Palette Makeover and A Surprising Truth About Swatching Watercolors

Watercolor KZbin is coming for me for blowing up the way we are swatching watercolors. I can just feel it! Those little squares though are toooo limiting!
------------------------------------------------------------
Last Video - • Watercolor Redo Now!
------------------------------------------------------------
MY JOYFUL ART SUPPLIES (Specific list for this vid below)
Art for Joy's Sake Brushes: mailchi.mp/kristyrice/artforj...
Free from Fear Brushes: mailchi.mp/kristyrice/freefro...
Palette: mailchi.mp/kristyrice/palette
------------------------------------------------------------
Chapters
0:00 - Intro
0:20 - Palette Makeover what?
0:38 - Super Vision watercolors
1:15 - Ugly palette?
2:33 - Vintage palette prep?
4:00 - Pastel watercolors?
4:26 - Swatching watercolors be like...
5:16 - Watercolor PSA
5:57 - The method behind my madness
7:09 - Being extra
7:35 - How do you feel?
------------------------------------------------------------
SIGN up for my email list & you’ll GET YOUR FREE CREATIVITY E-BOOK!
mailchi.mp/kristyrice.com/fru...
------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT I USED
PAINT:
Ali Express Super Vision Watercolors
shorturl.at/duBLM
PAPER: Round Rembrandt cold press
shorturl.at/duBLM
BRUSHES:
The Art for Joy’s Sake Brush Collection
kristythepainter.portals.clic...
Vintage Tins
Search "vintage watercolor tins" on ebay and etsy
ATG GUN double sided adhesive
www.amazon.com/dp/B082FMVNWW/...
------------------------------------------------------------
FIND ME ELSEWHERE:
Get in touch! [e-mail]
TikTok:
www.tiktok.com/@kristythepain...
Instagram
/ kristythepainter
/ momental
Licensing - wildapple.com/artists/kristy-...
Hand Painted Stationery - www.momentaldesigns.com/
Watercolor Homegoods - www.kristyrice.com/
WATERcoloring Books - www.amazon.com/shop/kristyric...
Founder and Host of #Artforjoysake
/ artforjoysake
------------------------------------------------------------
Kristy’s WATERcoloring Books:
How to Make Art for Joy’s Sake - Free-Spirited Watercolor
www.amazon.com/shop/kristyric...
The Art for Joy’s Sake Journal - www.kristyrice.com/products/t...
Painterly Days, Floral - amzn.to/2C9oi6S
Painterly Days, Woodland - amzn.to/2PRuHqo
Painterly Days, Pattern - amzn.to/2PM0YiB
Kristy’s Summer Cutting Garden - amzn.to/2MGntHy
Kristy’s Spring Cutting Garden - amzn.to/2BYqMVI
Kristy’s Fall Cutting Garden - amzn.to/2LIyfrD
Kristy’s Winter Cutting Garden - amzn.to/2wunkND
#watercolorswatches #watercolorpalette #watercolorswatching

[@lauriebochner6936]

I keep a dedicated watercolor journal for swatches so all the color options are in one place. I divide the the page into squares, rectangle, "kite" shapes etc with washi tape and swatch away. When dry, I make each section a mini painting or sketch...flowers, sunsets, ships, skies, kites, balloons.

[@KristyRice]

Oooh I want to see this, sounds incredible!!!

[@emkay888]

That’s a great idea, I’ve been looking for a good journal for swatches. The funnest palette I have so far is the Daniel Smith Ultimate Mixing Set. 15 colors & a e-free book with the color mixing tables & gorgeous combos. I want to make my own & your technique sounds like it would be much more fun than painting a million squares.

[@jrigg3495]

I just bought a watercolor journal for this exact same purpose! I am so excited to start swatching!

[@bentheben1145]

Ooh! That sounds fun!

[@nosebleedseats3788]

Cool idea!!!

[@stacylee7798]

I can appreciate the way you swatch but I prefer the traditional squares because it tells me what colors are where on my pallet :)

[@KristyRice]

Absolutely! I have no clue where my colors are but that’s also a factor of how I paint… I choose a palette based on my mood or the vibe of my painting and then select pigments as I work from memory. It’s a very type B kind of process that I realize probably baffles some! Keep doing what makes you feel good!!

[@phyllisdevine9102]

I am wondering if you put beautiful colors together because you have put in so much time and training in art school and can run joyfully free in your colors.

[@ditookdan]

@@KristyRice what's type B, how many types are there, what are they?

