KURETAKE vs. WINSOR & NEWTON WATERCOLORS | Which one is better?

[@aartadventure]

Great comparision, and I love your illustration. I think it is also important to note that the windsor is more transparent, and the kuretake builds up more opaque like gouache. With several layers (I usually find at 3 saturation layers) the kurateke develops a glossy sheen.

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

+aartadventure thank you. Yes I did notice that the kuretake one becomes shiny after a few layers which I Don t really enjoy. But the I still like the fact that they are so vibrant.

[@MedaHalmaciu]

Have you tried the White Nights palette? I have tried lots of brands both student and professional grade, but in my book that one wins: price, quality, rewetability, dispersion, color variety, everything.

[@melaniaberindea]

White Nights watercolours are great 😆😆 I simply adore them 💜💙

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

+Meda Halmaciu I have not. So far the kuretake ones have really impressed me. And I have loads of watercolors for now. But maybe I will try them in the future. I have heard good things about them

[@selahr.]

Helpful video and very helpful comments section. I just got both sets and was wondering what all the differences were. Now I feel much more informed and can make better decisions on which paints fit which projects better.

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

Glad it was helpful! And yes the comments do provide missing information as well!

[@Shesvii]

Even if comparing the rewetabily, colour vibrancy or colour selection may be fair, the comparison itself is a bit odd. It's like comparing Holbein gouache and Liquitex acrylics. Winsor & Newton Cotman are student grade watercolour paints while Kuretake aren't watercolours, but japanese traditional gansai paints. This is important since the composition of gansai is very different from western watercolour composition (both when it comes to binder, fillers and pigments). Gansai paints aren't meant to be mixed and they aren't meant to be layered. Their consistency is more inky and shiny once they dry. The Kuretake ones are not lightfast which is a minus since Winsor & Newton offer a better lightfastness.

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

I see your point. To be honest i really wanted to see them perform next to each other. I was not saying they are dupes for each other at all. But they are two brands that are really popular among the artists community and even i was wondering which one to buy in the beginning .Even though i ended up buying both. So thank you for letting me know about the composition. I honestly didn''t know they are so different. However i just wanted to make a video putting them to the test side by side for people to see in case they were considering getting one over the other.

[@Shesvii]

Anca Pora Illustration I understand why you wanted to make a video, and it's a good sincere video! :) My concern is the fact that people way too often think gansai paints are watercolours. Yes! They're absolutely different. Watercolours mainly consist on pigment, gum arabig, and/or honey and glycerin. If there's not honey added to them, they're vegan friendly. Gansai paints consist on pigment, sugar cane binder, fish or animal binders and other kind of glossy gelly substances that are usually taken from fishes. As you see, not vegan friendly at all.

[@elzieeduardo7868]

Shesvii ... then why did the company described it as watercolor in amazon? I love how you did your comparison Anca. I got the point of Shesvii... I’m here wanting to see which to buy. Now, after reading this, I’m confused again which to get.

[@irene1234]

Thanks for the breakdown.

[@softandcosy]

@@elzieeduardo7868 i’m a bit late but kurerake is watercolour, but it’s traditional japanese watercolour, which is different from western ones (it’s traditionally used on washi paper and not used in layers, so it’s pretty easy to lift)

[@Fers_Ibarra]

Las kuretake se utilizan bien diluídas con harta agua y se pueden hacer muchas capas, así no se levanta el pigmento, y a mi gusto, tienen una transparencia envidiable... Yo tengo algunas de las profesionales, sennelier, un set de las akademi schmincke, y las white nights (que son hermosas también), pero las kuretake tienen algo, su binder hace que queden sin ese toque opaco, son tan translúcida, hermosas, son las que más uso, luego las van Gogh y las white nights 🙂👌🏻

[@ekisde7665]

había visto la review de un chico de estas acuarelas y el mencionó que su consistencia cuando se mojan las pinturas es muy parecida a le del gouache en el sentido de que es bastante opaco y otra en la que una chica menciona que hay que esperar un tiempo considerable para esperar a que la pintura se seque y poder ponerle otra capa y esos comentarios me alejaron de la idea de comprarlos. estaba considerando entre comprarme estas, las white nights (que acá las vende mas caras de lo que deberían) y las mungyo, cual me podrías recomendar entre las 2 primeras opciones?

[@bettybotello8991]

Yo encargue mi set de 48 y espero con ansias a que lleguen. Ya probaste las Mission Gold??? Para mi hasta ahorita son las mejores acuarelas que he probado. Aun mejor que las holbein.

