My Top 5 Favorite Watercolors: Blues

Welcome to the start of my new series, featuring my "Top 5 Favorite..." Through this series we're going to look at my favorite colors in each color family, overall brands, and supplies such as papers and brushes.
Today we are taking a look at my favorite blue pigments. As stated in the videos, these are not necessarily recommendations for EVERY watercolorist, but rather a way for me to share what I am currently enjoying using the most in my own studio. What do you think of this list? Did I mention your favorite, or leave it off the list? Be sure to share your favorites in the comments below!
MGraham's Anthaquinone Blue: amzn.to/2HdPuPU
MGraham's Cobalt Teal: amzn.to/2FwALlJ
Daniel Smith's Phthalo Blue GS: amzn.to/2Fx68wo
Daniel Smith's Mayan Dark Blue: amzn.to/2FmAvCJ
Sennelier's Ultramarine: amzn.to/2FlA23m
Arches Watercolor Paper: amzn.to/3QAJvst
Silver Black Velvet Size 8 Round: amzn.to/3QXvBAr
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[@teohyc]

Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna are beautiful for dark clouds. My favourites are French Ultramarine, Phthalo Blue and Cerulean Blue. I use a lot of French Ultramarine. When I want to mix darks quick, I use Phthalo Blue because the tinting strength is so high. A tube of Phthalo can last many more months compared to Ultramarine. LOL.

[@InLiquidColor]

Hey Teoh! It's great to see you here. Thanks for adding to the discussion :) I've seen you've using a lot of cerulean - I'll have to pick up some of DS's to try that one out. And I hear you about the phthalo vs ultramarine, haha. I tear through my tubes of ultramarine while I don't think I've ever had to replace the phthalo.

[@joyfulldj]

My favorite is the white nights prussian blue - i use it fr shading in leaves and trees, the french ultramarine from schmincke, cobalt blue from schmincke and cerulian blue also by schmincke and i only have two artist line of paint, my next purchase are the basic mixing set from daniel smith by jane blundell and I am so looking forward to buying that set of 12, I have been doubting about winsor and newton but after hearing so many complaining about the streakyness in the artist line i decided to do some more saving as i really want to know what the ds fuzz is all about,lol

[@joyfulldj]

prices on those are indeed shocking though very pretty

[@tammyeaton4791]

Teoh Yi Chie For more transparency, try Quinacridone Burnt Orange(unless it has PO49, in which case, never mind.).😺

[@geslinam9703]

Teoh, can you recommend a good book on colors in watercolor? I want something that really goes into depth about all the colors, different brands, mixing, etc. I have a background in oils, and I would imagine that color is color no matter the medium - but I would really love to find a book just about watercolor paint.

[@pbasswil]

Just for reference, the (consistent) mixing colours are: LemonYlw PY175 [DS] RedVio PV19 [RB] PhthaloGrn(BS) PG7 [DS] HansaYlwDp PY65 [DS] PyrrolRed PR254 [DS] QuinGold PO49(old [DS], 1pigm.) TransPyrOrg PO71 [DS]

[@windywednesday4166]

Thank you! That was very good of you to put up.❤

[@emmamariamakes]

I recently discovered Indanthrene (same PB60 as Anthraquinone) Blue and I love how deep it is! It replaced indigo on my palette. My other blues on my palette are Cobalt teal turquoise, Rembrandt Blue (really old), Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine, Phthalo blue (r), Paynes grey

[@eternal8song]

I really love Daniel Smith's Manganese Blue Hue, because it's almost the exact color of the sky on clear days here in Colorado. It's also useful for detailing blood veins on pale skin.

[@patriciaezzell7484]

really informative and strangely therapeutic. I watched it twice.

[@InLiquidColor]

Patricia Ezzell I'm glad you like it! Thank you so much :)

[@SEELE-ONE]

My blue selection consists of Indigo, Indanthrone, Prussian, ultramarine, cobalt and manganese hue

[@shin1nn]

Yay another new color series! I found you through color spotlight and is definitely excited for this! My favourite blue is PB60 Indanthrone blue but undeniably I use ultramarine more frequently

[@SharonNolfi]

Denise, your videos are getting better and better! I can't wait to see the next episode of this series.

[@aislinngraves4291]

Thank you so much for these reviews. I am building my palates and find this very helpful. I bought the Antha Blue for one of my travel palettes I am building for my trip to Hawaii.

[@juliamoran6771]

M. Graham Prussian blue is probably my all time favorite color. 😍 It was the first tube of m. Graham I ever bought too.

[@InLiquidColor]

It's one of my favorites too! It pained me to put it at the bottom, but I couldn't justify three deep dark blues on a top five haha.

[@AnneGoggansQHHT]

Julia Moran m Graham has some great darks. Maroon Perylene is another dark I’ve got from them.

[@StrawberryLegacy]

There are so many gorgeous blues out there I could never choose :') Straight from the tube though, Prussian Blue will always be my favorite color

[@glorioskiola]

Thanks for the new series!

[@milenabdesign]

Loved this series! Prussian blue is probably my favourite blue, and I looove blues. But I agree with everything you said about ultramarine, not my favourite but the most used for its versatility.

