Whatever happened to Jane (Davenport?)

Yes this was all for a "Face on the milk carton" reference and no it was not worth it! I hope you're having a great day and not wasting your money like me.
Clips courtesy of:
thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich
• Jane Davenport Waterco...
Becca Hillburn- Comic Artist
• Jane Davenport Waterco...
"Loxbeats - Endless Summer" is under a Creative Commons (CC BY 3.0) license.
/ loxbeats

[@tabbi888]

I never knew she was Australian, however the price of her products totally makes sense because of the expense of everything here in Australia. I can't by a sketchbook for any reasonable amount, a regular moleskine not the watercolour or even the art one a5 size will cost you nearly 35 to 40 dollars. Any good quality one is always over 50 dollars, this is normal here. The cost of living in general here is extreme. Our mailing costs are also way beyond reasonable which is why not many Australians will sell products themselves to send out. The only really competitive way to do it is to have the distribution outsourced out of the country. Inflation has hit us extremely hard since 2018 ,rents are more than double in just the past year, its ridiculous and makes it hard to survive. I completely understand why it's so expensive for products that aren't the greatest, if she was lucky enough to live in America i guarantee she could have been far more competitive and reasonably priced. It's my main gripe with our government, the costs involved due to crazy Inflation eradicates most small businesses unless outsourcing out of country or only producing digital products that don't require postage. We have no hope of competing in the current world market sadly. Even etcr which is an Australian company has to have their sketchbooks made in china and shipped from there as the costs here are prohibitive. Even with that they're quite expensive still as administration costs just to pay employees here is very high, 30 dollars minimum wage in general, the Inflation is crippling.

[@pandamaroodraws]

Wow! Thanks for sharing this. I had no idea. I think this might be the first thing I’ve ever purchased from Australia. Thanks this really gives more context.

[@tabbi888]

@pandamaroodraws it's really sad actually as an Australian who would love to have a art business it's just simply impossible to produce yourself and distribute without adding insane pricing. This means many of our dreams are crushed before they can even begin as we know it's not reasonable to charge such high prices. The only option we have is to produce digital products which luckily both of my daughters do fairly successfully. The last two years have been especially bad ,even buying a Daniel Smith watercolour or schminke for example is over 30 dollars each. Just to have art as a hobby is difficult now which is heartbreaking for many ,especially those who may use it as therapy. Our homeless population has grown exponentially also, it's a disgusting state at the moment, nothing is affordable. We are definitely not the lucky country any more, which is what it used to be called. Our government has ruined everything.

[@darklittlepeople]

@@tabbi888 holy shit i had no idea things were so hard, i'm sorry to hear that, but also glad that you shared the situation, it gives us all context.

[@missnicky]

All good points however JD's products were expensive to start from and that was before 2018

[@sarahberry3819]

Yes Im in Australia too, art products here are crazy. It was cheaper for me to buy from Jacksons in the UK than buying here in Australia…and that was including postage! Its not just the cost here in Australia but also the limitation of who is stocking the products & the mark up they are putting on top. I am in West Australia, realistically Jacksons are the only stockists here so I often have to search suppliers in other states so products here are not only expensive but limited to who actually has them. Jane Davenport products are pretty costly, I have 2 of her glitter pens silver & gold, but in reality I paid the same for another brand here so is she more expensive…? Im not so sure but perhpas more related to the allowable mark up of products.

[@Gypsisoul1111]

I have been wanting the "tea" on Jane for a while now! Let me tell you my experience. I discovered her because I really love Tamara Laporte. Binging Tamara's earlier video's they were like BFF, so I did buy 2 pallets from Jane from Australia. I also found 2 pallets on Amazon back then so I bought back ups. I was also BRAND NEW to art so I didn't know quality. Then Jane disappeared from Tamara's videos, no mention of her bff anywhere so I would love to know.....but here's the kicker, I like to join all my art teacher's FB groups, so I joined Jane's (cult) group. You are not allowed to post any of your art work unless you use Jane's art supplies and you MUST list the supplies you used. And boy are they clique!!! I removed myself quite quick. Jane as you said is all about business, nothing else. I am not a fan of hers any more. LOVED THIS VIDEO!!!!!

[@pandamaroodraws]

Thank you for sharing this!

[@cj_kirby]

Wow. Very interesting about the JD FB group. Kudos to you for knowing when to get out and knowing something is not right here.

[@arkanejill7816]

👍🏼

[@urbangypsy69]

Hm…I always wondered. There are cliques and I cannot imagine, particularly with her stuff being sold at that price…these FB artists in her group must be 🤖 or something. Maybe they grow faster? I enjoyed the Tam LaPorte yrs and even Suzi Blu. I enjoy mixed media, but I paint florals now. I hope these artists get great exposure from the thread. Wow…have to list and they must all be from Jane? I’m shaking my head.

[@missnicky]

The Davenpeeps are quite the cult aren't they!

