How I fill watercolor pans (DIY)

This video looks at how I fill watercolour pans with tube paints, and how to dry them. You can buy empty pans easily online. How to fill them is not difficult but there are some things to note.
Below are links to all the things mentioned and talked about in the video:
Jane Blundell on filling pans
janeblundellart.blogspot.sg/20...
Jane Blundell of partially filling pans
janeblundellart.blogspot.sg/20...
MIssion Gold Watercolour:
www.parkablogs.com/picture/rev...
Daniel Smith Watercolour:
www.parkablogs.com/content/my-...
M Graham Watercolor:
www.parkablogs.com/picture/rev...
QOR Watercolour:
www.parkablogs.com/picture/rev...
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[@nicsluckytw1]

i didnt realize that filling the pans with the tube paint was sort of a normal thing. couldnt get that concept, now i get it. im filling everything i can find! fun! im filling desk palettes and little plein air palettes,, didn't understand that this was an appropriate thing to do, im so slow!

[@gypsysnickerdoodle4354]

Tammy Wilson depends on the formulation. Most brands, like WN, use evaporative elements that aren't reconstituted. with water. So good to get advise about the Sennelier tube paint. I have been waiting days for my *one* Sennelier filled pan to dry 'properly'. no loss, it is an Opera Pink, which is really a fugitive colour, so I shouldn't really have it anyway. The dupe perm roses *just aren't the same* colour as Opera, so it is a shame that nobody has created a perm Opera. Guess I'll just have an excuse to snag a Daniel Smith Quin sampler 😉

[@alistewart3451]

I use a toothpick to push the paint into the corners of the pans and get rid of air bubbles. Tapping the pans on a table or desktop also helps the paint settle and pushes air bubbles to the surface. I find that I have much less shrinkage this way.

[@nicolegrace2410]

OMG I do that too ! :-)

[@MyCraftyMind4U]

Ali C I was thinking that would be ok as well, is there any reason not to, would it cause air Pickett?

[@guardianobserver6593]

Ali C I can't find any toothpicks in my kitchen! 😠

[@aZnLy96]

use a needle maybe? thaha :)

[@justabunneh6490]

I've never filled a pan before, but that did pop into my mind as a solution o:

[@deannaevanzo4601]

Tip use pill reminder cases to put the dried paint in to reconstitute as well as store

[@ThemeParkProduction]

Last night I was looking for a video exactly like this but I found absolutely nothing... The next day I wake up and check my youtube subscription and guess what? My favourite urban sketcher uploaded that exact video I needed :)

[@teohyc]

Thanks ☜(˚▽˚)☞

[@nicolegrace2410]

when I fill my half pans I squeeze in the paint and then take a tooth pick and level the top making sure to push the paint into all 4 corners . this is important so you avoid the gaps which allow air in over drying out your paints . if your use the tooth pick to seal all 4 corners it will keep the paint moist underneath making it easier to re wet later . it also feel it's easier on the brush having a nice even surface on the top and it looks pretty :-)

[@EmoTheElephant]

Thank you for this! I've been trying to find out why cracks and gaps in the pans are bad but haven't seen any actual reasons until now!

[@parkyeseong4783]

Is it normal to dry it out??

[@ruffeyx]

@@parkyeseong4783 it is.most brands dont have problem to dry it out, and can be easily re-wet later when u want to use it. brands like Daniel Smith, Schmincke use the same formulation of their paints for tubes & pans. i myself using Mijello tubes to fill my pans, dry it out, and easily re-wet. brands that are not suitable to do this such as Winsor & Newton tubes to fill pans and dry it out because it is relatively hard to re-wet, as experienced by many users, and statements by the Winsor & Newton company themself.

[@parkyeseong4783]

@@ruffeyx oohh! Got it. Thaanks for that! 😊😊

[@cutiepiedaina]

thanks! i always love hearing the little birds in the background :)

[@hovawart16]

Me, too! Singapore must be a lovely place.

[@MRZjuan]

same XD

[@hamerray]

After you fill the pan up with the paint how about tapping the bottom of the pan onto a solid surface to help the paint settle down and remove the air bubbles.

[@AlexpxThreeTen]

That was awesome. I never even thought there’d be tricks and tips to filling pans. Thank you so much for this video!

[@ruffeyx]

I dried my half-filled pans with Mijello tubes in the oven at 90'C for >30 minutes. this works for me, as the plastic pans show no sign of melting, and the surfaces dried beautifully. although different pigments dried quite differently. some with very smooth surface and no cracks (lemon yellow, p. yellow light, p. yellow deep, yellow ochre, burnt sienna, cobalts, etc), some with minor cracks (the quinacridones, the phthalos).repeat the process for the second time so that the pans really filled with dried paints almost up to the brim. i have no problem in re-wetting them, and to me it still retains the same characteristic of freshly squeeze out paints from tubes.

[@Cuttlebuglover]

I was looking for tips on drying the filled pans, your tip about closing the lid most of the way but using a pencil to stop it closing completely was just what I needed. Thank you

[@krazeevilturtle]

Something else that helps avoid gaps and bubbles is to tap the half pan on the table after the first filling to help the paint settle. Then as the paint dries (once it develops a dry film but while it's still soft) push down on it gently to encourage it to stick to the walls of the pan and shrink in the middle. As always, very informative and helpful, thanks Teoh!

[@teohyc]

It's like pressing down on eye yolk. You won't know when it's going to burst. LOL

[@krazeevilturtle]

+Teoh Yi Chie True! It's also probably different by brands. I mostly use Schmincke which shrinks down in the center on its own (and is also the same formula for tubes/pans). On another note, Jane also talks about filling pans at an angle. Have you tried that? I mostly use half pans so I don't know if filling it at an angle is worth the effort, since the pan is so small.