[@gwensimmons_gigi1629]

Love this episode, muy interesante!! Fav colors were with Anthrac. Blue. Thank you!!

[@MDCampbell]

Funny reading the comments. I'm with Eve Bolt on this - I try to like Ultramarine, but for some reason it eludes me. Schmincke's Delft Blue is my new favorite, but my heart will always be with Prussian. :) Wonderful discussion and swatch watching! lol! :)

[@tessymoon4891]

Thank you for your very well put together videos! I love how you give plenty of information in an organized way! My favorite/most used blue is M Graham Ultramarine Blue PB29. It is the strongest, most vibrant Ultramarine I have found after testing many different brands. Other blues I use frequently are WN Thalo Blue gs PB15:3, DS Indanthrone Blue PB60, WN Thalo Turquoise PB16, and Schmincke Cobalt Turquoise PG50. I love the look of MG Cobalt Blue PB28 but I just don't reach for it very often.

[@JessicaCEP]

My favorite color mixes are actually the ones you didn't like with cobalt teal. I am 100% in love with the two mixes with the transparent pyrrole red and orange... something about the separation of color just makes me happy. I'm glad I have those colors. I'm going to try that soon! Mayan is the only blue in this list I don't have...

[@Raeleen]

Your videos are a life saver! I’m finally becoming more serious about watercoloring. Thanks so much!

[@InLiquidColor]

So glad they're helpful!

[@fufufuaru]

yaay a new series! I was watching another watercolor tutorial video and when I noticed this on the feed to the right I immediately clicked haha

[@InLiquidColor]

fufufuaru awww thank you so much!! 💜

[@arestocat]

My top 5 would be: PB35, PB27, PB60, PB29, PB15:3. My selection is based on which colors make more beautiful mixes that I commonly use and how they can be used straight out of the tube/pan. Ultramarine makes extremely beautiful greens and vivid purples, along with really neutral earth tones. However, all three are things that I don't really go out for most of the time, even if I appreciate the way this pigment can be handled. Pthalo blue green shade is the perfect primary color in a CMYK palette and it makes gorgeous, gorgeous turqoises. The rest are pigments which can make really specific colors that I usually use. I'm really picky when it comes to my blues selection and I usually have even 5 of them in a small pocket palette of definitely less than 20-15 colors, since it's not only my favourite color, but also really useful! (P.S. M. Graham makes BY FAR the most beautiful blues I've ever seen. And the tubes also have tons of honey in them already. I sense a new brand addiction of mine 🤤)

[@MermaidInTheWater]

Love the video! Ultramarine is actually my fave blue on this list, even on its own! I do all my paint brush swatches with it. 💙 I do love all these colors and I switch between the Prussian blue and phthalo blue a lot. You sold me on the Mayan dark blue from DS. I’m currently looking into cobalts and cerulean to add to my palette soon. Again I love the video and I’m so excited for this new series! Keep up the good work! ☺️

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you so much! I'm so glad you're enjoying it so far!

[@valasafantastic1055]

Agree with this list! Been so happy with all of these since I got them! I have the seniellier ultramarine , the m.ghram anthracrinone and the Daniel smith cobalt teal and (just got the cobalt teal at last) They are amazing and so lovely. I think there is an argument to be made for who perceives what blue as warm or cool and tha'ts fine. Love all these ones and need to get painting more now that I have the cobalt teal!

[@joanneclabelle4232]

ValasaFantastic When discussing a colour’s temp, blue is the colour that trips a lot of artists. It’s the only colour I’ve repeatedly seen in colour reviews; swatching; favs; etc., that’ll show warm, (or cool,) in one video & the opposite for another. Even the reds aren’t creating the same back & forth like it’s (cooler 🙃) hue.

[@CarloS-dc9zm]

so true on the versatility of Sennelier's Ultramarine Deep

[@myincredibleartgarden1493]

Funny, I love M Graham paints and both of those you picked are my favorite blues too. Anthraquinone and Prussian blue are for sure the blues I use most.

[@kaylaanderson5349]

Gosh! I am just dying to get my hands on Anthraquinone Blue! So dreamy! That Mayan Blue looks lovely too. I have a Prussian Blue I've been lusting after a while on the way already...man, these dark blues must have my heart!

[@InLiquidColor]

They have mine too!

[@MattbyNature]

I love your insight on watercolour! My favourite one is Schmincke's Cobalt blue dark. It's like an Ultramarine but granulates much more heavily resulting in beautiful, separated washes. I've been looking at the two Cerulean options Daniel Smith has but I can't decide.

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks so much!

[@alejandromorales9516]

THANK YOU. Blues are a place in my palette where I don't like to skimp. Reds and Yellows I can get by with a limited palette. My five faves are French Ultramarine, Daniel Smith Prussian Blue, Cerulean, Daniel Smith Indigo and DaVinci Pthalo Turquoise (PB16)

[@alejandromorales9516]

Thank you for featuring the M. Graham Prussian Blue and Anthraquinone Blue! I want to put together a small M. Graham palette to use at home. A friend told me they are really great for glazing.

