How good are Rosa watercolours? | Review | An alternative to White Nights?

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If you are looking for a vibrant, good quality paint at a reasonable price, then take a look at Rosa Gallery Watercolours. They are made in the Ukraine, so you are helping a Ukraine business as well as your art.
For those who have never tried Rosa Gallery watercolors, these are beautiful, professional grade, and transparent. Rosa Gallery paints disperse beautifully, they don’t stay put. They are developed in conjunction with professional artists. The range of 70 colours has some granulating mixes and a high proportion of single pigment colours.
You can get them from Jackson’s: www.jacksonsart.com/rosa-wate... (affiliate link)
As a couple of people have pointed out at 3.08 I said PG8 is a phthalo green - it’s not ( that’s PG7). PG8 is Nitroso Green or a Hookers Green. It gets a 2* light fastness rating, so is not the highest. Unfortunately I cannot add a note to the film once it’s on KZbin, but thank you for letting me know my mistake. And I said I can’t read Russian…. Well I can’t! But I meant, I cannot read the Cyrillic script. Looking into it, Ukraine and Russia use a similar but not identical form of the Cyrillic script. Apparently each has four letters the other doesn’t. Sorry for any offence caused.
A number of people have also commented on not bringing politics into art and why should a Russian art materials manufacturer suffer due to actions of its government? Economics and business has more influence on government than the individual citizen, it seems to me. All life is politics and art is often at its most powerful when it shines a light on injustice ( look at Picasso’s Guernica). You need to follow your own conscience and I am not dictating what you should do.
Should you buy sable brushes due to animal cruelty? Should you use spray varnish due to environmental concerns? Should you use acrylic (it’s liquid plastic)? Should you buy Chinese paints due to the treatment of the Uyghurs? Should you but Russian paints if you disagree with the invasion of Ukraine? I cannot answer that for you. All we can do is educate ourselves and make a personal choice with knowledge, not ignorance.
For me, I did not use White Nights before, so rather than being a negative decision to boycott against them, it will be a positive decision for tge Ukraine. Your choice may be different.
In this film I swatch out the dot card, which I purchased for £1 from Ken Bromley in the UK. I also swatch out some tube colours which caught my eye.
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#lizchaderton #rosawatercolours #ukraine

[@BarbaraChichester]

I love Rosa Watercolors and I love buying from and supporting Ukraine. They are highly pigmented and absolutely gorgeous, you can not go wrong with these watercolors!

[@LizChadertonArt]

I’ve just got a pan set to try too…

[@chantalle7340]

Thank you for taking the time to make this review.

[@LizChadertonArt]

My pleasure!

[@mjpete27]

Hullo Liz, thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience with us! I have also been looking at the Rosa paints as a way to show support for the Ukraine and its people! I never tire of getting new paints! I have converted most of my palettes to DaVinci Paints of California but I keep several brands separate just to work from a Sennelier color palette or a Mijello single pigment palette and so forth. I love having a great palette full of my favorite colors and simply ignoring the brands! Mijello has a grey of grey color and it is simply wonderful! I have become a bit lazy and mixing ultramarine with raw sienna for my greys can be an extra chore I can avoid using the Mijello color! Thank you for another wonderful video!

[@LizChadertonArt]

I like to mix and match, but then realise I have about 8 versions of phthalo blue !

[@jenniferdoyleart]

I love the Rosa gallery paints. I have 2 sets and added some other colors along the way. Happy painting 😊

[@LizChadertonArt]

Wonderful! I’m glad to add them to my collection!

[@user-sd2jb1gg4w]

I always like watching sampling of watercolor products. It has saved me money, I only wish I had seen more of them when I first started. Thank you!

[@LizChadertonArt]

In the end you can do beautiful paintings with not great paints, so please play with whatever you have. The paper is more important.

[@alisoncross2399]

So happy to see this! I think Rosa Gallery paints are great and a good price too.

[@LizChadertonArt]

I think so too!

[@christineellis9943]

I only have a couple of tubes but I love them. Black green is perfect for painting conifers and Naples Rose is a beautiful soft pink.

[@LizChadertonArt]

Thank you, great to know!