[@missnicky]

THANK YOU!!!!! I have been saying this to my friends for a year or two now! Let me start by saying that I think Jane Davenport is an AMAZING artist. I love her art and have learnt a lot about drawing from her. Back when those little tins came out I enjoyed creating with her mixed media products as I was just learning art journalling and they are student grade products so they worked for me at the time. The collage papers, etc were really nice. I have no issue with artists creating their own products. I will support those whose products are good quality, fair priced and suit my needs. It was around the time when Jane Davenport started selling the line after the "make-up" range which was the little shelves and bits and pieces to store her supplies in that I thought "what?!" She had only just had a new release and she's got another new release already? I'm not talking about one product, it was a whole new collection of several products. From that point on it's like she had a new release every other month and there was so many things she was releasing that my head started to spin. I remember mentioning to my friends at the time that I'm happy she was so successful but wish that she would put more energy into the quality of her products as they were still mostly plastic, cheap looking, student grade supplies that were really expensive to buy. Then when I saw some of the Frida Kahlo stencils she "specially sourced" on Aliexpress for 1/10th of the price she was selling them for I was gobsmacked. To add to this, the paints, markers, pens, etc didn't last for long at all. Within no more than 12 months of purchasing them they either didn't work, had dried up, or in the case of the alcohol markers they had something growing on the marker tips. All lids were on properly. I couldn't explain how this had happened. I had to throw them all out and wasn't happy to do that being I had spent so much on them in the first place. Side note: they aren't any cheaper for those of us who live in Australia. Same with the postage! Since then I have either thrown out or given away most of her products... I guess I should also end on a positive note. Ummmmm..... her first book was really helpful!

[@attorneycarissa]

I really enjoyed this video. And mad props to you for ordering this so we won't have to.

[@drawninthefog]

Wow, that’s so disappointing. Thank you for going through this and sharing how awful the paints are so I don’t have any insomnia at 3am impulse buys!

[@pandamaroodraws]

This is what I’m here for, to stop this exact scenario.

[@tabbi888]

​@@pandamaroodrawsI never knew she was Australian, however the price of her products totally makes sense because of the expense of everything here in Australia. I can't by a sketchbook for any reasonable amount, a regular moleskine not the watercolour or even the art one a5 size will cost you nearly 35 to 40 dollars. Any good quality one is always over 50 dollars, this is normal here. The cost of living in general here is extreme. Our mailing costs are also way beyond reasonable which is why not many Australians will sell products themselves to send out. The only really competitive way to do it is to have the distribution outsourced out of the country. Inflation has hit us extremely hard since 2018 ,rents are more than double in just the past year, its ridiculous and makes it hard to survive. I completely understand why it's so expensive for products that aren't the greatest, if she was lucky enough to live in America i guarantee she could have been far more competitive and reasonably priced. It's my main gripe with our government, the costs involved due to crazy Inflation eradicates most small businesses unless outsourcing out of country or only producing digital products that don't require postage. We have no hope of competing in the current world market sadly. Even etcr which is an Australian company has to have their sketchbooks made in china and shipped from there as the costs here are prohibitive. Even with that they're quite expensive still as administration costs just to pay employees here is very high, 30 dollars minimum wage in general, the Inflation is crippling.

[@mariach46]

3am insomia impulse buy 😂😂 omg, so glad I'm not alone in the world 😅

[@wkwheezy]

"OK we're gonna try and keep this positive... I love shoebills!" LOL 😂 This was the follow-up video to the 2018 Jane Davenport madness I didn't know I needed! It really sparked a memory from back then of seeing these little tins everywhere. This was a great video, and Thank You for taking the fall to test these paints again for us... 💀and also the advice on Blick Hot Press watercolor paper!

[@gouachelog]

this appeared in my recommended vids - so sorry you had such a bad experience but i had to chuckle at your commentary. your line work on the birds looks amazing!

[@heatheredwards7158]

Hello! This is my first video I’ve seen from this channel, and it was both informative and really funny at the end. Scratch those kitties!

[@PsychGal1980]

Thanks for posting this - what an interesting exploration! I took a course from Jane Davenport, back in the day (2019-2020, maybe?) - and i absolutely loved it. She is a great business woman and a good teacher - i actually integrated some of her techniques into my own process and apply them to this day. Her products, however, quickly fell out of use in my collection. I honestly think that over time, the quality of the JD products have changed (as we saw with many materials in this post-pandemic era). While aimed at “new” artists or “mixed media” artists, her products end up being frustrating to use (especially for the price) which hinders your learning in the long run. There is a real conundrum for learners here - the balance between “easy to use” and inexpensive becomes a real challenge. While you don’t want to spend big bucks on tools that you’re learning with and/or “just playing around with” you don’t get the same payoff as the more expensive “artist quality” materials. In my experience, it’s worth buying the good paper and the good tools to make learning work for you - then, you can work with your skills and not work against the products themselves. I loved your bird sketches BTW - the art started with some beautiful ideas ❤ (also, the wig is fire)

[@craftergin]

I bought most of her watercolor palates back in 2018 when I was just starting out with watercolor. I also bought a bunch of Prima watercolor palates. I liked them at the time. They are definitely for the "craft market". I found Paul Reuben paints on Amazon and fell in love! The Paul Reuben 100% hot pressed paper in the sketchbooks and blocks are also terrific. But if I'm painting something for someone else, I use Daniel Smith or Qor.

[@humanthetooth]

I would hazard to guess that the paints arent actually "formulated" by her. Ive seen other themed sets (skintones, tropical, confections) that were suspiciously similar to the ones that used to be sold at Michaels with different branding. theyre likely made by a third party supplier from Asia and then repackaged/branded by her. This happens a lot with makeup brands too, the most they do is select the colors.

[@kathylovesmk]

I agree, just like make up "artists" with their own line. The mfg. has a huge line of colors and the artist picks what to put in their palette.

[@Msboochie2]

This video was hilarious and much needed. I subscribed, and can't wait for more of your content.

[@kitgenz1114]

This was a great video! Fun, funny, great wigs, mentions of cats, art. What more could a person ask for? Thank you. You made my day. Sorry Jane Davenport, but we are on to you!

