Should I Avoid Opaque Watercolor Pigments? Review - DaVinci Embrace Opacity Palette.

[@mindofwatercolor]

NOTE: Da Vinci is not an affiliate and I get nothing if someone buys these. This is news and information about a new and (to me) interesting set. I also saw it as a good opportunity to educate viewers who don’t understand the differences and characteristics of various pigments. Transparent pigments are my go to and always will be, but many painting situations are not affected adversely by using highly opaque pigments. Never-do-this absolutes should always be tempered with real information. These are watercolors like any other and take no special handling. Chances are you're already painting with a few opaque pigments and just don't know it. Learn and understand what you have. Perhaps it solves some mysteries for you as to why certain colors act differently than others.

[@colleenmcchesney1482]

Thanks for sharing this with us. I really appreciate it.

[@InLiquidColor]

Of course I'm watching! 🥰 Thank you so much for taking a look at these and for all your kind words, Steve. It warms my heart to hear that you're happy the color selection! It definitely went through a lot of iterations, and I'm just so pleased with how it turned out. Of course I couldn't speak to its use as a landscape palette personally, but I did hope it would translate well. I'm so happy to hear that's the case! Happy new year to you and yours, and thank you again :)

[@mindofwatercolor]

LOL! You're quite welcome. I'm anxious to do more with it. Hope it does well for you and Da Vinci.

[@kristiw.1823]

Once again, Denise, your impeccable taste, eye for color and more, just shines with this palette! So happy for you - you knocked this one out of the ballpark. Once I manage to get to the west coast again, Da Vinci's shop is one I'm eager to see in person.

[@roden70]

@Inliquidcolour is there a way to make your products available by a European retailer (not in the UK). I just checked and would love to buy your pallette but with shipping it's 85 dollars and the EU also charges tax on products from outside the EU. The prive doubles more than once for us!

[@InLiquidColor]

@@roden70 Hi there! Da Vinci is a small business, so it's much harder for them to get stocked overseas. International shipping is incredibly high in the US right now, but even so, $85 seems rather high. You're always welcome to email them, and they'll double check the fees to your area. I hope that helps!

[@roden70]

@@InLiquidColor Thank you for answering. The pallette and shipping together are 85 dollar. Than I have to pay customs and tax, which adds another 40 dollars to the bill because we also pay taxes over the shipping. It is so frustrating because almost all good craftstores are in the US and the UK. We are held hostage by the EU and I voted against the tax union it now is.

[@trisha4797]

Denise’s channel introduced me to Davinci early on in my return to watercolor. They’re my favorite watercolor paints. It’s hard to have a favorite child though.

[@kaboomsy]

Gorgeous earthy colors and coverage! I've been curious about gouache but am trying to learn watercolor before picking up yet another. I'll be picking this up.

[@RoryP22]

I love Da Vinci paints. They were the first tube paints I ever purchased and I've stuck with them because they're such high quality. Violet Iron Oxide, Cerulean Blue Genuine and Denise's Green are part of my palette. Can't wait to try out Denise's Gray. They work really well with M. Graham too.

[@adriannabcustomfurniture]

Been having a rough day, so seeing this is a breath of fresh air 😊 can't wait to see what you think.

[@Foghorn-tr1je]

I just decided to splurge on these last night. I can’t wait to try them. It was fun to see your landscape because I do more of that than animals.

[@judygrandstrand9784]

I just got my palette and can’t wait to try them!

[@rebeccalyons1327]

What a great Southwestern palette this would be!

[@mindofwatercolor]

YES!

[@JC-il4or]

I have the DaVinci Scratchmade Journal set-the first pan set I ever bought-being more a tube gal. The pans wet sooo easily and the colors are really nice...so am impressed with an opaque set with mostly single pigment. Thank you Steve!

[@mindofwatercolor]

Yes, thats a good one too!

[@mikepetersen7319]

First...happy New Year! Good to have back again. Just before You've said it I thought: This Selection is great for Landscape. The Tinbox looks also very nice. The Marshland looked quite eerie I thought I saw Gollum in the distance. 🙂👍

[@carolatchley3797]

I really love Denise Gray. It's a beautiful combo.

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you kindly, Carol!

[@maryannprzybycien2013]

I just got this set and I love it! I also have the Autumn set and some open stock tubes. I just love Da Vinci paints. ❤️

[@ChantelleArts]

I really wasn’t sure about this set but, that little landscape you quickly created looks amazing and I love the pastel feel this palette seems to give 😊

[@palettejunkie8246]

What a beautiful, vibrant, dreamy palette. Thanks for the demo. I must give this a try.

