Schmincke Watercolors Review & Demo

[@OliviaWilder]

I've always used (and LOVED) Holbein- their colors are ah-mazing, too. I use the tubes. But Schminke has always been an excellent brand. I have used them, as well. My first watercolor teacher back in 1989 introduced me to them. He loved the Carmine color- so do I! Great video, Marty!

[@susansacco7583]

Hi Marty. Beautiful drawings and paintings. I love Sennelier and have been wanting to try Schmincke for awhile knowing you love both brands. I just watched you and Steve doing colab on watercolor and paper so I checked online and bought 6 tubes Schmincke. Can’t wait to get and paint with them! I really enjoyed listening to you and Steve this morning. Thanks so much.

[@owingsart]

Thanks for the note Susan. I think you will love Schmincke. It's really the best paint I have ever used.

[@susansacco7583]

Hi. Just wanted to let you know that I’ve been painting with these for a month and they are so beautifully transparent. The colors and mixes are breathtaking. Honestly, aren’t they amazing? I’m saving up for a set. Thanks so much for turning me on to them.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Love your sketches! The watercolor looks wonderful (I need more watercolors like a hole in the head LOL!) but I love the Schminke pastels I have. thanks for the review:)

[@owingsart]

thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich Thank you very much. The Schmincke's are like heavenly butter. :-)

[@ElizabethKilbride]

Lindsey do you have a video that explains the various art supplies one needs for watercolor? Or any type of painting? Also might I suggest that you show how you mix your water and paints every so often for us beginners. :) Thanks in advance.

[@ElizabethKilbride]

I feel like I'm in kindergarten compared to you. Wait I just started so I am in the kindergarten class of learning.

[@thefrugalcrafter]

Elizabeth Kilbride I do here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jICsl2yYgJZ0gas

[@ElizabethKilbride]

thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich Thank you so much. absolutely love your videos

[@sphaeramundi]

This is my dream watercolor set. I have been working with the winsor newton, gansai tambi and yarka/Saint Petersburg cakes but this is definitely on my wish list at the very top. I love the art examples you drew. You can just tell these are excellent especially from the first color chart you showed where they blend so seamlessly one into the other. They must have i incredibly small particles, especially when compared to the Saint Petersburg cakes, where the particles are much larger....although I've heard that it's a matter of preference rather than good or bad.

[@owingsart]

Yes, these are simply superb paints. They are wonderful. The pigments are ground very fine and the paints are incredibly vibrant. They are brilliant. ~Marty

[@sphaeramundi]

Hi again Marty, sorry i keep bombarding you with questions but there aren't many people i have come across on you tube whose answers I actually trust to be fair and useful and based off of a wealth of experience clearly. so this one is kind of long but very important to me so please forgive the long list and perhaps the silliness of the intent, I own several of the black velvet silver line brushes; my rounds are 2,4,6 and the one is in 8 script--an accident from not paying attention to what i was buying.. i also have their 1/4" striper. my regular size 8 round is grumbacher goldenedge 4620 which is a cheapie i guess--synthetic sable i believe, i have at least 2 more size 8 rounds that are synthetic, from langrickel and the like...5 -7 dollars tops in value, and my biggest round is also nothing grand in price--a size 10 winsor & newton 136 series. i'm being extensive because i'll get to my point and you will see why. i have a vey nice selection of zeros even a couple kolinsky sable that are great detail brushes because i used to make polymer clay sculptures and paint their faces with genesis oil colors...what else...oh yes and two very good quality winsor fan brushes in sizes 1 and 6; and for washes i have two brushes both 1"--grumbacher goldenedge 4626 which is an oval one, and winsor spectre gold --a flat sable synthetic mix. i have a few riggers and various scripts all along the same line-a mix of cheapies and maybe one or two 25-30 dollar brushes at the most and one of those is for acrylic lol so not too useful. so finally to get to my point: i know i have plenty of brushes, probably more than i need. and i love the black velvet ones and i was going to continue buying those if i needed another brush. BUT right after i wrote to you about schmincke being my dream, someone very very kind made my dream come true yesterday by surprising me with a 36 color set of the Schmincke Horadam watercolors (the pans not tubes)--and I know it's silly but i just cant help myself...I want to getat least one high quality brush that's going to be THE brush in my collection now that I have the set i have been drooling over. i cant even bring myself to dip into the paints yet because i wanted them for so long and i just feel like i need this special magic brush for them. i know how wrong the thinking is here trust me, but please humor me all the same with your experience and knowledge. Is there a brush you would recommend among the kolinsky sable brushes that you think is just absolutely awesome? i looked at so many reviews and i am still not even close to knowing which one to go with other than it should probably be an oval that has a good taper and of at least size 6-8 or higher. My budget would go up to 70...maybe even 100 dollars for such a brush. And again i apologize if the the question and my urge are a bit silly or girly but i also believe that you will understand the motivation. i finally have the set i want, i got a small block of the good hot pressed fabriano artistico paper for it lol, no more canson xl except for my student grade paints...now i just want to get that one good brush, hey i'd even get two if i could but i'd rather get one really really good one and work from there. if you take the time to read all this AND answer I will be very thankful and positively surprised. you have been so kind in answering all my questions that i feel like im really pushing it this time, on the other hand--I got the 36 color Schmincke!!!! i figured this is a big enough deal to allow myself to bug you once more. Thank you. Wanda

