Review: Pébéo aquarell fine: unpacking and a review of initial impression

[@teohyc]

The good thing about this set is sometimes, the set sells cheaper or as much as an empty metal watercolor box. And this metal box is very good. Unfortunately the paint sucks.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

Probably for the best.

[@trivvytriv]

I bought this paints as my first watercolour palette. I went to a good art store and didn't look at reviews on amazon. I worked so hard to get some colour on different brushes and different papers. After all, it was my first palette. I thought it must be poor technique from my side. So after I had some frustrating moments with this paints I gave up on watercolours at all. By accident I stumbled on some amazon reviews and now your video. Now I have more hope that with a different brand I will get my joy for painting back.

[@puffyjo]

i absolutely love your honest opinion. thank you

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Thank you, you're welcome! :-)

[@marissaswinghammer3149]

I bought one on the cheap for the box! In fact I didn't even try the paints or give them to my children, I just pried out the pigments from the frustratingly wrapped halfpans and tossed it. I am happy as it is a very nice little box and it was cheaper than an empty metal box from other manufacturers .

[@mimmytjia228]

I have a 24 coour set but strangely, my yellows behave well?! I have that earth green use up quickly, maybe I am a landscape painter. The sap green is really good as a student grade paint. If you have used these for a long time, the paint will become softer.

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Well, what I heard (I did not check with manufacturer, so it may be rumour or guessing), is that Pebéo has this cheap watercolor paint produced in China and that it is different now from when they still produced their own student quality paint.

[@journalartpages922]

Hi, Mandy I practically got rid of all my paints from this set and re-filled the half-pans with my other tube colors. The tin, I agree,is fabulous and very cute, super nice for travelling, but the colors are weak. Thank you for the video, I see I am not the only one.

[@MandyvanGoeije]

+Journal Art Pages Ah, that's smart! And you know what? I'm going to do exactly the same! I love the tin, but the paint is too bad even to give to my kids, so using the tin for better paints is a much better option! Great idea, thanks!

[@vwood2]

This is a great review - thank you! It's very interesting to see your usual process. I make sample books as well, but have never thought to keep the wrappers - really great idea. Also keeping the samples in a binder instead of a sketchbook lets you can insert new pages. And the large pages let you really test the undertones, mixes, etc. Lots of great tips. I appreciate the review of the pepeos as well - it's a brand featured our local art store, and I've been tempted. I'll definitely pass. 👍

[@MandyvanGoeije]

+Vicki Wood Well, Pebeo carries an artist quality paint too and I've been told that is actually good. But after this disaster I wouldn't be tempted to try it out either, to be honest....so I hope your store offers another brand as well to choose from...

[@vwood2]

+Mandy van Goeije Thanks - they carry Daniel Smith, which are very good, if a bit on the pricy side. But it's always fun to experiment with new brands 😀

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Absolutely true! :-)

[@97phuongthuy]

Thank you for making this video. I'm just about to buy this set when I came across your video.

[@yelenaantipova3964]

I wondered why the paintings I colored sucked so much. This is why!Haha. Will definitely switch to higher quality paints.

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Paint is definitely very important. But you don't need artist quality to get beautiful results. Student quality will do just fine too. But paper is all-important. Without the right paper, any paint will blotch and stain. So invest in good watercolor paper. It will be a pleasure to work on!!!

[@opal777]

Thank you for doing this. I am shopping for paint. I have always worked with acrylics and am just now getting into watercolors. I am not very happy with the low quality ones that I have as they dry pastel. I considered this paint. I am trying to find something with decent quality color...at an affordable price in case I find that this medium isn't my cup of tea. I found Yarka St. Petersburg getting good reviews. I am now leaning in that direction. Any opinion on that?

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Yes, I have a review up about St Petersburg (also called White Nights). And I am really thrilled about the quality of that paint. A few of their colors dry up much lighter as well, but overall, the paint is really, really good! And comes at a good price! I dare recommend this paint to anyone anytime!

[@magicasland]

I can find them easily in Greek art stores. I have some colors but not the set. When I wanted to buy my first watercolors I ask the salesman which are better, pebeo or van gogh and he told me they are the same, the price was almost the same so I took the pebeo watercolors because they had better package :P

[@MandyvanGoeije]

+magica Oh my! Did he really say that? Well, chances are that Pebeo once really had a good student-quality paint. It is a brand that is pretty well known here in Europe, so I would guess that was the case. But these days this paint is said to no longer be produced in Europe, but in China. The student quality, that is. The Van Gogh is a gazillion times better than the set of Pébéo paints that I tested for this review. This Pébéo set is as bad as the really cheap toy-store quality paint. It's more lightfast and it's got less filler in it, but the colours are horrible.Van Gogh is as good as Cotman by Winsor and Newton. If you can get your hands on those brands, you have really awesome paint for a good price!

