Review: Daniel Smith Watercolor Sticks

Daniel Smith Watercolor Sticks are so intense and vibrant! But too soft to be used like a crayon. The colors I have are Hansa Yellow Medium, Permanent Alizarin Crimson, Cobalt Blue and French Ultramarine.
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[@saraho6824]

I bought one (Serpentine) because I wanted to try the color, but the stick was much less expensive than the tube. I cut a piece off to put in a full pan in my travel box. Works like a dream.

[@millana6292]

You can buy the long ice cube trays from the dollar store to keep them in.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

I love these. I ordered 3 colors from the primatek line (they are way cheaper than the tubes for eat you get) and I cut chunks off an put them in full pans. mine came in a cardboard box with a divided foam insert at no extra cost from blick art materials. the sticks were $8 each there and they claim to have 3 full pans worth per stick! I hope they come out with more colors! they are all priced the same so it us a good way to get the higher series colors for less.

[@jamiegossett]

use it like a pan not a crayon. don't draw with it. wet it with a brush and paint like using a pan.

[@ladyinblack3398]

You sureley managed to be extra messy. AND YOUR STICKS ARE TOTALLY MUTILATED. I THINK THIS IS PURELEY DUE TO YOUR EXTRA HUMID CLIMATE IN SINGAPORE. I AM IN THE NORTHERN USA AND EVEN IN THE VERY HOT FIRE SEASON IN THE SUMMER THIS HAS NOT HAPPENED TO MY WATERCOLOR STICKS.

[@Blissfulthings]

I've sliced mine around 2.5 mm in size and put the slices into a watercolour pan or pallette, I put a little bit of water in the bottom and gently pressed down when the water dries the slice sticks then I wrap the stick in parchment paper...it really works!

[@Anonymoi]

I’ve only just tried these, 7 years after this video was made. It’s possible that they have reformulated them, but my climate is also dramatically different from yours, I think. None of the sticks were soft at all - in fact, I initially thought that I wouldn’t be able to draw with them because they were too hard and seemed to make scratchy, light marks. What I realized was that I just needy a toothy paper (cold press watercolor paper works well) and to wear through the outer layer, similar to how you sometimes have to wear through the harder outer layer of a dry pastel before it will go on smoothly. They can certainly be cut up to go in a palette, as everyone says, but I don’t really have a need for that. They work very well dry on wet paper, as a drawing medium. They also do work well dry on dry, but don’t layer well. I think the best use for dry on dry is for a preliminary sketch before going in with water. They are versatile, but you have to have a use for them and not everyone does. I received them as a gift and they are challenging me to find some new ways of working.

[@ihy8602]

What a puzzling product. What is the purpose of having them in stick form if they're too soft to draw with? Do they rewet better than dried tube paint?

[@timtamt5662]

Cut off pieces to travel with you in a travel pallet. That's what Lindsey the Frugal Crafter does. You won't contaminate your colors.

[@DavidLorellHoskins]

The birds in the background are a joy -- perfect complement to your voice

[@owllovingapril]

I have a sample I received at an art store of Permanent Alizarin Crimson. After just putting it in my palette and using it like a pan I loved it. I then purchased later Phthalo Turquoise and Sodalite. I love to use them in a pan and they last so much longer than putting tube in the pans. I fully intend on buying more when I need them. I have an obsession with Daniel Smith Watercolors and have found the sticks to be quite a lot cheaper than the tubes since they are pure pigment. Being all pigment you aren't spending more on the binders. Well done Teoh! I love your videos.

[@ArtBrain]

I bought one color because it was on sale for $2.50! I just cut a piece of it and put it in my palette and it works just the same as cake watercolor. I'm thrilled and will be buying more, since as Lindsay said, the sticks can be more economical than the tubes.

[@MoeJoeDesigns]

I love the ds pigment sticks. You can also cut them into smaller pieces and add to a full or half pan and use that way since they are straight pigments.

[@illepu]

Once again, you have provided both an excellent review and a demonstration of technique.

[@courtneyshannon2621]

This is a very helpful video! I just got a Daniel Smith Watercolor Stick in a subscription art box and this was exactly the type of video I was looking for. I will definitely be using the splatter technique with it.

[@ZiralSpiral]

I haven't been able to buy myself art supplies for quite a long time so I stick to my wacom tablet. I absolutely adore your videos and appreciate you keeping me up to date on all of these wonderful tools! Ahhh! I want to use everything you post haha :)

[@kaymckelvey6595]

I watched this video having bought three sticks and being unsure how to use them. They break up very easily and I dislike them. If I had watched your demo first I would have saved myself over £30!! I thought they'd be a drawing product which could be used with water added to the drawing. As a professional product I think they're pretty terrible but I appreciate you showing their properties. I don't see the point of them, frankly. You gave it your best shot! Thank you Teoh.

[@chloegrl1366]

Thank you for such a great review. This was all very helpful to know.

[@vaughn6473]

Thank you for your detailed reviews. Your videos are a great resource.

[@hailey-yodarox8308]

I see this is an old video, but my local art supply store just recently got some in, so I was looking into them. According to the Daniel Smith website, they're 12 mL, which isn't much less than 15 mL tubes.