[@jenhaganey]

​@@ditookdantype b usually thought as less structured more go with the flow - often good messy while type a is like ocd super organized

[@jenhaganey]

I think there is value in doing it both ways - swatching in various ways helps you learn the colors

[@arthurnorcome3967]

My whole abstract art career began because I didn’t feel like I had a mastery of mixing water colors. I got tired of basic swatches so I started making 4in x 4in abstract paintings using a limited pallet and the rest is history.

[@KristyRice]

Fantastic!!

[@helanna9843]

While I appreciate your video, I square swatch with pigment info to keep from buying 2 -3 tubes of the same pigment. I don't buy pastels because I make them with water or white. However, I think this is a good stand alone exercise.

[@KristyRice]

Absolutely I get that!! Mixing just isn’t my jam, I think I’m too easily distracted? Lol!!

[@joanndilley6583]

I LOVE how you swatch your paints!! I have swatched all my palettes and found I love the Winsor & Newton Cotman colors. They play wonderfully together and I splurged and got a 48 color pan set. I can’t wait to play!! Thank you Kristy for rekindling my love of painting!

[@KristyRice]

My absolute pleasure!!

[@tymondabrowski12]

Even for the basic set, the only thing you might need is a better cool red (Alizarin Crimson Hie is both weak, as Alizarin Crimsons usually (but in even less pigmented version than professional one), and a bit too warm for great purples and violets. Professional Permanent Rose is a great replacement or addition, though it is a bit brighter. I also added one dark muted green (which gives worse mixes than Veridian, it's just a convenience color) and Brilliant Purple from Schmincke that gives amazing saturated mixes (unlike the paint on its own which loses plenty of its intensity on drying, huge drying shift). Also I have the set with Intense Blue instras of Cerulean.

[@aeli999]

I love your swatches, it's like a finished painting. I've always stuck to the squares, because I don't know if I could figure out what color was what later on. 😂 Maybe I'll do both. Do a page of boring squares in my swatch book, and then a page in my sketchbook like this (or other shapes) for fun. Those are some beautiful colors.

[@KristyRice]

Yeah both for sure! I’ll be honest. I do not know the names of each color color in all of my palettes. I’m an incredibly instinctual painter so never work in a way that requires me to search for a particular color in my palette. My method is for many a bit mad, lol!! But yes a quick Kristy method searching session after your traditional swatching would be amazing!

[@emkay888]

@@KristyRice I wish I could channel your intuition. I have spent WAY too much time on things like comparing my red swatches to my alizarin crimson because “it’s fugitive,” some watercolorists say don’t use it, use “that” instead, and I don’t have “that” color. I’m way too high strung lol.

[@annamortimer]

I was thinking the same thing. I want to be able to look at the watches and find the color I like again, so the traditional one is helpful to me. But this way is great way to see how the colors move and interact and see which ones will give an effect I’m looking for.

[@kirstendecoster3201]

@@annamortimer Yes! I’m still new to watercolours, so I like having the regular swatches, but I think I will enjoy this. It will also help me getting started before attempting other projects.

[@notme3252]

My swatches are cards…about 2.5x3.75 (I have a way of taping off a page so it leaves a blank spot for writing.). I have most of the card covered with a gradient of the color, then I write the name, the pigment color numbers, the opacity and lightfastness. It’s less complicated than it seems and it’s so zen creating cards for my new colors. This way, I have a deck of colors and I can pick out a pallette and just toss the colors I’m going to use aside for reference later! Or if I’m trying to match a color, I can hold the swatch card to my picture and find the right shade. It’s been such a big help!

[@KristyRice]

This sounds incredibly zen! Watercolor trading cards but just for you!! Love it!!

[@NelaDunato]

My preferred swatching method is the mixing grid: first row and column are individual colors, and the remaining cells are a mix of the corresponding row and column. It's the best method to get to know what my colors can do. I never use more than 24 in a single palette, and I stick to single-pigment colors (with the exception of Payne's gray). While your loose swatching method looks very relaxing, it would not be very useful to me, since only adjacent colors mix together and I want to see the entire range of my mixes. Yes it's super time-consuming, but I rarely buy new colors so I don't have to do it often.

[@lauriehuber8048]

I have found my tribe and you are it's leader!🤣👸💜💙👩‍🎨

[@KristyRice]

Hahaha omg❤️❤️❤️

[@jenhaganey]

I have my watercolors in a similar 3 tier cart - I love it soooo much it has everything I need and can just roll away when I need to

[@verynormalvic]

i LOOOVE your "swatch painting!!!" So much vibrance and movement!!!! That being said I don't know how to feel about the pastel watercolor concept -- I'm a big fan of "why buy one paint when mixing two you already have will do?" so those really low chroma low vibrance colors to me are more fun to come up with on my own palette, playing with my own curated selection of essential primaries.

