My Top 5 MUST HAVE Watercolour Paint Colours!

[@veystone2580]

This would be my limited palette since I mainly do portraits and these are (for me) the best color options. 😊 Paynes Gray (Van Gogh) New Gamboge (Daniel Smith) Quinacridone Rose (Daniel Smith) French Ultramarine (Daniel Smith) Sap Green (Daniel Smith) And I always include a Primary White Gouache (Holbein)

[@sherryfurr9115]

I posted this before, but want to tell you again how much I appreciate your getting to the subject of the video without 3-5 mins of conversation or explaining what you are going to show us. I don’t mean to berate anyone else at all. It is just my preference to get to what attracted me to the post. Thanks Emma.

[@janelowmass7038]

Agree 100% preamble chatter about the subject really annoys me too! Thanks Emma for getting on with it!

[@nancyloomis3046]

I think this is the case for me too. If someone tends to veer off in irrelevant chat that I have no interest in, I will hit the skip 10 sec ahead quite a few times to move on to the part i'm interested in (on whatever touch screen you have ..2 quick taps on the top right of screen to move forward 10 sec or two quick taps on the left to go back.) But I understand, the video creator likely believes there's a need for introducing what may be to her/him, some significant info or just something interesting that they want to share. We're always free to move ahead or not. 😊

[@JoyJohnson-t1v]

This could have been about an 8 minute videoe. A lot of ramble could have been cut.

[@ladyhecate9450]

Perhaps for you, but I found this video to be very informative in the color mixing. Even though I have quality brands of different watercolors, so much so that I do not have to mix, but I still found what Emma had to say very informative and by the looks of it, so did others.​@@JoyJohnson-t1v

[@rachelhambone1159]

Nickel Azo Yellow is a must. It's pushy and I love to use Nickel Azo Yellow to punch out that floral center... it's magic!! Makes SO much of a difference. Quinacridone Rose cause you can't mix a pink, and Quins are lightfast, so bonus. Daniel Smith Cerulean Blue Chromium, Holbein Sap Green (but idk ... I'm kinda crush'n on that Shinhan Hookers 😲🙌🏼) . DS Mayan Dark Blue as my warm blue/Payne's gray replacement... I would add a sixth, Buff titanium... the beautiful blushes it makes, so dreamy.

[@valeriecoopet9897]

I just painted a Siamese long haired cat. I used buff titanium and in addition to my normal palette I used a granulating tigers eye. My first experiment with buff titanium. Joy, joy, joy! It blends beautifully with other colors on my palette and I was able to pull out individual hair into both wet and dry colors. Love your mixing ideas. I try a limited palette often, but then I get crazy like I did with this cat. What fun!

[@imaxinebrown694]

You’re spot on!

[@janispatten3441]

This week in my Senior Center Beginning Watercolor class we worked on color mixing. This is so helpful. I may show your video next week just to reinforce the simplicity of a limited palette. Thanks for all you share with us.

[@jean.marion]

My 5th color would be Neutral Tint. I pretty much add it to every shade to tone things down. Plus, it makes a perfect black.

[@fionafrazer8820]

One of the most used colors in my palette - love neutral tint.

[@TheClutterLady]

An 8 color palette is probably my ideal. I like having a black, but another convenience color would be a mint green or blue. They're so light that I find them hard to mix, but I love using those colors! If I had one or the other, I could quickly add blue or green to have both shades. Another convenience color I'd choose is probably coral. I totally agree about the white!

[@amandinesonck8411]

How cheeky of you with the White 😂 Love it. Thanks for the vidéo ❤

[@janiceaistrop4807]

I have learned so much from you that I never knew before, about watercolor painting. Since I started watching your video's. Thank you so much for teaching this about the color's and mixing them and everything else. I look forward to your video's every day. I still haven't seen them all yet, but I'm working on it. Thank you, for being a great teacher and painter. You inspire me to continue my journey in watercolor painting.

[@joymiller9668]

Cad yellow is bright and clean, and more versatile than other yellows and if you want otherwise go with 2 yellow by adding the transparent nickel Azo yellow.