[@teohyc]

+krazeevilturtle Her reason is to make it less likely to damage the brush. I don't mind replacing brushes though because I don't go through brushes that fast 😂 For smaller half pans, it means the paints can be used up quite fast. Unless you put full pans in your box instead of half pans and make do with lesser colours.

[@RinA-wy8vn]

Filling it at an angle is also nice if you do not have as much palette space to mix in, because it lets you have a small dish of color without submerging all of the pigment. :)

[@annprice9481]

For a beginner watercolor painter, this was most helpful. Thanks much.

[@MarceloJost]

While wet like this, I just tap the pan on the desk and the paint settles in the bottom, like wet sand in the beach. Excellent videos. Congrats and thank you.

[@gurujad1533]

You should write a book and compile all of your notes and observations. Too knowledgeable and dedicated. Think about it. It could be called: The Teoh Te Ching on Painting!

[@prernatripathy8406]

Teoh te Ching is the most hilarious thing I have ever heard

[@TsukabuNosoratori2]

I got my first metal paint box a few weeks ago and this video was very informative and useful for techniques and tips. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us :)

[@teohyc]

Thanks :-)

[@MyCraftyMind4U]

Thank you for showing the proper way to fill the paint pans I am very new to watercolor and I thought I could not use my paint because it shrunk and got so hard I was about to throw them out. Thanks again, so glad I saw this in time!

[@teohyc]

Some paints will solidified until it's very hard and very difficult to dissolve. For those paints, do not squeeze out. Use them as tube paints.

[@michelles6161]

Teoh, I love your videos! You really help us that are new to watercoloring, Thanks!

[@paintedjackal7157]

I just made my own pan set because I find the tubes hard to use, and this video was very helpful! I actually ended up using my own “pans,” being empty, two sided spin-top eyeshadow containers (each side is maybe as large as a full pan? Maybe a little larger? I just didn’t have actual watercolor pans in the house and the eyeshadow were old and accessible, lol.) and they seem to be doing very well so far! :)

[@Donna_G]

I have a cheap plastic palette and all this time, I've just been squeezing paint from the tubes into the wells. I don't fill the wells all the way and I don't try and get all the corners filled. The paint dries and I just use it. The only color that I've had problem with loosening up is DS cobalt blue. All the other colors seem to stay put. I can still use the colors.

[@That_Girl_7_11]

Glad to see you're back to good Health again Teoh!!! As usual another great and informative Video!!!! Thank you :)

[@teohyc]

Thanks ♪~ ᕕ(ᐛ)ᕗ

[@pudgeallday1265]

You post the most helpful posts. Thank you!!!!

[@baybay23613]

I'm learning so much with your channel, thank you.

[@teohyc]

+Chabe Escalante Thanks 😁

[@amILUNatic]

this is just me being silly but I cringed when you didn't squeeze the tube from the bottom haha

[@teohyc]

LOL.

[@yuzulemonvt]

Just cut them open when they seem to be empty. Even dried out tubes. Just cut them and cut the dried up paint pieces to fit into the pans. They still work with a little bit of water!

[@PaulaStreet]

Thank you!

[@EveBolt]

One day to dry sounds so perfect, but sadly that's not the case here. I just finished filling half-pans with your palette color selection and it took about a week to dry. I'll probably have to add in more paint too because some colors shrunk quite a lot. I wish it took only a day, having to wait a week to try the paints was taxing my patience a lot :)

[@teohyc]

Where do you live? I'm from Singapore and it's quite humid here but at least it's sunny. Sometimes I would put the pans on top of my LCD monitor to dry because my monitor runs hot. Of those mini fans might work too. LOL. Or you can use a hair dryer just to speed up the process. LOL. Just don't put it into an oven.

[@EveBolt]

I can't imagine cooking the paints, haha. I'm in Canada, so it's not too sunny but quite humid too. I just switch to another set, and keep ckeching if the pans are dry. At least, once they are dry, I'm good for a while :)

[@illepu]

Thank you. I found this video to be extremely informative and useful.

[@teohyc]

+Evangeline Brown Thank you 😀

[@aneelab4803]

really enjoy watching these videos. very practical and to the point.thank you!

[@teohyc]

Thanks :-)

[@conniebigelow8732]

Vey helpful. I just purchased a empty palette box and I will be trying this tomorrow. Thanks.

[@sooyaa311]

I really love your videos teoh ut helps me alot!!! Im so glad that I found your channel a long tiee ago!!!and your videos are relaxing!!

[@teohyc]

Thanks for your long time support :-)

[@maryalgar8779]

Thanks - exact info I was looking for in terms of how many times can you fill half pans with various mL tube paints.

[@chammikaiser7740]

Teoh, I usually fill my pans and then smooth down the colours with a palette knife pushing it into the corners. Makes a lovely smooth finish. By the way, thanks for the tip about not leaving the paints in the sun. Learnt something there. Big mistake on my part. ughhh!!!

[@teohyc]

Thanks. That's a good idea on using the palette knife. It's like making a cake. LOL.

[@peev180]

Loaded with good clear info...nice job....

[@ayapeaches8987]

I always cry whenever someone accidentally spill a tube of paint especialy from high quality brands like holbein or daniel smith. Because im poor and every drop for me is like a drop of liguid gold.

[@gabrielbarile73]

Believe me: you are not.

[@uwuli2383]

@@gabrielbarile73 you okay?

[@erins.5420]

I had to empty all my tubes because of where I live which is super hot and dry I found a few drying up and freaked out. So I bought a bunch of blunt tip lure lock needle and 20ml syringes to make the huge task hopefully less painful. Not only do they "pour" the cleanest pan alive, i can measure how much is actually going into a pan, and for the little bit left over will actually stay better sealed than in the paint tube so I can just push the rest of the paint out when I can fit the remaining amount into the pan. I just ended up buying 100+ half pans from Jacksons Art in England (super cheap) and poured all the paint I had from the tubes I was most worries about drying up. Made everything easy, no bubbles and clean with little waste!