[@ljsquare1]

So much information. Thank you.

[@angelpike5216]

Posting a comment because of your instagram. I love the prussian blue. I just got it for my WN cotman set. Thank you for making these vids. I learn a lot from them.

[@MatheusFerreira-mu6lu]

My personal favourites are Phtalo Blue and (any)Teal Colors....

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks for sharing Matheus!

[@coldlicorice]

Ultramarine would be my top blue too, just because I wind up using it for everything. I’m not in love with the shade either, but it’s so good in everything!

[@Chill1332]

I feel the same as you. I don't think I use blues a lot, as in I don't paint blue things a great deal. But my blues definitely have the biggest holes in my pan set. I use them a lot to mix shadows and browns and blacks and purples. These are some really beautiful looking colors!

[@vidyawitch]

love watching u play with color...they look so yummy. very helpful and informative video...am planning to take this as an exercise to get familiar with colors and flow of the paint and transparency etc... thank u and good day.

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks so much! :) Take the time!

[@ellenschmidt3005]

I have a Prussian Blue, but haven't used it very much. I'm itching to give it a try! Love your videos; so much information that helps me with my painting!

[@InLiquidColor]

I'm so glad! Thank you Ellen!

[@raosprid]

It's great. Try mixing it with Nickel Azo Yellow PY150 for a perfect Hooker's Green (original formula was Prussian Blue + Genuine Gamboge, very close to NAY), or with Venetian Red (I like Da Vinci for the granulation) for greys.

[@ellenk560]

I know it's hokey, since there are so many other brands out there, but I have a real love affair with the W&N Indanthrene Blue... I am a fan of hyper granulation though, and the mixing options are always fun to see what happens. I should try to get my mitts on the M. Graham version though, but it's difficult where I live. Love the idea for this series! Gives an insight into how you paint.

[@Tennishead21]

This should be a very exciting series, Denise, and your choices are particularly interesting. :) Perhaps I am a bit of a boring traditionalist, but I only use three blues, which are as follows in my order of preference: 1. French Ultramarine Blue - PB29: I especially like Schmincke's new French Ultramarine, which is the most granulating French Ultramarine I have ever seen. This is a very useful colour, which mixes well. I think almost everyone uses this colour. 2. Cobalt Blue - PB28: This is lighter and more neutral than French Ultramarine and it also has a smaller value range, meaning it is very difficult to get a really dark colour; it will never really make dark colours. It is useful for shadows in snow scenes and mixes wonderfully with a range of colours. It is very good for mixing light valued neutrals. 3. Prussian Blue - PB27: Probably my favourite colour in a non-art sense, Prussian Blue is very intense but can mix some wonderfully vibrant hues. It makes especially nice violet colours and I love how it mixes with Quinacridone Gold. This might be an unpopular opinion but I don't particularly like Phthalo Blue or Cerulean Blue for the way I paint. I think Prussian Blue is more useful than Phthalo Blue. Cerulean Blue is not a hue I like at all; it is too unnatural for the type of landscapes/skies/weather we get here in Ireland and it can be quite opaque. I have had a Winsor Newton Professional 5ml Tube of it in my drawer for many years and have never had a real use for it; the tube is still 80% full! That Indanthrone Blue is absolutely beautiful though! It is a colour I have been meaning to try out. As a matter of interest, what is your favourite colour in a non-art sense? Thanks for the upload. :)

[@InLiquidColor]

Conor Casey thank you so much for the addition to our discussions here! I completely agree about Prussian. I love the purples and greens it makes with the Quin gold 😍 it hurt me to put it at the bottom but they Mayan dark blue is so similar it didn't seem fair to include them both when there are so many others out there. Right now I'm really stuck between two favorite colors and that is a warm rich purple and a deep teal. Plus they go so well with each other!

[@crystalinedreams6039]

thanks for the wonderful vid! i am not sure of my fav blues cuz they all are being it is my favorite color in general. lol have a great day!

[@TheSgyro]

Anyone who is just starting with painting... Will go through that phase where they either embrace it or fight it.. Talking about the legendary Ultramarine blue! 😁

[@mettainacan7813]

True, I don't like it if not for mixing

[@mellow-jello]

Agree with Phthalo Blue, and Prussian Blue as go-to shades of blue that I gravitate to. Honourable mention, would be Indigo & Ultramarine that I would like to explore further.

[@genigee]

thanks that aqua blue from ultra blue mix love it

[@Manara111111]

my favorite blue is W&N manganese blue hue.. soo beautiful and vibrant

[@azzuparis]

Hi Denise, great video :) That Mayan Dark Blue it's amazing!!! I absolutely love the granulation. I'm gonna have to try it ;) I normally use Ultramarine often than the others blue I have and I love the granulation. I have the W&N's one. I'd also love to have a teal color on my palette but I need to choose the brand. M. Graham one is beautiful. Thanks for this series, it's going to be gorgeous :D

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks so much Azzu! I hope I don't disappoint!