[@myrawillis6829]

My new favorite is Rosa Gallery Aureolin Green. Very special. It can glow almost. I find they fit nicely in with with my other brands and handmade paints.

[@LizChadertonArt]

that sounds beautiful!

[@christianebehr138]

Hello Liz, thank for showing your sharing your Rosa colours they are very nice . If I need new aquarell paints I am very sure that I will put them on my birthday list. So paint a picture and Show how the colours look like many greetings from Christiane Berlin Germany. Support the Ukraine in Germany 1 Million war refugees live here. 😊😊

[@LizChadertonArt]

yes, Germany has been so much better than the UK at taking in refugees. You should be proud

[@christianebehr138]

Yes I am. I know that since Great Britan went out of the EU it changed my llife I cant buy in your shops even you live next door the toll is quite deer. I send a package to my friends the package costs me more money then posting around in the EU . I also had to fill out a tax deklaration . ( maybe England will come back again ) . Greetings Christiane

[@LizChadertonArt]

I hope we will 😔@@christianebehr138

[@jude6752]

Thank you Liz. I have just ordered some from Jacksons, but they don't have the full range and some are OOS. I did want that magenta grey, so happy you have that. I wanted to support Ukraine, and I wrote and asked if they had oxgall or honey in them, and they said they did not contain or test on animals, so I felt the investment would be worth it, and so affordable for practice.

[@LizChadertonArt]

I think I may start using them for my workshops ( I provide materials). Ken Bromley have a really good range for any future purchases ( though I love Jackson’s too)

[@chantalle7340]

I have found open stock on Etsy.

[@Grognardlass]

Very thorough review. They are lovely paints. Thank you.🌺

[@LizChadertonArt]

My pleasure 😊

[@slateportraichu5416]

Ahh, I love swatches, they are so relaxing=) Thank you for the video=)

[@LizChadertonArt]

You are so welcome!

[@pennypenpen5371]

Thank you! I ordered a botanical pan set as a gift a couple of days ago and then decided to order myself a set as well 😃 Looking forward to their arrival! It's good to see the different swatches and hear your initial thoughts.

[@LizChadertonArt]

Hope you like it! Would be interested in knowing what you think. I am planning on providing Rosa paints on workshops once others need replacing, so all feedback is welcome.

[@kashiomi_art]

Thank you for highlighting a Ukrainian brand ❤ i hope you'll enjoy using them, imo they are lovely. Also, the text isn't in russian, it's in Ukrainian, but it's easy to be confused if you don't know Cyrillic.

[@LizChadertonArt]

after I’d edited, someone else said the same, but of course you can’t change it then . I have put a note in the description and found out the both Russian and Ukrainian Cyrillic is slightly different. sorry for any offence caused.

[@kashiomi_art]

@@LizChadertonArt it's okay, it was an honest mistake!

[@LizChadertonArt]

@@kashiomi_art I love that I learn something new every time I do a film

[@izzyg8316]

You are probably the first KZbin artist that has not avoided the whole war subject, nor has sugar-coated it, when talking about White Nights/Rósa Gallery watercolors. I'm impressed. You've addressed the situation as it is and as you see it. Kudos to you, Liz, for having the courage to speak your mind. 👏

[@LizChadertonArt]

Really? Surely other people have said the same? It’s not looking great in Ukraine, is it? So sad and feel so powerless

[@izzyg8316]

@LizChadertonArt Most I've seen, have referred to it as "with the current situation that is going on", avoiding mentioning words such as "invasion" and "war" altogether. Either of fear of demonetization or losing followers, I'm not entirely sure. It honestly reminded me of the Covid situation, where content creators completely refrained from saying words such as "pandemic" and "Covid" in their videos. It truly isn't, Liz. And the fact our governments have been stalling help since November just really pisses me off. So many lives could have been spared with continuous support. :(

[@SallyMoore1000]

Very nice colours and very similar to White Nights which I am also very fond of and sad they are no longer easily available in the UK. PG8 isn't a pthalo green though, a gorgeous colour but some pigment reviewers have said it isn't very lightfast. My own lightfast test shows no change so far after 6 (winter) months next to the window.