[@TheNovemberlight]

That's a brilliant idea! I use blunt tip needles / syringes for ink, but haven't tried it for tube paint. Now I will. Cheers from England, home of Jackson's Art. :)

[@teohyc]

You may want to try putting the tubes in an air tight container.

[@hovawart16]

I may try this as I have access to syringes. Which gauge of needle did you use? I can imagine some of the smaller gauges not being able to handle the thick consistency of tube watercolors, and it would save me some trouble if I knew right off which gauge was likely to work well.

[@erins.5420]

hovawart16 I use a blunt tip 15G

[@erins.5420]

hovawart16 but since you have access to them I suggest committing one color to each syringe. I've been able to store paint in the syringe but depending on your climate and how long you keep the paint in there it does have the possibility to dry up.

[@notapixbygulsensahin]

Thank you Teoh! I am so glad that I found your channel.

[@teohyc]

ヾ(⌐■_■)ノ♪

[@barkavid8309]

thank you so much for such prompt reply. i also wanted to ask how to start learning watercolour. it will be of great help if you can give me a basic struture for the process of learning as there are too many books and demos , i feel overwhelmed as to whichbone to choose . Thank you

[@noonghazi]

helpful as always. Thank you for the great videos

[@teohyc]

Thanks ʕ•ᴥ•ʔ

[@andreaknox3801]

Welcome back!

[@teohyc]

+Baba Knox Thanks 😁

[@numbuh53]

teoh, may i ask where you got the metal holders in the palette box to hold the pans? or did they come with it? if so what's the name of your box? (i'm sure you must have said this in one of your videos before haha so sorry in advance)

[@lordpotato3232]

This was really helpful

[@scopicdrive3942]

Hi Teoh and once again thank you for your videos! I have a problem with my watercolor tubes: some of the pigment or too much liquid (the brand is schmincke) and when i carry my watercolor box for a sketch journey, it is flowing everywhere. How can i fix this? Is there any tip to prevent this? Is drying with a hairdryer a good solution? Thanx!

[@teohyc]

The paint should be able to dry on their own in a day under the sun. I put them inside a closed box with little gap for the moisture to escape. If you feel that your paints are still too wet, you can use the hair dryer. After each painting session, make sure the paints are dry (at least on the surface), and that should prevent the paints from flowing around. For my case, when I paint outdoors, after each painting session, because of the heat, the pans should dry by the time I keep them in my bag.

[@lucasdias178]

Does fill with tube paints have practical differences from standard pans?

[@amicamiabella]

So helpful, thank you very much!

[@teohyc]

+Anja Meurer Thanks. I'm glad that it's helpful 🙌

[@NicholasAarons]

Great Video. Keep up the great work. Nick.

[@teohyc]

Thanks :-D

[@pai009]

This video was very helpful. I'm just wondering approximately how long it'd should take for watercolor to dry if you put them in a closet instead of outside? I didn't want to put the palette outside because we have a lot of squirrel around where I live, and i didn't want it just out in my room so my cat can't get into it. I live in California in the US where it's pretty warm and dry right now. What I'm using can hold a full 12 ML tube per compartment.

[@teohyc]

Not sure how long it would dry inside closet. Just get some Blu-tack and stick them to the side of walls or cupboards where there is no way your cat can reach.

[@pai009]

Kind of the same idea as the cupboards, I wasn't even considering putting them on the floor. Its just that i tried doing this with some watercolor paints I had, not professional grade a 24 set just cost me around $10, and let it dry in there for abut 3 days before i checked on it. I actually cleaned it out because they worn't drying, some of them were just as wet as when I put them into the pallet. I was just asking because it seems like you do this a lot, and I want to get as much info as I can. Oh and when I put the paint into the pallet, separated into 24 different compartments, the black had a hole in it but what was in the tube was still liquid. With that knowledge I'm guessing something went wrong with that paint considering I've had it, unopened, for over a year.

[@MiniMu-2008]

Do you make your own custom mixes from tubes and put them into half pans to create custom pans or recommend keeping the pans filled with just pure colors from the tubes? Thanks for the great instructional video. Much appreciated.

[@teohyc]

+Nora Pavia I don't create custom mixes for pans. Pure colours have more flexibility when it comes to mixing, and also colours can have larger variations when allowed to mix on paper.

[@catnip6357]

Have you tried successively tapping the base of the half pan on the table while the paint is still wet? It helps push down the paint to the bottom of the pan, removes the bubbles/gaps and smooth down the top surface of the paint. I've tried it after transferring the M Graham paint to the half pan and it worked nicely. I just don't know if it will work the same with other brands :)

[@teohyc]

+catnip63 Thanks. It may push the wet paint around to fill the gaps, however when it dries, it would still shrink to produce gaps. Hence the need to fill it several times to cover those holes and gaps.

[@catnip6357]

Yes, you are quite right about that one. I noticed that when the Burnt Sienna dried up it shrunk from the sides of the half pan.

[@MyCraftyMind4U]

I learned that the hard way I refilled on top of the old paint only to find they all got like slime and not doable sadly I lost 13 full 1/2 pans of paint. Ugh... it was upsetting! Thanks for your reply.

[@barkavid8309]

Hi Teoh Yi Che, i am new to watercolour , so if you dont mind can you please explain the reason and advantages of filling the tube colours into pans and drying them instead of using them straight from the tube. Thank you.

[@teohyc]

+Barkavi D It is more convenient to bring them outdoors this way. However, tube colours are easier to dissolve to create large washes.

[@WendyColeArt]

Very helpful, thank you. I needed to know about putting my mission gold into pans. Do they dry fast or slow? I live in a dry climate. I would be nervous about putting them in the sun, it's very intense in this desert climate and also higher altitude.

