My Top 10 Favorite Watercolor Brands - 2019 Edition!

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you all for your patience as I put this together! You can find reviews, swatch with me videos, and product links in the description. If you'd like to learn more about constructing custom watercolor palettes, check out my Skillshare class as well, and come back next week to kick off the new Brand by Brand series with us. This video took every ounce and hour this week that I could sanely spare (and perhaps a few extra I couldn't haha) but I'm so proud of this one, and hope you love it too!

[@EM-ug8ud]

You’re such a talented artist, but also as a teacher and reviewer. Definitely a hard worker to be as skilled as you are. Even though I have too much paint, I am constantly falling in love with things you show me! You hypnotize me.

[@mikayuki9838]

What do you think of van Gogh's watercolors?

[@mjpete27]

I will be diving into more of the DaVinci paints that arrived just this morning! I look forward to your indepth reviewing process and see what you make of them!

[@k.r.9606]

Hello!! So I found something I thought you would be interested in. I know you're a fan of PO49, I know you said you wouldn't be making your own paints but I thought you would be interested in it any way? This is literally the only place I could find it besides a couple 100$ tubes of DS. www.guerrapaint.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=305

[@lydiagrey]

In Liquid Color I've come across ur channel for the 1st time., Extremely beautiful portraits 🎨😍😍😍😍and lots of helpful information. Thanks alot👍👍👍 I want to know ,hv u tried Fiber castle water color pallettes? And can u share info abt watercolor paper and those two brushes that u were using in this video? I've checked ur description box below but for some reason I'm unable to figure out. 😅🙈 And can u guide us about ur favorite top 10 affordable yet professional watercolor papers and water color brushes starting from affordable to expensive promising brands??? And can u share

[@daruleos]

Can we all take a moment to appreaciate the quality of the art made for each sample! Ten pieces for a single video!! Thanks for this quality content Denise🙌🏼 btw I can't believe that Winsor&Newton made it to your top😱

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you Daniel!! I gotta keep you on your toes haha :)

[@yellowbee2954]

Wtf, Luis? XD

[@daruleos]

Cajita Del Dibujo qué pequeño es el mundo🤯

[@yellowbee2954]

DaGarabatos si 😂 no pensé encontrar a un conocido en un video mientras buscaba marcas de acuarela

[@KJayPlays]

I really enjoyed this video. I know it may sound patronizing, I do not mean to be, but I can really tell how much you’ve grown as an artist and content creator since your last “Favorites” video. I hope you know important your voice is in this community and how you influence how people think about this wonderful medium we share a love for. Thank you.

[@ladeiroses7526]

Your right when you say that experience with different paints and what you paint can influence which paints you like best. After a year or so using all kinds of different brands of paints, M Graham dropped to like #7 on my list. Schmincke stays #1 for me and Da Vinci #2, Mission Gold #9, Daniel Smith #8, Turner #10, Sennelier #3, Holbein #4. I love all the painting demo's with each brand of paint. Beautifully done.

[@denaheck1506]

Love your listing your favorite paints & keeping with pricing & also some hype that goes on among the different companies, & noting that they do not always hit the mark everytime on every color. I purchased potter's pink from DS & found it not much different than their DS indian red or their red fucite, they probably all have different properties but too subtle for experience to appreciate. I purchased WN potter's paint, & world of difference, its pink! Not pale brown red. I have seen that with different paints manufacturers. I was one of those begginner painters that did not appreciate granulation, but mostly because I did not like the brown grey nubs of paint that appeared in a pretty blue ultramarine blue. It seems to make a sky color grey/brown cold & smoggy feeling like Detroit when all the factories were in full force. Anyway, I'm on the hunt for an Ultramarine blue that granulates in a pretty way. I totally agree with you on the DS pan paints. Overpriced & horrible palette, that they haven't tried to fix or replace. I do like Qors' mini travel pallet the paints are creamy & work beautifully together. They did a great job on both the pallete & the selection of paints. It's too pricy, I've only had it about 8 months & I've used half the pans & they still don't have replacement paint pans that I'm aware. I love the Primrose yellow & pretty much all the colors. I was lucky to be invited at our local art store to a Demo of Golden paints with their new line of watercolors QoRs. The demo was mostly about acryllics & new texture mediums like glass crackle, strings, etc. But the last 1/2 was about watercolors & their emphasis was on buying a bottle of aquazol with the paints & using it in your water & how it extended the tubes of paint. Kind of like a 15 mil tube along with a little Aquazol in your paint water would equal a a 32mil tube because their paints were so pigmented. They don't seem to be pushing that aspect of it nowadays, but that was the hype that night. The big thing though at the end of the demo, you could shop & buy any Golden product at 60% off & they gave a nice gift of about 6 tubes of acrylic paints & some texture products. I bought QoRs primary set that night & about 6 other tubes of watercolor. I fell in love with the paints, but found I didn't like mixing them with other paints, they made some mixes dry with a shine, & some went dull. They pushed other paints in ways I didn't know enough to control, so they have been exclusivly used with each other as I haven't had time to play with them & other brand paints again now that I know a little more about watercolor. A few months ago I found a deal on a 5 piece set of 5 ml sennieler set at Jerry's Artarama or Cheap Joes ? They are heavenly to paint with, but tubes are too expensive in US. I didn't realize they were like M Graham made with honey. The set was like $20. I also found Qors earthtones 6 tubes (5 ml ) for about $24 & got it for Christmas. Haven't tested those colors, but I always wanted to see Naples Yellow. I have on my "2020 wish to do this" is to take skill share classes. I follow Dr Oto & want to go back to her split primary color wheel palette. Trying to get a better handle on a pallette I like. I was hoping that Skill Share might offer a deal sometime during the year. I don't know much about how it works, but I understand it offers classes in all kinds of things. I'm taking currently taking two classes which is all I can handle at the moment, but they expire in a few months. Is there a time during the year when Skill Share offers a deal or a discount ?

