes it sing! I admit I am addicted to watercolor so I have a lot of different brands. I love the Schminckes and I find they activate really easily and they are vibrant rich beauties. The MGrahams I have are a nice selection of Quinacridones, the Rose is so yummy! But the Daniel Smith paints are really my go-tos. At the very least get a tube of Cascade Green!! You'll never regret it!

[@MDCampbell]

Hi Marysu! I am with you on the FUN colors! It was hard for me not to indulge in the Primatek set that was right there on the shelf! I looked it over and just said, "no! must stick to basics first!" lol! I will definitely look into that Cascade Green! Looking online, it's fabulous! Thank you so much! :)

[@artycraftyalchemy]

The primateks are swoon worthy. I have the small starter set and just got a stick of serpentine genuine which I haven't opened yet :O Amethyst with it's shimmer is just beautiful :) They mix so well with the regular colours aswell, I like to add some of the granulating ones when I want some texture :)

[@marsbeads]

The granulation from cascade green is gorgeous

[@HandmadeByLinanne]

Don’t forget to try my most favorite color Moonglow! I’m totally in love with this color, although I’ve other loved colors from the Daniel Smith line!

[@KimberlyCrick]

I was just saying the same thing in my comment lol. Cascade Green has to be one of the most magical colors to work with ever, no matter how little space I have in a travel palette I always make sure Cascade Green is one of them. I loved Moonglow too, but I hang artwork on walls and it turned out not to be lightfast and faded over the course of a year, so I took that one out. Almost all of their other granulating colors are perfect though :)

[@KimberlyCrick]

For me "the big fuss" is all about granulation. Their unique mineral Primateks and heavily granulating paints (green apatite genuine, sodalite, lunar blue etc.) and the mixes that seem to do magic even though the pigments are common (cascade green and rose of ultramarine for instance) are a pleasure to watch disperse when working wet on wet. They allow me to make special effects, like textures in landscapes, and organic looking surfaces on leaves, with ease. The rest of the standard colors are nice yes, but I like my Mission Gold, Da Vinci or Sennelier just the same for those normal colors (phthalo blue, magenta, yellows etc). Sometimes, Mission Gold pulls ahead in standard colors because of the vibrancy and lesser degree of wet-to-dry shift.

[@Jacob_Does]

hey! no idea if you'll ever see this, but as a long time viewer now and a long time user of daniel smith, the big fuss is they offer so much veratality! they also work with local shops to get product everywhere. i originally found out about daniel smith and M.Grahm from a local owned art shop. they carry a good selection of both products. including the portable pallet you used! Daniel smith recently made gouche. they work exactly like the water colors they make. i've switched to daniel smith as my main set just from how good they feel, how well pigmented the paints are, and knowing that i can get them and support my local shop. i recently went to a art fest where they were a sponser, and talked to a couple of artists that use daniel smith paints, as well as artists that work for daniel smith. daniel smith has also started selling sets that those artists made, meaning for someone who might be trying to get into a professonal setting its easier for them get a good set. i love the video, and watching it back after 5 years its still really refreshing!

[@MDCampbell]

Hi @Jacob_Does! Thank you for checking back in on this one. I agree that there's a lot of versatility and variety in their products. As I've said before, my personal take is that Schmincke is like painting with your heart, M.Graham is like painting with your soul, and Daniel Smith is like painting with your brain. Of course, those labels are interchangeable. LOL! But, seriously, I've been a fan for years now, so I continue to be use DS as a primary set, among others. In fact, literally just five minutes ago, I just finished building a new set with 24 granulating Primatek pans and 16 granulating regular pans to make a 40 pan set of all Daniel Smith granulating paints. It's a beautiful set and I can't wait to use it! I was going to make a video on building the granulating set, but it was a very complex build, so I didn't want to make any mistakes and I was afraid that if I tried to record it, I would have definitely made mistakes. But, maybe I'll feature the set in an upcoming video, anyway? Who knows. Anyhow, thank you for you kind words and thoughtful feedback. I'm glad to know I'm not alone in my affection for Daniel Smith paints! Stay well! ~ Mark

[@Jacob_Does]

@@MDCampbell I'm glad to hear! It's also an honor to me to have you reply. You've been a big inspiration in my art journey, and you've helped me learn alot!

[@MDCampbell]

@@Jacob_Does well, I consider the honor mine! I'm just grateful to be part of a community of creative people that enjoys sharing ideas and thoughts to help one another improve, learn, and stay motivated. I wish I had this when I was young. We had Bob Ross. lol!