[@mhubertcfi]

Those are all great and loved the tutorial. For my convenience color I might go with Warm Grey. Kind of like using the white or neutral tint. Another for me would be Quin Gold because I use it to portray light often but I realize your yellows looked pretty similar

[@karendirmish2696]

Amazing video, top five colors, and I appreciate last choice of White. I have always had white in my kit, for lightning and changing tone at times! I’m still trying to have a limited palette, and it’s not easy! Brands are always tempting me to try colors, but I’m learning you can’t always reinvent the wheel! Thanks for gentle teaching ! Karen Dirmish , Learner

[@Mirrigold]

Great combos, I'm always going to go for a CMYK limited palette so a Cyan Blue like Cobalt Teal or Cobalt Cerulean Blue, then Magenta or Quin Pink, a neutral Yellow on the brighter side like Bismuth Yellow or Quinophthalone Yellow and then a Payne's Grey or Neutral Tint 🙂 I'd add a Phthalo Green (Yellow Shade) or Olive Green and possibly a Burnt Sienna if I was rounding it out to six colours.

[@rachelhambone1159]

Totally agree

[@mrsfrench847]

Terrific video Emma. Love all the color mixing!! Thank you!

[@flutterbydragonfly]

I’m am very new to watercolor and still trying to figure out my must have colors. This is a tremendous help and I appreciate it very much. Thank you.

[@aGirLnTX]

I would love for you to add a limited color palette to your line with colors similar to these. Perhaps a six-color palette? Love your videos!

[@mjpete27]

Hullo Emma, I have never been able to recommend 5 colors 6 has been the best options for beginners! Never a green, that is a bold choice, but I do not know how good of an idea that is for beginners. I have told a person to try yellow ocher rather than a medium or deep yellow, but the best options have been the warm and cool version of primaries. I have done a magenta rather than an Alizerin Crimson for a cool red. I like switching between French Ultramarine and a more regular PB29 Ultramarine and Indanthrene or Anthraquinone Blue for the cool blue! I did enjoy watching you mix your colors in this video, I have more yellows as I like mixing greens and avoiding convenience greens, I have purchased the new Denise's Green from DaVinci and it is on most every palette I own. I just like it and its mixing capabilities as well as supporting a friend.

[@karenhealy1260]

Wow, you are very knowledgeable about mixing, nice job Emma, thank you!

[@PeterSh29]

Very much like a CMY pallet. I use it all the time. I find it more versatile than RBY.

[@shariherrington7035]

Same here!

[@CamilliasCreativeCorner]

What excellent timing these paint colour videos are! I bought my very first set of watercolors a couple of years ago and have finally hit pan on a couple colors and completely used up one color. It is a Senellier 1/2 pan 24 color travel set and I've lost the colour name sheet. The colour I have used up is ultramarine blue! So that answers that question. The next most used color is something like your pink/rose, a warm red, then cool and warm yellow, and a sap or olive green, and lastly paynes grey. I have been painting mostly costal scenes seas and skies.

[@urban_fox4658]

Ok, gotta recommend a red that can be a deep red, but magnificently, can be a soft pink with water, of course, as well. Schmincke Horadam Limited Edition Cochineal Red. It’s an “old world” color and I’ve become obsessed with it. It’s quite expensive ($20/15ml tube) and I’ve only been able to find it at Jackson’s online in the UK… BUT, I 100% recommend it. The history alone is worth buying a tube. ❤

[@Athanais157]

I am obsessed with it, too. I have bought 2 tubes. 🙈

[@urban_fox4658]

@@Athanais157 No way! After writing this, I went and bought more. Lol I have three tubes now and I hope it’s sold so well that Schmincke decides to keep it around permanently. I was an Art and Journalism major before switching to biology (weird, I know). So, maybe needless to say, I’m big into art history and research, and the story behind this color is fascinating. It’s just a beautiful color and so versatile. Good to know there’s someone else out there who’s discovered this obsession (and what are the odds we’d connect over the same video!?). Happy painting! ❤️🖌️🎨❤️

[@Athanais157]

@@urban_fox4658 I am totally obsessed with color. I live in Germany so I get the Schmincke colors really easy. I love their Naples Yellow and Cobalt Turquoise and Cobalt Green Turquoise. not to mention the supergranulating colors. 🙈 I find art history very interesting, too. Yesterday I read about the pigments Monet has used. I really hope Schmincke keep the red permanently in their range, too. 🙏🏼 Happy painting 🤗

[@Belcih]

I have Just bought that red because of you opinión about it. Thank you I Love Schmincke

[@urban_fox4658]

@@Belcih It’s a great brand … there are a lot of good brands! Lol But that red …. Oooo. So beautiful!