[@azzuparis]

In Liquid Color I'm sure you won't. It's always great to discover new colours and their combinations 😁😁

[@ianjackson5834]

ultramarine blue is one of the work horse's of a good watercolour set. my personal favourites are indanthrene blue and phthale turquoise.

[@LafayetteLeSaint]

Enjoyed your video. You are very correct when you say everyone's taste varies. For instance, I do not like ultramarine blue. Why? It makes dull greens. If you want a emerald-type green forget it. My favorite is thalo blue.

[@creativesolutions902]

I want to try indanthrone blue… I don’t have any version of PB 60 … And I want to try something new other than ultramarine and phthalocyanine. Thank you, great video!

[@hermajestyqueenmarciamarti1151]

I've been searching for the right blue for my peacock.. thanks xxoo I used your link love Marcia in Modesto

[@joyfulldj]

your timing is awesome as i am seeking to make me a new palet turner has a nice sort of mayan blue btw... and is quite a bit cheaper

[@Mlle_Bleue]

These are the five blues I use. I rarely use any others. Ultramarine blue PB29, Prussian blue PB27, Manganese blue genuine PB33, Indigo genuine NA, Pompadour PB29+PW5 (Holbein Irodori)

[@InLiquidColor]

Caroline-Isabelle Caron manganese was a close one for me too! Almost made the list. I love DaVinci's version.

[@Blissfulthings]

I think you used most of my favorite blues but I'll mention sennelier Indigo because it's very close to dying textiles with indigo (japanese) and the other is cinereous blue I missed what colours you were mixing the blues with, would you mind listing them?

[@EveBolt]

I love all the blues, but my least favorite is Ultramarine. It's too hard to rewet and not all that pigment dense. I love your mixes, they really make me want to take the palettes out and paint (but I have work to do!!).

[@joyfulldj]

even the schmincke one from the tube? you do have to poke quite a bit with some of their colors before having anything on the brush,that is true but i find i have that issue less when i pour it in the pan with a tube

[@EveBolt]

Schmincke uses the same formula for their tubes or pans, so I don't think it would make a big difference. I need to check out MGraham's and Sennelier's, as these from the tube have a tendency to stay softer :)

[@joyfulldj]

hehe i cant wait to get my greedy hands on that jane blundell set i showed on my fb

[@InLiquidColor]

I'd definitely recommend trying either MGraham or Sennelier from a tube. They're so much more pliable and handle much better than the Daniel Smith I used to keep on my palette, which is like a rock! Hope you get to paint soon! :D

[@joyfulldj]

now i am confused, specially since i can get the sennelier for much less here specially in a half pan,lol

[@jewelldean3775]

Prussian blue is my favorite one and ultra marine blue next

[@thehomegrownartist214]

Ooh love the PO71 with PB27! Oh and I think DS Phthalo turquoise uses PG36 not PG7. And terra rosa + anthraquinoid =beautiful, I'm gonna have to play with that some. Thanks for a great video!

[@InLiquidColor]

Daniel Smith's does have PG36, but there are other brands that use PG7 :) I do love the other mixtures you mentioend too! Teoh showed me the PO71 for blacks and it's definitely helpful! The terra rosa mix seperates a lot on the paper which I kind of love.

[@thehomegrownartist214]

Yeah I think most of them use PG7. DS is my Fav though :) I played with the terra rosa mixture today... omg I am in love. I love any color that separates like that. I used to not be into the opaque PR101 colors bc of opacity but they do such wonderful stuff. DS venetian red is amazing too because it has a pinkish undertone when it dries and it's gorgeous. Great series!

[@kvr8286]

Seeing the swatches lined up all next to each other I'm very surprised to see how muted a color Mayan Dark Blue is by comparison! It's still a beautiful color, and looks fabulous in your bullet journal :-)

[@InLiquidColor]

Oh yes, it's a very subtle color!

[@dishadhouliyan5190]

Thanks for this comparison. I like cooler tones and colors which don't granulate. So now I know what not to buy. I don't do art professionally. I do it just for fun as I am creative person.

[@gcvrsa]

For my favorites, I would say PB27 (possibly my single most favorite color, my go-to fountain pen ink for daily use) and PB29 for inorganic pigments, and PB15:3 for organics. I suppose you could also say PB15:6, but I don't actually use it in my current organic palette, which is single primary/split secondary. Honestly, though, I'm not exceedingly fond of the extreme staining capacity of most organic pigments. The PB82 does look nice, but I'm still a bit skeptical about it, since it is essentially indigo. I shy away from the cobalt pigments, because of toxicity and opacity, and I just haven't found a use forPB60, though I'm open to the possibility.

[@beepear]

I would agree with ultramarine. It’s not my favorite hue, I actually find the color a bit boring for blue, BUT it is so useful I can’t not have in my palette.

[@Mlle_Bleue]

Like you, I am discovering Mayan blue and Mayan violet. Definite possibility of knocking PB29 from my list

[@Mlle_Bleue]

PB27, I meant

[@InLiquidColor]

Glad I'm not alone in this love affair haha

[@pnutbutrncrackers]

Wow, anthraquinone blue rocks!