[@azzuparis]

Hi Mark, nice review. I have a few DS tube and I do like them but here in France are very expensive. I got some unusual and granulating colors. You've got some great colors to start with and that portable palette is great! Thanks for the video 😊

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you Azzu Paris! I understand the expensiveness of paints from other countries. It was until I found a good reseller of Schmincke paints in the US that I started with their products, which are still quite expense, also. Stay well! :)

[@helenalam2998]

Thanks so much, it’s really useful to me to customise my own colour palette

[@suzeaa]

Get Jean's Haines' Daniel Smith set. Also, you can get a lot of DS half pans on ETSY to try out before splurging on a whole tube. It's the more exotic DS colors that make DS so attractive. For instance, the Opera Pink - great to mix with and not muddy.

[@MDCampbell]

I do love the Opera Pink and often mix with yellow to produce some wonderful light skin tones. Thank you, S. R.!

[@drawingarchitecture]

I've been using Daniel Smith paint for 3 years now. What I find great with them are the exotic pigments like Moonglow and granular ones.

[@MDCampbell]

I totally agree, janeil arlegui! I skipped over the Primatek series, as the work I do doesn't do well with the shimmery glitter of some of those paints... but, I went and bought some last year. Oh boy... now I want them all! lol! Thank you for checking this one out and leaving your thoughts! :

[@dandylion7627]

M.D. Campbell you should absolutely give some of the Primatek colors a try. Green Apatite and Serpentine Green are gorgeous for landscape painting. The way they naturally separate and granulate gives amazing texture. I don't even have sap green in my palette because Green Apatite is so beautiful.

[@J.Dibble]

At the beginning of the video you mentioned using Winsor & Newton. I was disappointed that was the last you spoke of them. It seems like you don’t use them any longer? I’d like to know why. Thank you! And thanks for the video! You’re the first I’ve seen to actually address the DS buzz.

[@AnushaIvaturi]

Hi.. could you please do a video comparison of Winsor Newton vs Daniel Smith. I'm planning to buy professional watercolors but so confused between these two brands! it'll be so helpful if you could suggest/ make a comparison video! Thank you so much :)

[@MDCampbell]

Hi Anusha lvaturi! I will definitely consider doing a comparison if purchase the W&N paints. In the meantime, I'm not sure where you live, but my recommendations would be 1. Daniel Smith 2. Schmincke 3. M. Graham 4. Mission Gold. All of these brands are very expensive, but in my opinion worth it if you plan to use them. W&N was my choice of gouache paints for many, many years, so I can definitely assume you will not be disappointed with their watercolors, either. They make quality products, from my experience.

[@AnushaIvaturi]

Hi. Thanks a lot for the reply! Are the Daniel Smith watercolors granulating? I do Florals and Glaaxy paintings mostly, some people told me that Daniel Smith granulates a lot compared to others. Thanks a lot :)

[@redgeminiarts3674]

Great branding. Designer paint. I’ll admit, I love them and I love the crayon sticks too. Quality can’t be matched. I love Teoh.

[@simpleartideas]

Wow!! that's a mini but cute n beautiful landscape you made. Love that. Have a great weekend :)

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, Kids and Moms! I hope you are well and appreciate your time and feedback! Have a great weekend, too!

[@brainysmarticus]

Hello, I have never seen an artist using and purposefully buying a Chinese White (or any white) and always discard that color that came in a set that could be oh so perfect with something else than this evil white. I tried to get information on how to use mine and why is it probably the most disliked and disregarded color in the watercolor sphere but didn’t get much informations. So I was surprised to see your big tube. Can you tell us why and how you use that color? Thank you.

[@MDCampbell]

Hi Nymphalia and thank you for checking this out. I think this is the best question ever, because I was on the fence about buying it, as it wasn't cheap. But, I use white watercolor paints a lot for many various reasons. But, like you, I understand that most people don't like it because it tends to make other colors opaque when mixed. Years ago, I only painted in gouache (opaque watercolor), so I'm fairly familiar with what to expect. I use white to tone down neutral colors, like yellow ochre which is often somewhat opaque anyway, or to create highlight colors, especially with greens, that I can use for foliage or grassy areas. Another great use is to wash over colored pencil drawings to tone down the colors and create an interesting glaze over the wax that you can actually rub away, after to expose the colors more in some areas than others. Another use is to use the white on a fully loaded small brush out of the pan or directly out of the tube to add bold highlight effects on things like lips, glass, or metallic objects. Again, I did go back and forth about buying it, but in the end, my decision was that I'd rather have it and not use too much, than need it and not have it at all. I hope that was helpful! :)

[@angeliquepriore477]

M.D. Campbell x

[@brainysmarticus]

M.D. Campbell Thank you for your answer! It was extremely helpful and made me want to experiment with my whites.