[@InLiquidColor]

Sorry I'm seeing this so late but thank you for your input! Regarding Skillshare, I haven't seen them run ongoing specials, but they of course do have their 2 month free trials ALL over the internet :)

[@rosered8234]

Fantastic , ❤ Really helpful . Lovely drawings too . I was thinking QOR for a possible loose painterly background .. & then Mission Gold for a restrictive in control paint subject .. a dog or cat im thinking . Maybe a few daniel smith thrown in for earth tones .. Just looked up QOR on Amazon & a lot of reviews are saying a few colours are toxic .. with cadmium i think . But i guess can wear gloves .

[@tracy-eire]

They may have you covered, Daniel Smith, but I've never had worse customer service than in 1 of their stores. I won't even go back... However, you've convinced me to try some tubes again. Thanks for that. :)

[@stardarkangel]

I loved that you listed both pros and cons to every brand and did a small painting to show the paints off, it's very informative and I will definitely reference this video in the future when I try out different brands. I'm wondering, is there even a reason for someone not a profession to own more than one set of paints? I've actually used White Nights (I own over 40 of their colors including the beautiful Indian Gold) almost exclusively over the last 3 years even though I bought a set of Holbein paints 1.5 years ago to try out. I felt that I don't reach for my Holbein palette because I don't really need it so it's been mostly sitting there making me feel bad. I'm I the only person that is odd like that? Should I be using the Holbein as my default palette?

[@m.c.5124]

Daniel Smith might be all that but I’ve never had an M Graham explode out on me unmixed and lost most of the tube. I’d say this was a one off but its happened about 6 times. Thanks though for your info I will be checking out the Da Vinci. I have wondered about it, I think you’re right we fall in love with the one we start with. Think you’re being unfair to Windsor newton. It’s used by some by some of the greatest botanical artists in England. Ok I’ll thank you for your time and sharing and wish you good health. 😁

[@jodibrailey8110]

I've just watched this video for the sixth or seventh time, it is such a pleasure to watch both how the paints work and your paintings Denise, thank you. The advice around each paint is wonderful and very helpful. I am wondering, do you have a list of each of the names of each colour you use in the video's? Especially the Da Vinci painting of the bird. Thank you.

[@InLiquidColor]

Hi Jodi, I am somewhat working on a series called Brand by Brand. They're a bit spaced out right now, but you can find the pigments I swatched on each page here in those specific brand videos as they come out!

[@aleahlrb]

I like the way you talk. I know I'm watching an individual in their own channel but you talk like those narrators in channels like TheThing, WatchMojo, and others.

[@lauryncurtis7234]

Thank you so much for making this video, I definitely learned a lot! Could you possibly tell me what colors you swatched at the end of each brand's finished painting? (I'm specifically interested in the DaVinci and Daniel Smith, but any of them you could list would be very helpful!)

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks Lauryn, glad you enjoyed it! I actually started a series called Brand by Brand that will be looking at those colors swatches. Daniel Smith is up, but I had to go on leave to move. I'll be back to them soon though!

[@2Spunck]

Have you tried &/or eliminated Daler-Rowney Artist's series? It would be most helpful if you also listed those tried that never made your cut...Thanks!

[@c8Lorraine1]

Paint that is available outside the US

[@alyj6381]

im very new t o watercolours, and one affordable brand that can be found in my city is the sakura koi palette sets, have you tried them? if not, would you try them out on the channel?

[@InLiquidColor]

Welcome to watercolors Aly! I have used Koi before but I'm not a huge fan. They're certainly accessible, but I've never gotten around to forming actual content around them.

[@tesegiwa-amu5481]

Timestamps 1:42 #10 Holbein 3:48 #9 White Nights 5:20 #8 Mission Gold 7:00 #7 Winsor and Newton 8:59 #6 Sennelier 10:25 #5 Qor 12:00 #4 Schmincke 13:59 #3 M.Graham 15:44 #2 Da Vinci 17:13 #1 Daniel Smith

[@hearttoheart6384]

Thank u

[@abisha6166]

Thank you=)

[@nawally123]

Thank you

[@bansabanana4848]

She has the time stamps in the discription

[@meghanstanley1765]

This is actually the most helpful and informative video I've ever seen about watercolors. Every single one of your demos was gorgeous. This was so in-depth and well thought-out and I absolutely adore it. Sorry for gushing but ahhhh this was great.

[@InLiquidColor]

😭😭😭💜💜💜 thank you so much!

[@Brembelia]

I agree. I just stumbled onto this video half asleep, but the animal portraits certainly woke me up and claimed my full attention. (Not a fan of snakes or other bald animals, but even he is beautifully done.) I hit the notification channel and hope to get a lot more of your videos as you are the only animal portraitist I've ever come across and as I enter the world of painting, botanical illustration and animal portraiture are strong interests of mine. Thanks so much for your video. It's a sweet treat. 😊 💐 🦒 🐈 🐕 🐘 🐓 🐦‍⬛ 🦜 🦚

[@anam00090]

Love that you included a dedicated demo painting with each brand *and* the swatches. Very well thought-out selection! Especially loved the Schmincke demonstration - what is the softer green hue that you used for the body?

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you! The green was a mixture.

[@thejoydecision724]

Wow! A sample painting per brand! 🤩 That’s incredible for a mini review of 10 different brands. Every moment of this video is quality. How do you manage to wrap all that up in under an hour let alone in just less than 22 minutes!

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks! It was a behemoth to take on!