[@Lauraisabelgonzalezart]

I remember the infamous Mermaid Markers... I brought the entire set [both] and enjoyed them so much in my Watercolor Lettering days. But that's all I bought... and now that I'm seeing your video, I'm glad I didn't buy anything else. 😅

[@veggiechef39]

A bonus of the MMs are that when you use up the dye inside, you can refill them with other inks. But this vid says it all. I'm super disappointed with Jane's newest offerings. I think her star has faded.

[@kristymounsey3941]

one of my biggest art regrets is buying JD watercolours. I enjoyed her drawing books though.

[@shannasisak]

You are hilarious! Really enjoyed this.... I think in general the super cheapy watercolors are a crying shame, because most people that purchase those things are going to get such terrible results and probably just give up! I think for a less expensive alternative, Prima products are actually pretty good. There are a few colors from their sets that I adore. And, like you said, paper will make or break you every time almost entirely regardless of the quality of paint you use. I'm gonna like your video and then go give my kitties some scratchies... lol!

[@benamisai-kham5892]

I still really love the prima sets, I own most of them and I adore the way they interact and their colors

[@SakiZweite]

Thanks for this video ! I was wondering what happened to her products, I used to see them at Michaels but only bought her fountain pen set. So sorry for the bad experience you had, even though it was informative ! Love your humor and the way you narrate !

[@Carolyn750]

You are right about the lack if pigment information. Thankfully that stopped me from purchasing her watercolours entirely. This video was great, thank you for taking the hit and being honest about the quality. Very grateful i didn't make the purchase! Love Shoebills ❤❤❤

[@faustine2012]

I love everything about this!! Especially your conversational style and sense of humor! Immediate subscriber. 😃I was new to watercolor when the aqua and gold tins came out (and YESSSSSS we were SO TIRED OF BLACK TINS in 2018! 🤣). At the time I loved that I could fit a 3rd row of half pans, and that it was a removable tray (I started removing the metal rails completely to fit ALLLL the half pans I could), and then just moved on to Meeden on Amazon's pretty pastel tins and then the glorious Schmincke rainbow palette and now Art Toolkit mini palettes, and started using Daniel Smith tube watercolors and never did use her watercolor sets or tins again. A lil while later saw this new "glitzy" set had all plastic inserts and was all WTF happened to these. And was idly curious why she disappeared from Michaels. So a great topic!

[@andrea.rivers]

So basically she and her new and refreshing unique style bounced into the scene (it feels like a lifetime ago lol) with mainstream big box marketing and distribution and then when a contract or fulfillment agreement whatever expired- she had to source her own stuff and it's not only more expensive (because of the lesser volume), but took a hit in quality. That's so disappointing. That was an insane amount of $$ for that paint palette. Thank you for sharing your experience. yes!! Shoebills are so bizarre and cool. I think I was at the San Diego Zoo or Safari park or somewhere and they were just standing so still and there was all this metal statuary near the food court by a pond/water feature, then outta the corner of my eye, this massive odd bird moves- I nearly jumped out of my skin. lol They are so fascinating. You are officially the content I didn't know I needed. lol I did all the "engagements". Now I have to go binge your channel... Then all that- you're hilarious AND you HAVE KITTIES!!! Get them scritches. lol

[@RamoArt]

Thank you for summing up the video so I don't have to watch it

[@WhosaidIrene]

This was great content. Very much appreciated 🙏🏼

[@mygolfclubs]

I appreciate this video! You’re hilarious. Thanks for the Davenport dive

[@suzisandpiper]

Thank you for the freat video. Love your humour and glad you still kept it after that expensive and disappointing tin of paints! Well you just got one more subscrber 😂👍

[@verditerthistle]

omg I just found your channel and i’m glad I did coz you’re awesome!! shoebills do look really silly, it’s like the uncanny valley bird edition. is it a bird? is it a person in a bird suit? is it statler the muppet transformed into a bird? (the muppet comparison was so accurate T_T) thanks for being so real about your experience with the art materials, i often see so many artists sugarcoat reviews or dance around faults in things which (imo) is just not very helpful when i’m trying to research smth, yeah I rly appreciate it :D also- this video was REALLY well paced-35 minutes felt like 15, but also I didn’t feel rushed (or bored) & I can remember what you said much more than in other videos i’ve seen!! the lovebirds look so cute💖 (even with the paint being awful rip). paper makes a HUGE difference. I wish someone had told me to start off with quality paper rather than quality paints, but im just now finding what paper works for me :> we need some brand to make a 100% cotton watercolor paper that’s in between hot press & cold press, that’s smooth enough for precise details but also has a longer working time. fabriano has a “smooth press,” but it just felt like a slightly less rough paper than the cold press (dunno if I was given the wrong paper lol). I love the texture of canson XL paper, but cellulose just doesn’t cut it smh i’m a long commenter lol, but take care :) i’m gonna go watch some of your other videos now ✨

[@gwenster]

Paul Rubens 100% cotton hot press blocks might fill your need for an in-between paper; it’s smooth but still has a bit of texture and it’s very affordable in the US.

[@cwa2012]

Loved this video! Your sense of humor is hysterical! So glad you popped up in recommended videos 😎

[@gingerblue]

most of her stuff is just dollar store chinese makeup she rebrands as art supplies. I haven't watched this yet but I remember when she started marketing clown face paint (available on amazon for a couple of bucks a set) as high end "new formulation" oil-baed paints for art. Same EXACT palettes, too. People were going crazy.