[@owingsart]

Hi Wanda - WOW! You have great detail here, which is awesome and allows me to really understand where you are coming from and what you are look for. And you're questions are always, always welcome. First of all, congratulations on owning what is arguably the finest commercially available watercolor kit in the world today. Whoever gave you that gift deserves a big hug and your eternal friendship. So let's get down to business. Let's talk brushes first - Sable brushes are fantastic, but Siberian blue hair squirrel brushes are also excellent as are some higher-end synthetics. The best brush I've ever used is the Isabey. They are hand made in France and by far the greatest brushes in my kit. Here is a link to a number 6 round which I use (more tips on how to use them in a minute): amzn.to/2br4gG9 Keep in mind this is a mop brush, but any brush made by Isabey is going to be a work of art in itself. So finely crafted that you will prize it for years. Here is a link to the portable #6 I also pack in my kit: amzn.to/2br4g9a It's very expensive at $100, but worth every single cent. There are many other fine brushes in the world, but none better than Isabey in my opinion. Tips on Using fantastic brushes with pan watercolors (like the Schmincke's you have). I add a little water to the pans before I press my brushes into them. I don't want wear or misshapen my brushes by mixing hard paints. Wetting them a little will moisten the paint. Next - The thing is about paper and sketchbooks. Fabriano is FANTASTIC. They've been making paper for like 800 years, they know how to do it. So do the French, and I buy Arches as well. I look for 300 lb 100% Cotton papers. That way I don't need to stretch the paper to prevent warping (unless I'm heavily soaking the paper). For Sketchbooks, there is one brand above all others, Stillman & Birn. Check out there Alpha or Zeta series. Both are fantastic as is their whole line of paper, which you can buy by the sheet as well. Well I sure hope this helps and I appreciate you taking the time to trust me with your questions. All the best ~Marty

[@sphaeramundi]

+Owings Art hi Marty thank you so much for your recommendations and once again you have hit it out of the ball park and I will tell you why: I was so eager to get some brushes while waiting for your reply, which was very prompt as usual but in this case I just couldn't help myself so I went to Blick and thought I might be able to hold a few brushes and figure out for myself which ones "feel right." And you won't believe this but out of all the brushes I held I picked out the very same brushes you recommended before you had the chance to post your answer: I got the Isabey mop brush; travel round in 6 and regular round in 8. So basically your recommendation was absolutely spot on to a degree that even as a beginner when it comes to quality brushes I was able to hone in on the special qualities of the brushes that I later read in your recommendation. Talk about a perfect chance working out, despite my impatience I still ended up getting the very brushes you later suggested!

[@owingsart]

sphaeramundi So glad to to hear this. What a wonderful coincidence and you came away with what can arguably be called the worlds best mop brush. I love notes like these, it makes my work all worth it. Thanks so much for the follow up. By the way the travel round 6 is OUTSTANDING. :-) ~Marty

[@ColoringKaria]

Amazon had these for $59 for a short while last night (error, maybe?) but it looks like they will be shipping it so i got a set. it went back up to $79 but I am super excited.