[@nsavar5864]

thanks for this explanation about white. i am very new to wc and enjoy watching you work -- very very helpful to see accomplished artist working. I love your commentary, too. thanks again.

[@JaredCullum]

I love Daniel Smith and use them for all my illustration and painting work :)

[@itsatiepoproductions7338]

Thank you so much! I really needed this to start my day and I will be sharing this with so many friends! There are so many things I am wanting to do from starting an art education youtube to creating comics and book illustrations! I am sure I will get there some day.

[@MDCampbell]

Thanks Its a Tiepo Productions, and yes, I agree - you will definitely get there some day, if you want it. :)

[@createinspain]

For beginners - If you are happy with the pigment content of whatever set you have but find them too hard to activate, add a drop of honey or glycerine to palettes you are making up from tubes. It will soften them considerably.

[@AnnRicci]

Excellent video .... I am just starting to hear about Daniel Smith Watercolors...and I am happy to see that there are other watercolors that do the trick to .... because DS is way out of my budget !!!!

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much, Ann! It's literally taken me 30 years to make the jump into DS paints! I could never justify that kind of expense, but recent work and holiday gifts made it possible. I appreciate your thoughts and for checking this out. Cheers! :)

[@artycraftyalchemy]

Shop around some places right now have sales on with ds paints that are clearing them out. The sticks can be great value too I think the sticks can fill a half pan 5-6 times when you slice it up. The dot card is amazing to get a feel for the colours. I live in Australia where all of these brands are mega expensive so I often buy my WN from the UK and DS from the US. But the Mission gold is a great budget way to go. I recently bought The 36 with the palette (wishing I had gone pure pigment set instead mostly because I need to learn more about colour mixing) which gives a lot of highly pigmented colours in 7ml tubes I think for around $60 US

[@kelthulu]

One thing I really enjoy about DS watercolors is their amazing granulation. If you're a watercolorist and you love texture, that aspect of DS is worth exploring.

[@MDCampbell]

Thanks for checking this out, Kelly! I really do love the granulation aspect, however, where my work gets published in print, sometimes that granulation can scan poorly. I haven't ever had anyone complain, but I definitely notice it. It's also the reason I don't use metallic paints, as they do not look good reproduced. On paper, they look amazing - like the granulation - but scanned and reprinted... uhboy! ;)

[@ladyshadow79]

Rad video as always! Great review of these watercolors. I think I will always be an M.Graham girl, but I do own Daniel Smith, Winsor and Newton, Holbein, and Schmincke as well. I tend to have favorites from each brand, but tend to reach for my M. Grahams every time. Thanks for sharing.. I look forward to the next one. Blessings, Stacy

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you for watching, Stacy, and your thoughts. I can't argue with M. Graham. They are just really nice to work with. At some point, I think we all realize that we could probably just own a really nice set of one brand and call it a day. But that desire to try them all is just too strong! lol! I hope you're well! :)

[@Mr.S65]

Excellent review. I just wonder if as a beginner watercolor student (via tutorials on line ) as I am, using DS vs Cotmans would make a difference that will impact my learning. I hear paper makes a big difference and I’ve noticed it since it’s rather evident right away (Arches, Fabriano). cellulose paper is very hard to work on. You mixed your convenience colors from the tubes into the pans, I had no idea it was possible, clever! Watercolor for me is a hobby but I don’t want to get stuck because of the paint that I use. (Brushes don’t seem to be an issue as long as they’re for watercolor). Thanks !

[@MDCampbell]

The three things about watercolor painting for beginners and experts, are: paint, brushes, and paper. If we use high quality products, then the results will be rewarding, even at a beginner level. If we use low quality products, then the results will be disappointing, even at a professional level. So, for me, I always recommend buying what our budget can afford, but always strive to buy the best quality. That goes for musical instruments, cooking equipment, and even athletic gear. The cheap, $100 guitar may satisfy a student's immediate interest in playing, but it will eventually impede growth and may cause the student to quit from frustration. I've seen it happen. Cheers! :)

[@Mr.S65]

M.D. Campbell thank you for the clear answer! I certainly can get an artist quality set of watercolors instead of a bunch of cheap paints. And true, good tools are always necessary to be successful at anything we try!