[@pandamaroodraws]

Ok, so this. I could never figure out if the stuff that looked like makeup was makeup or art supplies! Thank you, you have solved this mystery for me.

[@gingerblue]

@@pandamaroodraws same with her chalk pastel palettes- all chinese eyeshadow palettes I found on ali express, just with her logo.

[@kimlindseyOH]

I have actually been wondering if it was feasible to buy a set of eyeshadows that comes in a cute tin, clean the eyeshadow out of the little metal pans, and replace it with watercolor from tubes ... It seems like it might be good for travel, since a little watercolor paint goes a long way. I'd need to have a separate tray or dish for mixing, but maybe it would still work. LOL - creativity of a different kind!

[@gingerblue]

@@kimlindseyOH LOTS of people use makeup palettes for paint. In fact, there's a whole company that sells tiny eyeshadow palettes empty for portable watercolor use! Go for it! Just make sure the metal is rust proof!

[@DOCDOCFLAMINGOS]

Ummmmmm just my 3¢..... While her stuff was made to look and be used just like makeup ... BUT... The stuff most definitely was NOT makeup!!! It might have been cheep low quality art supplies but they where still art suplies. And nearly every company has their art produts made in China all by the same handful of manufacturers. That they can have labled with their brand on it .. .. Or have their products packaged in stuff that looks like makeup packaging, that other companys having their makeup put into the same style packaging !!!

[@Deedster56]

OMG this is just TOO spooky!! I JUST took out my Jane Davenport watercolour brush markers yesterday after having discovered them under a pile of ‘stuff’. The only other products I have from her are a set of mermaid stamps in a tin which were then distributed by Spellbinders. I am SO happy your video appeared on my feed today!! Awesome 👏❤️✨

[@kimlindseyOH]

Thank you for doing this video!! I bought the "Glitz-Sea" palette about 3 years ago at Tuesday Morning for about $8. I was new to watercolor and, like you said, was drawn to the cute tin LOL! I didn't know enough to be disappointed in the tin, but the only one of the half pans I still use is Water Spirit. I'll be honest: when I saw the title of your video, I was madly hoping that you'd post the pigments in Water Spirit, since I looked & looked & came up with nada, but I guess we both found the same thing, or rather didn't find it. That paint does seem to granulate, so I keep it on my palette to use in mixes. (I had a ... rather different ... experience swatching the "Alchemy" metallic color. If you still have it & have yet to swatch it, I'd be interested to see what you think.) I also enjoyed the style and format of the video - it was almost like you were interviewing yourself! Your sharp sense of humor is a breath of fresh air: it's great that many watercolor videos are positive & sweet, but spicy is fun too!

[@pandamaroodraws]

Me? Spicy? Never! 😂 I have swatched the two metallic colors and it was really hard to get any color off of them. I suppose if I just wanted a shimmer of glitter on something they could work. I’m glad that one of the colors worked for you. That’s what I want for everyone.

[@angeltea7]

Yup. I’m sorry I spent that money good lord u really made a $$acrifice for your viewers. U describe my experience exactly. I bought the glitzy palette and the brights back in the day at micheals. I went to 2 different Michaels because they were such a hot ticket and sold out at one store. They were fun but I did end up putting the paints away after a while and just used the palettes. There was no info about the pigments and maybe JD thinks her customers don’t care about lightfastness. Oh well. Glad I stumbled upon your channel I laughed a lot while I painted Christmas cards

[@charlestonscnative9083]

"I was too blind with rage to figure it out" 😂 Thank you for this video.

[@KC-iv6zv]

The name “Jane Davenport” is giving me “Barbara Thorndyke” vibes ( golden girls reference) . Also you calling the brown “hot sauce water” was a good one 😆

[@gypsyfroggie]

We ALL just wanted the colored tins! I threw the paint out and used my good watercolor pans in them...still use them! Giggle! I thought it was just me that didn't connect to the watercolor.

[@tiffanysjustcoloring]

😂 Your final rant. Girl preach! And your wig looks fabulous ✨

[@cloudbrooks]

1. your sense of humor is right up my alley omg 2. its really cool that you pinned the comment with new info, i never see youtubers do that. instant sub 3. THE PLASTIC the bane of my existence is pointless plastic. i have a cool briefcase now because i tore the plastic out of a low-quality art supply case (bless whichever relative of mine paid so much money for me to get low-quality products that i was too young to know how to use 💔) 4. hime gouaches!!!!! gosh where did i put mine >:/ i lost the paper i was using to practice with them and just never revisted them cause of life stuff but this video is making me want to pick them back up. shoebills are so goofy :) 5. this video should have way more likes. it was a fun watch :) i wish you had as much fun with the paints as i had watching it LOL

[@planningwithjohn]

Jane and her original art supplies were made by American Crafts. Those new paints are made by a different company, spellbinders. They changed the manufacturer and added so many fillers to the paints. Her previous supplies were a little better than ok. The ones now are just horrible. As for the hot press paper, I like that for gouache.

[@1zelcat]

Great insights...love your comments about "gatekeeping."

[@HappyCatastrophy]

You are hilarious! Love this…new subscriber! 15 seconds more scritchin!

[@aartadventure]

First visit to your channel, and new subscriber. Thanks for an interesting, and often hilarious, video. Maybe the fact that I'm Aussie helped the KZbin algorithm God to decide I was worthy of seeing this post. I'm also a fan of whacky Shoebill birdies, and your lovely wig! All the best with your art and KZbin journey

[@tthappyrock368]

When Michael's started pulling her merchandise from our local store, I thought maybe the makeup style marketing had run its course and perhaps rebranding was happening. I liked some of her stamps, but as you noted with the watercolors, they were pretty expensive. I don't think I ever bought anything of hers. I'm glad to pay more for higher quality but would have been really mad if I'd gotten something so erzatz!