[@fufufuaru]

i love that you painted a different animal for each brand and also added swatches beside the painting

[@mindofwatercolor]

Fun and interesting to hear your thoughts. I echo the comments of how hard it is to rank them when you get to the top 5-6. So true! I’m still befuddled by the M. Graham running issue. I talk to so many people about it on both sides of the issue mostly with no problem and have wondered if it’s a batch issue. I live in a relatively humid climate and never had even the first pan move once they set properly. I have 3 palettes poured, one a plein air palette that is stored vertically 24/7 with no movement. I’ve talked to Tonya at length about her issues with running upon moving to NC (M. Graham used to be her favorite until then) and I’m more confused now than when I started asking questions about it. Which has me leaning to batch problems but I don’t know. In the end I totally agree. If you need to be sure of your travel palette security best to avoid it. Which is a shame because easy rewettability is a key factor when painting on location. Thankfully we have other great choices for that. Great info as usual Denise.

[@AlphaGeekgirl]

(Following your suggestion, Steve) about 18 months ago, I started collecting M Graham tubes as my first artist-grade watercolors. I bought them over a period of 12 months from a dozen different stores across three states, and online, and created 3 different-sized pallets from them. Whether I've been in California, Oregon, Seattle or Sydney, every single one of them is as sticky and gooey as the day I bought them. So now they stay put in my studio. ;)

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks Steve! I can now store my MG palette vertically during the drier months of the year without issue. The main problem for me is that if you want to swap colors in fullish pans, or god forbid scrape it out of a porcelain palette well, you'll be there forever haha. I guess they just want you to be committed ;)

[@mindofwatercolor]

@@InLiquidColor LOL! yep!

[@empress_craft]

Here in Northwestern Ireland, about 1 hour from the ocean, I've found that some M. Graham paints set up just fine (Burnt Sienna and most earth colors, Perylene Maroon, Transparent Red Oxide, Hooker's Green, and surprisingly Phthalo Green, and a few others)... Other paints are tacky but still safe to cart around without kid gloves (almost every blue I have from them, though Anthraquinone Blue and Ultramarine set up a bit better, Nickel Azo Yellow, Quinacridone Rust, and most of the reds)... And then there are a small group that are dangerously tacky (Terra Rosa, Cobalt Teal) and some actually separate from the binder even if I mix it with a toothpick (Cobalt Green, Cobalt Violet, Cobalt Blue). I've done some research into this, and from what I've found most people have had their nightmare experiences with the more dense pigments such as the Cobalt and Cadmium pigments. Because the pigments are so dense, they seem to separate in open-pans, and sink to the bottom while separating from the binder almost entirely. Since the binder is so humuctant heavy, it never really dries... Which prevents the pan from setting up, altogether. My personal nightmare experience happened just a couple of months ago, after using M. Graham since late 2016. I had just put Cobalt Green into a new palette. I made sure to shake the tube and kind of squish it around to mix any separated binder that occurs from sitting too long in a shop. I also only filled the pan 3/4 of the way, and then stirred the poured paint with a toothpick just to double-insure the binder was well-mixed in. I let it set in a dry room-temperature place, out of the sun, for several days. It didn't really set, but that happens with some MG paints from my experience... So I decided to glue it into my palette and let it finish setting up there, hopefully to at least a tacky state, just as I have several times before. A few days later I noticed a very thick transparent-yellow goo sitting on top of the paint... the binder! I tried to mix it back up with a toothpick, but it just got stuck to the toothpick and caused a huge mess. So I thought, just let it lie and when you paint with it, you can sort it out with a crappy brush that is wet and won't pick up too much pigment. One week later I re-opened the palette... and the cobalt green had exploded everywhere and coated several other pans of paint. It was like a horrible sticky green bomb went off. This palette was sitting undisturbed or moved in a room no warmer than 50 degrees (F) at any given time, completely flat and out of sunlight, and the pan had been setting up for a couple weeks! Maybe I got a bad tube of Cobalt Green. That's totally possible. However, both Cobalt Blue and Violet have had separation issues in the last couple of years I've bought M. Graham. They haven't exploded like Cobalt Green, but now I'm pretty gun shy. I can put up with semi-tacky paint, as long as it's safe to cart around. But exploding paint is another issue! I love love love M. Graham. I was hoping to carry them around as my main plein-air palette this summer in Montenegro and Croatia... but I'm just so gunshy that in more extreme heat/humidity they will have repeated bad reactions! Someone suggested carrying little sachets of silica gel to soak up excess moisture. I'm going to give it a try. But I've also got a contingency store of Da Vinci paints I just purchased and an extra palette, just to be safe.

[@mindofwatercolor]

@@AlphaGeekgirl Yep, they'll always be sticky/gooey. Thats fine with me. My main concern is whether they run or move in a travel palette. They never have for me but there are reports of it. I've been trying for 4 years to track down the reasons by talking to various people. I'm not convinced humidity has anything to do with it.

[@jenthulhu]

What a lovely, wonderful, and informative video! THIS kind of dedication is precisely why I recently chose to support Denise on Patreon. I've never seen someone so free and giving of time, energy, thought, and research. And the talent! I have so much to learn from Denise. I know I'll be referring to this video again and again. Early in my watercolor journey, I bought brands willy-nilly with no idea what I was doing. Now I feel more informed. Thank you!

[@Smmurrs]

Daniel Smith is my all time favorite because of the granulation. In college we got to tour their manufacturing area and it was the coolest thing ever!

[@InLiquidColor]

Ahhh! I hope to tour their facility someday!

[@lilbird2734]

I just love their cobalt violet. It is transparent and granulates enough to look great!

[@nicole_netto]

Absolutely love how you’ve not only detailed ur reasons for why each brand has been allocated that position, but also demonstrated each brands capabilities with a watercolor painting with each brand! Thank you so much for your efforts!

