My current favorite watercolors ✶ Part 2: Swatching

In part 2, I show my swatches for my current favorite watercolors which I honestly believe is perfect for landscapes. In the coming months I will show you how I use this palette to paint a variety of scenes! But for now, enjoy the relaxing swatching. #watercolor #palette #swatches
We all have our own definition of what makes the perfect palette, so feel free to leave a comment with YOUR favorite colors!
Part 1: Research and choosing colors
➤ • Watercolor landscape p...
High resolution swatch sheet on Patreon
➤ bit.ly/landscapepalette
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[@colleenmcchesney1482]

Ohh that’s a gorgeous palette of colors!! I love 💕 them. Thanks for sharing this this process with us.

[@marjesmit8220]

Loved this! Love hearing why you choose certain colours and the recipes for colours. Thank you

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Glad it was helpful!

[@margaretzee8162]

LOVE your swatching videos!! So informative!

[@PatGillin]

Amazing videos and excited to see them. Your gouache ones are so helpful to me. Approaching 90, I gave up oils and acrylics and thought gouache would be a perfect way to keep painting. Watercolor has been my main medium for years and with a new medium in mind I found gouache a bit daunting. I find your tutorials the most helpful. Your voice is very pleasant and inviting and you don't flutter or move your hands about while showing close ups of charts etc, as other presenters do. Most annoying. Thank you for taking the time to bring all the information which is interesting, exciting and easy to learn.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Thank you for your feedback! I love gouache so much. It seems like the perfect painting medium!

[@wendyhepting6056]

I’ve learned so much and appreciate the time you’ve taken to produce these limited palette videos! Thankyou!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I'm so glad!

[@kathymoffat761]

Yet another great tutorial, Sara, thank you for your informative commentary. X

[@Wendy8888]

Such a well thought out and personalized palette.

[@audri.michelle]

I love this palette 🎨! Thank you for all your hard work making this for us!

[@everartokelli]

I appreciate you sharing your landscape palettes. I especially like your custom Diopside mixes, I have it in my urban/landscape palette as a granulating alternative to phthalo green, but don't use it enough. Can't wait to see you use this palette in future videos!!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I love those heavily granulating colors! As winter approaches I'll be in the studio more and hope to share lots of videos about it :)

[@erikaweihmayer4793]

Would love an update!! I love this video so much and it inspired my current plein aire palette.. can’t wait to see what it is now 😊🎨💜

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I still use this palette in the studio! I love it.

[@1Letter23Numbers.]

What a lovely selection. Thank you for sharing!

[@christicovington]

Yay! Thanks for making my morning! Great video!

[@belindahall5220]

Excellent video!! Thank you so much for sharing, Sarah!!

[@phedran]

It's funny that you rarely hear people talk about using limited artistic "tools" so that you learn those tools better! I definitely love limited palettes or artistic challenges for that reason, it's easier to 'understand' what options you have! I prefer limitations, it's like a puzzle. I spent weeks researching my first proper artist paints, and after using it for months it was initially so hard to figure out why when I tried using a new colour or set up a different palette that it just didn't "click" the same way! Ugh, I need to use my watercolours soon.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Yes exactly! I find this experience rewarding

[@kathleengarness1660]

I teach drawing and painting too; last year I was asked to teach a beginning botanical colored pencil class a few miles from my home. So that we could have a common 'color language' I devised a limited palette of pencils using only 14 Prismacolors.

[@sandrapowers6099]

I love your final color palette 💕💕💕💕 I also have several of these colors,:There is one you don’t have on your palette…. Payne’s Grey! My favorite color.I use it in so many ways. Thanks for sharing this. I found a nice swatch sketchbook.I am planning to make a swatch book of my colors. 💕💕 What kind is yours. Found mine on Amazon.

[@eharragan]

This was such a beautiful explanation, and I learned some new mixes I'd never considered. Thank you so much for sharing this with us! I'm a big fan of yellow ochre too, and haven't tried the Schmincke version yet; might have to change that.

[@ruthballardart]

So beautiful and relaxing!