[@JCcreates927]

I bought some stamps and they were crappy couldn't use them at all. The only reason I bought them was they were on sale and my daughter wanted them.

[@danielleroxy]

Wait. I came back bc I saw Jane’s Missing photo on the milk carton in your thumbnail 😂

[@cj_kirby]

OMG! I missed that. Too funny. 😃

[@gingerblue]

this is so good- you really should do more deep dives on all these influencers and their branded products. I'm salty, but I hate people getting ripped off.

[@lindabarnett7653]

One other point: her washi tape is awful. I am never able to get a smooth whole strip off the role.

[@ColzoArt]

No idea who you are but this video was fabulous & I’m gonna be subscribing 🫶🫶

[@TamraHeathershawHart]

Love this video -- thank you for doing the hard work so those of us who have a bad case of "have to buy it, it's pretty" can avoid mistakes. My Jane story: I bought a stylish fountain pen from Jane about 2 years ago on sale, I think from the Spellbinders website, and got rid of it because I didn't like the nib but I still have the ink and use it in my favorite fountain pens so where ever she sourced that pen ink it was a good source. I also have 3 or 4 bottles of her Ink-somethingorother liquid inks I use when I spray/dye paper and love them, but she stopped selling them. Have several sets of her rubber stamps, all bought on clearance, and they're fun as can be but *so* specialized -- I mean, how many times can you use a girl on a unicorn stamp? And my set of blue&green paint pens from her are drying out from lack of use, again because the color set is so specialized. Glad I saw this video before I gave into temptation to buy that pretty tin! My wallet thanks you.

[@tbea272]

Years ago Jane Davenport brought out a curated 24 colour Schmincke palette. This was when she was still offering a 15% discount to subscribers. I also got free shipping - I’m Australian. It was a great purchase with colours I love and I can replace individually as I use them.

[@tisaloewen7051]

The Hahnemuhle cotton is great- their cellulose is surprisingly amazing! I love them!

[@WeblightDreams]

I never got her products because I had already too many, but I am super surprised about the tin quality downgrading so much. As for your not buying any more supplies I hope it goes as you want. I am on my third buying freeze and won't be buying any more supplies until I deplete about 80 percent of what I already own. I had over 100 canvases and just way too much art supplies.

[@1Letter23Numbers.]

All of the JD products I own were purchased on sale or on clearance. I have a few of her stamp sets, some collage papers, her water brush pens that are refillable, her ink bottles, and I bought 3 of her products that came in tins for the artwork and I use them to store my gouache pots and one has watercolor pans. I bought her charms for my travelers notebooks, and I have both sizes of her watercolor journals. I have all 3 of her watercolor tins, and 2 of her books. I would not have paid full price for any of these products as I found them overpriced for being student/hobbyist grade. Her artwork is stunning and I love the tins that have her artwork on them. I would be more inclined to buy products featuring her artwork, like tins, bags, art prints, stickers, etc, than products to create with. I enjoyed her when she showed her art process with products readily available on the market and that I already owned. Thank you for sharing your experience with her watercolors. I hope you have a lovely holiday season!

[@Samionigaming]

I haven't thought about Jane Devenport for years! In England I remember her other stuff being popular; brush pens, crayons, and a very shiny fountain pen, I think that's what I got of hers. Can't remember watercolours.Thanks for this, it was interesting.

[@Coffee_N_Sketches]

I had her fountain pens. I got them when they went on sale. I don’t know why but the nibs never worked well for me. They kept clogging and skipping.

[@sharonm3185]

To be clear, I have not tried these watercolors. However, JD has released a newer tube set of colors that come with pigment information and are lovely. I’m also a fan of her Layer Cake paints, they’re supposed to be a combo of gouache, watercolor with some acrylic properties-these are fantastic! I’m not aware of anything similar even the opaque watercolor or gouache pans aren’t comparable. It is unfortunate that they are only available through her website, perhaps I am biased since I am a newer fan of hers.

[@3534538]

I always thought that her her products seemed to be more of a "gimmick" because of the cuteness. And online reviews of the fountain pens and mermaid markers talked about bad quality. It's a shame that you kind of got ripped off. "But now you know." I saw your video in the recommendation list while watching a Steve Mitchell video and I'm glad I got curious and clicked it :-) I subscribed and now have to binge-watch your videos 🤣 Totally unrelated but "important": you look great with the wig (without too, but I hope you get what I mean) 🥰

[@atomskeater]

I wanted some of her paint sets so bad when I was getting started with watercolor. Never bought one (the aesthetics and design is so appealing, but price was def a problem) and hadn't even thought of her until this video came up in my feed.

[@veggiechef39]

Thanks for being real with us. I wish I'd known about the reformulation/repackage before last Christmas. I got cheated too! No more Jane Davenport for me.

[@SheilaNorthcutt]

I will say that the Glitz sea palette was her third and meant to be like mermaid vibes. Also, the first 2 were more versatile, so there is that.

