White Nights Watercolor Review: Neva Palette

[@GarVal5]

Awesome! Thank you

[@justacatwhocantype]

I love these paints. I currently own 45 of their colors, and with the exception of some of their earth tones, which I find somewhat weak and with a tendency to streak, I love them all. I think that when looking at the price, WN are hands down the best watercolor deal out there.

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

I agree they are amazing for the price!

[@lindyashford7744]

I don’ have this set but do have four small palettes set up with 12 full pans in each of White Nights, bought open stock. I love them and because I do not feel precious about them at all I reach for them a lot more and feel much freer about using them and taking risks, playing, and just enjoying them.

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Yeessss!! That’s what I love about these paints. High quality without worrying about wasting so one can feel free to play and explore.

[@ins7396]

The right bottom sign is the same -White Nights, but written in Russian (like handwritten manner).

[@chiesartspace]

I love my White Nights set! I bought other brands (even an expensive set too) but I keep coming back to White Nights! It’s the first time I’ve seen this set. I will check this out. Thank you for the great review!

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Yea it’s their best set I think. I love them too. Such great quality for little money!

[@Coloring123]

Beautiful flower you made with them I love watercolors I’m just not great with using them but I use them anyway ❤

[@djhadaverde]

Cool! I just got the 36 set and some extra pans for xmas and I'm just in love! They are super pigmented and cheaper than other artist grade watercolors.

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Yea theyre great!!

[@Brembelia]

There are two sets of White Nights with 36 colors: This one in the lavender box and White Nights-36. I have just received this one, so I'm really glad you did this video. Thank you. My understanding of these two sets is that the -35 set is non-granulating for those who are traditional and glaze (botanicals), and -36 is granulating for those who are modern (loose) and prefer to paint more alla prima. I would like to know where you got the page you swatched these colors on. I wish someone would sell pages like this. Perhaps a packet of 10. One packet cold press. Another packet hot press. And another packet mixed. This would be very welcome. Also, I would like to request a video on sketchbooks. Everyone does paints, brushes, and paper, but I've yet to find a review of different sketchbooks and the type and quality of paper used. They used to have sketchbooks that were hardbound with a pebble textured cover and white sketchpaper within, but I can't seem to find them anymore. I was wondering if they are no longer being manufactured, idk? Excellent and very timely video. Thanks again for doing this for us. :)

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Hi! So unfortunately I can’t do a comparison video for you as I am currently in South East Asia and all my stuff is in America. I’m trying to figure out how to start recording again. I’m glad you figured out the white knights stuff. They make a lot of different pallets but you are right about the 35 and 36 one. I personally like the granulating one but it all depends on what and how you paint. The page I got to swatch the colors on came from an art Store in South Korea called Homi Art Supply. I don’t think they ship internationally. And I sometimes make them myself when I have a lot of different papers. I’m pretty sure Jackson’s Art Supply from the UK sells mixed packs of paper if you’d like to check that out. It’s been a while since I ordered but they used to. Sketchbooks are definitely a personal preference. I prefer to have 100% cotton paper so that the paint works the same as on my regular painting paper but they are expensive and hard to find. They are out though, like the Etcher Lab one. However, I do like the Strathmore hard bound 400/500 series sketchbook. It’s decent for the price. But not great for glazes. So I think you’ll have to try a few to see what fits your preference. Hope you can find something you like. Happy Painting:)

[@joeygalvin8860]

, thank you for this review I've been eyeing these paints for a while and it's hard to find reviews on them I found a couple and I watched the many times I see that you haven't posted in a while I hope you are well and still arting best wishes to you

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Thanks. I’m still arting but traveling so no much time to record. I’m glad you enjoyed the video :)

[@irritatedlibrarian9057]

Thank you for the review! Just to let people in the US know, Etsy has a seller who is an authorized seller for open stock colors in the USA! They’re Omnia Pro Art Supplies. I got this palette and bought a few open stock from then for $3-4 and change with only a few dollars shipping. I got some Indian Gold, Green Light, and Russian Green from them. Couldn’t pass up that gorgeous green!

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Nice thank you so much!!

[@golddi1]

Thank you! That was a very nice review! Love these paints too! A lot of people dont like the original "yellow ochre" of WN but after using it for sunlight highlight I dont think I can go without it. Also the version I have is made of Py43 and Py154 instead of original Py1. Please be careful and check the pigments when purchasing WN as they keep on changing them. I have a "yellow" that is Py154 while some are sold with Py1. In "Indigo" they list it with Pv23 while in others PV3 that is not lightfast. So far not sure why these pigments change, is it a mistake or they use better pigments in some? Oh and I have a tube with "raw sienna" that is Pbr7 while in pans it is Py43. "Carmine" also changed from pr170.1 (2*) to Pr.19 (3*) the color shades are totally different too!