[@owingsart]

+ColoringKaria How does it feel Karia, because you just cold robbed Amazon! :-) Awesome! - Marty

[@ColoringKaria]

Owings Art LOL!!! I am super excited! The set arrives tomorrow.

[@owingsart]

ColoringKaria :-)

[@paulage1art]

Hi Marty, You have raved so much about the Schmincke watercolors and I thought they would be perfect for Mother's Day! Just ordered a set of 18 5ml tubes in a metal pan, plus added a few must have colors (Magenta, Purple Magenta and May Green (for mixing). The metal pan will hold 18 full pans, and as recommended by Jane Blundell (has an amazing blog about color mixing - outstanding! - tons of charts!) I plan on filling the pans half way at a slant to you can create a little well of paint to the dilution of your liking and not have to dig your expensive brushes into a full pan to get color. Thanks to your un-ending array of reviews I am getting the best ones! You can save a ton buying them from Jackson's Art, even with overseas shipping!

[@owingsart]

+paulage1art Hi Paula - Great to hear from you. Sounds like you scored. I like the variety of colors you mentioned and I need to check out check out Jackson's Art. Please let me know what you think of the Schmincke's once you've had a chance to use them. I'd love to hear what you think. Have a GREAT weekend. - Marty

[@paulage1art]

+Owings Art Hi Marty, Will let you know what I think of the Schmincke, also completed my Mother's Day shopping for presents by ordering the other paint you rave about - Sennelier - can get 12 + 6 free half pans in a nice 24 slot metal tin for $60.48 and free shipping at Jerry's artarama - had room for more so had to get my favorites extra - sap green, opera rose, perm. magenta and quin red. Better call it quits for shopping for now! Can't wait to try them!

[@owingsart]

paulage1art Ha! There's never enough money to buy all the art supplies I want. :-) Have fun with the Senn's, they're awesome.

[@jamietr5418]

thank you sir for making this demonstration! this is what I'm looking for as I am thinking about buying this set. I'm sold now :D your sketchbook is cool too!

[@owingsart]

Hi Jamie Đỗ - Thank you very much for the note and checking out the video. These are really, really great paints. Schmincke watercolors are spectacular and I think you'll love them.

[@owingsart]

***** I have a sample set of Holbein (12 tubes) and I need to try them. As you know I've used the Holbein oils which are also quite nice. May a good review for the future.

[@owingsart]

Owings Art Hi Olivia - Looks like I can finally reply to your posts. So happy to be able to communicate with you again on KZbin. I love Holbein as well, they are wonderful paints.

[@lorijones9579]

Thanks for the review, Marty. The downside is now I seriously covet the Schmincke 48 half pan set (I'm not a limited palette kind of girl). At $369 on Dick Blick that was never going to happen, BUT, you can order the same 48 half pan Schmincke set from Jackson's Art Supplies in the UK (free international shipping) for $169. I'm really excited! I might see for myself if these paints are really all that this year.

[@owingsart]

+Lori Jones Hi Lori - Loved your note here, it made me smile. Yes, I can testify, these are worth every single penny. Schmincke is the watercolor paint I used for my finished work and just about everything else I do. They're brilliant, simply spectacular paints IMO. $169 would be a decent deal. Have an AWESOME week. - Marty

[@lorijones9579]

+Owings Art --I ordered the Schmincke palette. I don't really need more paint, but it's on its way. Art supplies are a slippery slope, but I love it. (I'd better do a lot of painting now.) You have an AWESOME week too! I look forward to your next upload. -Lori

[@owingsart]

Lori Jones :-) Worth every single penny.

[@lorijones9579]

+Owings Art -- Update: Within hours of my ordering the palette for $169 (US), Jackson's changed the price to $205. I didn't get why the palette was £143 pounds ($205 per current exchange rate) but only $169 when I put it in my cart, but it was wee hours of the morning. I grabbed the deal and stopped trying to do math. Maybe my order tipped Jackson's off to a mistake on their site. $205 is still a good price, but I'm sorry if I've misled anyone. It isn't $169 anymore. Thanks, Marty!

[@owingsart]

Lori Jones Hi Lori, No worries at all, the Art Supply places are always doing that. I'm guessing your order tipped them or they just noticed a glitch. Either way $205 is still a darn good deal.