[@LizChadertonArt]

yes, I got that wrong ( I had put a correction in the description)…. but thanks for the lightfastness info.

[@paulafitz532]

Thank you

[@LizChadertonArt]

You're welcome

[@kinestet_art]

Thank you for this review of Rosa Gallery❤ I hope, you will can easily get new colors of Rosa, that was realized in december 2023. Most of them are mono pigment paints.

[@LizChadertonArt]

I didn’t know they were bringing out new ones. I got these a month or so ago.

[@kinestet_art]

@@LizChadertonArt for now the newbies are available only in Ukraine. But it will be possible to order them since February 2024 in the popular market places.

[@LizChadertonArt]

@@kinestet_art I will look out for them! Thank you for the information

[@fanatlarge]

I have them on my wishlist for a while, but can't make up my mind which colours or sets to pick. Don't they say there's nothing as helpful as a reduced colour palette? I know that is true, but... 🙄 Your review confirms that the magenta gray, brown madder, royal? brown are indeed as gorgeous as I hoped. Note to self: Having a working set of colours for water colour painting, and being in love with every colour and hue on earth are two different things, and need to be kept separately. 😁

[@LizChadertonArt]

I think a restricted palette for each painting is great, but that doesn’t mean a restricted paintbox!

[@yaghobshojaei]

Very beautiful my dear friend and artist

[@LizChadertonArt]

thank you!

[@DAYbreaking_Ideas]

I really appreciate your review and your updates in the description. I have a lot of Rosa and enjoy them. I also have many White Nighs because I liked the pallet. Do to how they are stored determines when and how I use them. Social justice in art is a wonderful point by the way. 😀. “Good girls don’t make history!” 😂

[@LizChadertonArt]

I don’t know how to compartmentalise life and I don’t think we should….

[@SandraVink]

Thank you for sharing this review! 😊 I just wanted to add, that PG8 is not a phtalo green. PG7 and PG36 are phtalo greens. PG8 is not as lightfast as the phtalo greens. Though it’s not as fugitive as alizarin crimson, PR83. (Kimberly Cricks webpage is a great source for informations like these!)

[@LizChadertonArt]

Thanks for the info, you are entirely correct! sadly I can’t see how to correct the film now , but I have put a note in the description. PG8 is Nitroso Green or perhaps Hookers and they give it a 2* rating.

[@viktoriazuban3575]

Thanks for the review! I’ve been looking at Rosa paints for awhile now and wasn’t sure if I need another set of paints 😂 Your swatching convinced me I need to try some, now I need to choose a palette I like most. Ps. the quin gold is a bit too orange, my DS Quin Gold is so bright yellow that I need to use extremely small amounts to not make it over the top. Interesting to see how colors differ.

[@LizChadertonArt]

I was disappointed by the quin gold, but some of the other colours were gorgeous! you don’t need a whole set, but a couple wouldn’t hurt 😁

[@zerogoldfish201]

I have a bunch of Rosa Gallery tubes and love them to death. Only their green umber was disappointingly weak and crackled in the pan. The rest is very decent. And they behave better than White Nights IMO. They don’t get that Honey-like stickiness that makes you pick up way more paint than you need in your brush.

[@LizChadertonArt]

That’s great to know. I plan to get more

[@LisbethDavies]

I've got a few tubes of Rosa Gallery and keep meaning to order more so thank you for swatching many of the colours on my wishlist! I just looked at my notes and apparently I wrote that their English Red (PR101) is "Useful for brickwork but almost identical to the Royal Brown (PBR25)". I've got a tube of Mint too (added on a 3 for 2 impulse buy I think) and that was quite disappointing but I plan to give it another go. In daylight this time!

[@LizChadertonArt]

it’s always tricky to choose, but worth kissing a few frogs….

[@LisbethDavies]

Hahaha, that produces such a wonderful image in my brain!

[@LizChadertonArt]

It does paint a good picture, doesn’t it?@@LisbethDavies

[@schnook-in-boots1027]

I ordered the huge dot card and it was very inexpensive. I really like them. I ordered nearly 35 pans of color and am very happy with them. The cost was really good (I live in Germany and each pan was about 3 euros a piece). I've read that tubes aren't quite the same quality --- but I don't know if it's true.