[@teohyc]

Mission Gold uses honey and may have difficulty drying complete. Since you live in dry climate, it should help with drying. Just cover the paint, out put in a box with gaps for airflow, when putting them under the sun.

[@WendyColeArt]

@@teohyc thanks Teoh, so are these better to just fill half pans halfway instead of full?

[@teohyc]

@@WendyColeArt Fill with separate pours, not with one single pour to prevent gaps from forming

[@aet523]

I am looking for refill pans for my W&N Cotman in white but I cannot find it any anywhere! I can only find professional grade pans by W&N which are like $6 a color. I am really not a fan of tubes. It’s too messy for me and I feel like I go through it much quicker. Do they even sell single Cotman pan refills? If so, where can I find them besides eBay?

[@teohyc]

They sell pans but not easy to find. Pans are expensive. One 5ml tube can fill a half pan 2.5 times. A 15 ml tube can fill it 7 times. It is easy to fill empty pans and let them dry out. As for being messy, just do it slowly.

[@SilentSketcherIllustrations]

This video was so useful, I made a watercolour palette about a week ago and I made a huge mistake by leaving it on my window side in strong sunlight (I used a transparent container) and thankfully, you've answered a load of my questions! I didn't think about how lightfast wc paints would be as I'm so used to using markers and such. Thank you! And I also have a question; I live in the UK and a I've been looking into the Mission Gold paints, I really want to give them a try as the colours look so intense however I've not been able to find them. Do you know any UK sites that sell them or would I just have to import them? Thanks again!

[@teohyc]

Watercolours are definitely more lightfast compared to markers. Markers can fade within weeks under the sun. As for Mission Gold, you can find them on Amazon UK: www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mission+gold+set&tag=parblo-21 However, I think they are quite expensive on Amazon UK. It might still be cheaper to import it from Amazon USA. I recommend the 9-tube set for USD $28: www.amazon.com/Mission-Gold-Water-Color-Colors/dp/B009W6BMFA?tag=parblo-20

[@NeonQueenDx]

I found that starting at the corner messes up the tip for my tube(because the pan is so small and paint gets everywhere ) so i just squeeze it straight into the middle until i feel its full enough and than tap the pan like crazy on a flat surface lol. Always comes out perfect because tapping lets the paint spread as well as getting out air bubbles

[@patricialyn5948]

Hi, i need help i dont know how to mix the binder when the binder is sorted in a watercolor tube.. pls help

[@nicsluckytw1]

I see, I commented on your other video about the paint running out of the pan, I see, you said to let it dry for a day or two with the top open enough to let air circulate. I have been wondering about how portable tube water color is, and you did a great job explaining, thanks! great vid! I am going to assume that using the tube paint like this that it is not different than buying and using a pan? I guess it boils down to brand, etc,, artist choice,, right?

[@teohyc]

Main advantage of filling pans with tubes is it is much cheaper in long run. Other than that, it's really personal preference. Some rare colours are more difficult to rewet when harden though. And also some brands have paints that are difficult to dry in pans, such as M Graham (with honey). And QoR watercolour does not work well in pans.

[@nicsluckytw1]

I have some Grumbacher tubes that were given to me, they are kinda dry anyway and I put them in the pans like you do. They set up great and I enjoy the colors! Since I am a hobby painter - this brand is great for me - and putting them in the pans is a great way to utilize the remains of the old tubes. Thanks for your timely comments! love your work!

[@joebeamish]

Very helpful, thanks!

[@sprucehouse9]

Good tips--I've had paint squirt out on first opening too many times to count! After I squirt the paint in the pans, I use a toothpick to swirl it around real good in the pan and really push it into the corners--it seldom shrinks away from the pan that way. Don't know why--just doesn't.

[@kieren024]

have you used Dr Ph Martins Hydrus to fill a pan? should you leave it out to dry then re-water them again?

[@teohyc]

+kieren024 Hydrus? I don't have that. If you are using it that way, why not just use normal watercolour pans, or tube squeezed into pans. The only issue I have with drying Hydrus is, it will take a long time since it is in liquid form, and when you use it, you are wetting it, so it will take a long time to dry again. Not very practical.

[@rachs2797]

i need to fill some smaller pans so i can carry them in vacation, but my watercolors aren't in tube, they are really big pans. how can i do?

[@ranisye]

is all the tube brand can dry? sorry for asking 😂 because i really don't know. i want to buy marie's watercolor but i just feel maybe i need to ask first. and sorry for the bad english😊

[@teohyc]

Most can dry except M Graham.

[@pepperwhite476]

Thank you Teoh!! This is very helpful, I have tried doing so in the past, only to find that the paints dry poorly and become granulated. When I would rehydrate them for use, they broke into pieces, and wouldn't melt out into nice color. I'll give your suggestions a try and see if I have better luck.

[@teohyc]

+Pepper White You have to refill several tips to prevent the breaking. Just fill it one third, let it dry, and fill, and dry and fill. It is a bit troublesome the first time.

[@stevenkennett8694]

I'm going to try using a detail sander (with no sanding paper of course) mounted to a piece of wood to see if I can vibrate the air pockets out of the pans.

[@teohyc]

+Steven Kennett 😨

[@stevenkennett8694]

haha it's not dangerous. the detail sander is about the size of a computer mouse and it just vibrates, no spinning parts. I've used this to get the air bubbles out of my molds and resin casts.

[@hovawart16]

How did it work?

[@stevenkennett8694]

Very well, removed air bubbles and leveled the paint in the pans. I had to keep the pans in the pan holder of my set and clamped it down to the little vibrating table I made. It doesn't take much. Just like 10-20 seconds. I was using half pans. I do this for all kinds of things...like when I cast resin from 2 part molds I make of my sculptures. Takes out all the air bubbles as well.