[@Shannonishere]

Marty, you were right. I really love the schmincke watercolors I picked up. They're just beautiful. I really want to try some of their gouache next time to see how I like it. :)

[@owingsart]

Hi Shannon - So happy to hear that. I knew you would my friend. The Gouache is also excellent. ~Marty

[@skelatori]

Do you think extra half pans could fit longways between the two metal brackets??

[@owingsart]

Don't think so. I want to say I tried it once and it wouldn't fit, but I can't remember. :-)

[@bootsmama1027]

You mentioned Wet Paint in Saint Paul. Have you been to Art Materials in Minneapolis? If so, what do think about them? I really miss the Minneapolis Blick(formerly Utrecht); they had stuff no other stores in the Twin Cities have.

[@owingsart]

Jill Graf - Hi Jill and thanks for the question. Yes I have been to Art Materials and I like them, but I love Wet Paint. The folks at Wet Paint are so knowledgeable and helpful. I'm on a first name basis with many of them because I'm in the store frequently. I agree with you about the Utrecht store over by the college. I used to make the trek there about once a month and loved it for the very reason you mentioned. I do go to the Blick store in Roseville once in a while, which is also a nice store with friendly folks, but just not quite like Wet Paint. They carry Utrecht stuff, but not like the other store. You'd think with a metro population of more than 3 million people, we'd have a few more indy art stores around, but I think the margins are pretty tight and they have to compete with online mega stores and Amazon, it's probably a tough business. That's reason enough for me to keep handing my hard earned money to the folks at Wet Paint, I never want them to disappear. Thanks again and if you're local do know about the Metro Sketchers?

[@marissamolina1268]

Hi Marty can you fit another set of half pan in the middle where you place you brush?

[@owingsart]

Unfortunately no, not enough room in there vertically once you get pans on either side.

[@m4dh4dd3r]

Hi Marty, have you ever tried M. Graham watercolor paints? If so would you recommend Schminke watercolor pan set over the M. Graham? I haven't tried either. I am looking at upgrading from my student grade paints. Thank you for your advise. I am so glad you have a lot of experience. Thanks for helping.

[@owingsart]

Blake Smith Hi Blake - I would say that the Schmincke are better than the M. Graham's. The M. Graham's are good, but not as good as Schmincke. The other great Artist quality watercolor paints you could try would be Sennelier and Daniel Smith. Any of these will should really make you happy. Thanks for watching and thanks for the questions.

[@MiadeFleur]

what is difference between those and "Schmincke Horadam watercolour " also in blocks

[@owingsart]

+Mia de Fleur Hi Mia - There really isn't any noticeable difference that I can tell. They are very great watercolors.

[@sylvia4425]

Lukas, Schminke or Holbein?....Which is the ultimate winner as far as being the most richly pigmented color-brightness? :) Thank you.

[@owingsart]

+Sylvia Catalano I like Schmincke or Dr. Phil Martin's Hydrus for super vivid color. - Marty

[@SusieLaLonde]

Well, love the review as always! I'd love to know how to get my hands on a promotional set like the one you have. These small sizes of watercolor sets are the only ones I like to have. BTW your examples of what this paint can do is amazing (your artwork is amazing no matter what paint you use though) This looks amazing!

[@owingsart]

+Susie Lalonde Thank you very much Susie. These little promo sets are sold by Wet Paint in my hometown of Saint Paul, Minnesota. However they will accept phone orders for them and ship them to you. Just call them up and they'll take care of you. Here is their website wetpaintart.com

[@SusieLaLonde]

Thanks so much for all of the useful information!

[@owingsart]

Susie LaLonde Sure! :-)

[@sylvia4425]

Hello Marty, Can you tell us where you got this particular "Promotional Watercolor Metal Box Set?" I really like the outside cover picture of "wet" paint pans. It's very unique! Can you provide the link or tell us the store you got them? thanks! :)

[@owingsart]

Sylvia Catalano Hi Sylvia - I picked this up at a great little art store called, "Wet Paint" in Saint Paul. You can visit them online at: www.wetpaintart.com or you can call them and ask if they have it in stock anymore. Good luck!

[@sylvia4425]

Thank you, Marty. :)

[@sylvia4425]

Hi again, Marty. Unfortunately "Wetpaint Art store has sold out of these metal sets with the picture of paints on them. However, I noted that on eBay in the UK, there is one that's offered for $12 bucks? Hmmm, I kind of wonder if this is student quality paints because the price is so cheap. Q: Are yours absolutely artist professional high-end quality colors?