[@laurahale5774]

Thank you for reviewing this set. Da Vinci is becoming my go to paint company. At home in the studio, I still enjoy M Graham, but in my Midwest climate, they don't travel as well as Da Vinci. While filling pans for friends, it was very noticable how little Da Vinci shrunk compared to other brands. DS pans had to be refilled about three times after drying over a few hours. I'm not sponsored by anyone, I just wanted to share how great this company is. I'm also a fan of Denise's color choices for all of her sets.

[@InLiquidColor]

Thank you, Laura! I also keep forgetting to mention the lack of shrinkage in my videos as well! It really is noticeable.

[@polgara28]

I hear you on the shrinkage! American journey and Davinci paints were my first professional paints, so when I finally got some DS paints, I was VERY underwhelmed! They are hard as rocks and so bad on my brushes, also. My faves are AJ, Davinci and M graham.

[@katel9378]

I received my palette yesterday and swatched about a hour before this video came out! I love Denise and these paints!!

[@lorryl8]

Thank you. I always love your videos. Your swatching ones are great because you not only swatch them out but also do a small painting with the palate so we can see it in action. Thanks again.

[@colleenmcchesney1482]

Ohh wow I love 💕 these color selections. I see tons of landscape possibilities as well. Definitely fantastic how fast they rewet. Thanks for sharing & explaining/educating us with the knowledge! I really appreciate it.

[@patriciatolliver4057]

Patty- I loved your review as well as your painting. That was a really beautiful winter scene. Those colors are beautiful.

[@mjpete27]

Hullo Steve! Denise has worked with DaVinci Paints to create several paint collections as well as the 2 new colors they have added to their lineup of paints for sale even outside of this collection. Her Grey and the Stormy Blue are just so unique and well beautiful! I have been painting with watercolors for many, many years and this stormy blue is a color I have mixed and miss-mixed in my painting life! To have it ready to go with no mixing is truly a joy! As I have matured in painting and life it is so important to work with paints that make creating art easier! Why fight your “tools” for every painting you make? Struggling with your picture does NOT equal a wonderful or fantastic painting or experience! Sometimes my best work comes out when I’m enjoying the flow and ease of application, true JOY in painting does show! Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us about this new and wonderful collection of paints from DaVinci! I have become quite a convert because of Denise’s work and so perhaps I have a small bias, If your painting life became easier because someone had made a significant improvement on how you create, would you not also believe in them? Support them and do so with vigor? I do enjoy watching your videos and seeing you create so many diverse ideas. Have a lovely day and a wonderful new year! Thank You.

[@lizbethy3214]

Love the one you're with! ❤

[@AafkeVultink]

chromium oxide green is VERY opaque. I think mostly all artist brands I have the white night version wich is very similar and I love that color

[@MadebyDawn23]

happy 2023 steve, trust that the new year bring joy and blessing to you and your family.

[@ninner196]

Super lovely palette. Looks like great plein aire fun! I have mostly transparent other than some that grey down the mixes like the cobalts but hadn’t considered a more opaque smaller palette and it might paint out a little quicker outside. I enjoy DaVinci paints very much along with a few other brands on my main palette. It might be the first time for me to put chromium oxide green down. Thanks Denise and Steve!😊

[@RendaJane]

Kilimanjaro is awesome paper imo. I got a 300 spiral for my watercolor besties for presents in December. 🙏🏽💙🕊🥰👍🏽

[@suel4269]

Thanks to you, I have a Kilamanjaro sketchbook and I love it . The paper is just as good as Arches in my opinion. I wish they had a journal that isn’t spiral bound.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Me too!

[@spider_kite]

Loved this! I really didn't know opaque watercolor is NOT gouache. Really considering using some more opaque watercolors in my own paintings 💜

[@HSkyler]

Thank you so much for the review! I'm winding up to plein air sketching and the palette and paints take care of a few requirements at the same time. I need two of the colors, Naples Yellow and Lilac, and eager to try the rest.

[@JaredCullum]

Great Video, Steve! What an interesting kit of colors... I'm curious about how it handles differently than transparent and opaque paint. Very cool.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thanks Jared! Not terribly different but maybe a bit calmer flow. These type pigments are actually on a lot of pre-assembled palette selections unbeknownst to the artist. It handles similarly to gouache but not quite as opaque. Gouache is made intentionally opaque these are not. More an inherent characteristic.