[@whatifitnt]

I haven’t mastered this idea yet but... it really bugs me that I waste a LOT of expensive paint by rinsing it off into my rinse water when I rinse my brushes and when my palette needs cleaning 🤨🤔😏 so I’ve been trying to keep an extra piece of watercolor paper next to my projects to use as a ‘blotter’ of sorts... and what better way to practice brush strokes and get a pretty design, when the paper is full, all in one fell swoop 😁🤩🥳😂 Your circle paper was inspiring and just what I needed to see 👁👁 Thank You for sharing 💖✨💞💫💝

[@deborahruth5072]

I do the squares for the information but, I enjoy this type of swatching much more. I have a little journal I put together with different papers in it including non-watercolor paper and will swatch to see how the paint not only plays with each other but how it plays on different papers. I do mixed media but I am currently focused on learning watercolor. I love it and I can't believe it took me so long to rediscover it. lol One of my granddaughters is coming up this weekend and we are planning on playing with watercolor. So far I have gotten three of them interested in this medium. I will be showing this channel to her. Thank you. 💖

[@KristyRice]

Oh many swatching on diff papers, I need to do this!!! Wahoo!!

[@deborahruth5072]

@@KristyRice some of the results are really fun.

[@lyricaldawn]

This method allows for a conversation with the colors to happen. It’s the difference between an art flick and a documentary. Definitely asks for trust and intuition, to be willingly pliable, curious…able to discover. I just found you & cannot wait to explore more❣️

[@KristyRice]

So glad you’re here!!

[@jajanow4238]

this is a genius idea!! thank you - it will definitely help me learn more about color combinations!

[@KristyRice]

Awesome! Let me know how it goes when you try it!!!

[@jowendog4936]

I love this idea! Swatching is so satisfying and now it can be FUN too

[@KristyRice]

Yup yup!!!

[@lisalammiart]

This looks a heck of a lot more fun than the traditional swatching for sure. Great concept! Love your out-of-the-box thinking!

[@KristyRice]

Haha thank!! XO

[@love2create62]

I love the way you do your swatching. My question is how do you know which color goes with which paint? I have many darker colors in my palettes, that I can't tell what colors they are, without looking at my swatches first.

[@KristyRice]

You can always write numbers or names haphazardly around the page, then paint the intersecting shapes over top to keep track of which is which :)

[@jeannettejacob4850]

I’m excited about this less structured and more relational method of swatching my paints! Going to try this tomorrow.

[@KristyRice]

Relational! Ah perfect work!!

[@Jeansfrankel]

I”m loving this! I’m new to watercolors, just getting to know my paints, am having trouble getting a painting started, and this seems like a perfect solution! Can’t wait to try it!

[@marilynfeig9664]

I very recentl just started having the colors touch and see what I get. Absolutely LOVE your method. I have learned so much from you and it is great fun at the same time relaxing

[@KristyRice]

Is it so exciting!??? So glad you’re having fun and finding the JOY!!!

[@janeto.9957]

I love pastels.. they are a mood 💖☺️😍 thank you for your passion and inspiration 🙏🏽😇

[@KristyRice]

Wahoo!! Thanks so much for watching my passionate silliness, lol!!

[@melodycrites3145]

Great idea, your swatching craziness!

[@KristyRice]

Oh thank you!

[@jannecapelle_art]

oh this is very interesting! magnetized pans in tins is already something i did, but the way you swatch is very much inspiring to me! i dont think ill honestly ever stop doing my little neat sqare swatches bc i have a whole binder where i keep them all and that makes me feel all nice, BUT i really wanna try your swatch style as a bonus! especially drawing over the dry swatches sounds so fun, maybe putting little faces there or small objects or something...if it wasnt 12:30 am is try that right now! maybe tomorrow, haha!

[@KristyRice]

Love it… “makes me feel all nice…” and there is the gold…you know what makes you feel good on this journey and that is so awesome!! But heck ya try it!!!! Do it do it!! Who knows what could happen!!

[@maydella1978]

I am totally impressed by your creativity in doodling over your swatches.

[@KristyRice]

You can do it too! Thank you:)

[@ag8960]

I love the way you swatch your colors and feel so inspired every time I watch your videos! Normally, I do the traditional squares but have been trying your techniques and find they really spark my creativity! You are my favorite art tutor! 😊🌷

[@KristyRice]

Thank you!!!