[@zibbyzoo4379]

What an incredible video! It's obvious the huge amount of work went into this! LOVE!!! I can't wait to see the Daniel Smith "Brand By Brand" video. My favorite watercolor brands are Daniel Smith, Holbein, W&N, Schmincke, and White Nights. I have a lot of M Graham and Sennelier, but I live in Wisconsin and it takes FOREVER for them to set up the tiniest little bit so it's hard for me to control the amount of pigment I pick up, just like you said. Thanks for this, Denise!

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you so much Heidi!

[@lilbird2734]

Yea, i had the same problem with m gram. I just gave up on the mess getting all over everything after setting for months.

[@nicholasgarbutt2534]

Lilbird :

[@MyCrimsonMischief]

Thank you denise because of all your hard work and informative videos i have been able to find my favorite brands. I love my mission gold, white nights, davinci and mgraham paints. They spark joy!😊

[@MichaelGutierrez-z9j]

New sub here. Love the list and my all time favorite is QOR and you hit it right on the head with your descriptions. And wherever I go I make sure I take a QOR pan with me juuuuust in case and continually find myself looking for a reason to bust them bad boys out!! Lol thanks for the video.. great job

[@midwinter78]

Pouring Sennelier into pans - I got some Sennelier to share with my Mum, it was indeed quite hard to get them to dry. I ended up putting the poured palettes in a sealed box with several large sachets of silica gel, and left them for a week or two. That got them nice and dry. Of course, once you start using them they get and stay damp on the surface again, but the box has survived being thrown in a backpack and taking on cycling trips halfway across town with no problems, no special care over which way is up. Where I live (Cambridge, UK) is a cool maritime climate (but about as dry as the UK gets), so if you live somewhere much warmer, cooler, dryer or damper your experiences might vary.

[@everartokelli]

What a great tip! I'm going to try using the silica I used to dry flowers & leaves to harden my M Graham watercolors. I live in a similar marine climate, but only the MG Cerulean and MG Nickel Azo Yellow don't make a mess on the palette :)

[@empress_craft]

Excellent tip, Peter! I'll give this a go with some of the misbehaving M. Graham paints that I love, and see how it fairs. Right now I'm in the Northwestern part of the Republic of Ireland, about 1 hour from the ocean. But this summer I'll be in Montenegro and Croatia--which is where the real test will begin as I practice plein air painting daily! I don't even mind spraying my paints before using, or carting some ox-gall around, if the paints get a little dry... I just REALLY want my super-pigmented M. Graham paints, if I have the choice! Brilliant idea, mate! Should have thought of this before, as I use silica "sand" to dry-preserve flowers.

[@sciamhach]

I keep coming back and needing timestamps & short reminders... 01:43 #10 Holbein: expensive in US, vibrant, smooth 03:49 #9 White Nights: low end artist quality, affordable, avoid pre-made sets. 05:23 #8 Mission Gold: less granulation/movement, good for beginners/control 07:00 #7 Winsor & Neuton: a few unique colors 08:58 #6 Sennelier: saturated spectral colors, renowned for glazing *10:26** #5 Qor: lots of movement, most vibrant colors* 12:02 #4 Schmincke: soft, delicate, smooth, velvety 14:00 #3 M. Graham: vibrant, high pigment load, tricky to lift, lacks pinks 15:45 #2 Da Vinci: affordable, (has "Denise's Earth Friendly Palette" $99) 17:16 #1 Daniel Smith: best earth tones

[@lilac3374]

Thank you!!! The time stamps are provided but it's helpful knowing short descriptions!

[@hangphan9774]

In my country daniel smith is more expensive than holbein, winsor and newton and schmincke but I also love them and I have a decision to buy the essential set

[@xXDivaxChoekyXx]

I bought it for €30 and i loved it so mutch! Still paint with them half a year later and theres still enough left in the tubes! 10/10 would recommend!

[@hangphan9774]

Faith Bartelse oh it is much cheaper in my country so are you lucky

[@lindyashford7744]

I adore my Kremers, but they did not make it into your list :-( For sheer usability, and the feeling you never have to be frightened of them, I love White Nights. Did you know they have just released nine 2019 colours? I thoroughly enjoyed your roundup of brands, surprised that W&N made it in part because I initially did not find mine that inspiring, but went back to them after a while and really liked them and still do. I am loving the looser way you paint now it works so well, just great results, and so good to watch your wildlife images develop. Thank you.

[@InLiquidColor]

I only have a few Kremer colors so it's not enough to make a full assessment, but I've heard good things! I did hear a out the new White Nights colors. Thanks for your kind words!

[@mattmancool34]

ive always been a fan of mgraham paints because well my names matt graham so its like they were ment for me. that being said my studio pallet has fully evolved into a combination of winsor and newton, mission gold, m graham, sennelier, and daniel smith because of the ways certain colors behave in each line and i highly appreciate that you highlighted the exact reasons why you prefer certain colors or brands for certain techniques. Sennelier is my layering brand i use with lifting techniques, mission gold is my color pop brand, dan smith for earth tones and mixes, winsor and newton fills in the gaps and is a solid middle ground when grouped with the others.

[@InLiquidColor]

I have to admit, I do like that my initials are the same as Daniel Smith as well ;) I'm glad the video was helpful!

[@mattmancool34]

@@InLiquidColor my current studio main pallet is, Sennelier: Primary Yellow , French Vermillion, Cinerous Blue, French Ultramarine, Pthalo Green Light, Sap Green , Burnt Umber, Paynes Grey M. Graham: Viridian, Dioxazine Purple, Burnt Sienna, Yelllow Ochre, Neutral tint, Quinaeridone Rust, Indian yellow, Mineral Violet, Turquoise Daniel Smith: Hansa Yellow Deep, Mayan Orange, Cobalt Blue, Deep Scarlet, Pyrrol Red , Burnt Sienna Light Mission Gold: Sepia, Opera, Lemon Yellow, Van Dyke Green

[@SharonCullenArt]

I am in total agreement with everything you said. And I even mentioned exactly what you said about the high price crappy plastic palette by ds. Why not a metal palette if you're charging a fortune?!! But I am and will always be a ds fan.