[@pattycyr8662]

Thanks for covering this!

[@SerenWen_art]

I’ve already watched Denise’s fab videos, and after watching yours I want this set even more! Unfortunately Da Vinci isn’t the easiest to get hold of here in the UK! :( My palette is currently mostly transparent pigments, but I can see that these opaque colours have their own characteristics that would be fun to try!

[@pollyexparrot3123]

They look gorgeous! I'll love to try these. It's such a shame they're next to impossible to purchase in Germany :( hope someone will carry them soon as well as the lovely sets! Thanks for showing them off and best wishes for the new year :)

[@maryannprzybycien2013]

They do ship worldwide with the exception of Russia. 😊

[@pollyexparrot3123]

@@maryannprzybycien2013 oh lovely! Somehow it never occured to me to actually try their website instead of being sad no retailer carries them. Way to go, me lol Thank you so much for the pointer MaryAnn!!!

[@maryannprzybycien2013]

@@pollyexparrot3123 you're welcome. I hope you get them! 😊

[@richgiordano8725]

Happy New Year!! Wonderful review. I like the palette.

[@OldeLeshi]

Opaque/inorganic pigments are some of my favorites, I'm never really without a few cobalts or cads etc. But I also use gouache a lot and just prefer neutrals and subtle muted colors to bright high chroma painting and these are perfect for that. A tiny palette (same size as that) I set up recently in fact is essentially this palette but with Holbein paints instead and it's a great addition.

[@appleknocker56]

Used to paint (even w transparent ones) so dark they all looked opaque! Now waiting for Denise’s Da Vinci (24 set, 4th generation) & so excited! May I ask which colors you like to mix w Naples yellow as new to me but will experiment to see what colors can get! Tyvm.

[@mindofwatercolor]

You'll get interesting results mixing just about any color with Naples. I like it mostly for earthy browns such as mixing with the violet iron oxide in this set. Mixed with the Cerulean blue it makes a nice earthy green. Lots of other great mixes. Be sure to check out Denise's mixing chart link in the description.

[@TheNintenBits]

Do you think you could do a vid comparing opaque watercolor with gouache? It would help me see the use for these

[@mindofwatercolor]

There is no special purpose they’re just watercolors. But different pigments have different characteristics. It’s a good idea to know what they are.

[@TheNintenBits]

@@mindofwatercolor sounds good thank you!

[@mariliarodrigues7137]

Love the color selection. Would love to see that palette sold in Europe

[@hollyzessin2886]

Da Vinci has several pan sets they are keeping on hand and offer single tubes or full tube sets to refill with. Denise has 3 different sets that can be purchased in a tin.

[@InLiquidColor]

Thanks, Holly! Indeed, the palettes are not limited edition, and they will be around for the foreseeable future :)

[@bleuvertetforetdepin7308]

And every single one of those tree palette is very desirable. 😍

[@nancywhite2014]

I have all three of Denise Soden’s palettes and her trio set of tube paints. I received the opaque palette prior to our infamous Christmas weekend blizzard of 2022 in western New York. I will be trying it out soon.😊.

[@patti3d]

thank you Steve for reviewing Denise's new palette! I love how easy you make it look to paint your landscapes. And I have learned a lot from watching your videos! I was sitting with the Denise's palette in hand when watching your video. I received it about a week ago, swatched the colors and painted some runner ducks (tutorial on Skillshare with Will Elliston). I did use several colors from the palette in my painting! I was able to get a beautiful background wash with the Naples Yellow Deep. the two new colors, and Chromium Oxide green were used also in my painting. Thank you Denise for sharing your talents and for developing some awesome palettes and colors. I do have a collection of DaVinci paints, and even though I made a vow to not spend more in 2023 on paint, I did say I would buy the two new colors when they come out. I think I have enough paint for a few lifetimes! Mostly I am planning to paint more frequently.

[@nathaliacalmon]

Dear Steve, I don't remember you commenting on papers for guache. Would you say that we should use the same criteria for choosing papers that when using watercolors? I'm just about testing this amazing tip that is turning watercolors in guache by adding white guache. Loved the review!! Just in love with this palette since I saw Denise's video :)

[@mindofwatercolor]

Thankfully gouache is not as particular. Pulp papers are actually not that bad for gouache. It depends on the wet washiness of your painting though and the amount of layering you do. Cotton still shines in those scenarios.