[@tinahouston2504]

I love your energy. Thank you for brightening my day!!!

[@mandymacrae8712]

I finally took the plunge and invested in a new water colour palette. I can’t wait for it to arrive so I can do some swatching with new convenience colours!

[@KristyRice]

Oooh fun!! Tell me which one you chose!

[@MichelePJ]

I love how you swatch colors! To me it is very therapeutic to swatch in the squares, but I can appreciate what you are doing and see how it is better to figure out how the colors will actually react. I will definitely try this! As for the pastels, yes I love them! I have a gouache pastel set that I love . So happy I found your channel 😊

[@KristyRice]

So happy you are here!! Well if the squares are therapeutic then, oh my gosh don’t stop!! XO

[@conkrotwife]

I found several Etsy sellers who sell these tiny pans. I got the cutest set of supervision colors and I’m in love with the colors!

[@KristyRice]

Perfect!!!

[@zeldacheri]

Holy cow, there's ROUND watercolor paper?! How did I not find this before?

[@KristyRice]

Yes, so fun!

[@sueallen952]

Those paints were shocking I would have sent them back, I couldn't copexwith those swatches, I like clear and consice swatches so I can see exactly what colours are in my palette and where

[@KristyRice]

Absolutely, it’s so powerful to know what works for you, yes! I’m here to give just another path/possibility XO

[@carolrasmussen3043]

I love your energy and your idea of swatching. When you started swatching, I thought you were creating a field of tulips/flowers. Then when you started drawing on top of them. The picture changed to leaves, to stones and pebbles. And my mind had placed them in water. (I know, strange jump in my mind.) Thank you for taking me on your creative journey.

[@KristyRice]

Omg not a strange jump at all!!

[@Dragonpond]

What an amazing way to swatch your colours, you have really inspired me to re-swatch all my colours - and sketching on it blew my mind, thank you for a fresh approach to watercolour :)

[@KristyRice]

Have fun!

[@ktremmy]

I always swatched the regular way & like to keep that with the palette so I can tell what the colors look like. BUT I love the way you swatch & I remember watching your video on your fav Amazon palettes & watching you swatch those, I was like girl I love your thought process on painting!! I get it! I love to play & totally believe it’s the way to feel comfortable with watercolor. ❤️So glad I found your YT channel!

[@KristyRice]

So so glad you’re here!!

[@truepeacenik]

I use my little squares as an inventory sheet. I keep a photo on my phone, list of potential colors, etc.

[@SN-sz7kw]

Brilliant! And beautiful. 💗

[@KristyRice]

Thank you!!

[@karendirmish2696]

Love the video! Also love the great hint Swatching her style!

[@KristyRice]

XO

[@amjPeace]

I'll tell you what inspired me the most: I never thought of cutting my paper in a circular shape! I love it! I will say I really must do the little rectangles so when I want to make a particular color that I see on the swatch page I can find the paint in my palette. That said, I may also try your technique to get comfortable with using all the colors, not just my go-to's. I think it will make me feel very painterly! Love ya!

[@chrislora8895]

After teaching myself watercolor painting (thanks to youtube), I’ve swatched a few palettes in squares, circles, flowers, and was running out of fun ways to learn about my paints. This is a great idea, but I confess I will do this in addition to the traditional way. I am loosening up, but still have a way to go. And I need more palettes!

[@KristyRice]

No confession needed! Enjoy all of it!!

[@AyaSmith]

I love pastels but not at the sacrifice of permanency… I just somehow feel immortal by using lightfast colors 😂🙌

[@KristyRice]

Immortal, ha love it!!

[@maureencepiel959]

Immortal! Now there's a great adjective! 👍

[@CreativeSquirrelStudio]

This was so fun to look at, and I like the idea of getting to know a palette better this way, but I also have an awful memory, so I like to search new paints in the order they are in the palette so I can remember which is which. Maybe I won’t be so careful about keeping them separate in the future, though.

[@KristyRice]

It’s just another way to explore! XO

[@nancymensch1087]

I’m a scrapbooker who just loves art supplies. I do swatch my colored pencils in squares so that I can see what I have, but I have never swatched my markers, gel pens, alcohol inks, distress inks, distress oxides. Having said that, I probably will do squares for my new watercolors but I like your way to just practice as I am new to watercolors. I’ve used watercolor pencils, inktense pencils but never watercolors. But I love the dance of colors like you do because when I work with alcohol inks, pearls and alloys, blending solutions, alcohol and yupo paper it’s so different and so new every time. It’s exciting as you don’t know what you are going to get.