[@EveBolt]

Yay! Congrats on the new set! They are gorgeous paints! And once you step into the Daniel Smith world, good job getting out! Next thing you'll know is that you need a bigger palette ;)

[@Rosemarie04921]

Eve Bolt - Bolt's Vault I agree. I started with very few DS but since I am most successful paint alla prima,...I had to add more and more colors as taking time to mix colors I could buy, sometimes cramps my working preference.

[@carolynderricks3226]

Why ??? I like M Graham!

[@jazzymoe]

Truuuuue. Lol

[@ifoundthisthing7954]

Thanks M. D. useful Info. Would have loved to have heard how you thought they stacked up with winsor and newton Pro also.

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you, iFOUND this THING! I started my career with artist grade W&N paints and think they are just terrific. In hindsight, I wish I had them to test with, but alas, they ran out long ago and I never replaced them. In my opinion, they are right up there with many of the big brands out there. It's an equal playing field for many of them. ;)

[@KittyKarenpoo]

I'm not too sure that your conclusion was as sound as the rest of the excellent presentation. It seemed to me that you made the case for M Graham or Daniel Smith. Which I'd totally agree with. Schmincke and Koi are super fun sets with some interesting color arrangements, but not nearly on the same level, as you perfectly showed. The pigment density, purity and refinement of Graham and Smith are extremely good. Watercolor tends to do a lot of fading and neutralizing, so that's a powerful distinction that screams superiority in those two products compared to the two competing brands. On a broader surface, other distinctions emerge, also in favor of the more refined pigmentation. Now, if I was inclined to diddle around with tiny paper formats, doing sketches out in the wild, I might even prefer Schmincke or Koi because I'd be less inclined to do electric when I need acoustic, but that's another thing, not suggesting comparable quality per se.

[@AngelOne11]

I had no idea that the color from the tubes needs to dry out first before using. Then why they don't have them dry, to begin with and what will happen if you use them wet or fresh out of the tube?

[@MDCampbell]

Hi AngelOne11. It's mostly a personal preference. Dried pans of paint are easier to travel with and to set up when using. They're easy to re-wet and just dip right into. Tubes, however, are wonderful to use, because you can control how much you want to use and because they're already in a liquid state, they're so easy to just mix with. I love using them both ways, but find dried pans are just more convenient to my style of working. Also, some companies don't sell in tubes, but only in dry pans.

[@AngelOne11]

@@MDCampbell Ah thank you so much. I am a beginner and I am learning. I appreciate your feedback.

[@stereodreamer23]

Totally with you on this brand. I discovered M. Graham and Daniel Smith when I was in grad school, and that's all I use with regards to tube watercolors. (I recently discovered Finetec's metallic pan watercolors, and those have changed my world with regard to metallics. I used to be a Schmincke fanboy when it came to metallics, but Finetecs are, IMO, much better, and less than half the price!) Love my Daniel Smiths, for all the reasons you express, and as my budget allows, I will keep buying them and M.Graham, exclusively...

[@AngelaWeddle]

Check out Daniel Smith watercolor sticks. Best “pan” watercolor ever. I am a heavy user of them and they last me at least a year, if not more. I use them with both water brushes and various qualities of sketchbooks and artist’s watercolor brushes and Arches cold or hot pressed paper or Fabriano soft pressed sometimes. They activate right away, super pigmented. I have some DS tube colors and they are great but I prefer the watercolor sticks. I also would like to see a comparison between DS tube colors and DaVinci Watercolors. I love the large size of DaVinci tubes and used to use them when I was in my twenties. I find Van Gogh watercolors to be the best student brand. I do look for archival qualities because I do fine art in addition to illustration, I hate the separation of the terms. I wish everything was archival. But I sometimes wonder is the lightfastness thing overrated? I’m a disabled artist so I usually use a sale of my work to purchase more supplies.

[@sorixvideoz9787]

Your videos are always nice & really interesting topics... LIKE

[@MDCampbell]

Thank you so much, SORIX! I really appreciate your thoughts! Cheers! :)

[@rynjeff1073]

I've used Daniel Smith for many years. Love them.

[@ajlomas7185]

Hi again Mark, sorry for the late reply, Thankyou so much for giving me that info in your last message, its real exciting stuff, which is one of the great things about art, there's always something new and exciting being developed by art supply manufacturers..although not so good for my credit card bill!! Thanks again Mark, I'll let you know what I think of these paints as soon as I've bought and tried them out, the colours are so vibrant and exciting. Take care buddy.