[@kristinegoetsch8009]

This was so interesting, Emma. I love seeing what people chose for their limited palette. I am coming back to WC after an absence due to health reasons . I am really excited to start painting again and brushing up on my skills. And that means reviewing my palette. Thanks for sharing. A very timely video. 😀

[@creativecolours2022]

My limited palette is made of the following colours. Nickel Azo Yellow PY150 Q. Rose ( or Permanent Rose) PV19 ( I go for the more reddish than pinkish ones). Phthalo blue Red Shade PB15 And Prussian PB27 OR Phthalo Blue Green Shade PB15:3 ( depending which one I have available) These four colours can mix 99,9% of hues including all grays, beige, brown and deep dark / blacks.

[@jennifernelson6322]

This was SO helpful!!! I just love how thorough you are in your explanations!

[@hanichay1163]

Wow yes! I might put buff titanium for the fifth. But maybe indigo and I like the white idea. Thank you!

[@Angie-pl3uw]

Love this. But I an an advocate of ultramarine. It is so easy to make beautiful grays you have taught me so much. I remember watching your video multiple times trying to grasp the concept of warm and cool colors. Thank you so much! PS-I like the purple with ultramarine much more!!

[@judymcgimpsey787]

Loved playing around with colours. Thanks.

[@mauisue721]

I LOVE that Harding blue!

[@jobeejay8201]

Thank you! That was so interesting and super useful. It is beautiful to see how colours can be mixed and you make it look so easy. At the moment, I'm still mixing shades of mud! Will persevere. Thank you again for sharing this and for going back to basics for us ! Best wishes, Jo

[@barryedgington6812]

Hi Emma, this video was so interesting and loved how you made such lovely colours with just 4 colours. Thank you so much. Helene

[@Belcih]

Thank you for you límited pallete video. I asked my husband the Michael Harding floral kit for my birthday, because you said it was your actual favorite rose. But I now Love, love all the colors of the set, its amazing. Thank you.

[@carolgrodin7530]

This video is phenomenal! Thank you so much for showing how to mix colors.

[@kristinegoetsch8009]

I love the challenge of using a limited palette. Color mixing is so much fun and you can mix so many colors. When I first started watercolor, I bought a whole lot of colors. As I progressed I bought a lot fewer colors and mixed my own. Just off the top of my head, I would include violeto from Maimari Blu, hansa yellow, indanthrene blue, hooker’s green, and maybe permanent rose. Great mixing ideas.

[@specialeffectsgraphicsdesi9066]

This is such a great, informative video. Thank you so much for teaching working with a very limited colours.

[@susosu6070]

I’m a beginner. I’m learning how to mix colors from primary colors. I found that i quite like to have white and black colors in my palette. White color helps me lighten the color and also helps me make pastel colors too. While Black helps me darken the colors in a blink. Haha. Anyway thank you so much for sharing your techniques. I do learn a lot from you. Thank you 🙏🏻😊

[@janealan2142]

I too love to add white and black to my palette. It's actually quite surprising to see how much you can expand your color options by adding just a tiny touch of black to your colors and also by adding your colors to a puddle of white. I've never been taught this, I just came to it intuitively. Happy painting. Cheers 🫠

[@ChantelleArts]

hookers green is such a great shade! I recently got cascade green from daniel smith and that one is absolutely gorgeous too 🥰

[@Anitamocha1]

I like your suggestions. It helps me stretch the colors I have.

[@shirleymartin8785]

Just came across this video😄Watched and saved. Now I must see your ‘favorites’ color palette choices too. You ROCK Em‼️

[@msfrehel8758]

Thank you, this was great! I love learn8ng about mixing colours. 🎨❤️

[@dojodance]

Thank you for taking the time for this video, I would give you like 10 thumbs up if I could. My favorite is the pink, I've always had a hard time finding the right "red" that mixes well with other colors.