[@nathaliacalmon]

@@mindofwatercolor Oh thank you so much!! I began just now with very simple washes, and and the pulp paper is really taking it well 😍

[@albertpietrosanu2667]

Good presentation and very useful!

[@wendychampness1901]

Lovely! I am awaiting Denise’s palette as I watch this😊

[@johnchapin9270]

Thanks Steve .

[@ZarahMcIntosh]

Great video and nice palette. 👍 Definitely intrigued 🤔 Is the Violet Iron Oxide similar to Caput Mortem?

[@InLiquidColor]

They're similar! They're the same (sometimes similar) pigments (PR101/PR102). They're both a violet-y brown color. However, the granulation and color separation can vary a lot in these earth pigments, so they all have their own little vibes!

[@ZarahMcIntosh]

@@InLiquidColor Thank you 😊 🙏 You're awesome 🥰

[@hippopotamusbosch]

I just split all my watercolor pans into transparents and opaques. Prescient.

[@annieb8955]

Very cool! Thanks!!!

[@karenhoward303]

I love Da Vinci. & M Graham. & Qor. & Daniel Smith. Baahahaha! I can't decide between them so I decide which brand to use depending on what I'm painting. And I was educating myself. As I run out I don't refill them all as I know I well end up with DaVinci & some D.Smith special colors.

[@paintlady2268]

Awesome!

[@StephenMarkTurner]

Don't put your paint in a box? :-) (I know what you meant). I really like heavier and / or liftable paints, you can be a little more experimental which is great for a hobbyist like myself. PG17 makes very nice incomplete mixes with strong yellows like 154.

[@mindofwatercolor]

Exactly.

[@colorsmith659]

Rules are there to be broken... I tend more and more to like paints mixed with white (and black) and the opaque ones. And metallics... Glitter ist still meh.😁

[@pennymackinnon356]

How do I know if a watercolour paint is transparent? Is it indicated on the paint tube?

[@mindofwatercolor]

Sometimes but most major brands of artist's grade paints have swatches on their website that indicate it. For example, this page from M. Graham. mgraham.com/artists-colors/watercolors/ Click on any color and it will show the opacity rating. Also, another KZbinr, Oto Kano, has a database site otokano.com that lists most major brands and colors. She is in the process of adding more info all the time.

[@ralphwiggum250N]

an idea for a video might be a children's book illustration - tell the people how

[@mindofwatercolor]

Sounds interesting but, no, I'm out of that game.

[@theartisticactuary]

Hello from a fellow transparency zealot! I'm not convinced by these: - They're just so dull looking compared to the transparent colours that you have running together in an earlier page in that sketch book. - I'm not convinced they hang together as a set (like you say, they might be better as supplements to balanced collections) as it's hard to label a warm and cool version of each of the three primaries. - To really judge these paints, I'd want to see how they mix. There's every chance you could end up with mud if you mix any three together. - And don't get me started on that lilac colour. A reminder of why white should only be used for highlights and not for mixing. If you want the colour to be lighter, just add water. Big respect to you for being able to get a decent sketch out of them. I'd have more chance of coming up with a decent painting wearing boxing gloves than with using these! Still, different strokes for different folks.

[@InLiquidColor]

Hey Steve! Like you said different stokes. However, I do promise you over a year went into testing this palette, and as Steve mentioned, I have a mixing chart available to view. That is only for two color mixes of course, though I have used three color mixes with gorgeous results. My clients were very pleased with their commissions this holiday season using this palette, and I have gotten so much joy out of working with these colors. Zero pressure or expectation for you try it yourself, but I'd kindly ask that you not knock it without experiencing it :) Happy painting! Editing to add a P.S.: I was a big naysayer of the Lilac (or any pastels with added whites) until I used it with this palette. It's a serious game changer though in the right applications :)

[@sujanithtottempudi2991]

Should these be used from light to dark or dark to light in painting?

[@mindofwatercolor]

The are normal watercolors. Light to dark.

[@ralphherrick596]

What medium is your black line on your swatch page?

[@mindofwatercolor]

Marker.

[@samimurtomaki5534]

So was that send by a subscriber or Davinci? Well most of the cases it is probably a same anyways.

[@K.ART_vlog]

nice ❤️😍

[@awatercolourist]

Why is Reece cross eyed today?

[@awatercolourist]

First! (Non-Patreon)

[@karenhoward303]

Don't like chromium oxide at all!