[@KristyRice]

It is def a great practice approach! Love hearing about all your supplies!!

[@barbarasalmi3103]

I absolutely love your way of swatching! It makes so much sense to me. I've always resisted the "little squares" method. So boring!!! I'm definitely going your route. Thank you!

[@KristyRice]

Wahoo!!

[@juststartingover2735]

SO EXCITED-The Brushes arrived today! I kept talking myself out of ordering your brushes because I have a couple similar (size/shapes). Finally I just had to have them. First, they are so darn pretty! And the short handle length is perfect. The zip pouch is very nice quality and beautiful. Cant wait to start using them. Congratulations Kristi….keep it up! 💖

[@KristyRice]

Thank you sooo much for the support!!

[@charitymoore9897]

Love this idea

[@KristyRice]

So glad!

[@Brioplace]

I love this method of swatching!

[@gracie968]

I love this and your other tutorials. You helped me ease back into watercolors after years of not painting. I have just bought a new WN 1/2 pans. Wanted to start with primary colors then add some favorites and wannabies. I have them separated into warms, left side of palette cool the other side and now looking to do the swatches. I removed the green, white and ivory black, believe I can make my own like a true artist! Added Opera. To be honest, I am a bit overwhelmed just to start this part. Helpful thoughts?

[@josinawashington6744]

This is amazing life changing I love it 💜

[@KristyRice]

Ooh my gosh thank you!!

[@s0urgrapesnape]

i wish i had the words for how refreshing your videos are!! i am trying to unlearn all of the rules and just paint for ME and you are helping with that SO MUCH!!

[@KristyRice]

I'm so glad!

[@MusingsFromTheDen]

I do love to lose myself creating a page of neat squares of colour, but I'll definitely try this too when I want to be inspired to create. 😊

[@KristyRice]

Have to admit, I did a few traditional mixing charts last week and it was oddly meditative!

[@jrigg3495]

At 6:10, when that ivory hit that purple and it just exploded....*chef's kiss*

[@KristyRice]

Ahhh yes!!!

[@maureencepiel959]

I love mixing colors. I buy three primary colors of different brands, then mix and swatch them into secondary and tertiary colors. I love your 'swatch painting' idea! Will definitely do that from now on.

[@KristyRice]

Thanks!!

[@victowitko8508]

I’m overwhelmed thinking about doing this 😅 it’s been lovely watching you and super calming. But too chaotic for me haha

[@katladragen7435]

I am now needing to make my own pastel watercolors, some nice, neutral pastel-y colors.... Have the tubes, have the pans..... Only thing left is to figure out what colors to make...... Luxury problem... 😁🤗🤗

[@KristyRice]

Lovely

[@NessaWolfeMuller]

Boop! Yes I love the pastels and convenience colours, I love all the colours, it’s so fascinating and fun! I love your swatching. My birthday is coming soon and I know my daughter bought your swatching kit.. it’s driving me nuts that it’s in the house but I have to wait until bday! 😂

[@agnessmith780]

You have a delightful personality and I just enjoy listening to you talking..painting out swatches is a bonus. great idea of using it creatively rather than boring straight lines. thanks for the helpful inspiring info.

[@KristyRice]

Wow thanks so much!!

[@lbuchtel5855]

Mind blown...what a brilliant and creative process! The pencil sketching at the end was such a personal touch. Thank you for sharing YOU with us.

[@KristyRice]

You are so welcome!

[@Purplesunflower99]

I can be super nerdy about colours so usually swatch out in squares with all the info I need with brand and pigment numbers and lots of other tedious exercises etc. I love to have all that info yet I do find them time consuming and they seem to suck the joy out of using my paints. I love how liberating your style of swatching is and can definitely see myself using this as a fun way to create a colour palette and also warm ups. As a bonus, your swatching style look like finished paintings. ❤️

[@KristyRice]

It’s def a bonus, you leave the experience feeling super accomplished. Little tip… sketch numbers 1-however many pigments in your palette, all over a page… then swatch like me over those numbers. It’s the best of both worlds this way. You have your fun and your data!

[@Purplesunflower99]

@@KristyRice Thanks - that’s super helpful 🙂❤️

[@teresabotkins4983]

Being a noob I havent done much swatching, but I definitely find your method much more interesting to sit and watch!

[@KristyRice]

Hahah thanks!! Swatching isn’t for everyone and def isn’t a requirement to be successful at this watercolor thing!