[@InLiquidColor]

That it does!

[@przykran]

PB82 is so pretty! and I love the shade of this Cobalt Teal, the only PB28 watercolour I have is the White Nights one and I’m not a fan of the shade :( I’m so happy you started the series with my favourite colour😂💙 Looking forward to new episodes! 💓 my favourite blues are White Nights - Indanthrene Blue PB60, Rembrandt - Ultramarine Deep PB29 (I love the granulation, especially in mixes), Rembrandt - Prussian Blue PB27 (: A few blues from White Nights are also very pretty - Azure PB15, but I don’t use this one often; Turquoise, but it’s a mix of PB15 and PG7 and can be easily mixed with a basic set, lol; and Blue Lake PB1, which is unfortunately not very lightfast, but it’s lovely for using in a sketchbook (: (have you ever tried White Nights? I love how strong and affordable they are 😂)

[@InLiquidColor]

Julia Z I figured blue was probably the safest way to start! Haha. I haven't tried white knights yet but they're on my wish list!

[@gwensimmons_gigi1629]

Julia Z I have to agree with you. I first used their Sonnets, then graduated up to the White Nights... they are very moist, vibrant pigments!

[@warmyellowshade]

Oooh, a new series! Excited for the rest. That Mayan Blue is definitely on my wishlist. I'm also not that into blue as a colour, but have been enjoying a lot of blue paints lately. I would recommend you try the White Nights Indigo... its my current fav ;) Great video Denise, I especially enjoyed the mixes.

[@InLiquidColor]

Warm Yellow Shade thanks so much!

[@katherinesimonds622]

You Prussian Blue... My favorite blue :) it can just do anything

[@coldmountainpix]

WOW that Mayan Dark blue- Beautiful!!!!! Turner makes some Mayan colors and they are so light and I dont even bother with them- What a beautiful twist- I will be ordering that color from DS!! love this series! love all your series

[@InLiquidColor]

coldmountainpix they do have two versions so make sure to get the dark one with PB82. The other is Mayan genuine and it's a very light color as well.

[@LonitaFraser]

What colour is that you mixed the anthraquinone blue with on the very right of the page? It's making some delicious dark teals that I could just eat it looks so good.

[@InLiquidColor]

Off the top of my head, I think that would be PG7! :)

[@StephenMarkTurner]

M Graham also makes a Cobalt Blue (also with PB28). It is a very middle blue, in between Phthalo and Ultra, I would say. It is not granular, so it is good if you want a very even strong blue coverage. It reminds me of the 'spiritual' blue that Stephen Quiller sometimes uses when he paints sheep and angels and stuff like that :-)

[@fufufuaru]

i love prussian blue, and it makes me really happy when I hear someone else likes it too because it seems it's not popular haha and I feel the same as you in regards to ultramarine-- not really a favorite, but highly indispensable and it's the most used blue in my palette.

[@InLiquidColor]

I wouldn't have known about Prussian blue if I hadn't polled everyone for the Color Spotlight series! It was picked over phthalo blue so I was like, I guess I should pick some up! Haha. It's really nice to work with.

[@merylmaeong9138]

Prussian blue is lovely but it's lightfastness is questionable though.

[@dustinarnett4404]

Hi Denise! I know I ask a lot of questions but I was researching and also doing your Skillshare class on palette building, and I'm really concerned with the potential issues with Prussian Blue's lightfastness. I'd like to replace it, since I've been doing watercolor commissions and want to start selling originals, but I can't stand Cerulean and I am worried that I won't be able to make clear enough clouds if I have something as highly staining as Phthalo Blue....Do you have any pointers? I use Ultramarine too, which is the only color I've not wanted to change since I got it.

[@Amyduckie]

I’m a novice, I only have three blues. I have DS: Indanthrone Blue, Indigo and WN: Ultramarine (GS). I don’t paint anything realistic, so I really love the Indigo. It’s just gorgeous. And the Indanthrone Blue.

[@StephanieArtsIs]

Denise , what did you say you mix the phthalo blue green shade with to get the phthalo turquoise mix ? I rewound it a few times and still can't quite catch what you said, was it transparent pyrrol Orange?

[@InLiquidColor]

S.Arts.Wut phthalo green and phthalo blue :) sorry it was hard to understand! The black swatch is the transp pyrrol Orange.

[@appleknocker56]

Is Paul Reuben’s Cobalt turquoise deep (have it) but doesn’t look like a turquoise & not sure what colors mix well with it? Ty for these color spotlights!

[@appleknocker56]

It’s an interesting color! Used it with more water (added nothing) then less water & did it did well but not sure to mix with and is anyone has tried (please share) & blues never realized how many but love my blues! Ty!