[@LizChadertonArt]

I can’t compare the pans quality, but I was impressed with the cost-quality ratio!

[@kafachka]

Russian brend called "White Nights", not "Knights" . I do love "Rosa gallery", espescially phtalo pigments: green and blue, they are really amazing

[@LizChadertonArt]

ooh good point. I had never noticed. Will edit title etc. Thanks. I do love phthalo anything!

[@fanatlarge]

Oh, and a question: do you know if the pans are the same size as Schmincke's? So far I have only Schmincke pans, and was wondering if there are some international standard sizes for pans, so that they can fit together in one paintbox, in my case from Schmincke? Thinking Daniel Smith or QoR. Edit: I have checked and they seem different. Also mulled it over - I can use my old, empty pans to fill them up from a tube. Most artists seem to use tubes anyway, so this is probably a non-issue.

[@LizChadertonArt]

I would use tubes like you suggest. They don’t have honey in the formulation so they should harden well.

[@MoMaryR]

Thanks for this. I have their 21 pan Monopigment set and really like them. I particularly like the Magenta Rose (P.R.122) and the Violet (P.V.23) and those 2 get great reviews from Kimberly Crick too. BTW, on my included chart, the Golden Yellow is P.Y.110 and not 101 as you said. Not sure whih is correct, and not a big deal either. Appreciate your videos.

[@LizChadertonArt]

Yes, I think you are right. I had PY110 written and read out 101. Sometimes reading, speaking, filming and painting at the same time is too much!!

[@MoMaryR]

Don't know how you do it! ... but, we appreciate what you do.@@LizChadertonArt

[@elizabethbryan5960]

The green you have is marked PG8 not Phthalo PG7. PG8 is what use to be hookers green based l think on an iron compound. This seems to have been dropped due to light issues. I have Rosa burnt Sienna, which I like as it's much cheaper than the W&N one and has the bonus of rewetting easily. Maybe a little less transparent. Also have their cad yellow/light which is very green leaning. Chosen for that reason.

[@LizChadertonArt]

thank you! You are right PG8 is Nitroso Green or Hookers with a 2* rating. I can’t work out how to amend the film, but I’ve put a correction in the description.

[@redmoon8217]

Can you compare them to Roman Szmals please. I have seen some videos on Roman Szmals and their colours look amazing. However Jacksons seem to be the only UK store that sale them and they are twice the price of these. The gray reminds me a little of potters pink. But it may not look like that off screen. Thanks for video.

[@LizChadertonArt]

hiya, I don’t have any Roman Szmals I’m afraid, so I can’t compare. I have heard they are lovely, though whether they are twice as lovely, I don’t know!

[@milana6452]

Please support Ukraine

[@LizChadertonArt]

yes!

[@reallythere]

Great review Thank-you. They are really creamy, I'm using those right now. It's really funny to read people comments playing morality police declaring what's acceptable to total strangers though😂 they should live in Iran

[@LizChadertonArt]

I’ve just got some more colours to try out too…..

[@user-lw6kg7if7q]

Dear author it’s Ukrainian , not russian…

[@LizChadertonArt]

yes, I should have said Cyrillic text not Russian! I have put a correction and apology in the description when I realised. I can’t edit the film now.

[@animalista_fabrics]

Thank you for calling a spade a spade. It is completely unacceptable to buy Russian watercolors and thus support their economy and war. I don’t know why all the other artists and observers don’t mention this - art, like everything in our lives, is connected with politics.

[@LizChadertonArt]

All life ( and art ) is political.

[@izzyg8316]

I noticed that too. I think other artists are afraid they'll get demonetized or somethin'. Not Liz. Liz got the balls. Lady balls. 💪

[@LizChadertonArt]

@@izzyg8316 I just think it’s the truth. I’ve just got loads of Rosa to use on my workshops, so I will be swatching them out soon. See if I can upset anyone this time!