[@owingsart]

Sylvia Catalano Hi Sylvia - Yes, these are definitely Artist quality paints, however I would be cautious if I found them on eBay so cheap. Was it a bid or Buy It Now price? If you can pick them up at that price it's a steal. Sorry to hear Wet Paint was sold out, but I'm not surprised, these really are fantastic paints. Here's a link to some of the art I've done with them: owingsart.com Have a great day!

[@Senghe]

Sylvia Catalano Hi, I don't know if this is any help to you, but here goes. I got a set of the Schmincke Akademie in this identical box. I've seen both Akademie and Hoardam pans/ half pans in several permutations of the paintbox livery. My set is red and blue and a friend has one in the same colours as Marty's set. I've actually seen a tin identical to these apart from all black and another manufacturer selling them empty for almost £20. I paid £15 for my set of Akademie off eBay as a buy it now option. So if you like the tin, that's an option. The Akademie watercolours are classed as artist quality by Schmincke themselves. Obviously, they are not going to be as good as the Hoardam, but for a starter set it's hard to go wrong as despite being restricted to 24 colours, they are mostly one pigment, pan poured and highly lightfast. Picking up colour from the pans is a dream even with a just damp brush. I'm a total beginner with the medium, but I can see the Schmincke Akademie are superior to my old Cotman set of 12 and the tin would be a bargain just empty. Personally, I plan on using these and adding the Hoardam as I progress. Here's a link if you're interested - they ship internationally: www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SCHMINCKE-AKADEMIE-WATERCOLOUR-12-HALF-PAN-LIMITED-EDITION-/131285001388?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e913224ac

[@airaisane]

I've been using the cheap watercolor paints all my painting life- more than ten years now. I've never even tried learning about the student and artist grade watercolor paints until recently, not sure why. I've watched a lot of reviews in the past week. I want to professionally paint, but I'm afraid of buying an expensive set since it's my first time. For someone who's money conscious, what watercolor set would you recommend? What set can I play/experiment with and not feel bad using, basically.

[@owingsart]

Thank you for the question and for watching. You could use the Winsor & Newton Artist watercolors, not the Cotman. Winsor & Newton Artist wc's are very nice paints and they're affordable for most budgets. I tend to buy higher quality paint because I find I have to use less of it. The better the paint, the better the pigments, vibrancy and lightfastness ends up being. So in the end it costs about the same or slightly more to use great paint versus good or student grade paint. That's why I use paints like Schmincke, Daniel Smith and Winsor & Newton Artist. watercolors. Hope that helps. Happy New Year. - Marty

[@airaisane]

That's a very good point. I did notice, I use a lot of the paint to intensify the color when I paint using cheaper paint. Thank you very much for the help!

[@owingsart]

+airaisane I'm happy you asked. Thank you!

[@muskndusk]

Great review. How did you do the rain in the rainy street scene?

[@owingsart]

muskndusk Hey thanks very much. I used a gel pen called Uniball Signo white. Here's a link to the pen. www.amazon.com/Uni-Ball-Signo-Broad-Point-Impact/dp/B00CUKUA4Y

[@dragorsi]

How would you rate them if you were to use your current rating system? Or if it's easier, Schminke or White Nights?

[@owingsart]

+Orsi Dirda (Dragorsi) Thanks for the question. 8.5 to 9 for the Schmincke. They're awesome.

[@dragorsi]

+Owings Art Thank you!

[@mypandapaints5854]

Not sure if I missed it but did you mention which sketchbook you were using in this video? I'm constantly browsing for different types of sketchbooks to try out. It's an obsession.

[@owingsart]

My Panda Paints I know the obsession well :-). It's a Stillman & Birn Zeta series sketchbook.

[@morinayume3457]

Whic is better? Schminke or Sennelier?? I'm really having a dillema because it will be the first time I will buy artist grade watercolor.

[@owingsart]

Hi Morina - They are both great for different reasons. Sennelier is made with honey, it has a soft luminosity and transparency that is fairly unmatched. The Schmincke watercolors are incredibly vibrant and consistent. They are my favorite watercolors. I also use Daniel Smith watercolors. Good luck! ~Marty

[@morinayume3457]

Owings Art Thank you so much!! :D You're a big help!

