White Nights Watercolor Review & Swatches // Artist Grade Watercolor

Hello Everyone! This week's video we are reviewing the White Nights Watercolor 36 Full Pan Set!
I have a text review of this set available on my website!
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Materials Used
•White Nights Watercolors: amzn.to/300mecd
•Arches Rough 140lb Paper: amzn.to/2O1ljSq
•Bee 100% Cotton Paper: amzn.to/2ZTQF3H
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[@PaletteAdventure]

Im not sure what colors did you use when you tried glazing but glazing’s success is dependent on the staining property of the paint. If you glaze over a non staining paint, you’d lift the under layer color. Its not a brand issue.

[@nursen2106]

one can glase over a non-staining paint. no problem. done often and my teacher does it the whole time. one has to know, no matter, which colour - try to go over the completely dry paint underneath with just one stroke or as little strokes as possible. that's all. if glazing becomes a struggle nevertheless, than it's the paint

[@v.p.797]

I live in Russia and here White Nights are considered professional watercolors. This is an analog of Van Gogh watercolor. White Nights are very common in Russia. Many people are completely satisfied with it. Thanks for review. It is really nice to hear about Russian watercolors from foreign bloggers.

[@jaewonwinter]

They're professional worldwide :D

[@cataliniulian5972]

Worldwide, not only in Russia mate

[@MeriDoug]

I agree, professional watercolors. But Van Gogh is student grade. White Nights is in my cart and I can't wait to use them!

[@user-xu3pn4wr2b]

Плюсую

[@ssncns]

Ленинград

[@ThereIsSoulInArt]

I'm a newer watercolor artist & I much prefer the White Nights over Daniel Smith tubes & Van Gogh pans. I didn't care for the Cotman paints. I do have very limited experience with watercolor paints. I favor the White Nights I think just due to how they work for me personally. I really enjoyed your review.

[@emfancyy7736]

These aren’t student quality paints, they are artist quality. But very good review.

[@AmandaWiley]

Thank you! I know that now, but I didn’t at the time of recording 🙂

[@tonyrichengod9280]

They are very lacking for being "artist" grade

[@cataliniulian5972]

@@tonyrichengod9280 that is not true at all. Those watercolours are being used by professional artists all over the world

[@jfm14]

@@sr2971 And others have a right to discuss and disagree, so... ?

[@oliviad5474]

@@sr2971 LOL where in the comment is she being rude? 😂😂😂😂😂 When she said that’s not true at all? i’m sorry i thought you just said that everyone had a right to their opinion so disagreeing isn’t allowed? Get out of here you don’t know what your saying.

[@engleharddinglefester4285]

That's funny because I happen to use my yellow ochre every time I paint lol. To each his own I guess. I don't have any other brand to compare it to, but for me it works pretty good.

[@berika6]

White nights yellow ochre is my favorite! But I always used from tubes, maybe that makes a difference. Also they have a few colors that named similar to yellow ochre, That could also confuse people.

[@nursen2106]

doesn't it depend on the style of the finished art? I find it interesting that many, who are huge fans of it, often paint in a style like - let's say - artists of manga or cartoonish work. that type. where the pure colour dominates. well, might be good for that. but I had never seen on youtube, a russioan pro artist, who does show, how he manages to work with it. that would be a good think to see for most. who like different styles or airy paintings. how do they do it? I would love to learn from them in practice. just saying...depends on the tast and liking... that is not even half of the story in regard of what to make of a certain set of paints. I got them as a beginner. and now try to use them up for things, that are just exercises. and still I havn't find the key to them fully.

[@corvus3513]

I will say, this was a different type of review for sure. Usually noting but praises for this brand since it’s cheaper compare to other artist quality pallets. It just goes to show how depending on your style even great brands don’t work. I will still be buying them but it was nice seeing a different perspective

[@AmandaWiley]

I'm glad you appreciated an alternative opinion. I only wanted to review them based on how I personally work, and even though they fell short for me I can absolutely see their value. I hope you enjoy them!!