[@nicolegrace2410]

glad your back and feeling better :-)

[@teohyc]

Thanks. At least I can talk now. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@lc5464]

So helpful!

[@maryalgar8779]

You were filling a Schmincke palette. I assume you have worked with Schmincke at some point. How did you like it - comparable to Daniel Smith?

[@teohyc]

+Mary Algar They are the same quality

[@xDizzyBx]

Teoh I got a question for you, I recently filled my new half pans up to the top with Winsor & Newton watercolor tubes, without letting it dry by layers (just filled each one of them completely in one go) so its taking too long to dry, been 2 days and the paint is still very sticky and wet more so that here has been windy, cloudy and humid these days, so my question is: Will it be faster IF I let them dry with the box open inside the house to avoid direct sunlight on the pigments OR that is not recomended?

[@teohyc]

As long as the paints do not run, it's okay for them to appear wet. Some paints just look wet and never dry. It's important that they don't move because you don't want them to flow out everywhere in the box and bag. You can use other ways to dry. 1. Put the box out into the sun. But don't expose the paints to direct light. Have the cover over the paints, but leave a gap somewhere. You can put a pencil between the cover and the paint. 2. Use a hair dryer. 3. Put in on top of electronics that get warm (e.g. TV, LCD monitor).

[@xDizzyBx]

Thank you very much for the answer, I will keep that in mind for sure :)

[@YumiTab]

It's not the first video where you mention that Viridian is a "bad" color by Daniel Smith because it becomes rock-solid when it dries, but I don't really have this problem as long as I spritz it before using it. I just feel that Daniel Smith's viridian is overall not so pigmented, even if you use it right from the tube.

[@teohyc]

Ah ha. I'm not a fan of that colour from any brand. lol. Perhaps it's better from the tube. It's just not strong enough even when compared to greens mixed from yellows and blues.

[@YumiTab]

Yeah I agree, it is very weak, but it does granulate beautifully :D. I haven't tested any other brand yet, but handprint refers to Daniel Smith's Viridian as being "[one of] the least intense of the group tested". I just ordered online Winsor&Newton's Viridian and will probably receive it in the mail soon, so I'll see if it is stronger :). Anyway, nice video !

[@RinA-wy8vn]

M Graham's Viridian is quite strong. I like it better than Pthalo Green because it doesn't stain as heavily and because it has a little bit of granulation to it. The key to filling pans with M Graham (especially in humid environments) is a LOT of patience. Do not try to fill it in one or two passes--you need to build it in thin layers, with at least a few days to dry after each. Try four or five thin layers. OR, just make a small palette from a tin and a clear tray that used to hold bubblegum or medicine. It's already divided and the little spaces are fairly shallow, but you do have to be sure to pick all of the foil away so it doesn't snag the brush or wick paint.

[@OneKindWord]

Thank you. That’s good information.

[@jendeleonart]

Thank you for posting this. Is it better to use pans that are opaque/white vs clear/transparent ones? Does it actually matter (light exposure) or is it just a matter of personal preference?

[@teohyc]

You mean colours that are opaque vs transparent? Opaque colours are good for covering other colours. E.g. You can use opaque yellow and orange to cover other colours but you can't with transparent. Transparent are good for mixing, and for glazing/layer and good if you draw with pen or pencil and want the lines beneath to show through.

[@jendeleonart]

Teoh Yi Chie thanks for responding! I meant the empty plastic pans that you can buy (from Amazon for example). There are regular white ones (which are opaque) and clear ones. I was just curious if it matters which ones I buy/use. I like the look of clear pans, but I'm not sure if light exposure would be an issue. ☺️

[@teohyc]

I've not see clear pans before. All the ones I've seen are the white opaque ones. There won't be any difference since they are just used to hold paints. As for paint exposing to light, they will need many hours each day for months for years before the colours fade, assuming you get lightfast paints to begin with.

[@jendeleonart]

Teoh Yi Chie that makes sense. Thank you for always being so helpful and informative. 🙌🏼

[@capbin146]

Do you have any tips to stop the paint falling out when dry?

[@teohyc]

Just fill the pan to the brim, and fill any holes that appear after drying. That should keep the paint in the pan.

[@glasshalfsunny]

Hi Teoh! Thank you for this video. I am a beginner with watercolor and am trying to decide between the Mission Gold tubes or the Lukas 1862 pan set. I can get both on Amazon. I like the Lukas because of the metal tin but these Mission colors are also gorgeous! Have you ever tried Lukas? I don't have the empty pans so I would have to get them if I get the tubes. Any input on which way I should go? The tubes may be more cost effective but I really like the pans with the tin. Anyway, thanks for your video. Just LOVE the colors you got with the Mission sketches! You inspire me to keep practicing! :)

[@teohyc]

Beginner? I recommend you get Prima Marketing's Tropicals set to try first. It cost around USD $20 and is really worth the money. See my review at www.parkablogs.com/content/review-prima-marketing-watercolor-confections-tropicals After you use up the paints, you can then buy tube sets to refill them. Don't throw away those plastic pans, reuse them. I recommend getting the Mission Gold 9-tube set for USD $29. Those tubes are 7ml so it's like spending $29 to get three watercolour sets (since those tubes can fill half pans three times). Here's the review of Mission Gold 9-tube set on my blog: www.parkablogs.com/picture/review-mission-gold-watercolors-9-tube-set It won't cost you more than USD $50 but you get really high quality paints!! I'm so excited just talking about it. LOL

[@glasshalfsunny]

Thanks to you I already OWN the Prima Tropical set! Those are nice, but my birthday is coming up in July so I wanted to splurge on artist quality. That's IT! I am getting the Mission Gold ones! Not sure if you get anything from my purchase, but I will try to use your link just in case! Happy Birthday to me! Now I'M excited too! woohoo! :) Thanks! Looking forward to your next video!