[@mydogeatspuke]

They don't do tubes, only full pans that are soft enough to depot if you wanted to, but I've found that the perylenes from Roman Szmal have almost no drying shift at all. It's the only brand I've found with this trait.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

good tip!

[@OtoKano]

Yaaasss Schmincke Ultramarine finest is (for me) the best commercially available ultramarine blue! I love that you pre-mix your colors and enjoyed seeing the custom colors.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

You are a big reason I was able to make informed decisions on my colors (over a year ago when I redid my whole palette you opened my eyes to anthraquinone blue and quinacridone magenta which are now two of my staples) 😄

[@OtoKano]

@@SarahBurnsStudio 🥺

[@nancyb.4508]

Sitting here with a cup of coffee, watching my favorite artist do a favorite activity, making paint swatches, A lovely way to spend Saturday morning. Your videos are so calming. This was very informative, I never would have thought of trying lamp black as my neutral, I can see how wonderful it worked. I need to go see if I have that in my stash!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

So happy you could relax with me :D I LOVE doing swatches and mixing charts when I just need to unwind

[@nancyb.4508]

@@SarahBurnsStudio I feel the same way, it is a no pressure style of painting. I get to play with the paints without the planning of composition etc. Rather soothing, actually :)

[@sandjune2753]

Great colours and explanations Sarah.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I have 6 different travel kits... (multiple sizes) so it really varies - But I always select from these main colors, then sometimes add one or two fun colors to play with. I'll do a video soon about it

[@koskey06]

That A-Blue an burnt orange I'm in love with. I must get! Lol

[@sarajamal799]

love the calm intro ♥

[@tdelphia1]

Such an interesting palette! I live near Daniel Smith’s factory so have mostly DS colors, but I’ve never tried Diopside so I definitely have to check that out. I’m a new subscriber…looking forward to checking out more of your videos.

[@everartokelli]

FYI, DS is closing their store in SODO in November, everything is now 40% off, but the DS watercolors are getting picked over pretty quickly. They have brought out some of their long ago discontinued colors, I picked up Bohemian Green Earth and Vivanite Ochre. All their papers, pencils, markers, oils, framing supplies, etc are on sale too, so lots of very economical buys now.

[@shibascream2360]

Omg we use the same colors! Well mostly, for PR101 I normally use a Burnt Sienna. Instead of lamp black, I use neutral tint. I've also moved on to mostly Schmincke in my main palette...they are just so good.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Haha 😄not surprised! I feel like we have similar aesthetic

[@dejameschino2333]

@@SarahBurnsStudio I have a weird obsession with greens. I have to have them all. I can use like 2 blues and be fine...but I need like 20 greens...LOL

[@robertradocha6871]

Great video 💞💯🎨🎨🎨 thank YOU very very much dear Sarah 🌺🌼

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

My pleasure!

[@starr-starr]

Lovely palette. I like hearing about your decisions. That purple is gorgeous, I dislike dioxazine because it always leaves a hard edge no matter how I try to soften. I shall give that mix a try.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I definitely prefer to mix my purples! I never need a crazy-vibrant purple

[@MinnaPerala84]

Awesome looking palette. I wish I'm able at some point in the near future to produce a palette with max 20 colors. I'm currently trying to find colors that I like, that I can utilize the best, that I get great mixes with. I have way too many colors and even same pigments from a few manufacturers. The goal is to find my perfect simple palette. Thank you for the inspiration!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

That was exactly my goal! Ever since I did that I've loved painting so much more.

[@hannahthufvesson]

This is a great video, thank you for sharing! ☺️ Regarding yellow ochre colours, have you tried the DS Monte Amiata Natural Sienna? I adore it. It's a bit brighter than many yellow ochres, but still muted and with lots of depth, it's slightly granulating and it's transparent(!), which makes for amazing mixes! I'm in love with this colour, and thought I should share, just in case ☺️ Hope to watch basically all of your videos now, haha! There are a lot of them, so I better get started..

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Ohhh that sounds beautiful Hannah, thanks for the tip!