[@albarodriguezcollantes5615]

Hi, awesome video. I'm so sorry you had to spend your money, though. I only bought a washi tape with lovely eyes. I got her books at the public library 😜 They didn't come to Spain when she was all the rage 😅 But I'm not going to lie, I loved her, just like I did Tamara Laporte and Suzi Blu and Leilani Joy. I've spent so many hours watching people paint 😅😅😅

[@whitneyarthur4921]

I can tell these watercolors are just bad quality all around..I have purchased some less expensive brands that are so much better..and 57.00 for a watercolor pad..that is outrageous…I like Fluid Hot Press paper…and on a side note anyone who forces their followers to use only their products and then ignores others is pretty much a cult…and that is one thing that drives me nuts..that is for profit and that’s it…

[@marytesta3003]

I hope you sent a scathing letter to the company. I only buy what Lindsay Weirich reviews and suggests. The frugal crafter. She is thorough and fair. So even if you lived them I would have checked with her! You cracked me up😂 I'm still laughing and your wig is gorgeous on you.

[@clikchicdesigns]

According to The Frugal Crafter the Prima and Jane Davenport paints are likely all Mungyo white label, the older version of Jane Davenport at least.

[@luluesparza7360]

Great video-loved it!

[@katpaints]

SO interesting, and sad. It is not fun spending your cash only to find it was wasted. Sigh. When my husband retired in 02 (we were only 55), I started rethinking what I spent my $$$ on... but by then, I had collected quite a bit of Dan Smith paints and a stack of excellent WC paper, which I'm still using 21 years later! I do buy a tube once in a while but not until I see what I already have. I have had to reconstitute a few tubes of paint but they still work! I started painting back in 74, after my #1 kiddo was a year old and have done oils and acrylics but love WC! I found books on the lightfastness and other qualities of watercolors when I was just beginning - devoured them - and they saved me from bothering much with craft and other specialty paints. I did buy one of the Prima tins because the tin was cheap! The paints, kind of ok. I still use the tin, though. I have picked up a few other tin palettes but my most favorite to use are still my big 12" or so square/rectangle plastic palettes because they have so much mixing space! It's a different world to have big wells that you can fill your brushes in - and mix paints on the palette or paper and see how fun to see what happens!!! I dragged them out to paint en plain air, too! I say, PAINT and keep painting! I have seen that you know how fun that is!!!

[@pandamaroodraws]

Thank you for sharing! I love watercolor so this one bad experience is not going to stop me.

[@samcollage7682]

I bought a set of JD colored pencils and they are so pale. I tried to use the pencils different ways and couldn't get any pigment coverage. Gave them away.

[@Metranome]

Shoebills are *awesome* birds, they bow to each other as a greeting! Also the Jane D. paints are pretty low quality, they seemed (with the ones I bought) better with color payoff than Koi, and at least comparable to Cotman (weak but still useable), but I didn't enjoy them as much as some of my other budget paints, and now they live in a closet, and I stole the tins for my other paints, LOL.

[@pandamaroodraws]

We’re all the same!

[@britthunt5707]

Yes Mungyo, and Prima Marketing are decent watercolors, in my opinion, not artist grade, but are fine to paint with. So, if Jane davenport was using Mungyo paints, it would not appear that she is still using them. I have the Mungyo 48 pallet and I actually like it, esp. for the price.

[@lynnedunigan-little908]

If I bought these paints thinking I was getting an upgrade from Crayola, I would have given up on watercolor. The shoebill is one of my favorite birds. I think they look like dinosaurs. Give those kitties mega extra scritchens.

[@cherylscolourjam]

I'm Australian and even I find Jane Devenport things very expensive. I am so disappointed in the pallete. That was only the only one I never got. Great video. I do colouring books now, I find inktense palettes really good. Thankyou

[@cj_kirby]

First time viewer here. Loved your video, commentary and sense of humor. 😀 Yes, what ever did happen to Jane D? Clicked on your video. I just started getting back into watercolor in around 2016-17 and JD was everywhere. Fortunately I didn't fall into the hype except for some pens that I asked for as a Xmas gift. She and her products sure were the rage. I never was impressed by any paints that are cute named and especially no pigment info. That's probably what saved me from the JD spell. I have nothing against trying to make your business unique but at least make it an honest business with quality products. Sure feels like JD was a great at marketing and maybe not so much at providing quality products. Seems a bit deceptive to me and glad somebody finally did an expose. Thanks for sharing your research. Too bad about the $57 AU dollars you lost. At least we now know what JD seems to be doing. Probably not selling much product but now into the Paint with Me marketing. Looking forward to some more of your videos. Perhaps more art supply product reviews? Thanks again for the vid. Made me chuckle more than once for sure. You have great comedic timing.

[@pandamaroodraws]

Thanks I’m glad you liked it. A couple years ago my family had to sit me down and say you can’t keep buying things because they’re cute. And it really made me start thinking and analyzing my shopping habits. That and being diagnosed with ADHD. I love doing art supply reviews they do take up more time but I like trying to get the information out there because as we all know this stuff is expensive!

[@recoveringsoul755]

She does have a KZbin channel but only seems to post when she has new products available.

[@thekeddi]

She has never disappeared. She has been on all along.

[@Bloomkyaaa]

People will always flock with the herd to buy expensive name brand products if they see other people have it enough. I honestly thought all her products were overpriced and I could always find a cheaper alternative literally anywhere else. BTW her watercolor paints are Mungyo I'm 99% sure. Edit: omg shoebill storks are adorable!

[@gabriellaritaart]

Wow, those are some bad paints haha. Thanks for the video 🤗

[@ElinorStudio]

You are funny as hell❤😂

[@jlouisa]

Haven't thought of Jane in years. I still have four tubes of acrylic paints, never opened in my paint tube bag that i keep my Holbein gouache paints.