[@anik3216]

I just bought the 36 set of white nights to upgrade from my koi and cotman sets and I LOVE the paints! So vibrant and flowy! I bought the set as a birthday gift to myself after receiving $75 worth of Amazon. I've been feeling the urge to paint even more!

[@imbored4929]

That is *LITERALLY* what I did!!!

[@MHiFacesTheWorld]

I adore your facts mixed in with your tried-and-true experiences. This is an incredible mix of knowledge for any of us who watch. I truly appreciate all the effort and insights you give. I'm getting back into art as a therapeutic mechanism of life-ing and re-learning all the ins and outs of each medium. Thank you!

[@AmandaWiley]

This was a phenomenal video, Denise! I love your stance of helping artists find their paints based on properties, rather than outright suggesting your favorite brand! It's always been a pet-peeve of mine to see almost blind recommendations given (in any medium). The one thing you seem to like least about Mission Gold is one of my favorites! I mainly paint more realistic paintings, and their reliability to stay in place, combined with their vibrancy, and super easy rewetability, make them irreplaceable in my collection (although their price tag makes me want to cry open stock). I also love M.Graham, and in my climate (in Northern Vermont) they dry extremely well and are very much able to travel with zero concerns-yay! Daniel Smith I don't like as much, they dry so rock hard across their line (for me), that they all come loose and rattle in any palette. They also flake off in mixing areas, contaminating the entire palette. However, I do appreciate them a bit more in use; I just don't reach for them.

[@meldixon1918]

I’m not a big “re-watcher” of KZbin videos but this one I keep coming back to. Thanks for all of your work on it!

[@LumiRex]

And with the completion of this magnificent video, we all agree Ms. Soden has earned an all expenses paid vacation to somewhere tropical so she can relax on the beach with a fruity drink! Bravo, indeed!!!!!

[@InLiquidColor]

I'm on board for that! I hear Southwest goes to Hawaii now 😁

[@---mg9jl]

About White Nights ,ALL Russia use them!

[@5yarcottages397]

Agree with your criterion for choosing brands. Living in the UK, painting in layers and prefering tubes to pans make Winsor and Newton, Sennelier and Schmincke my top 3. DaVinci and M Graham don't offer qualities that outweigh their expense in the UK in my opioion. Daniel Smith on the other hand offer some beautiful colours that I wouldn't be without despite the expense: Sap Green, Pyrrol Red, Rhodonite, Green Apatite and Serpentine Genuine included. Love your paintings !

[@elizabethnaisbitt1795]

This has got to be my favourite watercolour demonstration video ever and I have learned so much from it, so it's a big thank you from me. I've been wondering about the Mission Gold for a while now and after seeing this I have made up my mind, they are not for me, so thanks for that too. Your paintings are all wonderful and I truly appreciate the effort you have put into this video which surely benefits all watercolourists out there. Tfs

[@Tasmanianval]

I really want an update of your top 10, I wonder if Daniel Smith still is your n° 1 since the primatek controversy or if white nights rank up higher since you tried more colors c:

[@sharonbouma8968]

Super helpful in distinguishing between brand strengths! Love your specific tips regarding stuff like preference for intense color, flow, traveling with paints etc. you covered so many important points!

[@marjoriejohnson6535]

This is the best description of paints ..thank you for a great comparisons. I have played/ swatched and used all of these paints. ( I also own) . Your paintings have also improved much over your years on KZbin. I am jealous. So again THANK YOU.

[@antoniofiorillo2121]

I suggest you try these brands as well : Rembrandt watercolor by Royal Talens Maimeri blu acquerello Old holland classic watercolor Blockx aquarelles Greetings from Italy

[@augustosoruco5378]

Great video :D . I would love to see a list of your favourite handmade watercolor brands. Kisses from Argentina

[@LeesChannel]

Da Vinci over M. Graham O.o

[@vilvile]

Great video! Wonder where you would place Roman Szmal, Shinhan and A Gallo.

[@MedaHalmaciu]

Beautiful, Denise!!!! I use all kind of mixed brands, but for some reason I think White Nights would be my brand of choice if I had to pick one, with some Windsor and Newton colors like Opera Rose, Green Gold and Cobalt Turquoise Light.

[@wulfseig1864]

Yep, Daniel Smith is definitely my go to for watercolors. Love the granulation and they all just flow together so nicely. I say if you can only pick one brand, pick Daniel Smith. Don't waste time or money on anything else. If you're a beginner in the US grab that Essentials Set of split primaries for 25$, a pack of Aquabee paper and Silver Brush Black Velvet brushes. Learn color theory and making color charts and play, a lot. Watch tons of Denise's videos. Then when you fall in love with the flow of watercolors you can try other brands.

[@sharonbouma8968]

Forgot to say I’d love to hear about setting up a da Vinci palette!

[@Dandelionfish]

Wow the qor demo and colors really just blast the rest in terms of vibrancy.

[@InLiquidColor]

Keep in mind I chose the subjects accordingly to try to make each brand shine, but yes! They are so bright!

[@lemonrose1254]

Here at the speed of watercolor

[@Rhodeygirl]

Time for another update.

[@CajunSunshineCrafts]

Denise, What a great video! I love your style and "ease" while painting your passion! This is exactly what I was looking forward to and CAN NOT wait until your new mini series Brand Spotlights to come! I am subscribed to Skill Share and have watched all of your classes (some more than once) and plan on going to Patron next! Keep up the great work, looking forward to more to come!

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you so much for all of your support!

[@mjpete27]

I will say that I am constantly impressed by how much artist give to those who support them on Patreon!