[@normapeters7730]

Wow I found that really interesting Emma. I thought using a form of division was genius. I’m definitely going to try that. Thank you.

[@vikkierba4786]

Would love to see you paint with just these colors!

[@TheClutterLady]

This is such a helpful video! I get overwhelmed if I have too many art supplies to choose from, so I don't paint as much. But I will keep these in mind for when I use up some of my paints and am looking for some upgrades. Thank you! I also enjoy mixing colors, so I don't need as many anyway. 😊

[@vintagebaby63]

Holbein's Opera is my very favorite!

[@UJB123]

Must have "Burnt Sienna" & "Yellow Ochre" on my end. Pyrrol Red, Cerulean Blue, Sap Green. I also like Indo (really long word) Blue. Titanium White for sidewalks and such. It depends on what you mostly paint, yes? I generally do urban sketching near a major US city. Not many flowers there. However, if I go to the Arboretum, I'd be sure to have a Pink such as Rhodonite (DS), a Transparent Orange (WN), and a Lemon Yellow. 5 Colors : White, Black, Blue, Red, Yellow. Use Black & White if you want. I do it all the time. Never let other peoples personal opinions become your reality. They'll pigeon hole you.

[@vivdawson5953]

Fascinating watching …. Learning loads from you .. 🙏 THANKS

[@sharonozwirk5079]

I am new at painting with watercolors. The hardest thing so far is picking the right colors. Sometimes, I think I am color blind! What kind of paint brush should i get for make thin lines? Thank you... you been a great teacher FOR ME, I have learned a lot from your videos. SHARON

[@tonimitchell2892]

So informative. Been looking for Perelene Green with no luck. Thanks for the recipe.

[@bluejenny26]

Daniel smith makes a beautiful Perylene Green.

[@litylu]

I’m a fan of Da Vinci’s Perylene Green

[@ladyhecate9450]

It is a little too late in buying just 5 lol, because I have so many brands. However, your explanation of mixing colors was very informative, particularly some of the beautiful greens. I usually do not like mixing, but this was very interesting and I took notes! I do no know how in the world you remember all of that.

[@nancypyter1511]

This is such great information Emma! I will be referring to this video!🥰

[@kclark651]

This is such a helpful video ! Thankyou , I learned a lot !!🤓

[@francinebrown1944]

I love the amazing color mixes. I'm excited to try these out. I do love carmine for a deep red. Thanks Emma!

[@jennw6809]

Nickel Azo Yellow PY150 (which Winsor & Newton calls Transparent Yellow) is unquestionably my pick for a single yellow. It's the most transparent yellow there is, and it is amazing spattered wet in wet because of how it pushes other pigments out of the way. It's like dropping fairy lights into your painting. I do love cadmium yellow, but it's fully opaque. I love Qor Hooker's Green... you really ought to try Qor sometime. Also I'd go with an earth tone in this selection - I like Raw Umber because it's hard to mix a cool brown but it's easy to warm it up. And then you could make greys. Since people can't buy just one Shinhan tube, it'd be good for you to give pigment numbers in this video. I believe that Shinhan permanent red is PR254. Phthalo Blue Red Shade is PB15:6. Quin Rose is PV19 although that one is tricky since there's a ton of variants on that pigment.

[@brightonrosie]

I often take two colours just to see how many different colours I can make from them. Mixing the two colour chart misses out all the potentials of colours just like you video beautifully demonstrates

[@SimplyOrganizedLLCMadison]

This video was so helpful. Thank you

[@kraznia]

My favorite "convenience" color (single pigment so is it really a "convenience" color, lol?) is Perylene Violet from W&N. It's my current favorite for mixing shadow values. My green is one of the pthalo greens, I go back and forth between PG7 and PG36. Either green mixed with a warm deep orange-brown like PBr25 (DS Perm Brown) or DV's Burnt Sienna Deep (PR101) makes my favorite dark green mix I have nicknamed "Vandyke Green" (I'm sure I stole the name from someone else). I premix my own pan of it for my travel palette since I use it so much. Pthalo greens are more work in a limited palette, always mixing, but so useful and strong.

[@patwaldorf935]

Thank you ❤️

[@donnastokes496]

You stopped when mixing the turquoise blue an buff titanium!! How do you do those colours with this palette?.😊

[@Ucreate3]

I would love to know what brand of white you used to mix the pastel color!