[@hannahthufvesson]

@@SarahBurnsStudio Yay! Let me know how you like it if you try it! ☺️

[@AB-xu8ef]

I’m scanning your past videos, but do you have one on your current gouache palette and how you went about choosing those colors? Also, I love color so much. If I go to an art museum, the colors suck me in more than anything else. So thank you for a happy, relaxing swatch video before bed. Lol.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I realized recently (from a lot of comments) that I never did a standalone video about my gouache palette. That's coming up next!

[@barbararivera2380]

💕

[@paintingtheskykingdom9005]

so glad you are focusing on watercolor now, just because so am i!

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I will always love watercolor! I use it more often in the summer because plein air weather

[@ann-marielofberg1159]

Wow, that last purple, love, love 💕 I think I have most of the quinacridone colors out on market, but magenta, violet, coral, red and burnt orange. There are more I know. My Yellow ochre are almost done, I wanna buy a New Tube, at least 14 ml. Then I have to Prioritize so I need to decide between diopside green or phtalo green. When I learn more about colours I wanna mix my own custom colors. It’s nice if they are easier to get, I like to make it as easy as I could. If things are to complicated, I choose not to do it. The anthraquin blue will probably my new cobalt blue, (for the environment sake). Another lovely video about colors and a little how to think. I also paint some fruit, cookies and berries, any good tips on colors to be handy in that case? Hugs

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

You really just need to try a few before settling on your colors! Black, Quin. Magenta, lemon yellow, Ultramarine and helio turquoise would be a good start.

[@ann-marielofberg1159]

@@SarahBurnsStudio I have theese already, that’s good

[@maryhazlett]

When you make your custom mixes, are you mixing as you go? If not, are you mixing w/o water so as to have paint to add to wells?

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

My custom mixes are mixed every few months - I fill the well with them and it lasts a long time. When I remake them I can use that to tweak it slightly if needed

[@maryhazlett]

I love this! I also love the custom mixes. Do you have any downloadables of the swatching charts? I'm on a limited budget (pension) and so haven't done patreon. I'd have to send my printing to a relative to print also, because up to now I've not bought a printer - the ink would dry out.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

The Patreon posts that include the swatch sheets are free :) You could use them as a guide to "copy" and draw on your own paper so you dont have to print them

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I'm assuming you mean the ones like this? www.patreon.com/posts/free-printable-1-32391043

[@maryhazlett]

@@SarahBurnsStudio yes, thank you! I have to figure out the Patreon thing.

[@garyweybright3227]

Awesome, loved this! Thanks for putting this out! ClaudiaSJI

[@koskey06]

Great....now I have 4 more colors that I need to get cuz I can't live with out them! Im fairly new to watercolor so my "good paints" are limited bit not by choice lol. I envy people who can suck to a limited palette. I just see wayyy to many colors i love that it's hard for ne to even start buying.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

You could try a limited palette for a short time, maybe a month or two, and see how it goes!

[@slev901]

Dear Sarah, what brush/size exactly are you using in this video? And also what paper? It is all so beautiful.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

For the Swatch chart I used arches cold pressed with 1/2 inch synthetic flat

[@slev901]

@@SarahBurnsStudio You don't remember the brand of the synthetic flat? Do you think it doesn't matter?

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

@@slev901 Unfortunately the words rubbed off so I don't know. It might be a princeton? But No the only thing that matters is how soft you like your bristles. I prefer a bit of softness but also a good solid shape.

[@LizNori]

I too really enjoy using a limited palette. Seeing massive art haul online is so tempting for a color addict like me, but also so frustrating ! No one needs hundreds of colors, in m'y opinion, it’s so ovewhelming! I wish every brand offer a dot swatch card, I love them, it is much more easier to chose the right color. By the way, I’d never had the idea of mixing a green and a magenta to get a purple ! It is so unexpected, I have to try it ! Thank you for this video.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

At least with watching art haul videos, you can sort of experience it without spending all that money or filling your shelves :D

[@maryhazlett]

Sorry to inundate with comments. But, are you still happy with your choices? Most of my tubes are DS, but I have some pans with schmincke. I have 5-6 DS tubes which are the colors listed for your limited palette, but, you suggest Schmincke. Since you did such great and monumental work, I'm curious as to whether or not there's a huge difference between the schmincke and DS? Did you buy new tubes, or use what you had?