[@tinybird2413]

When I first learned about Davenport's paints they were still a novelty. The only similar product you could readily find at the time was Windsor & Newton's travel set. I remember really wanting to try out these paints but couldn't justify the cost, at least not until I finished my Windsor & Newtons. All these years later, you can't find her stuff at Michael's anymore but now there's a plethora of these watercolor tin products everywhere, including the ability to curate your own. I recently bought an Art Philosophy confection set and I was really pleased by the quality. I am glad I waited haha! Thank you so much for this video!

[@thatcreativebeauty]

Great video, though these deep dives is very interesting 😊

[@RainbowEntropy]

That's wild. So I first saw her stuff when I walked into Michael's and her stuff was on sale. That's how I got a few things like the ink and pastels. I was interested in these tins but I could not afford them and like you mentioned, the Primatek stuff was just a tad cheaper. I did window shop on Amazon a couple years ago and saw the tins on sale for very low, but I'm glad I never threw money for the tins. Only other time I saw her stuff on sale was maybe about a year ago? The inks since I was/am addicted to buying ink. I've since learned to keep her inks in a dark-dark place. The mermaid green color I had ended up turning yellow. Pretty disappointing.

[@darkmoonlady2002]

This is pretty normal for craft companies. Some craft companies recruit talent from their own designer pool, licensing their names and branding lines of product. Or they recruit from "rising stars' in craft circles. The craft companies all do it and they create products with input from the craft artist and usually a team. The quality is wildly varied, and they source it from a short list of the same craft production companies overseas to make the products. None of them are artist quality unless the craft artist works with art aupply companies directly. JD did that with Schminke and Peerless Watercolors and the quality was great. For mass market products though its never going to be top quality. Also a lot of craft companies had to shut down, cancel or postpone lines because of Covid, shipping, supply chain issues etc. It's way less tea spillage and more corporate cost analysis and advertising budgets.

[@myownproductions333]

Glad I found you! Thanks.

[@christinac8830]

Positives: got a new subscriber. 😉

[@CobraDove1111]

You are trying to compare CRAFT LEVEL art supplies such as Jane Davenport and prima marketing to PROFESSIONAL level artist grade supplies such as Daniel smith, when they're not the same categories. This is night and day of course they're not going to be comparable as craft paint have all sorts of fillers, and are not guaranteed to be light-fast /archival, that's why they're cheaper

[@pandamaroodraws]

Hi, I think there was a misunderstanding in why I made this video. I named Windsor and newton not for their paint quality but as an example of what has stayed in the stores. Also how would anyone know what’s in these paints if there’s no readily found information. This is probably the first video of mine you’ve seen so I’ll just let you know I make videos to help prevent people to from making the beginner mistakes I made. Also they weren’t cheaper. They were very. Very expensive. That was kind of the whole point of the video. The fact that you can get better paints for cheaper. (But they won’t come in a cute tin.)

[@godzandheros]

She's marketing the paints on her site as "professional and lightfast" which is misleading and inaccurate.

[@SiennaDeBruin]

Hi, that is not at all what she is doing ‘trying to compare’. But what i also dont get in your comment, i mean why you feel you had to share this, is that you think one can not make a comparison video about the difference in quality/use/packaging between artist grade and craft level products. valuable information comes out of this kind of videos. You yourself apparently compared. And after doing so you came to the conclusion that it is day and night difference. On many aspects a comparison doesnt always lead to ‘day and night’ difference. But for you to find out when craft products and artist grade products do come close or comparing gives interesting information, you have to watch some videos where people did ‘try’ to compare and shared this information. Apart from this, i think you half watched the video. One of her points was that the davenport paints are soooo expensive. Interesting point dont you think. One would expect that craft paint is cheaper.

[@ana7177]

I bought her books from Amazon, but I check the rest of her supplies aren't that good quality. Someone bought her color pencils and they were terrible

[@DollGrrlTrixie]

FYI: she does have a youtube channel.... so if you all need your fix, she's here.

[@scribbliedoo]

I liked her watercolor sketchbooks when they were at Michaels and cheaper lol

[@pandamaroodraws]

I regret not getting one then. At the time I thought they would always be there. Look at me now, egg on my face.

[@Coffee_N_Sketches]

I still have a couple of her watercolor sketchbooks I bought when Michael’s clearances them. They really are quite nice. I love them for mixed media. But with her prices and shipping from Australia? Not gonna repurchase them.

[@katfyte]

I bought it for the tin. I was sad. I didn’t expect artist grade paints. (The names of the colours were a big hint). But it turned out the very expensive tin I bought was of a very cheap quality. I ended up buying the tin you bought. My favourite Daniel Smiths I keep near me in a Fisherman’s Friend tin. Excellent video.

[@jos.3649]

jane has a beautiful aesthetic and sense of colour. Your review was on point.

[@margaretpinsent6388]

JD was everywhere in the uk for a time. I never got any because... 1. Not my style and 2. Wayyy too expensive! And now she's gone! Every now and then her stuff pops up in art fairs, distributors selling off their stock.

[@JenniferL-CDN]

So true her line was not with the fine arts section, it was more with the planners when it was at Michael’s in Canada

[@SheilaNorthcutt]

Also, just wanted to say, the ones that I bought previously had a better quality than what you shared.