[@xuans6065]

I bought Prussian blue and ultramarine blue (m graham), do you think that I still need cerulean blue

[@owingsart]

Hi Celes - Yes. I would get the cerulean blue. I use it all the time for sky or water, whereas the Prussian and Ultramarine I primarily use for mixing. Hope that helps. ~Marty

[@xuans6065]

Ok thanks for the reply marty

[@xuans6065]

But the cerulean blue of m graham is semi opaque which isn't a good thing to me so I'm still thinking about getting it coz I don't wanna waste it in case I don't love it 😂

[@sphaeramundi]

Would you say this is hands down the best watercolor cake set in your opinion or is there one that you like even more, or would say is on par with this one?

[@owingsart]

Nope - This is the best in my opinion. Nothing comes close in the cake. In the tube form, I also like Daniel Smith and Sennelier. :-) ~Marty

[@EirromNat]

Hello! I was just curious, what do you work as? 😂

[@owingsart]

+artgapelove I work in software. :-)

[@eileengoldenberg270]

Thanks... I am comparing m.graham and schminke...any thoughts?

[@owingsart]

+Eileen Goldenberg They are both great, but I give a slight edge to Schmincke in most, but not all colors. - Marty

[@DRAVENxxx18]

Could you review the maimeri watercolor?

[@owingsart]

DRAVENxxx18 I'm not familiar with that brand. Is it Italian?

[@owingsart]

***** Ahhh, okay. thank you! - Marty

[@pw6titanium]

Instead of numbers as ratings, how about some comparisons between brands of the same pigment colours in earths, and the 6 main hue families. Then it would be easier to see how each colour actually stacks up against its rivals without the confusion of all the distraction of different hues.cheers.

[@owingsart]

+Alba Whiteman Hi Alba - That would be an interesting rating system. For now though, I've gotten lot's of feedback from viewers that people prefer a point rating system, so I'll continue that for the foreseeable future. I agree with you about comparisons, so this year in my other videos I've added a comparison segment that I think you might find helpful. Thank you for the suggestions and for watching the channel. Both are very much appreciated. - Marty

[@marsbeads]

sh - meen - kah. :)

[@aoutsky]

It's actually shminkuh. Like pizza.

[@ArtOfRavenD]

Those look really amazing. I have the Winsor and Newton Cotman compact set of 14 and now you make me wanna grab Schmincke whenever I need a little half-pan set again someday. Thanks for the review!

[@owingsart]

ArtOfRavenD I couldn't believe the difference from other watercolors. I've used Holbein, Winsor & Newton and Grumbacher, all of them are great, but honestly they literally pale in comparison to these Schmincke's. I have no idea how they do it, but the colors are spectacularly vibrant. I definitely recommend them for the best work. Thanks for dropping by, much appreciated.

[@ArtOfRavenD]

Whoa, so it just wasn't the camera and my eyes and really are vibrant then. I definitely will add this watercolor compact set to my hoard of art supplies.

[@owingsart]

ArtOfRavenD Yes, the really are that fantastic. You will like them I'm sure of it. Good luck.

[@nullavitasinemusica1]

Pronounciation is funny

[@owingsart]

Anna Katharina I should say it, "Schminkaa", not, "Schminkee"? :-)

[@nullavitasinemusica1]

Owings Art it's similar to the german word for make-up neither schminka nor schminke leo.org is a free online dictionary search for the word schminke and click on the audio button if you're intersted german e is just hard to describe

[@owingsart]

Anna Katharina Thank you Anna. Oh I know, I used to speak German fluently when I lived there (probably what you would call low german). But I lost most all of it after moving back home and so much time passing. I used to live in a place called Fulda. Thanks and I'll check out the leo.org.

[@tainadelcaribe]

+Owings Art Oh!! I used to live about 40 minutes from Fulda, in Ansbach Garrison! How I miss Nürnberg!! After 9 years there been back for about 2.5 and still miss it so much!! By the way the sketches are great!!! Hopefully one day I'll get that good at watercolor!

[@owingsart]

aygo Hi Aygo - I know the Ansbach Garrison I think. Just practice and practice to get better at watercolor.