[@calamityjitt667]

Very nice idea, thank you for that :) looking forward to yellows and reds (those I struggle the most with T_T), also would be great to search them on black only square for transparency, the fair colors at least :) seen many "transparent" yellows leaving a "residue" in videos, currently on the hunt for "non-residual" cool yellow (and warm yellow perhaps too)

[@InLiquidColor]

Calamity Jitt my goal is to make these videos quick little guides (this one went longer than I'd like) so I don't want to get too far into the tech information. However, I do have Color Spotlights and/or brand reviews for each of the paints here which have more of that info :)

[@calamityjitt667]

In Liquid Color I'm secretly stalking and watching, your channel, along with handful of others are my "to go" for research material :) I'm obsessed with transparency, annoying pet peeve >.> especially in warm red/yellows area it's especially irking me when paint dries over ink line with very noticeable "chalky" sheen (not cause its of lousy quality, but it's not as transparent as I believe it should be). Thanks for your hard work ^^ it's invaluable to us who can't spend every cent on paints to see what's in the tube and if we want that or not :) As not being total off topic... :D my three blues on my palette are ultramarine, pb15:3 and pb60 (great replacement of payne gray when mixed with burnt umber) all white nights :)

[@InLiquidColor]

I'm so glad it's helpful. Spoiler Alert (it'll definitely be on my yellows list), if you haven't already, try Lemon Yellow from Daniel Smith. It's a cool yellow but not made from PY3. It's PY175 and super transparent.

[@calamityjitt667]

In Liquid Color yeah, eyeing Daniel Smith hard :) Wanted to go for M Graham, but no way to get them in Europe without paying fortune for import tax, not mentioning postal fee (23$ for two tubes?! Will they travel in first class vip Boeing zone or?!) >.> love how creamy the white nights are, so going by reviews, DS has the most single pigment colors that are said to be creamy consistency too. In particular eyeing that lemon yellow you mentioned, permanent yellow deep and tr. Pyrrol orange :) hoping these will let me paint without fussing over the "sheens" XD Christmas are coming, little Jesus hopefully will be generous, I was nice all year long! :D

[@InLiquidColor]

Oh no! That's outragous about the price. I'm sorry to hear. To be entirely honest, I "creamy" is not the first word that comes to mind to describe Daniel Smith. I feel like they are a lot more textural :)

[@blackorbit825]

Hi Denise ! As a huge fan of cobalt teal I was watching this video again (the amount of learning we get from your videos is tremendous !). And I wondered, about the cobalt teal mixes : what was this color, you used to make this luscious moss green, that you added to the usual colors you listed as reference. Also, definitely, I really have to add this anthacrinone blue to my palette (jeez there are soon many colors to choose from ❤❤)

[@InLiquidColor]

Based on my very shotty Patreon notes from the time, I think its quinacridone gold. I'm sorry I wasn't as thorough back then with my notes!

[@blackorbit825]

@@InLiquidColor Oh no, don't be sorry, you make such a good job with your channel ❤ Giving away all those incredible informations. I just want to thank you far all that, and for your answer too.

[@Legion5050]

Could you please tell us how to mix the lichen color with the cobalt teal? Or a link to FrugalCrafter's video where she mentions it? Thank you.

[@InLiquidColor]

I had asked her on instagram I believe. It's a mixture with a little bit of quin gold or a warm earth yellow and diluted quite a bit.

[@Legion5050]

Thank you! I will give it a try.

[@shallremainnameless1998]

The comments on Phthalo Blue. I have been using a small dot of Maimeri Blu Phthalo Blue since June this year and I swear it looks bigger now than when I put it on my palette. It should be renamed 'Never ending blue'. My favourite blues are Ultramarine and Indanthrene Blue - no particular brand loyalty with blues.

[@InLiquidColor]

It does go such a long way!

[@catherineallary6332]

Hi, is Mayan dark blue the same color than navy blue?

[@anthonycasiday2875]

In your experience how would the hue of pthalo blue rs compare to ultramarine. Or do you know of any similar warm blues that don't granulate?

[@InLiquidColor]

I haven't used the 15:6 much, but from what I've seen it's definitely deeper than the ultramarine. I'd recommend checking out DaVinci's cobalt blue deep - nearly identical to ultramarine and verrry little granulation compared to other ultramarine. MGraham's ultramarine also doesn't granulate much.

[@ujjainimukherjee2267]

I have it.....senellier ultramarine......I feel so happy

[@TheWackoGreenAlien]

What size is this silver black velvet brush?

[@mjpete27]

Its so funny you have to clarify the list and why your making the selections you are! Like a disclaimer! I still LOVE Cobalt Blue but have stopped buying it because it is so toxic and very seldom responsibly resourced. I had no idea people were still enslaved for the mining of this Ore! My current 5 fav are Indantrene Blue -PB60, Phthalo Blue RS-PB15, French Ultramarine RS-PB29, Cerulean Blue Hue P15/PW6, and I know this is a true blue but Phthalo Turquoise PB16! SO I hope your having a grand day.

[@MatheusFerreira-mu6lu]

i NEED a phtalo blue, like NOW the only blues i have are prussian blue and ultramarine deep :/

[@Nejem]

Wish you try some White Nights paints someday! Not the mini-set though, but just separate colors (the mini-set is not worth it, in my opinion) in CMY style.

[@InLiquidColor]

Nejem I'd love to if I can acquire them!