[@ThaP8perDoll]

Oh my !! 😂😂😂 I baught so much of her stuff!! Both tins. Mermaid Markers colored pencils ( total crap) journals, washi tape!! The cuteness got me!!😂😂😂 Also I was heavy crafter, but an artist first so i had good art supplies. At the time i wasnt into watercolor, i mainly worked in acrylic. I find her personality somewhat off!! She has kinda backed doored people that she may have saws as competition!! I dont even go into her fb group anymore. But i do love those old tins now that im into watercolor! But i use my professional winsor and newton . This video braught back those crazy days everyone running to every Micheals craft store they could find to collect all her stuff!!😂😂😂😂

[@purpl3lina]

I loved her style of art. She used to be so genuine and then she started putting out crappy product...idk personally she was a better person before her line of art crap

[@jmoss55ish]

I would like to add that everything in Australia is expensive.

[@pandamaroodraws]

As I’m learning! I try to think about things from a worldly perspective but I am American and some of the feedback has really made me realize how oblivious I am to accessibility in other places. Going forward I’m going to do my best to take into account these kinds of factors when talking about prices and things. Thank you and everyone else for pointing this out to me.

[@pamelaavery2483]

I still have the three original 3 tins and just went and opened them. They look all nasty inside. But the tins are cute.😂 thanks for the video.

[@darklittlepeople]

engaging 'cause you took one for the team. (i'm not falling for the kitty-cat thing, i'm sure they are getting love no matter what! 😄)

[@CazkiwiNZ]

I know I got a notification she posted a video 3 days ago (same day you did) … so I knew she was still there… just… her products are way too expensive for what they are, especially in NZ… and they’re the same products I can find from the Korean company she uses for less than half the price so… 🤗

[@marythomas5656]

Hot sauce water!!! Love it.

[@GummysGamingGallery]

I'm throwing in extra likes for your kitty cats lol

[@Lauraisabelgonzalezart]

Just wanted to come back and update you on some new stuff she's got out... watercolor tubes and pencils???? She's pretty active on Instagram...

[@thatcreativebeauty]

Wow, 😮yeah I used to see her stuff all the time and Micheals and then she just dropped off. Maybe the cost-of-living was too high or maybe she just couldn’t do it at the price point Micheals was putting it out I’m not sure however, I think people really wouldn’t mind paying for it. If it was a high-quality product it doesn’t seem high quality. It seems subpar, and it’s not very pigmented, so I would never pay for it. If she had really high-quality stuff, I would go through the extra steps of buying it and waiting for it

[@rebeccahesser8057]

Qor does that with their palettes also but…… they are silicone and really nice unless you want to add another row in the palette. But their tin is really nice.

[@pandamaroodraws]

I love qor!

[@rebeccahesser8057]

@@pandamaroodraws I do too they are my favorite brand

[@dee-ellencook763]

This was an absolutely great video. I am very new to watercolor and stumbled across Jane Davenport products and thought they were absolutely adorable. Then I realized everything on her was 3 to 5 years old. What? I went to her site, was blown away by her prices, and intrigued by the adorable packaging. I tried to check out the quality and could not find anything on quality or pigments. I did order a layer cake palette, which I do like. The brush, however, is a nightmare. Why did she and Michaels split? Does anyone know?

[@apocalypse_frau]

I’m sure her disappearance from the US retail space had to do with declining sales margins/profit and contracts made years before product launches. People (crafters, beginning artists) were initially reeled in by the cute packaging, Jane’s bubbly personality, her whimsical art style and the popularity of her books. Very few people bought her products at full retail because they simply weren’t artist grade, and hobbyists, crafters, etc. (and most anyone who shopped JD at Michael’s) used coupons or waited for 25-40% off sales. One collection after another in rapid succession did poorly (outside of die hard Davenpeeps), weren’t lightfast but trendy with a lot of unnecessary, impracticable packaging (mermaid collection, makeup collection). The retail stores and manufacturers who were dazzled by the hype quickly realized they were losing money, customers got wise, and Michael’s stopped selling her products. (She also demanded a lot of exclusive brand loyalty from her YT brand ambassadors, in exchange for free student grade quality products…see James Luke Burke’s and Courtney Diaz’s old videos, if the JD content hasn’t been removed). I speak from my own experience, observations and knowledge of retail/marketing and aftermarket sales/branding/PR, evidence based product reviews, and videos from YT artists.

[@dee-ellencook763]

Thank you for the thoughtful and documented observations.

[@apocalypse_frau]

@@dee-ellencook763 To be fair, much of JD’s products are/were geared toward art journaling, and art that remains in a closed book versus art framed and sold to a collector doesn’t need to meet the same exacting standards. However, as an artist, I think that the best quality afforded within one’s budget regardless of skill level will produce the best results. A newcomer might not know what to expect from a product and be discouraged from exploring their own creativity if their results aren’t consistent with claims or their own expectations. I recommend channels such as The Frugal Crafter (Lyndsey Weirich) and The Art Gear Guide for reviews, demonstrations/tutorials, and tips. Glad to help; although my research is objective, I am passionate about art, creativity and art education being accessible to anyone who has an interest.

[@Coffee_N_Sketches]

Oh my gosh! I have had similar thoughts lately of what happened to her and why can’t you find her products anymore. I also am curious, I have the OG Glitz Sea palette but in mine Flirtatious is like a solid brick. No paint can be lifted, barely any sparkles come off of it. Did your me palette have a similar issue with this color? I remember I was so excited for the metálicas in this palette when I bought it. Such a disappointment.

[@pandamaroodraws]

The two metallic paints have almost no color. It seemed like I was just adding glitter to my paint water. A lot of glitter comes off but when you compare it to other metallic paints it isn’t very shimmery.