[@teohyc]

Oh yes, if you click the Amazon links on my blog before buying, I do get some commission. The 9-tube set is the that's worth the money. It should be under USD $30. www.parkablogs.com/picture/review-mission-gold-watercolors-9-tube-set

[@bernardlillis8827]

Just squeeze the paint into the pan and then tap the pan on a hard surface 3 or 4 times and the paint will go to all corners and settle down nicely.

[@teohyc]

+Bernard Lillis Good idea

[@jaf120265]

I do this too Bernard.

[@fokhrunnesafakhrunnisa1558]

I am big fond of painting 😊😊😊

[@hollyp31]

I've never done this my self before, but am thinking of getting Winsor and Newton in tubes. Would these set. Also how do I set them. New to watercolor and have no idea

[@teohyc]

Same process.

[@hollyp31]

Okay, thank you. How long do I need to leave them for them to set and go hard

[@NeonQueenDx]

Winsor and Newton is my favorite! I love how it blends

[@lungsheartdisease]

hi, i have a question, there has been a lot of time since i dont use my tube watercolors, i put them in a pan case, but some of then went completely dry, almost like stone ... are those colors still usefull or i have to buy new ones ?

[@lungsheartdisease]

they came like a rock inside the tube

[@teohyc]

For the hardened watercolour, just cut the metal tubes and extract the paint into some empty pans. They are still usable when you add water. Some brands may not dissolve as easily

[@quinacridonerose3309]

Some colours do not dissolve easily, like veridian. When you reconstitute dried watercolour paints with the intention of working them into a paste to use in pans use water that was once boiled for ten minutes then cooled to at least room temperature so you will not be including any mold spores that may be in the water. You can also grind the hardened paint and dissolve that. To keep that paint from hardening like rock you might want to add a tiny bit of honey. Some colours are naturally granular, check manufacturers' labels (this is a property of that colour, not necessarily that of the manufacturer)...if the colour is listed as a "pigment" it will be granular. Otherwise it will be a translucent stainer. Even when you reconstitute a pigment and let the paint settle, the particles will settle over a few minutes and the remaining portion will remain in solution. So you can actually "cheat" and use colours like, say ultramarine blue as a translucent colour by letting the solids settle out and using only the clear solution. That is a property of the colour itself, and not of the drying process, nor of the manufacturer. (ie all ultramarine blues are granular and all alizarin crimsons are clear non pigmented translucent stainers).

[@diversebadger27]

can I do this with any watercolour tube paint? just want to make sure.

[@teohyc]

Those with honey will not dry completely

[@ayapeaches8987]

Ive placed my watercolor white nights tube set paints in my palette but after a week and a half its still not dry. Is there a right temperature

[@teohyc]

Just close your palette but leave a gap, then put it under the sun. Should dry in a day. I stay in a very humid climate and even that works.

[@ayapeaches8987]

Teoh Yi Chie i left my palette in a cold room.. :'( is it wrong?

[@ayapeaches8987]

Teoh Yi Chie i left my palette in a cold room.. :'( is it wrong?

[@steffy2]

hi teoh , i just filled my pans but i did a faily big mistake and filled em to the top , is that a big mistake and I ruined my paints or will they be fine? anything i should / could do to prevent anything bad that might happen?

[@teohyc]

Nothing wrong. Just use them.

[@steffy2]

@@teohyc okay, thank you! c:

[@amypak]

Hi, Teoh Yi Chie! I'm new to filling pans with the tube watercolor and here is what I'm facing... My tubes are quite old-anywhere from 8 to 30 years old. I've seen some videos for reconstituting totally dried out paint (and I'm holding those ones aside to do someday!), but MANY of the other ones I have are like thick paste. I have a tool to help push the paint fully out of the tubes, and I try to push it into the corners to eliminate air, but it's still leaving occassional gaps. I've added water a drop at a time, but then it balls up around my pin/toothpick, and doesn't necessarily get an even consistency. Here are my two questions: 1) Why is it so important not to get air bubbles? 2) Is it bad for me to just put the paste in the pans rather than rewet them, if it's only going to take longer for them to dry out anyway? (and then they tend to crack) Thanks!

[@teohyc]

1. When there are gaps created by air bubbles, water trapped inside may take longer to dry, and that damp condition may create mold growth 2. For your dry paint, maybe you can just crush them into tiny bits.

[@thestalicho]

If you tilt the pans and add tube paint, let it set, it is easier to pick up paint from the angled fill and your brushes will last longer!

[@quinacridonerose3309]

I just spray lightly with water about 5 minutes before I start painting...that is easy when urban sketching...then when I am ready to paint the pans are ready, too!

[@thiennguyen1996]

What if i Made a pan and just let it sit around? How long will it last? Id love painting but I could only do it over the holidays Id be using Winsor and Newton cottman watercolor paints by the way

[@teohyc]

+Thien Nguyen Depends on how often you paint, and the strength of the colours. So that is a difficult qestion to answer. Just get thise 15ml tubes to refill and they can last a long time.

[@thiennguyen1996]

Teoh Yi Chie Oh i was just wondering if the colors in the home made pan would still be vibrant if i did not use them at all in long periods of time

[@teohyc]

Depends on the paint and how it was made. For example QoR Watercolor do not work well as dry pans because the colours will become less intense compared to straight from the tubes. Other brands are fine. Also, some colours when they dry, they will dry into something too hard to dissolve. e.g. Viridian.

[@LynnetteLiLX]

That thing about having the pans ready once you open the tube... is totally important. I just bought myself a tube set (it's Paul Wang's Daniel Smith play lab set). And it felt as if the paint couldn't wait to get out of their tube. Yikes. And the paints were rather permanent. Not sure if I'm encouraged to use tubes in future, compared to the ease of buying pre-filled ones.