[@AnneGoggansQHHT]

Here’s the Yarka 36 set pretty cheap www.jerrysartarama.com/art-paints/watercolor-paints-and-mediums/yarka-st-petersburg-watercolor-sets/yarka-st-petersburg-watercolor-sets

[@Nejem]

Bluegrass Arts Anne that's the ones. However, knowing their watercolours, I would advise getting separate pans not to spend much money, but to get the idea of what the colours are like. I think a good starting kit would make Indian Yellow, Hansa Yellow, Ultramarine, Bright Blue, Green Light, Sap Green, Quinacridone Rose and Quinacridone Red. Perhaps an addition of Sepia and Payne's Grey could be of interest as well :) Edit: oh, and I think Denise might be interested in Indian Gold - a color similar to Quinacridone Gold!

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you so much for the color recommendations Nejem and I will be sure to keep them in mind if or when I can get to them. Pans are about $5-6 here, which while affordable, is still a meals worth for me, per pan. I know it may seem like I have a lot money since I create many reviews, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I'm a disabled artist so income is scarce and many of paints I review are either provided to me by the company for review, by my gracious viewers because they want me to review them (or just because they're super kind!), or I do swaps or sample swaps with other KZbinrs so that we can share supplies reviews if that makes sense. I don't mean for this to in any way seem like I'm asking for supplies (I'm not! I have more than I know what to do with) but I want to be very transparent with my viewers. Because of my circumstances, it's unlikely I'll get to review these anytime soon unless they make it off my Christmas list or someone can lend them to me to look at. I do know they're highly requested and I will get to them as soon as my means allow me to, but in the meantime, I promise to bring you as much great content as I can! Thank you both for all of your support!

[@Nejem]

In Liquid Color oh, absolutely! The price differs largely from country to country. I live in Belarus, which is a close neighbor to Russia where these paints are produced, so one pan costs approximately 1.2 USD a piece. However, the con is not having other watercolours in stores. I'll do some research and if I find a place with better price or something even better, and report to you later. Take care 💛

[@kaytexfolkart3412]

Great video! I’m really enjoying your videos!

[@InLiquidColor]

Kay Texfolkart thanks so much Kay!

[@chantelmcskimming6633]

thank you -- so interesting! :-)

[@jimy199]

In your opinion, which blue would you rather have in a palette? Anthraquinone Blue or Mayan Dark Blue? I’m looking to replace my Prussian blue in my palette (currently I have ultramarine, cobalt teal, cerulean, turquoise, and pthalo blue gs.)

[@jimy199]

Also I’m really glad you have this video up, unfortunately when I was looking at DS website, the color swatch for Indathrone Blue was purple 🤔 but seeing it switched out by you and few other artists, I can see it’s not the purple that DS posted up on their website

[@InLiquidColor]

Hi Roberto, I use Anthraquinone much more often. I do like the Mayan Dark Blue, but have heard some questions about lightfastness. I haven't tested it myself but hope to do so at some point.

[@annikania2682]

Don’t hold it against me, but I just don’t like ultramarine or use it a lot, I always prefer to mix helio green bluish/ helio turquoise with a violet, it gives the same shade, and you can actually get a dark yet vibrant shade!!!

[@InLiquidColor]

Like I mentioned, I'm not a fan of ultramarine either on it's own! I think I prefer it for mixing - especially for commissions - because it's liftable where as the phthalo's are not. I do like the shades better with the brighter colors :)

[@microwavedmaya]

I love ultramarine but I feel like I can’t really use the colour alone except for painting flowers. Anyone else know what to paint with it?

[@InLiquidColor]

Skies and peacocks! :)

[@Jennifer-wr9si]

I really enjoy your videos and this series though since I'm UK-based, I try to avoid Daniel Smith and M.Graham is just not available. Have you done any videos or know of any resource that talks about what you do in this series but looking at also say WN, Holbein, Schmincke, etc? Like what brand colours a lot of people seem to gravitate to (like WN Potters Pink) or avoid?

[@InLiquidColor]

I considered all brands for this video, I just don't love WN/Schmincke's blues and didn't have Holbein at the time. I have a favorites video for all brands where I talk about the different brands overall, and Liron Yanconsky has a series called "The Paint Show"

[@marybirder5663]

Potter's Pink from Winsor/Newton is indeed a very weak pigment on its own, but it work's great in mixes, which is how it's mostly used. Try it for skin tones, beaches and for old, world buildings. It''s truly a shame that not all brands are available for you in the UK. Sadly, companies like M Graham & D. Smith are the ones missing out on what could be a great fan base.

[@bobm185]

I'm new to MGraham but wanted to try them based on a number of youtube recommedations. (I bought a couple of their 5 color sets which was cheaper than buying them individually.) One of the blues is cobalt blue. When mixing it with burnt sienna for gray tones, I find that the 2 colors separate on my pallet after a few minutes! Not totally of course - but I see a distinctive burnt sienna pool. They'll remix ok, but I have not seen this happen with other brands. Have you seen anything like this, Is this "normal"?