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I still LOVE my choices! I think both Schmincke and Daniel Smith are super nice quality so you should be fine with DS. Since Schmincke is cheaper here it's easy to choose that

[@AyaSmith]

Just curious why you choose magenta over maybe, quinacridone rose? ☺️💖

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

It just makes the most beautiful mixes...and allows me to make red

[@jenneke9763]

Enjoyed hearing your reasons for selecting these particular pigments and watching the meticulous swatching. Excited about combining the info from parts 1&2 with my collection.

[@maryhazlett]

@@SarahBurnsStudio and now for many the basic primaries are Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. +black - - all colors in copy machines.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

@@maryhazlett That's the main reason I don't have a cadmium red - I have quinacridone magenta and if I mix in a tiny bit of yellow it becomes red and to me it looks more natural and creates better mixes

[@maryhazlett]

@@SarahBurnsStudio I have some of your colors, and have ordered more. Finally found English venetian red. Is there a difference between it and venetian red? Also, had ultramarine finest on order, and then suddenly my $ was refunded because it was out. So I'm watching. In the US I found many at Cheap Joe's, and here, Daniel Smith is cheaper than Schmincke, although I have plenty of schmincke in pans.

[@ellenp7455]

Very pleasing colours! I am much surprised neutral tint didn't make it, not one of my predictions came true actually, I'll hold my horses with lottery tickets for now, ha ha ha! I had no idea that one needs to be accustomed to the new palette ( dah!) But it makes perfect sense! I used one palette for some time and then switched to other one and it felt like I don't even know which end of the brush goes on the paper! Is there a chance that some colours might make it back to your new palette?😉 Sneakily like....

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I don't see going back to the colors I used before. It will be a long while before I change it again. Need to get lots of time in with these mixes!

[@michemman]

Hey Sarah, here are three ideas, for a pop of colour in your coastal scenes: Next time you do a coastal scene, with water and rocks under the water, why not try adding a splash of a permanent crimson (muted slightly brownish like WN, or you could mix your Perylene violet with your Quin Magenta). This colour trick is also good if you just do waves on the waters edge, or just waves, as it gives it a lift from under the water. It can look like rolling shells, the trick is to have a small amount of crimson, in whatever pale shallow water, blue aqua green sea colours you have. ;) I think DS serpentine green would look nice for that fresh seaweed, as it has an orangey brown undertone... I love starting with weak yellow ochre as it can really lift a blue sky, as clouds are often a transparent ochre, and not paper colour white, but a warm paper colour can look nice too. PS Today I fitted out my Sand, Sea, Sky and Shell palette, with a mix of brands, in a standard 24 half pan tin, and took the clip metal piece out, and tightly packed 40 colours, and scattered the colours in the tin, to make it look like mosaic of square shells.....really inspiring! In kindred spirit Eliza Dulwich Hill, Sydney, Australia xx

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

Great tips! Also WOW 40 colors?? It must be a lot to deal with!

[@michemman]

@@SarahBurnsStudio not really, still intend to use a limited palette from it, of 4 or 5 colours. (Any inspiration is welcome for me) and given that I collect watercolours and love to swatch, that is enough joy for me to not use them at all! (but hopefully I will soon...) This palette consists of new half pans, and very old half pans, and tiny dots on cards, placed in half pans, from my very first set, so has some Cotman, W &N professional, some handmade ones, and mostly a few umbers for contrast, a few crimsons, and a few turquoises. The interesting thing is how I placed all the colours, randomly spread out, and how some of the pans, have very little, so it does look like a palette of square shells, tiles, and dots...

[@maryhazlett]

One more - you said you began painting in 2015. Do you have training? Self taught? I keep saying I HAVE to practice more.

[@SarahBurnsStudio]

I'm self taught in painting but I have a background in drawing and ceramics. Drawing is the single best foundational skill you can learn to improve your painting!

[@maryhazlett]

@@SarahBurnsStudio is there a sub for English Venetian Red? Basically nothing in the US. I'm making a list.