[@AlphaGeekgirl]

I appreciate the enormous effort you went to to make this video, Denise!

[@rebeccapage4411]

Wow! Fantastic resource 😁--looking forward to hearing more about Schminke cuz Ive never used them. Holbein is reasonable through Vermont Art Supply since Holbein North America is based put of Burlungton, VT

[@jessicasobel4287]

I'm so glad QoR made it higher in the list! I have the same issue with my Schmincke paints, they feel so sacred that I'm scared to use them. But I love their perylene violet and their ultramarine/burnt umber mix is my all time favorite gray/black.

[@anam00090]

Schmincke Perylene Violet + Perylene Green is a favorite neutral mix for me :D And speaking from personal experience - buying 15ml tubes fixes the "untouchable" feeling of Schmincke, once you have enough paint at your disposal you enjoy them more. Jackson's have them in more or less acceptable price, some U.S. online shops have ridiculous pricing :(

[@jessicasobel4287]

Ana Marko yes they are crazy expensive here in the us, the pans I have I got during a sale from Jackson’s. I’ll have to try their perylene green when I find another sale!

[@creativesea.design]

Well, for example Daniel Smith is very expensive in the US, imagine ordering it from halfway across the globe :(

[@anam00090]

​@@creativesea.design I live in a country where the only halfway-decent brand available is White Nights, which is restocked once in 4 months so... I feel this pain :D

[@_nixxie_]

There perlyene green is stunning, I love adding it or Moonglow from DS for shadows and deeper tones

[@StimpyGamer]

So it seems your favourites have a very US-based bias. Would your choices be different if you lived in Europe. I know you gushed over Schmincke last year. :-)

[@InLiquidColor]

I'm sure they would be different!

[@AlphaGeekgirl]

I'm going to jump in and guess that Denise will say, Yes! ;) Price and availability will sway most of us when buying any product. The additional plus for Daniel Smith would be their extensive range of colors that just cannot be beaten by any other paint manufacturer.

[@StimpyGamer]

@@AlphaGeekgirl I think Daniel Smith has too many colors. There's something refreshing when a manufactuer has a very basic range of colors like Jacksons own brand does. There is absolutely no chance anyone can collect all the Daniel Smith colors, but something Akadamie is very achieveable. :-)

[@sergetailliez6148]

I love this video and your humour. It was occasion for me to discover new brands and it confirmed my experience for some of them (W&N , DS, Schminke). In Europe, DS is expensive. Other brands would deserve to be evaluated (Isaro, Blockx, Maimeri).

[@lucid_plays]

I've recently got back into watercolor and at least 3 brands you've mention, I already have. So, yeah....everything you've mentioned, I agree with you 1000%. lol. Absolutely love your in depth critique!

[@cathiestauffer9117]

For a beginner watercolour artist, I found this video to be one of the best in describing the various paints from a variety all the time not biased, only giving me what Denise likes to use herself. I learned a great deal. Thank you!

[@taylorkh818]

I loved this! Very info dense while still emphasizing personal preference and opinion. I currently only use White Nights and Daniel Smith as I'm new to professional paints, I've been very curious about M Graham and Qor though and I hope I get to try them out soon. Thanks for your consistently helpful and entertaining content!

[@jessicai9976]

I think Daniel Smith paints are incredibly overpriced, at least for getting them to europe.. My first pick for availability and quality will be Schmincke Horadam. Theres nothing over Potters Pink!

[@VioletGlitterworks]

This was an absolutely gorgeous video and you should be super proud of it!!🥰👏🏻👏🏻 I don’t comment very often but I see how many animal portraits you produced in this one video and it is just so amazing!!!😱💓 It would be so cool if you could eventually do a zine of animal portraits like this and have swatches of the colors you used in each portrait next to it. It would really be amazing to see the thought process behind color mixing those bright hues into such soft dreamy colors. 😉👍🏻🎨

[@marjoriejohnson6535]

I am surprised ...in a way ..that winsor newton was that high on your list. They were my first ,almost 60 years ago. They are the only professional available in my area. I hate them as they crack in my plein aire palette. I am going to try adding a drop of maimeriblu honey binder. Have added clear first run honey before....i am afraid they would be much lower on my list but agree with every thing else 100%. Thank you for the in-depth analysis..

[@XPIEXBUNNYX1]

I think I might have to get some Mission Gold paints just because I like that it doesn’t flow much but also want some QOR because it’s super flowy complete opposite but I love both styles haha

[@ananita6888]

White Nights are not student grade, but artist/professional grade of outstanding quality.

[@shaustin22]

Your painting and swatches are AMAZING. LOVE 💗 LOVE 💗 LOVE 💗 your channel,

[@nervengewitter]

My personal favorites are QoR watercolors. I love the binder they use, because the poured pans dry very evenly and are a pleasure to rewet, and the flow is really awesome. Also the colors are indeed so vibrant and beautiful. My second favorite is Daniel Smith, they're less expensive than QoR and I like some of their colors better than the QoR equivalents. I had the same experience with DS Viridian though, it's a hard and cracked blob in my palette. My recommendation for best possible price to performance ratio in Europe(!) would be Royal Talens Rembrandt, they have a great pigment selection but are a lot more affordable than QoR and DS paints. As a German it's funny to see you be so hyped about Schmincke watercolors, I always tended to overlook them because it's a familiar and ubiquitous brand for me and German watercolorists always seem to recommend brands from other countries. It's funny how we always want what we don't have easily available :D

[@sophielegay4104]

Wow that was a great review, we can really see how the paint react. Thank you, this is really a must see !