[@Addleysmom]

So happy to get this review from u as I always get so much great info from ur reviews Congrats on ur red bubble shop -will head over after I watch the video as I’d like to pick up some of ur work. Thx for another great review.

[@AmandaWiley]

Thank you so much!! I'm so happy you found it helpful 💕

[@fufufuaru]

Wow this review is so detailed and very informative. Love that you added pros and cons based on usage/artist styles.

[@NikkiDraven]

I use my white nights on a regular basis, I really enjoy them. As many have mentioned there is not a perfect palette that would fits all, it’s a matter of what you’re aiming for. For example I did some great painting with this colors, and they perform perfectly in my glazing soft and loose stile. If you are looking for some vivid intense colors then check out Mijello, which vibrancy and intensity is hardly reached by other brands. WN aren’t so strong at vibrancy, reds tends to become duller when dry, so if you like bright strong reds in a painting this is not the choice for you. Other than that I don’t have any problem with their transparency, and I am portrait artist, all of them have beautiful undertones perfect in diluite washes.

[@earthrooster1969]

Excellent review! Thank you. I am about to get some from this brand and after listening to you, i feel so much better prepared!

[@emiart_9917]

I have the set and I love it I bought a bunch of their other colors on jackson art supplies for $2 a pan. At first the paints reacted strangely to glazing but after using it for a while I finally got the hang of how they work kinda a bit like gouache so you just have to be a bit thoughtful about it. I'm surprised the yellow ocher was so streaky for you, for me it works fine it's just the cerelean blue that has a weird texture when picking it up I have to scrub for days to get the color out and it just looks funny but other than that I love love love their other colors. I made 2 palettes from the brand's as well as using other colors but they work so well together and I love the plastic set even if it's a bit too big. But for 36 colors and it only being $56 dollars on amazon I would recommend this set to anyone especially since the colors are artist quality and full pan.

[@AmandaWiley]

It’s funny that you compare it to gouache, I’ve never been able to master that! Perhaps that’s why I didn’t get along with this set. I’m not sure if there was something off with my yellow ochre, but I’ve never seen another paint act like that, so it definitely threw me off! I do hope that it was just a bad batch. I like the palette for studio use, I thought it was thoughtfully designed with the removable mixing space. I often wish metal palettes were designed that way! It’s big, but I understand it given the set has 36 full pans. I’m glad you like this brand though! Art supplies are such a personal thing, and I really believe that familiarity can work wonders in terms of what an artist can produce with their supplies. I think for me personally, I still like Van Gogh for the price point!

[@emiart_9917]

@@AmandaWiley oh yeah van gogh is a great I recently bought their violet and pink set and I love it so much especially the dusk colors they granulated so beautifully. I want to buy the 48 set next but I'm broke lol.

[@AmandaWiley]

@@emiart_9917 Yes! I tried a bunch of their new colors and I'm so impressed! I've loved them for a while, they were the first nicer sets of paint I bought. I still reach for them often, and use them with alongside my professional paints. I would look into their tubes, they are a slightly nicer formula (in my opinion), and you can get them for about $2.50-$3 a tube.

[@PatriciaPageMosaicArtsCrafts]

I am very happy with my white night's pallet

[@irene1234]

Wow! You are thorough. Great review.

[@AmandaWiley]

Thank you so much!!

[@eliter4k]

I was shocked I couldn't find any other reviews disliking these. I watched so many reviews of this set before I purchased it several years ago, but no one mentioned that these paints don't flow or blend predictably. In blending, I found that two colors placed next to each other using a wet on wet technique more often than not just sat there and would not create smooth color gradients unless an excess of water was used, in which case one would leech pigment from the other so that it became undersaturated. On the rare occasions they did blend together nicely, it wasn't until the paper was dry that I could tell what the final result was going to be. While these paints are beautiful, I feel like I'm always fighting them to create an even wash or smooth color gradient. Your review is super informative and you did a great job explaining who might enjoy these and who might not.