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Thank you for watching. Im not sure whether they are just changing the pigments used because of lightfast issues or what. But this Neva Palette is great because all the xolors are lightfast. And yes i definitely check pigments. An artist should always do that ;)

[@fidgetyhuman]

They have reformulated their colors to make them 3* lightfast :) so beware if you’re buying open stock or you may end up getting an old version (ones with fugitive pigments). The pre-made metal sets all have 3* lightfast colors so I’m planning on getting the 35 set.

[@janetjm4629]

How can you know if a colour is lightfast or not?

[@ilenia111]

​@@janetjm4629 it's written on the pans or on the box

[@tabbi888]

I'm a little disappointed that I couldn't read all the colour names and as you didn't say them all as you swatched, I was left wondering what some of them are. Aside from that it was a good review.

[@fidgetyhuman]

Beautifully detailed review! You’re the only one who has reviewed the new metal 35 pan set, so it’s really helpful. Thank you! :) I personally am torn between this and the original plastic set. While I appreciate the 3* lightfast colors in this set, I also want to try their beautiful PG8 hookers green (not lightfast) and the gorgeous granulating oxide of chromium, two colors that got me interested in White Nights in the first place. Maybe I’ll get them open stock like you 😄

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Yay im glad you enjoyed it! Id def try getting the full lightfast set and buying the extra colors open stock. But like I always say it personal choice:)

[@fidgetyhuman]

@@peaceandpaintbrushes thanks again :) have a nice day

[@hannahthufvesson]

@@fidgetyhuman The plastic box doesn't really fit any other full pans than the White Nights ones (and half pans only fit in specific slots, so you can't utilise all the space in a row with them), which I found out the hard way. 😬 So I'd go for this box and look for open stock for the colors you would like to try. But that's just my two cents! (I really like this metal tin, I have three of them, haha, so I am clearly biased.) 😊

[@fidgetyhuman]

@@hannahthufvesson Thanks for the advice! I am going to buy this set as a birthday present for myself soon and I'm thankful for all the suggestions because it's quite an investment for me. I agree that the metal tin looks really pretty so I'll definitely buy their pg8 "green" open stock and replace their "may green" from this set (as a personal choice). Thanks again 😄

[@hannahthufvesson]

@@fidgetyhuman I'm glad if I could help, and I hope you will love it! (The PG8 is beautiful!! It's not perfectly lightfast, but really not any worse than many colour stating to be lightfast from brands like Daniel Smith, at least in my short 4 month test.) ☺️

[@roselynbaruch3697]

Really appreciate and thoroughly enjoyed and learned new mixes ,thank you ☺️

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Thanks so much for watching. I am glad you enjoyed the video

[@aprill551]

I'm in Canada and have ordered the white nights open stock from Jackson's.

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Ooh that is great to know!

[@Charlotte-sq8cq]

Thank you for the review. Nice box and colour selection. They are really lovely to paint with. Please correct the name to White Nights 🙂

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Omg.. thank you so much for letting me know! For some reason i had it in my head that was how you spell it.. thank you for watching

[@jeannegow2144]

Some sad news...I saw on international news that "Nevskaya Manufactura" the historical St. Petersburg factory where these paints have been made burnt down yesterday... I'm so happy I have a set from there! They probably will continue to make these paints bit they won't be from that special factory.....

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Oh no! That’s horrible it burned down!

[@eBookHoarder]

They are so affordable that I decided to treat them like pencils and buy all of the single pigments that are lightfast. I got all except Geranium Red. I am trying to swap with someone who needs Ultramarine Violet.

[@dustydesert1674]

I found some open stock on Amazon. I’m in California.

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

That’s awesome! Is it a website or art supply store?

[@So_salty]

Do you find that you use up the paint quicker with this brand than some others, with the paint being so soft

[@So_salty]

Also your water barely changed color

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Yes I do find that I use it pretty quickly compared to other brands.

[@mariusvaiciulis5072]

their mars brown is nice transparent colour, i like it, but it gets unusable gel like in time, so not using it any longer. olive green was one of the first colours that flew away from my palette. instead of indigo i've put indanthrene blue. instead of may green i keep yelowish green PG36 that gives me more options. and they (White Nights) have an irgazin yellow PY129 (iirc), that would be green gold (again iirc) (that one is in queue to replace lemon yellow).