[@InLiquidColor]

bobm185 yes it's common - at least in my experience - for cobalt teal to separate very heavily. If you can pause the frame at the end of the video with that swatch you can see how much they separate in the swatches too. It's a really cool effect but definitely has specific uses.

[@bobm185]

Thank you!! I didn't notice that before. Love your videos and I really appreciate the effort you put into each - professional! I have learned so much.

[@daruleos]

I just realized that the Mayan Dark Blue has a II lightfastness rating! It's a stunning blue but that little thing make me go with Prussian Blue:)) My favorite hue is Prussian Blue by FAR it is probably my favorite color in general, but I actually use phthalo blue and ultramarine way more often, specially ultramarine, it was the first tube I ever ran out of!!

[@InLiquidColor]

Oh! I didn't catch that either. Blues are always so light fast that I guess I never bothered checking.

[@KateGoesExploring]

Whoa, that cobalt teal mixture really is perfect for lichen! Sorry I didn't catch it, but how did you mix that fourth cobalt teal green? I'm curious because on a recent ridgewalk in VA I came across a stunning lichen forest against a surprisingly electric, frosted-berry purple, brambly undergrowth. Photos didn't capture the combo, so I have my heart set on painting it now, LOL! :)

[@InLiquidColor]

L. Nance the little skinny one? That's just the third one watered down :)

[@KateGoesExploring]

Really?! Nice! Thank you

[@InLiquidColor]

Yep! If you look closely, I add a tiny bit more cobalt teal to the paper, but I just half rised my brush from the swatch above it :)

[@Roslyngal]

I think you say that you are mixing the cobalt teal with ‘cool yellows’ to get those bright greens, can you be more specific about which pigment yellow you used for the 3rd green and the ‘lichen green’? Cheers. Another lichen fan here!

[@InLiquidColor]

Yep, as I mentioned in the video, they're all identical with their mixes across the different swatches. First green is with lemon yellow (PY154), second is hansa yellow deep (PY65), and third is quin gold (PO49).

[@Linaskye143]

I’ve always wanted Prussian blue, but after watching this, I HAD to go get the anthraquinone blue. NOT sorry.

[@CATAZTR0PHE]

she actually starts list at 3:16

[@LulluNatic]

I'm surprised that you think Mayan Dark Blue granulates because it's classified as a non-granulating color 🤔

[@egeozer9916]

I thought you adore mijello blue?

[@InLiquidColor]

Ege Ozer I do! But I hadn't tried the anthraquinone yet ;) it's more vibrant and a single pigment.

[@chanelcreadora6570]

Ok commenters. I need some help. I absolutely HATE the granulation in ultramarine blue. I use only Qor watercolors. (Bit of a enthusiast for Qor) and I want a blue that is as close to ultramarine as we can get WITHOUT the granulation. What do you advise???

[@olgahein4384]

Well, if you are willing to cheat on QoR just once (and many artists who can afford and get their hands on it, have a self-made palette that looks like Frankensteins monster.), I will absolutely suggest the 'Ultramarine Finest' by Schmincke Horadam. It does barely granulate, due to the pigments being milled to the max. Otherwise, a phthalo blue can be similar enough to ultramarine, depends on the shade etc. But if I remember correctly, QoR has only a green shade, so maybe take a look at M Graham, Daniel Smith, Maimeri Blu or Sennelier. You will find similar ones, but ot the same. You can mix it though.

[@chanelcreadora6570]

Olga Hein now I do have M. Graham, QoR and Daniel Smith colors. I like ‘. Graham’s ultramarine. It does granulate. But nowhere as much as the QoR one. Might be the binder or something. Will look into Ultramarine Finest. I’ve heard it’s one of a kind.

[@davelester1985]

It took you 3 minutes to get to the color.

[@harveydent1731]

I don’t think I belong here

[@InLiquidColor]

Why is that?

[@katerilevasseur]

InLiquidColor,,, I have 1 question for you . IM VERY CURIOUS to know what your PURPOSE OF MAKING A " your top5 blues " Video is? WHY would WE CARE WHAT YOUR FAV COLORS ARE?

[@ColoringKaria]

Kat Levasseur judging from the comments and the 228 thumbs up I would say a LOT of people care what Denise likes. Personally I could watch Denise do a video on her favorite days of the week. Denise is TOO nice because I would block you for this kind of trolling comment. Bye Felicia!

[@OveRotstedt]

Why wouldn´t we? She has an opinion, and we want it, that´s all!

[@Roslyngal]

Ummm because there are circa 300 available blue watercolour pigments, which make a possible (nearly) billion combination mixes with the other primary colours. If you are an amateur artist creating a paint palette, you will be VERY interested in knowing which to use, and how to mix them. Especially when the teacher has the skill, patience and altruism to set out the mixes using scientific method. You might have very different tastes or style or subject matter to her, but in the end you have to learn about pigments and mixes. By all means take some time out from trolling popular professional teachers on the internet, and go do your own experiments by yourself. We won’t miss you, promise.

[@pnutbutrncrackers]

What a truly odd comment -- and that is putting it much more charitably than deserved. There are a number of obvious answers. But a far more sensible question would be asking what YOUR purpose was in making such a post.