[@happymv5350]

Fully dig your approach to the watercolor experience! Bring it it Kristy!!

[@KristyRice]

Yay, thank you!

[@veyriuss.4792]

I do both :)) I make a dedicated square swatch that I write info down on so I can check it out if I need to know something about a color, and then I do a looser one on a separate sheet. Leaves, waves, random shapes, cloud-y-like puffs-I’m about to make another swatch rn and was thinking crystals! Best of both worlds and it gives me an excuse to just play around some more without needing to think about composition and etc 😂😂💚

[@KristyRice]

Love it!

[@nancyallen4217]

Just re-swatched my Paul Rubens pallete. Oh so fun to do leaves. I love it. I wish I could figure out how to insert a photo.

[@KristyRice]

I wish we could share photos here too!!

[@katskills5560]

I like how you swatch that pallet! It’s interesting and I’m going to try it. I just received my Kristy brushes Finally! I enjoy your videos.

[@KristyRice]

Oh yay!! Let me know how it goes!!

[@patytrico]

A wonderful excuse to wet the brushes and get doing something without worry! Thank you!

[@KristyRice]

Amen!

[@marytesta3003]

I square swatch but the do leaves etc. for fun. Thanks Kristy for your inspiration!

[@KristyRice]

Love it!!!

[@Unboxtheplanet]

Super fun!!!

[@lynncraig9558]

Love your technique

[@KristyRice]

Thank you!

[@karenm8692]

This looks amazing. Love your style. I love watercolour and I just love colour - complete beginner! I'd love to do this but I need to know what the colours look like individually and try to learn their names. Then I could move on to this loveliness!

[@KristyRice]

Or you could start with this and then do individuals? 😘😘

[@dariahut4657]

Thank you for sharing your very artistic method to swatch colours. It is a funny way to swatch if you want to get to know the palette. If there are many colours probably it would not be helpful in finding a particular colour. So, to me both methods to swatch are great but they have different purpose. Love ❤️

[@Lee_Lee73]

Hello Kristy! Is it possible to buy the cat's tongue brush separate or do I have to purchase the bundle of brushes to get it?

[@threesixfiveart563]

I’ve tried a bunch of traditional swatching methods… you method of playing is the best for sure!! I LOVE setting up the square ones and spending time making them perfect but invariably they aren’t PERFECT and frustrate me. Do a sort of painting-ish thing is a great way to get past the awkwardness of using them for the first time!! I have old tins, too, and love them

[@KristyRice]

Yes yes yes, this is why I swatch this way… those squares are stressful!

[@jenhaganey]

I like the vintage feel you can get with pastel watercolors

[@ronia2682]

I get so bored with th traditional way, so I started doing something similar too, but Kristy your idea is so brilliant with adding the drawing and doodling etc ...definitely a great way to end up feeling with a sense of achievement......thank you so much, you just acquired a new subscriber!

[@KristyRice]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@ReneeW59]

I'm pretty new to watercolor and when I first started, I did the boring swatches. After watching you, I do both! I feel like I need the little squares in the order they're in the palette for reference. I love letting the colors touch and bleed into one another. I don't have any pastels, and honestly, this palette you're showing here doesn't really excite me. That's probably a GOOD thing so I won't be buying more supplies. :p

[@KristyRice]

Yes yes love BOTH!! XO

[@carolethieme1307]

You continue to inspire me to paint so, thank you. My question is what you do with your wet pallet when you are through painting with it and putting it away?

[@KristyRice]

Unless the lid of my vintage tin touches the half pans (only true for full pans newly filled), I just close the lid and store

[@vickilee6335]

You're new to me and I love this! Gonna try it for sure. You have a really cute personality. Very sweet. I'm gonna move on to other videos. I just wanted to say hello. Vicki

[@KristyRice]

Hi!!!!! So glad you’re here!! Let me know what you watch next!

[@veystone2580]

It looks beautiful and fun to do, but how can you identify later on, which was which?!

[@KristyRice]

Great question… you can add pigment numbers sporadically around the page first and paint the bumping shapes over the numbers :)

[@robinsartsandcrafts6500]

I feel like you NEED to have a grid of traditional swatches in your pallet, so you know what the color is. What you’re doing is wonderful, but can’t replace the point of the grid, which isn’t to see how the paint behaves, just which color is that.

[@KristyRice]

If you love the grid keep doing the grid💪🏻I’ve never swatches my palettes. I don’t hunt for colors or think too much about the exact color I’ll use, but I’m not a realistic painter so it makes sense for me. If I were a realist or portrait artist, being very specific about my exact color choice would make sense.