[@magicasland]

+Mandy van Goeije to be honest, art supplies have good prices here but I can't find everything, every shop has 1-2 brands, tubes or pans. I have a small set of Cotman pans and 8-10 pans from Pebeo. I can find cotman in tubes and WN Artist in pans, Van Gogh tubes and pans, Rembrandt pans only. WN Artist have better prices than UK as I can see (S4 cost 4.5€)

[@she7]

i like the way you organize your color charts! 😄😃

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Thank you :-)

[@TheGardenKitten]

I appreciate your review. At least you have the little metal case, you can switch out all the colours. Thank you :)

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Absolutely! I'm going to toss out the Aquarelle Fine and replace it with some extra Rembrandt I have left... :-)

[@peterrose3815]

hi im a bit disappointed i have just been given this set as a gift and it is my first i haven't even started to unpack it yet would you advise me to even stat iam on a Disability Pension so can't afford to buy any thing else do you have any idea how to make this one better

[@MandyvanGoeije]

No I'm so sorry Peter, you can't make a paint better. What I can advise you to do, is to keep your eyes open on flee markets and online auction and second-hand marketplaces. Sometimes people sell paints they no longer use for a really affordable price. You can also ask on art forums like wetcanvas if anybody might have decent paint lying about that they no longer use and would be willing to sell for a fair price...or trade for something else. I've seen it happen! Good luck!

[@EveBolt]

This is just my opinion, but I think you can make it work for you with this set. It's not perfect, but it's a good way to learn how to make it work with what is there. I'd suggest making a colorchart for all the mixes, so you can see what kind of colors might be made by mixing those; which are pretty and which are less pretty. Then you can try and paint things that make the best of the good mixes and colors. I personally think even the cheaper sets can be made to work. They are just a tool after all, and it's with the help of your ideas and creativity that things will happen. Good paints are a thing, of course, but how you use any tool will make all the difference. It's a good set to experiment and find out what are its limitations :)

[@santiagosemurioaqui8454]

I'm sad, i should have watched your review first. I got the pebeo studio watercolour atelier set for my birthday and it's really disappointing. The tubes are terrible, like water mixed with sugar, it has a terrible texture and in general the cakes too have no pigment, cero mixing. Could you recommend me a good starter watercolour set? I've had experience with the Faber Castell set but wanted to experience the tubes.

[@MandyvanGoeije]

O gosh, Santiago, I'm so sorry...that is horrible. The Pébéo is really bad indeed. For a good starter set I can highly recommned Daler Rowney. I reviewed that one too and it is wonderful for its price. Cotman is also really good and if you buy tubes, they will last you a lifetime! Van Gogh is also amazing and lovely to work with. And last but not least, you might consider Yarka St. Petersburg. That is affordable and super good paint for the price...it has many colors that are truly artist grade for student grade price. I do hope you will have a nice set of paints soon...the pébéo is only fit for the trash can, I'm afraid...so sorry you ended up with it...such a shame of the money....

[@santiagosemurioaqui8454]

Mandy van Goeije thank you for responding me!!! At last i got the Cotman pocket set, in my country there are not many art stores sadly and can't say i would be able to get the other ones you mentioned but thank you so much for taking the time! Lots of love!

[@lovinovargas3220]

I really love this review :3 can you review the Pentel watercolor? I would like buy this watercolor 'v'

[@MandyvanGoeije]

:-) I'm getting a lot of requests and what I do, is I put them on my list of paints to review. I don't make any promises, but if I can come by paints on my list for a fair price, I'm very curious to try, so.....keep an eye on my channel! :-)

[@lovinovargas3220]

^^ Ok

[@anniemels197634]

leuk filmpje maar wat is die verf slecht zeg.kan niet wachten op je sennelier filmpje 😊 en ik ben ook benieuwd wat je daar van vind zijn ze beter dan de schmincke horadam? liefs ann

[@MandyvanGoeije]

+Annie Mels Vandaag film ik de Daler en Rowney en als ik het lukt morgen de Sennelier. Ik ben ook zeer benieuwd...

[@anniemels197634]

Jee ben echt benieuwd 😊 ik vind hem echt fantastisch maar ik heb alleen ervaring met de van gogh set.en er staan ook bijna geen fimpjes op van sennelier. Ben erg benieuwd 😊😊😊

[@MandyvanGoeije]

+Annie Mels Ik ga 'm in de review in elk geval vergelijken met Rembrandt en Schmincke Horadam. Maar ik heb in de review van vandaag ook een aangename verrassing gevonden....ik hoop hem vandaag nog online te kunnen zetten...nog even editen :-)

[@anniemels197634]

+Mandy van Goeije ik wacht 😊😊😊

[@Batty1977]

:( too late for me. I got a set that comes in tubes back in 2011 and didn't start using it until now, made a swatch the other day and though it was me making the colours mudy :(

[@tzhappycute]

Is the quality still the same with the tubes?