[@heysiyi2113]

Just the video I needed! Thank you!

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

+Hello Siyi so glad I could help ♥

[@Loj0468]

Very lovely work. But I hope you’ve discovered since you posted this video that the Kuretake set comes in a 48 pan size, too. So another check mark in the Kuretake column.

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

Yes i am actually aware :D that they have a 48 colors set. I just ordered this instead as i didn't need so many colors :D

[@gabib.1780]

Super, mulțumesc! I'm a beginner and have the kuretake 24 color pan. I love the color selection, it's as if they were made for botanical illustrations and the price is simply unbeatable by Windsor and newton, still I wonder why not so many people use them. Windsor and Newton seems to be the go-to for most watercolour artists. Am I missing something?

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

Thank you! I think winsor and newton is just easier to find in art supply stores rather then kuretake. And they are a more popular brand as well

[@ClioMako]

I currently have 2 sets of watercolours. A whimsical Soviet set, which apart from being ancient, is a bit tough to work with, due to how each colour behaves, and a W&N set. I have to say that the W&N is for the most part, hit or miss. Some colours feel much too transparent, other look almost identical to each other, others are opague enough to be mistaken for gouache. I think I might consider investing in a Kuretake set soon. Thanks for the review!

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

The kuretake are relatively inexpensive and you can get the smaller set and just mix the colors. Winsor and Newton ones are good in my opinion and are more buildable. Where as the kuretake ones tend to become really shiny after 3 layers. So keep that in mind :d. It really depends on your personal preference

[@marianwhitcomb7518]

How about light fastness on the Japanese ones?

[@throughmyeyes9940]

you did not make it clear that the Windsor and Newton were the Cotman version

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

Sorry about that. I will include it in the title

[@davester1432]

@@AncaPoraIllustration Well, one year later the title still doesn't sat Cotman. I was just going to ask when I saw this comment. But thank you for the video, it was just the information I was looking for. I am giving it a "like", title notwithstanding.

[@islo3941]

Hi Anca, can you please tell me where to get the same brushes? they look stiff enough for details and sturdy enough for the long run. thanks :)

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

Hi! I use synthetic brushes from Milan. I buy them from my local art supply store but i am sure you can find them online :D

[@islo3941]

@@AncaPoraIllustration Thank you Anca! I just finished watching your new video and it was wonderful :)

[@ruffeyx]

i check the link to W&C u provide, the price is for 12 half pans, not 45.

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

I edited the link provided and added a note in the description. Thank you for pointing it out. My mind must have been distracted when copying the link and the price.

[@sugha2660]

Can kuretake go on any watercolor brand paper

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

I don't see why not ☺️❤️

[@beckk8863]

I think I prefer the more muted winsor one, its more delicate.

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

I like both for different reasons :D But yes the winsor and newton one is more soft :D

[@tricotabba]

which one is better?

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

They are both good in different ways. I personally couldn't choose but i think i got most use out of the winsor and newton one

[@hanastasiah2329]

Unluckily, we can not see the W&N result due to your other video preview

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

I fixed the problem :D Thanks for pointing it out. Hopefully it is better

[@AtPeaceLand]

I just have both 😀

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

They are both great in their own way! :D

[@amie11601]

well done

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

Thank youuuu ❤️

[@artistnupolitician8889]

Interesant!

[@secretchildprayers]

Winsor and newton cotman or professional?

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

It's the winsor and newton Cotman palette

[@omurortaovali3851]

I think I disagree with your evaluation for most points because imho W&N checks all factors except for “price”. Kuretake pans are super shallow, just few brush strokes -as can be seen from your green Kuretake pan too- and you hit the pan’s bottom! They are hardly transparent which is a huge negative in my book. Despite the fact that there are far better watercolor brands and sets out there than W&N (especially than Cotman line), I think W&N wins this one. Thanks a lot for the video!

[@師太滅絕]

It will be unfair to compare 12 colors vs 45...... (i know the youtuber comparing only 12 comparable one). There is a Kuretake 48 colors, maybe that is better.... (12 is too small a selection)

[@AncaPoraIllustration]

That is a fair point. However I wasn't comparing the colors to each other. I was talking more about how they work , the saturation and which one I personally prefer in terms of consistency and washes .

[@karenirving7088]

Kuretake aren't really watercolours 🤷‍♀️