[@izzyg8316]

​ @LizChadertonArt Haha, that's the spirit, Liz! I'd love to try Rósa Gallery watercolors myself. Sadly, because I've just quite recently acquired a set of watercolors (Sakura Koi), it might take a while until I go through them. But I'm already doing some prep work, trying to see where I can order my Rósa watercolors from! 💪

[@anequee]

Not sure why art supplies producers from Russia should suffer because of politics. Art is art at heart. I'm a happy owner of White Nights watercolours. And I also own Rosa but I bought them before I knew they were of Ukrainian origin. And I'm from Poland.

[@AFAskygoddess]

Thank you! ❤ I was just about to say the same thing. I'm an American, and I have no intention of boycotting an innocent paint manufacturer because of their country's politics. I traveled through the entire Soviet Union in 1990. I found most Russian people are just like me. Refusing to buy White Night watercolor paint isn't going to bring about world peace!

[@mariarecuencocanas3653]

I am spanish and agree with you

[@WatercolorWizardry]

Completely agree.

[@wimotten8353]

Yes, if you’re concerned with ethics while painting, you should probably look how some pigments are obtained around the world.

[@LizChadertonArt]

A number of people have commented on not bringing politics into art and why should a Russian art materials manufacturer suffer due to actions of its government? Economics and business has more influence on government than the individual citizen, it seems to me. All life is politics and art is often at its most powerful when it shines a light on injustice ( look at Picasso’s Guernica). You need to follow your own conscience and I am not dictating what you should do. Should you buy sable brushes due to animal cruelty? Should you use spray varnish due to environmental concerns? Should you use acrylic (it’s liquid plastic)? Should you buy Chinese paints due to the treatment of the Uyghurs? Should you but Russian paints if you disagree with the invasion of Ukraine? I cannot answer that for you. All we can do is educate ourselves and make a personal choice with knowledge, not ignorance. I have been given some Polish Renesans paint to try. do you use that and what do you think of it? I only have a few colours, but will do a review in the next couple of weeks.

[@artangel9634]

As a person of colour the horrific treatment displayed by the Ukrainians towards Africans and people of Muslim faith has certainly put me off supporting Ukraine, look it up. I shall continue to use White Nights without hesitation. The war is wrong but i shall not take sides. At least you speak your mind, many dont,you have my respect for that.

[@LizChadertonArt]

Thank you. I will look it up. Rarely are things clear with one side 100% right or 100% wrong and yet we end up having to choose sides often on the balance of least worst. I appreciate you stating your case so clearly and calmly

[@leestasya1]

And I am Russian. And we gladly use Ukrainian supplies, and Ukrainians gladly use Russian goods. Do not think that you know even one small thing about relations between our countries, we all mostly Russians and we will get through it, not the first time.

[@LizChadertonArt]

A number of people have also commented on not bringing politics into art and why should a Russian art materials manufacturer suffer due to actions of its government? Economics and business has more influence on government than the individual citizen, it seems to me. All life is politics and art is often at its most powerful when it shines a light on injustice ( look at Picasso’s Guernica). You need to follow your own conscience and I am not dictating what you should do. Should you buy sable brushes due to animal cruelty? Should you use spray varnish due to environmental concerns? Should you use acrylic (it’s liquid plastic)? Should you buy Chinese paints due to the treatment of the Uyghurs? Should you but Russian paints if you disagree with the invasion of Ukraine? I cannot answer that for you. All we can do is educate ourselves and make a personal choice with knowledge, not ignorance.

[@leestasya1]

@@LizChadertonArt Absolutely. I support my government. This conflict has a very clear background and logical reasons. For 8 years, the government of Ukraine has been bombing its regions and its people. Children, old people and women died. And she was not going to comply with any international rights and agreements. Nevertheless, I am only half Russian and half Ukrainian. We don't divide our blood into nationalities, we just want peace. Ukrainians are our brothers and sisters, no matter what anyone says or thinks. Therefore, there can be no blockade. Most of the Ukrainian refugees are in Russia. And this has not been going on for 2 years, but for the 10th year in a row.

[@michelemarchesani5139]

Kindly and thoughtfully said!@@LizChadertonArt

[@LizChadertonArt]

Thank you @@michelemarchesani5139

[@LizChadertonArt]

We can agree that ordinary people want peace, and that yes, this has been going on for 10 years since Russia annexed Crimea @@leestasya1