[@brandyvishnesky1608]

How do you keep track of which color matches which pan when you swatch this way? I love the idea, but I want to be able to know what’s what when I sit down to use a set.

[@KristyRice]

Honestly you don’t… so you can always do a second, traditional swatch card :)

[@melaniehenson8628]

Your swatching looks like a little piece of art in itself. A lovely fun idea. What are you using as your surface?

[@abibafez]

Im in the process of swathing my new Schmincke palette, doing the grid thing (booooring) and thinking to myself that the last grid I did has been sitting in my board being pretty for way to long. So, KZbin. And find this, which makes perfect sense because I was thinking exactly that with the previous grid I had no idea of how colors interact! So doing a Kristy style one right now!

[@emkay888]

Hey Kristy! So I decided I NEEDED that dagger brush, went to your site, and ended up buying a “bouquet” pack. I chose the Holbein palette b/c I recently ordered the entire 108 set 😬. I only have one 5 ml tube of Holbein Shell Pink & it was pretty expensive. But there’s something special about it. It has a huge range of opacity depending on how much water is used & painting feels like spreading creamy butter over warm toast…it melts on my paper. I have A LOT of Winsor & Newton + Daniel Smith, but there’s something special about Holbein. The 108 set is VERY expensive…unless you order it from Japan. It might take a month to get here but until then I can’t wait to play with the set I ordered from you. Love your videos, your positivity is absolutely infectious ❤️

[@KristyRice]

Ohhh yes Holbein is very much in a class by itself in so many ways. Adore the way you describe it!! I don’t think I have all 108 colors; need to fix that!

[@emkay888]

@@KristyRice seems like Holbein’s popularity has exploded recently. I’ve heard a couple “traditionalists” decry their many convenience colors & opacity 🙄. Learning watercolors takes time & it’s HARD especially for me (I’m a civil engineer). I bought a book recently that’s full of watercolor mix recipes. While it was fun & informative, it was also time consuming. I don’t want to do that every time…sometimes I just want to paint. Also, I can’t wait to buy your palette :).

[@marytesta3003]

I'm ordering the Holbein set from Allegro Japan. They are so wonderful and like a lot of colors.

[@artwithalexander5359]

book marks, my swatches are book marks of extra watercolor paper in little strips i can compare with the picture or painting. don't have alot of paints but i would like them in spectrum when i get enough to rearrange them. maybe the "genuine" slightly sparkly ones by ds by themselves.

[@KristyRice]

Love!!!

[@Angie_978]

Your magnet-in-the-bottom-of-the-pan-before-filling-with-tube-paint trick has changed the way I paint. Not hyperbole. My latest tin is a metal box that a set of 35 DMC embroidery floss skeins came in. It is huge! 7x14 inches. I did have to add adhesive magnets to my white nights pans, but I love that I can rearrange them however I want whenever I want and I don't have to mess around with those sharp little metal tabs to hold the pan in place. Once the pans are all bone-dry (or as bone-dryish as they are going to get, lol) I can put the deluxe sized pan away. Hahaha, I say that like I ever don't have it sitting on my desk. :D It's easy to grab a handful of colors to throw in a little (Altoids style) tin my bag. I'm not a fan of water brushes, but I do keep a water brush for painting on the go. An old stained terry washcloth (to wipe the bristles of the water brush on to keep them cleanish), a small stack of index card sized watercolor paper or a little sketchbook. I almost always have a water bottle with me. Yes, most of the doodles I make while waiting in clinic lobbies or waiting rooms are beautiful messes (or hot garbage, lol), but it helps to have something to focus on and it makes waiting easier. I think the first time I was self conscious about painting "in public" but not after that. Literally, I don't think people knitting, reading, doing crosswords, playing games on their phone, etc is weird. So I just got over myself. :) One thing I still do with any of my tins is keep those little packets of silica beads in the tin, even after I think it's dried out enough to close it up. In my long metal tin that holds 2 rows of 6 full pans, there wasn't room for the whole silica bead packet, so I took a drinking straw and taped up the end, poked a million little holes in it with a push pin, and filled it with the silica beads. Tape up the end and now my desiccant packet is long and skinny and will fit into the little space at the edge of the tin. Be well friends. Sending out good vibes to you all.

[@KristyRice]

Oh my heavens I love this all!! I would love to see a photo of your palette! Send me a dm on insta @kristythepainter!!