[@MandyvanGoeije]

I can't tell. I don't have the tubes. I don't know if this particular quality is available in tubes. If it is, I don't think I'd buy it. In this price range it is sure safer to go with Cotman, Van Gogh or White Nights!

[@Fi2pianist]

I was about to buy one of those but thanks to this video I realized my $1 watercolor set is way better..

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Good. Although I sometimes wonder if manufacturers watch these videos too. I've always been curious if Pebeo wouldn't improve this line of theirs...

[@Fi2pianist]

@@MandyvanGoeije I agree! I also checked on my friend who has recently bought that palette, she said she had no earth green in it when it arrived but it was replaced with a burnt sienna instead, thus doubling the burnt sienna in it. And the permanent green did not look as nuclear in your video, it looked rather Christmas-y green ...so just maybe and hopefully Pebeo is working on improving it.

[@MandyvanGoeije]

@@Fi2pianist they'd better or noone will take their artist range seriously either...

[@louinuelbabia5008]

the quality of paints depends on how we use it that makes them great!

[@louinuelbabia5008]

Pebeo watercolor in tubes and cakes are great in colour

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Well, I think you're talking about artist quality. The student quality is really poor. I'm getting many disappointed reactions about it. I have Pébóe T7 gouache and it's wonderful too.

[@ChristopherSobieniak]

Seems like shipping the student/studio grade paints overseas is what they do nowadays.

[@ddasfsdgfsd]

great video¡, i will testing my colors

[@UTleochi]

They also have a horrible smell, at least the set I've bought. And the box tends to become rusty as the white enamel coat chips off.

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Hm...smell isn't good. Sounds like the paint's off. Sometimes that happens, then it rots. That needs to be thrown away.

[@65sunnyday]

Dang, Mandy, I have that EXACT SAME HAT!

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Hahaha...you do?! Where did you get it? It can't be the same place... :-)

[@louinuelbabia5008]

got 1 box tonight

[@sakshigawande733]

I agree.... Green is strange

[@EveBolt]

Excellent French! :)

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Merci!

[@she7]

i think its chemically base since pebeo's being manufactured in china

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Yes, probably...but what a shame...such a good brand's name goes down the drain like this...

[@she7]

the color brand companies should remain manufactured in their countries of origin,since when they are being re-manufactured in other countries it changes its pigments and quality :( i just found out when i had a lyra water color when i was in my college i had it made in germany and its quality is so good and very vibrant but now its been produced in china which has changed much its quality and turns very powdery when dries on paper :(

[@MandyvanGoeije]

That sounds like the pébeo disaster...they should never have let their paint manufactured in China either. They went for cheap.Well, they got it! But it seriously makes me doubt VERY much whether to buy anything from that brand again. Because why would I trust it after such poor quality paint? The paint was "cheap", but not cheap enough to justify such lame quality.

[@lansingstlady]

Well, at least you have the nice tin for traveling. Those are some hideous colors; the kind you don't even want to give away to someone.

[@MandyvanGoeije]

+lansing street blues Yes, for a starter set they are definitely hideous. I was actually surprised to see that the quality was as bad as some people had reviewed on Amazon. I didn't believe it possible for a brand that makes really great paints as well. I've also got their gouaches and they are fantastic!

[@cheloxsingracia6791]

Too late for me, I buy the tubes and don't like me. :(

[@ArielleLavecchia]

The colours of this set was surprisingly toxic (chemical) looking - (all except the black looked like ink or dyes that had been mixed with fillers, rather than pigments...) They might work as muddied up colours for some projects, but it would seem cruel to mix other brands with it, if the fillers and the binder of this brand will inject its "fail" into the other brands - that would bring the entire quality of your piece down~ Considering the good quality papers, and the artist grade materials if you mix this set with them.

[@MandyvanGoeije]

Oh really? I didn't check. I half suspect this assignment went to a factory who have no clue about making paints and I can't believe Pebeo accepted this. I might have to write them and let them know about my experience. Curious how they'd answer... This paint will indeed take down the quality of your work....in every sense...

[@neryharnish1717]

I hope you didn't spend too much. Very muddy...yuch.

[@MandyvanGoeije]

I'm sorry to say that in this case every cent was too much...I'm not even giving this paint to my kids...

[@MrJairo3259]

Smell bad🤮

[@UTleochi]

They also have a horrible smell, at least the set I've bought. And the box tends to become rusty as the white enamel coat chips off.

[@MandyvanGoeije]

+HerculePoirot Oh, really?! That's not good...they should be able to deal with water, being watercolour paint tins. I didn't notice the smell, though. Although the red paint had a white layer on it that looked like mould. I'll keep the enamel in check|!

[@UTleochi]

+Mandy van Goeije Actually I think it was the plastic of the pans. It smelt horribly of chemicals. Maybe you were lucky, or they have changed the pans. I had bought mine a couple of years ago and filled the box with regular Schmincke pans because I couldn't stand the smell.