[@teohyc]

Some tubes of paint will burst out. I think it has got to do with the the pigment and some chemical reaction that produce gas. Not sure which colours though

[@LynnetteLiLX]

That explains! I felt it was such a waste cause some had to be cleaned off with a Kleenex. I bought the paint set from Straits Arts. And they think the world of you! So tempted to get a whole lot more! Got to support local art stores! 😃

[@avocadotortilla746]

Can i use all watercolor tubes for this ?? Or some other watercolors are too watery

[@avocadotortilla746]

Thanks in advanced :>

[@teohyc]

Don’t use M Graham, Sennelier, Jackson’s Art, white nights, stephen quiller to fill pans

[@sixmercer2504]

I stopped this video actually in the middle to look at Schminke boxes and was bowled over by the price of totally empty tins! 😳 I mean I could get a set of Daniel Smith paints for what an empty Schminke tin goes for which seems to me a much better use of money. I don't have enough experience to know how much difference there is between say, a Paul Ruben's tin with empty half or full pans that come with it, and a Schminke tin when it comes to quality. I feel it would pay off more in the end to buy the better paints to put into cheaper tins and just replace the tins as necessary?? This video, and his other videos, are very helpful and super informative. Like I said, I stopped this video in the middle when I noticed the brand stamp on the tin and when I hit play again he answered my question (mostly, I don't think he'd be doing himself any favors by saying the tins that Schminke makes cost more than the paints in most cases. I use less expensive paints as I'm not a professional artist and don't commission my work. I do buy some open stock paints from Daniel Smith from time to time). I know I mentioned Paul Ruben's watercolors that are very inexpensive and most of his colors are surprisingly single pigmented and lightfast. They package their paints beautifully with a nice tin that takes half or full pans and can be taken out. They are almost exactly like the tin he has from the looks of it. Also for anyone looking for excellent inexpensive watercolors that are consistently professional grade and highly pigmented, are White Knight's and Marie's watercolors. Those are my 3 go to watercolors. My Paul Ruben's set is the glittery shimmer set and it's beautiful. It's not on the leve/gradel I mentioned but is a fun one to have on hand. So I have the Marie's tubes and the White Knights pans because the colors are so different they make a really big set if put up next to each other, and then the shimmery Paul Ruben's to have for some added fun and then I bought the fullesr range of Daniel Smith Watercolor dot sheets I could find that are on watercolor paper with a dot of paint to swatch right there. That allows me a guide to mix and match random colors to add into my other brands. I love how Daniel Smith watercolor granulates and they make these beautiful pearlescent colors I will be purchasing open stock in tubes one or two at a time. I also bought the Daniel Smith transparent pearlescent watercolor ground that adds a shimmer to whatever watercolors I use. Anyway, those are just some of my own findings as I have stumbled my way through the endless journey to learning what will work best for me on my very limited budget. These videos are super helpful and I always find that all my questions are answered and then some. I appreciate that so much because there's just way too much to learn with watercolors. Thanks to these videos I feel I am well on my way to having the knowledge I need to pick the right paints and supplies.

[@artsalivestudio]

True, depending on the size of a tube you can get almost a full tube in each one.

[@teohyc]

5ml tube can fill a half pan 2.5 times.

[@Tiffany-bd1eb]

What do you use to clean the pan when you want to switch colors?

[@teohyc]

No. I just add a rather similar colour on top

[@Tiffany-bd1eb]

@@teohyc Ok thanks :)

[@givemewifi]

heelp!! mine didn't dry and now it grew molds :(

[@prismaticj5431]

what are the pocket brushes that you use?

[@teohyc]

The ones that I have are Rosemary, Da Vinci and Escoda.

[@prismaticj5431]

thanks!

[@maryanngorman3533]

If you can’t put your palette in the sun, how long will it take to dry? I live in an apartment and don’t have a place to put it out in the sun that curious little fingers won’t find it.

[@trishakhat1703]

Maybe a bit late, but I actually just put my paint into the pans and into the palette (not completely closed) and just keep it in my room in a cubby. It does take longer, but only by a few days. I had minimal cracking

[@maryanngorman3533]

@@trishakhat1703 Thank you! I did try this myself and it worked!

[@boopy2t190]

I bought a new set of watercolors. They were sealed really well but I got disappointed when I saw some sticky oil coming out of my tubes. I haven't opened my tubes yet at that time. I had to prick the opening to use the tubes. But it seems like the paints were stored at the store for quite a long that the substance that binds with my pigments separated from each other 😭😭😭 what should I do?! huhuhu Has the quality of my paint degraded? Does adding water in my tubes help?

[@teohyc]

+Nysdik 039 That sticky oil is the binder that holds the pigment together. You just have to use a toothpick to mix up the paint again. Don't use water.

[@boopy2t190]

+Teoh Yi Chie oh no!!! it's worst than I thought. Like you said, I mixed the oil with my paints. I think it'll be good now. -Until I saw my burnt sienna. I don't usually use this color but it's so unfair that my watercolor inside a perfectly sealed tube is hard as clay. like, it's so dry in the inside. Damn, I was so excited for these paints cause' I heard they were really good. But my tubes seem disappointing😠

[@teohyc]

What brand did you buy? If they are hard in the tube, you might want to cut open the tube and find some way to more the paint over to, for example, big pans.

[@boopy2t190]

+Teoh Yi Chie Marie's. 😞 it's kinda not fair cause I just bought them. But thank you so much! I'll make sure to take care of these

[@kataquino7796]

i wish i watched this video prior to setting up my very first watercolour palette, learned the hard (and expensive) way :(

[@bevroberts8440]

I've been checking prices on empty full size pans. The best/cheapest price I can find on the big 3 online art shops (Amazon, Dick Blick's, and Jerry's Artarama is $0.77 per pan (USD). This sounds so expensive to me (I was expecting 10-25 cents What do you think? Is that a reasonable price; the half-pans are just 6 cents less than the full?