[@maureencepiel959]

Altoids tin! Yep, got one. Love your plein air set up too! During the height of the pandemic I was sewing masks and bought XXL cotton briefs for the elastics (made 3 masks from each) , the cotton material left over, I use for my watercolor rags! Smooth, cotton, and washable! 😉

[@Angie_978]

@@maureencepiel959 oooh that's clever Maureen! That's some "outside-of-the-boxerbriefs" thinking there. :D

[@katiediers4500]

Wow, this is blowing my mind only because I can’t imagine having that many colors and knowing what they all do…. I’m a restricted-pallet type… I have a dozen or so favorite tube colors and I know them intimately…

[@KristyRice]

And that is a good thing❤️

[@Zensie]

I would love your brushes, so maybe there is a possibility that I can buy them somewhere that ships to Denmark? 🙏🏼

[@KristyRice]

Yes you can purchase from Kristyrice.com for international shipping :)

[@momma8487]

not a fan of pastels because alot of times they come out chalky almost. but when done right and as a highlight color and a greatttt mixture of pigment/binder- yes please.

[@lora9664]

Love the swatch painting. I would hang it on my wall!

[@KristyRice]

Oh my gosh thanks!!

[@mayaws7339]

!Creative!

[@KristyRice]

Thanks!!

[@chuhsiao5345]

With your swatching method, how do you know which colors belonged to which pans? Also curious to see the pros and cons of pastel colors in the comments. It's still unclear to me why pastel colors are worth buying.

[@KristyRice]

As I work with my palettes I develop a memory of which colors are where, and also if I forget I have a scrap sheet to make a mini swatch in the moment or even on a white mixing tray… Many pastel pigments have unique personalities, subtle granulation and mingle curiously with other paint… so some formulations are unique and could be recreated easily

[@raelynnreffruschinni8802]

What is that green leaf plastic tool you are using?

[@BonnieBornsteinFertelNJ]

Kristy where can I get the green plastic leaf? Thanks!

[@KristyRice]

It comes with Academy watercolor block purchases on Amazon!

[@Athanais157]

I love pastel colors and I mix my colors with opaque white by Rembrandt but also have convinience pastel colors. 🤗 Oh and I find your swatching Style absolutely inspiring💜

[@KristyRice]

Oh I'm curious about the opaque white by Rembrandt! Thank you for watching!

[@Lauraisabelgonzalezart]

Such beautiful blends and bleeds at 0:16

[@KristyRice]

Ahhh I thought so too!!

[@carolesauter4205]

Kristy, could you give me an Amazon link for the kind of magnets you use in your watercolor half pans. Thanks.

[@KristyRice]

Sure!! www.amazon.com/shop/kristyrice?listId=3DDAO8BTRZYID

[@petragunther4439]

Awe Kristy, that's a really awesome way to swatch your pallets. But, pleeeease, what do you do, one pan is running empty.. cannot image how to figure out the right tube to flll it again. How do you recognize? Sorry, maybe silly question for you, but I'm still at the very beginning of my wc career,😎

[@KristyRice]

Oh not a silly question at all. So with this particular palette I knew I was getting just a complete mess of color. This seller just squeezes some of the supervision watercolors into the pans and sends them off. So yeah I have no clue what colors these are. And because my expectations were set ahead of time I was OK with it. For the palettes I make from scratch with tubes, I label every pan with the color name and the brand. So when I run out I just pop that half pan out, clean it off and I know exactly what to refill. Really good question!

[@Angie_978]

I just noticed a few days ago that my labeling method had a major flaw. I put the initials of the brand on the short side of the pan and the color on the long side (sometimes it wraps around the other side). I have a lot of handmade paints from different Etsy shops, some white M. Graham gouache, and Windsor and newton lamp black. Well, I had to label the pans of White Nights (pretty easy to visually see the difference because they are my only full pans, all the rest are half pans) WN is the initials for both Windsor and newton AND White nights. Lol I'm going to have to be more specific with my labels WhNi & WiNe.

[@phyllisdevine9102]

I love pastel watercolors more than anything!

[@KristyRice]

I’m definitely becoming a fan!! Such a curious mix of textures you get with them!!

[@phyllisdevine9102]

What are Macaron(sp) watercolors?

[@KristyRice]

@@phyllisdevine9102 Its a trendy way to name watercolors that are pastel in nature. Like the little pastel cookie/cakes lol!

[@equiles9159]

I just adore you

[@LCLand]

Yes I love any color! But you can turn anything into pastel my adding white. So I don’t usually buy them anymore

[@KristyRice]

I’m such a lazy color mixer! Lol!