[@mikeyfinger8026]

It’s always nice to hear somebody else’s take on all the different brands. I have a few going on right now I seem to gravitate towards those eastern bloc countries I have the white nights because I am a beginner and I put together my own palette as suggested it’s still far too large a pallette for a beginner in my opinion but I don’t know how to eliminate colors I love. I also have Daniel Smith and Schmincke, As well as some M Graham and Renesans galore. Holy crap have I managed to collect a bunch of paint when I barely have enough energy to put paint to paper on most days but I do ❤️ my collection 😉. I love your giggles throughout the video it keeps everything really down to earth!

[@thejoydecision724]

Mikey Finger you’re so right about Denise’s humour is just the best.

[@m.c.5124]

So many Daniel Smith are just useless and not necessary.thanks for sharing your art lady. Your the bomb.

[@laureltheartist]

Take the dry hard watercolor, and detube it. It can be sanded onto wet watercolor paper and used to add a textural look to walls, foliage, etc. Karlyn Holman suggested this.

[@babathegoodmansamba8533]

Granulation is ugly , just a gimmick for amateurs , who can not paint. At Art University no one uses granulation. Its a sign of quality when a colour is not granulating. Schminche btw has 3 different Ultramarines and granulating 40 colours for gimmick amateurs like you !!!! Schmincke was used by Van Gogh and he was a painter not a watcher and unreal creatures painter seeking colours painting for him automatically.. In music we have the same problem with electric guitarists. Also they want to hide they can not play by using many distortion and delay effects. Art has to be creation on a solid base of craft work !

[@InLiquidColor]

Those sure are some strong feelings!

[@KimberlyCrick]

I had the same issue with Winsor and Newton, but the Indigo color. Sadly it was the first and last tube I ever bought from them. I put it in a pan with all my other brands of watercolor, and the next time I went to paint I found just that color with what appeared like a white powder residue throughout it. It does not dissolve easily, leaving white specks all over the wash, so I ended up wasting a pan. Glad to hear that is not a problem with most of the other colors!

[@dreahatch7299]

Nobody beats Daniel Smith for granulation. I LOVE their granulating colors!!

[@shadowseer07]

Everything you said about Daniel Smith is harsh but true. They are my fave brand, but those half-pan sets are a joke.😌

[@TheViralPages]

I’m glad you mentioned the weird speckling problem on the arches paper for mission gold’s cerulean, i bought the paper a whiled ago and decided you use it recently. It not only speckled with the cerulean but also with ds pthalo blue (rs) and wn winsor violet. I found that stretching or atleast presoaking the paper reduced this but it was very disappointing.

[@InLiquidColor]

Yes if you look at the final scans for LG and W&N the speckling was a problem for both brands to some degree but much worse for MG

[@annasexton8889]

i read somewhere that this was a problem in some batches of arches when using finely ground synthetic pigments. i had the same problem with wn perylene green and winsor (pyrrol) red. ive switched to using canson heritage paper and havent had a problem since @@InLiquidColor

[@redforrori]

Dunno, the chicken (rooster? I was enjoying the color, not watching for gender, lol) is prolly my favorite. Dat tail! That macaw tho...

[@nicolle2126]

Your rant about Daniel Smith's pan set was extremely cathartic

[@InLiquidColor]

Hahaha 💜

[@ArtistWizardry]

What should you start with? I'd say go for artist quality and, well, what's on sale? lol Paints, for the price you pay and how long they'll last, as well as the joy they bring, makes them not at all expensive. You could spend just as much for a full set on a night out to dinner.. or a couple of nights out. Try them all out and see what you like. Definitely get the best watercolor paper, I think that's really important. You will change as you evolve in skill too, so just keep being curious. I'm partial to M. Graham in both their watercolor and oils... but there are SOOOOOO MANY brands that I love for various reasons. Daniel Smith, Sennelier, Da Vinci, Winsor Newton, Schimke, Holbein, Shinhan Premier, Mission Gold, Yarka (I think it's also called St. Petersburg or White Nights).. hmm.. the list could go on. There are even handmade watercolor paints like from Oto Kano.... so many great choices :). Did you know the great masters used to have to make their own paints and had their own secret recipes? Anyway, a lot depends on the pigment, color, binders, behaviour, granulation... it depends on what you like or prefer or willing to sacrifice for the color, etc. OK, I'll admit, I may be suffering from a bit of collector syndrome. lol But bottom line is physically doing the work. Practicing to get better and better, understanding color mixing, value, temperature, composition...all of that. The work is what makes you great, not necessarily what you buy. I mean, of course it helps but really, you could be phenomenal with almost anything you can get your hands on if you actually develop your skills. FInd your mentors and be with your tribe. Oh, BTW Jackson's Art seems to have the best prices for European paints.. which makes sense. Don't be afraid of ordering from them. DHL delivery has been awesome for me. I did a huge first order (use the affiliate link for the one time 10% discount) and I was shocked my shipment arrived in 3-4 days from .. I think they're in London. MIND BLOWN. Amazon, Cheap Joe's, Dick Blick, Jerry's Artarama.. compare prices, whether or not they'll charge shipping and/or taxes.. these all add to the price and there's plenty of sales out there.

[@ChrissieNicely]

I can certainly appreciate your ratings and the reasons. For me, Schmincke does come first because I grew up with them and they are readily available here in Germany. However, I do love the granulation and flow of Daniel Smith and also some of their Primatek paints. I think Schmincke is listening to artists who have said the same and have come out with more granulating paints like the French Ultramarine. So in my view, the international competition and the worldwide availability of all these brands is a wonderful thing. Thank you for all your work, Denise! I look forward to the new series! Last but not least, I am loving the paint paintings! 😍🧡❤💜💙

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks you Chrissie! So glad you enjoyed it.