[@aliselle1]

Merci infiniment pour ces conseils que j'apprécie énormément, moi qui débute tout juste... Bonne journée

[@joynilsen8812]

Can you show me the link of the cute stamp you used for swatching please?

[@tavenchristensen3157]

THANKYOU Emma❗️ - The light mauve colour you mixed, ( by adding white to Paynes grey-ish ) looks awesome! I can just imagine all the possibilities‼️ ✔️WHITE in now going in my pallet. (Have to buy some though.) - Can’t believe I let others influence me against it. 🙄 :) It’s not like me. ▫️ Anyways….. Question for u…. - Should I buy both whites or do I just need PW6? - And are all brands of white basically the same? - I use DS, W&N, QOR and I’m going to buy a few M.Graham to try. I love my D.S., but they het SO hard when put in pans! ▫️ Sorry for the novel ‼️ Ha!Ha! But ya know how it is. Later 🙋🏻‍♂️ & Good Vid‼️‼️

[@karenrouth2056]

Really informative and helpful video Emma, thank you.. am i right in pail Rubens Cadmium yellow, Winsor &Newton Permanent Rose,Michael Harding Phalo red blue, Michael Harding Hookers Green? Thanks!

[@maryfuller8600]

I really like this video!

[@mariekezwerwer4705]

Ading white, it is more like gouache, i like it a lot😊

[@TheresaREAberilla]

I don't watercolour everyday....I only watercolour when It's necessary, and when my "brain" needs to extract the ideas...I also don't waste my materials!!! In OILS I use a thinner, even though I have lots of oil tubes purchased before "welfare" times....On watercolours, I could go using the "last droplets" of colours from my tins and containers, before I get an another addition....I spare a lot! My art materials, I've purchased since 2000!!! - love, Cleo777

[@drago987]

I got the Daniel Smiths Essentials tube pack. Any other watercolor tubes you think need to be added to that?

[@gillrobinson9083]

Emma hi . Loved this tut- but was wondering g which brand of Quin Rose did you prefer?

[@karenhunt2441]

Was hoping that you would include pigment numbers. It would be easier to find similar colors in other brands. CMY is the way to go.

[@janejackson567]

Thank you, when i mix colours they always seem to reseble mud!

[@urban_fox4658]

Just remember what Emma said, if you mix contrasting colors (red and green/yellow and purple/blue and orange), you’ll always get mud (a variation of brown) … though, I’ve found that mud can be beautiful, too! Haha So, if you’re not looking for mud and the colors are directly opposite from each other on the color wheel, steer clear! 😉

[@nbenefiel]

I love Sennelier.My husband gave me the 100 tube box one Christmas. Then I acquired a ton of Daniel Smith Schminke and others. I have more colors than I will ever use.

[@KatWoman_]

Sennelier Rose Madder Lake.

[@urmilachavan3561]

🙏नमस्ते ताई खूप छान ताई आपण लिहून जर दिले तर मला वाटते की आम्हाला खूप कळेल❤

[@lenamccubbin1068]

Why is there thalo blue, green or red or blue? Why the difference?

[@blueviolets2022]

Would you mind spelling out the proper pronunciation of you name, please? I am not sure if I'm hearing " La fabe", or "La fave", my auditory processing plays havoc with me sometimes. Lol Thank you for sharing your beautiful work and tutorials.

[@EmmaLefebvre]

lol, it’s lefave 😊

[@TheresaREAberilla]

I can see art people who waste "materials" on mixed media art!!! I don't like waste!!! They should cherish these art materials, like their "babies"!!!

[@sharonozwirk5079]

How do you spell??

[@tdelphia1]

"Works just fine" isn't quite what I expected from "MUST HAVE".... It sounded like you were deciding these colors while swatching...?

[@Aoibhes.Adventures]

With Michael Harding watercolours, my limited palette consists of: Quin Red, Yellow Lake, Phthalo Blue (red shade), Green Gold, Raw Umber & Perylene Black. These mix a huge range of colours. Other brands I would choose a Magenta, Yellow, Cyan, Green Gold, Burnt Sienna & Ivory black