[@josegomezamunarriz3844]

I just try Álvaro CASTAGNET'S FRESCO GREY...And is just amazing.👾🛸 I paint with MIJELLO brandt,they' re just incredible,and Schmincke' s Silver colour is soooo usefull for paint fireworks...✨👾🛸

[@MDCampbell]

Yes, I also use Mijello and Schmincke, as well. I love all the different brands for many different reasons. Hoping you are well! Cheers!

[@josegomezamunarriz3844]

Hi,yes,I' m very well.Thanks. Hope you' re well too.Let' s paint🛸👾

[@togetvj]

Daniel Smith has some extraordinary colours amid its vast range of over 200 colours, the range of which are not matched by Schmincke or any other paint manufacturer at this time, 2021, that I know of. However, I think Schmincke Horadam Aquarell is beautiful to use and I don't find it slow to activate at all, including when dried out on the palette.

[@MrsTiffanyGrey]

Teoh is a joy! I love DS and especially their Primateks! Enjoy!

[@lydiagreenartandhorses]

I’ve used the Australian made Art Spectrum which are hard and crack and not easy to reconstitute, I bought a few Daniel Smith and so far they are the best, so easy to reconstitute with a bit of water, I’ll be changing over to them. I find the Windsor and Newton very expensive as they are in 5 ml compared to the Daniel Smith for 15mm at the same price.

[@Dawn24Michele]

Yes, they are the best. I've been using Daniel Smith since they created them. Even their oil paints are the best. Or, should I say, were the best. I haven't oil painted since I discovered watercolor. But back in the day they were the only oil paints I would use after I mistakenly used some. I say mistakenly, because as I recall, they were about twice the price as the ones I were using normally. Then I couldn't go back to after using Daniel Smith.

[@fdej51289]

Just what I needed.. thanks

[@SamiSami-bz4cc]

Woow Very helpful video. Thank you 🙏

[@brianlove541]

I checked prices (January 2023) for Schmincke, Graham, D Smith and W&N Professional. Schmincke was highest, Graham lowest and D Smith middle; Each of these brands sell their tubes with 15 ml. W&N sells 14 ml tubes (the other brands contain 15 ml) so their cost is similar to Schmincke. Since the prices are CLOSE ENOUGH TO EACH OTHER that the choice should be based on the quality and selection of pigments themselves. (Your review and tests of the three brands confirm my choice for Daniel Smith.)

[@liqiyue]

I'd like to know whether these paints are solid and sticky to the pan after days to let them dry? Will they shake or flow out of their own place when you carry the tin box or just throw the box in your bag moving around?

[@MDCampbell]

Hi inJuly 七月! Of the two sets I made, they all dried thoroughly and none were sticky, like M. Graham. All were hard on the surface and held to the pans - except one: French Ultramarine dried loose in the pan. There were gaps when I poured it, so I just filled in those gaps and it tightened right into the pan, looseness gone. Thank you for watching and I hope that helps! Cheers! :)

[@liqiyue]

Thank you very much. I'll try to make some pans.

[@dianebishopdesigns]

Thank you for the review Mark. I have also heard so many people talk about how good the Daniel Smith watercolours are. I still have my dot card that I purchased last month to try out and do some swatches of. At the moment I have the Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolours and they have been fine for learning with but I know there are better paints out there. When they are running out I want to try another brand but I haven't decided which one yet so it's nice to hear about the other brands out there and see some comparisons like you did with your swatches of the 4 different brands :)

[@kathleenwildey2757]

Love these paints!

[@drbettyschueler3235]

I have all the major sets, including the 4 you mention in this video, and have found that each set seems to work best on different types of paper. I have mixed and matched various brands and types of paper with my favorite sets to produce the look I want. With some sets I find that certain colors simply don't give the results I want so I end up using that color from another set. I suspect this wouldn't be nearly as much of a problem, if I used more expensive papers, but right now I'm still experimenting so I'm only using papers such as Arches and Canson.

[@MDCampbell]

Hi Betty and thank you for checking this one out! I'm the same way when it comes to paper. I experiment on the less expensive brands, like Strathmore and Canson, but use the higher grade for final art. ;)

[@alicealinnette]

Awesome video, Thank you Mark, I been wondering about them too. I watched Teoh videos as well. Seems like a good investment. 😊

[@SusanMJB45]

My palette has Daniel Smith, Schminke, M Graham and Winsor & Newton. They are all excellent brands. For individual colors, I have certain brands that I prefer.... hence the mix of brands in my palette....

[@twizzls5582]

Have you tried mission gold class watercolor?