[@dannytries]

I'm really loving all of your art at the moment!💙

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you 😁

[@meldixon1918]

Very helpful information! Thanks for all the work you put into this and all your videos - I always enjoy and look forward to them 💛

[@everartokelli]

Wonderful group of paintings, I love the leopard, peacock and giraffe the most! I'm really looking forward to the new series and enjoyed the Top 10 update--glad to see my favorites are all at the top of your list. I think the three west coast companies (DS, DV & MG) make the best paint because they are all still small companies who have consciously stayed small to maintain quality. That doesn't mean there aren't large companies who maintain excellent standards and make lovely paint, just that it's harder when there are corporate pressures :). The huge interest in handmade paints shows that artists are looking for quality and depth in their watercolor paints.

[@HandmadeByLinanne]

Me too, I love Daniel Smith! So happy you recognized White Nights as a choice to those wanting an economical step into professional watercolors. Although I’ve added just about all the brands you’ve included in your top 10 over the years, Daniel Smith remains my favorite of all! Thanks for doing this, your paintings are amazing!!!♥️

[@marcosvega7048]

Another bored “american first”....

[@leahevergreenart]

great video, So agree with you on the Daniel Smith front, why did they come out with those palettes... love the paint though. :)

[@SummerLangfordRWDCBSNL]

From what I’ve used in personal experience and in the classroom, I’d say Windsor and Newton is by far my favorite brand of watercolors. It could be because they’re higher grade over what I started with (Reeves and Sakura Koi) but I love them a lot. I have two tubes of paint from Grumbacher too, but since they were to replace out of stock colors from W&N for my watercolor class, i haven’t used them much as I find myself not using ultramarine and violet as much as I thought I’d be. I do agree though that W&N is a bit overpriced. I spent a lot on their 8mL paint tubes.

[@jengoodwyn2715]

I can't wait to see how you build palettes from these brands. I really enjoyed this video and watched it twice. As a beginner it was so nice to see all these brands I've heard so much about compared, and their unique properties described. Thank you!

[@ArtByJUSTSAM]

This video was a HUGE HELP. I’m relatively new to watercolor (1 1/2 years), though not to painting as a whole. I invested in 24 Cotman tubes and some mid grade paper to start out. I did not really enjoy the experience and almost immediately purchased 5 Daniel Smith tubes to make sure it was the paint that was frustrating me. Then I purchased some 100% cotton paper. It was like night and day. I now know that paint really makes the difference. I wanted an in depth comparison before I bought a comprehensive palette, you know? This was all the information I needed and more. Thank you so much.

[@InLiquidColor]

I'm so glad it was helpful! I too went from Reeves straight to DS! There was no turning back :D

[@itsteganyay]

Thank you Denise! This is really informative and helpful for learning the differences between brands. Personally, I don't confine my palette to just one brand, and prefer to watch your swatching videos, and Oto's color showdowns to pick out the best versions of colors I'm interested in. I'm so excited for the Brand by Brand series! By the way, I love that each brand got its own wildlife painting as an example! It's so nice to see the paints in action and be able to compare, and it's always nice to watch you paint :) I live in a humid place, and I just thought I would mention that Sennelier paints set up just fine for me. They basically feel like soft plastic when I touch them, and they do not stick to my fingers. In comparison, M. Graham's paints stay in the consistency of melted marshmallow or taffy, pulling away in long strings that stretch across my palette and get all over everything. Those paints are so highly pigmented that you only need a small amount, but due to the stickiness, I get so much paint in my brush that I end up having to mix way more paint than is necessary...it's just such a waste. I wanted to love M. Graham as much as you do, but I just can't :( I did want to ask though, do you think Sennelier is really superior in glazing to other brands? I would love to see a video where this is tested out. People say it all the time, but I have no way of knowing if it's just some often repeated hype, or if it has any basis.

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks for the thoughtful comment! I do think Sennelier has something special when it comes to glazing but that's a good video idea! I also found W&N transparent colors are also very good at this.

[@itsteganyay]

​@@InLiquidColor That's good to know, thank you for your insight! I would love to see that video if you do find time to make it :)

[@nalcarya]

You can add ox gall to Mission Gold though, it works wonderfully (I'm using Schmincke ONETZ with them) :)

[@InLiquidColor]

That's a very good point!

[@Sarah-ie7xt]

Thanks for this video, it’s super helpful! I really appreciate the example paintings

[@ysvince]

how about Van Gogh Watercolors 😬

[@mementolin]

I know my first professional paints were some W&N, but I went to Daniel Smith and Qor since then. Both have their pros, though I found this video after you Earth Friendly palette video, and I know what I want for my birthday, since I love trying out other brands as well.

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Such a great video that you seriously poured your heart and some hard work into! I think you did a great job with ranking them, yay Daniel Smith as #1 lol. Although what is up with their release of new colors this year... it’s like all grays!!

[@palmirafarkash1492]

Well They already have every color you can basically think of, over 240 in total. I guess it's not that easy to find new pigments and/or colors when you already have such a wide range available (it's twice as much as any other brand lol!). I suppose that kinda limits the options of coming up with new groundbreaking additions every single year :)

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks Barbara! Like Palmira said, they have so many colors... But for real, where's my PB16?! Hahah

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Haha that’s right Denise! Maybe next year haha..

[@SarahNewburyArt]

This video was so enjoyable! I love that you did a painting for each paint brand and included so much info too- thanks Denise 😊💙

[@joannaplichta9677]

Very informative video, thank you. If you have a chance, give a try to two Polish brands - Renesans, and Aquarius by Roman Szmal. They are very affordable - 1,5 - 2 dollars for a half-pan of Renesans, 2 - 3 dollars for a tube of Renesans and 3 - 4 dollars for a full pan of Roman Szmal. They are art grade (almost all colours in Renesans and all colours in Szmal claim high lightfastness), have nice ranges of colours (54 for Renesans half-pans, 70 colours for Renesans tubes and 140 colours for Szmal, including 117 single pigment ones).