[@teohyc]

USD $0.77 is indeed too expensive. If I remember correctly, it's usually around $0.40 for full pans and less for half pans. I buy mine from an online store in SIngapore called Arters arters.com.sg/store/boxes-and-palettes/312-10-empty-full-pans.html You can use their price (without shipping) as a reference as to how much these pans should cost.

[@bevroberts8440]

Thanks for this! I checked to see if I could order from them since I haven't found a better price than theirs, but unfortunately they don't ship to U.S. Nevertheless, I will keep hunting for a price closer to Arters'.

[@paperman1763]

how many hours or days will it take to dry?

[@teohyc]

+Paperman About two days. You can put it somewhere hot, e.g. On top of oven, computer, to make it dry faster. Or put in a box, covered, and leave it under the sun.

[@MaryPoggemann]

Can you recommend a good set of watercolor paints for someone on a very limited budget? I am retired and living on a fixed income so cost is a major factor in my crafting.

[@teohyc]

+Mary Poggemann Maybe the Daniel Smith 3 tube Primary Color set or the Mission Gold 9 tube set on Amazon. If you need it cheaper, perhaps the Prima Marketing sets, or Winsor and Newton Cotman. www.amazon.com/DANIEL-SMITH-Extra-Primary-Watercolor/dp/B013TBUGVO?tag=ttmus-20 www.amazon.com/Mission-Gold-Water-Color-Colors/dp/B009W6BMFA?tag=ttmus-20

[@OneTrueWord1988]

Mary Poggemann: - Hi Mary! I like the Prima Tropicals and Classics, and if you check amazon often they go on sale a lot. But honestly, my favorite inexpensive watercolors are good ole Prang! They are beautiful, mix well, and the palette box is exceptional. Also, the paint doesn't bead up on it like most plastic palettes, but puddles nicely. I love them! I own various professional (and expensive) watercolors, but I still often use Prang. Just make sure you don't accidently buy the "wash off" watercolors as their descriptions are similar. Happy painting and God bless!

[@eduardodiaz1025]

do you know what is the price of Daniel Smith watercolor?

[@teohyc]

+Eduardo Diaz You can check it out online, such as on Amazon. Price depends on the shipping also. If you want to buy a set, I recommend Mission Gold 9 tube set which is more worth the money for beginners www.parkablogs.com/picture/review-mission-gold-watercolors-9-tube-set

[@ulutiu]

Price depends on place you live. If you live in US you will get the best price for DS because it is American brand ($ 10-13 for Series 1-3). If you are from EU its a bit more expensive (E 12-16 respectively). Nevertheless I think Amazon has the worst prices for art supplies.

[@hovawart16]

It depends. Amazon has sales sometimes that are good. I got a 36-pan Mission Gold set for less than half price last year.

[@sarahbas05]

Suscribed!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@teohyc]

+Sarah Basaad Thanks 😁

[@dragorsi]

That yellow looks beautifully messy though :D

[@teohyc]

+Orsi Dirda (Dragorsi) lol. Yellow is a colour that's very easy to make dirty. It's not easy to make it clean again 😁

[@dragorsi]

Yes I know :D Mine is somewhere between some brownish color and a puddle XD but yours looks like it was on purpose, I dunno I just love the waves :D

[@haicautrang5304]

Wow, youre much more careful than me when it comes to refilling pans. Usually, I will just fill in the middle until it is to the top and then wait a few days.

[@teohyc]

I just want to fill as much paint as possible in the pan. LOL.

[@hamerray]

After you fill the pan up with paint how about tapping the bottom of the pan onto a solid flat surface to help the paint settle down and remove the air bubbles.

[@teohyc]

You can. For new pans, I will fill it one third at a time. When the paint shrinks, the 2nd pour will fill the gap, and the third pour will fill the gaps for the 2nd pour. I also try to squeeze into the corners of the plastic pan

[@gingerscared3598]

My paints have been drying for 7 days and still aren’t dry, except for one that is close (Winsor & Newton). I made the mistake of filling mine almost to the top and they made air bubbles a few times, which I had the fix. I tried getting my paints to dry faster using a hair dryer, but they seemed to only get softer. I’m using Daniel Smith paint except for the one. I’m not sure what I should do to make the drying process a lot faster. If anyone has an idea, that would be amazing! Does drying them in the sun really work?

[@teohyc]

Put the paint in a box, close the cover but leave a small gap, then put the box under the sun.

[@gingerscared3598]

@@teohyc I will try that when it stops raining or gets warmer. It is still quite cold where I live.

[@teohontech7141]

@@gingerscared3598 Oh, if the climate is very humid then it's more difficult for the paint to dry.

[@gingerscared3598]

@@teohontech7141 It will still dry though, right? I’m putting them outside and I’m going to see if it works here. Thank you for your help!

[@teohyc]

@@gingerscared3598 How dry it can be will really depend on the humidity, and whether the company uses honey. E.g. M Graham paints have honey which attracts moisture and will never dry completely. Most DS paint should dry completely.

[@anastasiapp5151]

How the colour dry

[@teohyc]

Just let it dry normally. A good way is to close the box and put the box under the sun.

[@callmewaves1160]

How do you prevent it from cracking when it dries?

[@teohyc]

Fill it in three or more smaller portions. Fill into the crack when they appear

[@callmewaves1160]

@@teohyc ok and if I have mixed my own colors, how do I go about filling it in the manner you suggest without the extra paint drying out first?

[@teohontech7141]

@@callmewaves1160 You mean filling the pan with your own mixed paint? Add just enough water so that they are fluid enough to mix, but not too much water

[@callmewaves1160]

@@teohontech7141 thank you so much for your help!