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Ooh i cant wait to get irgazin yellow! When you say flew away from your palette you mean you used it a lot or didnt like it? Hmm.. i wonder why the mars brown gets gel like??

[@mariusvaiciulis5072]

@@peaceandpaintbrushes i mean i tossed it away. did not like it. like at all. we are all different, so that colour is obviously meant for someone else :). i just find it not transparent, a bit muddy, so i mix my own version of it, but from transparent pigments and without black, like py151, pg7, pv19, so don't need it anyway. why mars brown degrades, i don't know. guess same reasons as why white nights prussian blue gets unusable with time, or viridian by winsor and newton, most probably some kind of chemistry is going on inside these paints. :)

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Ah.. yeah i didnt know it had black in it when i bought it but i still like the color tinted out :) And yes, theres crazy science behind all the watercolors lol.

[@mariusvaiciulis5072]

@@peaceandpaintbrushes "yeah i didnt know it had black in it" not only. it also contains chromium oxide, of which i am not big fan, or to be more precise ditched that colour next to olive green. besides that it contains some fugitive yellow PY1. so two pigments that i don't like, plus fugitive one, plus the colour itself made my decision easy to make. :)

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Gotcha. I like the color so ill play around with it for a while in journals and stuff and see how i like ot for that

[@oliviad5474]

would you recommend the Neva or the original? i’m a beginner and want better quality paints.

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

I like Neva better. It has more lightfast colors and ones that I use often

[@joselineolivia1900]

Now you've given White nights a try, which one do you like better Paul Rubens or White nights? 😁

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

In terms of quality I think they are both nice. In terms of colors and pigments I like white nights better. I also like that you get so much more paint for the money

[@joselineolivia1900]

@@peaceandpaintbrushes ah, i see. thank you for the review! it's really helpful!

[@pamelagodfrey4250]

Did you find the ochre light a little drier than the other colors?

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Yea but not too much. It’s just meant to be a light color I think.. because even when I get a lot of pigment off it’s still light

[@hannahthufvesson]

Mine was a lot drier, and I actually chucked it. But I have been so spoiled by DS Monte Amiata Natural Sienna that I'm having a hard time switching to other ochres/siennas. Though Roman Szmal's Transparent Gold Ochre is really nice! That's a light and fairly cool ochre 😊

[@avashevlin1758]

Do you know if this palette fits Roman szmal full pans? I’ve seen they are slightly larger so I’m hoping the 35 pans can squeeze in there with the tray ,otherwise I think I’ll have to take the tray out ,I bought the empty palette for 35 full pans from JacksonsArt.

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

I’m not sure, sorry. Hope it works!

[@hannahthufvesson]

I just tried it in my tin and the top and bottom row only fit 6 Roman Szmal pans, plus a half pan. It's the rounded corners on the tray that get in the way, but from what I could tell the middle rows should fit seven of them, pretty precisely. 😊

[@kimh5768]

I love them too.

[@shrutihegde8443]

Do full pans from other brands fit in the case?

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

The full pans from other brands are a bit smaller but because the metal is bendable yes, they fit.

[@natford8271]

I can’t find that Neva palette anywhere. Not even Jacksons. I am in the UK.

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Oh no that’s no good. That’s the downside. It not available everywhere. I wouldn’t even know where to look in the UK other than Jackson’s or calling around to big city art supply stores.

[@hannahthufvesson]

I ordered mine from Artemiranda! :)

[@natford8271]

I found it on the White Nights website (their address is in Dorset UK) but they don’t call it Neva. I will try searching for it elsewhere without that name. www.stpetersburgwatercolours.com/shop?p=!/~/product/id=64746&prid=0&ctid=0&scid=4&tp=pc#!/~/product/id=64746&prid=101&ctid=21&tp=pv

[@natford8271]

Jackson’s do empty tins by White Nights St Petersburg and they also sell their tube paints.

[@saraot7795]

what is the price of the big colour set ?

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Around $70

[@patti3d]

Right now the set you have is unavailable and I do prefer these colors compared to the standard set.

[@peaceandpaintbrushes]

Awe man.. that is not cool. I wish they were more available in America

[@patti3d]

@@peaceandpaintbrushes I did purchase a 12 pan set and very happy with it the colors are beautiful and very vibrant and I’ll wait and when those colors that you had in your pallet are available again I’ll buy that one too

[@leetau8429]

i havent tried these yet,,,busy collecting daniel smith but the look great unlike the crappy arteza. DONT BUY ARTEZA ARTISTS absolute rubbish and dont behave like watercolours should plus 60 tubes and 59 are opaque

[@kadynbernard7977]

Hi Guys 😍💋 💝💖