[@ARTROOTLEAF]

Wow !!♥♥♥ very good !!♥

[@AmandaWiley]

Thank you!! 😊

[@sarajamal799]

Another beautiful review 😎 congratulations on your shop 🥳 You have a nice collection watercolor 🤩how do you chooses what to use? Do you have a favorite brand?

[@AmandaWiley]

Thank you so much! I'm so happy you liked it! I'm pretty excited to have a little shop going, I hope to open one on my website in the next few months! 💕 I've learned what brands I like over trial and error. I love watercolors with honey in them, so Mission Gold and M.Graham are my top two brands. If I had to choose a less expensive brand, I really love Van Gogh! I also get good results with ShinHan. I live in an area where my watercolors dry very hard, so anything that is easy to rewet is a plus. I also work primarily in glazes, so it needs to hold up to that very well, and allow me to achieve the amount of depth and contrast I want in my artwork. Finally, I like to have control over my paint, so if there is a lot of granulation, or an unpredictable finish, I don't really like it. That's why I really try to talk about the properties of the paint in my reviews, I really hope to help people decide if it will work for them, not just tell them if I personally like or dislike it.

[@nadines.1107]

I love the yellow ochre. For mixing skin tones. It will be my first empty pan I fear. Today I had a close look whether the bottom is already visible. Thanks for your review. It seems like White Nights get quite opposite opinions. I agree with you on the glazing. I soon meet the maximum of glazes.

[@JacquelineJax]

I totally agree with you on these colours from white night. It is a hit or a message elation the ones I love are like Carmine and ultramarine where the ones I do not like are the worst pains ever.

[@LizatHome]

Thanks for a great review.

[@AmandaWiley]

You’re welcome! Thank you so much for watching!

[@awatercolourist]

Thanks for mentioning the pros and cons. I found them very informative.

[@AmandaWiley]

You're welcome, glad it was helpful!

[@JacquelineJax]

Great review. I completely agree.

[@tzerpa9446]

White Nights DOES have a numbering system for their colors. They have charts with the numbers and properties of each color. I have a 24-pan set, and numbers come on the back side of the box. Thank you for your review. It's very useful to know what colors to purchase. I'm trying to get a more transparent set of primaries.

[@HieuLe-by8gh]

wow, I've never heard this before:0 so lucky that I didn't invest any set of White Nights. Btw can you recommend for me to choose whether White Nights or Shinhan Professional ( not PWC/SWC which is artist line of this company)? I prefer vibrant and pigmented color ( which is easier to reach a dark hue with less pigment load...?), granulates or not is all OK. Hope you will reply soon and sorry about my bad English :'I

[@terra977]

thank you for your review. I totally agree with your review but I still like it.

[@AmandaWiley]

I'm happy you liked it!!

[@helenhope8313]

Great! Just what I needed to NOT buy them because they don't suit my needs. By my own experience I think the perfect pallet contains different brands. I learned that I hate some of my cotmans but love and prefer some of them over higher quality brands. As an Artist there's just a lot of trial and error to do but it will increase your style and possibilities.

[@AmandaWiley]

I'm so happy you found it helpful! I saw a lot of reviews about this set before trying it, and I wish they had mentioned some of the issues I had come across. I think someone commented that they noticed that artists who use gouache often really love this set, and that it handles quite similarly despite being watercolor. It really does highlight how personal art supply choices are based on individual style and techniques. I actually still want to build a "perfect" palette by mixing my favorites from each brand. I still have separate palette for each brand. I completely agree that some colors are just as good or better in student grade. I don't know how they did it, but Winsor Newton has the best Dioxazine Violet, even their Cotman version is beautiful! Van Gogh also has some flawless color dupes in their collection.

[@undoubtedlywrong]

I am in the process of trying all sorts of brands to see what I like. I am very curious to know what Cotmans you prefer over higher quality brands, because I really want to try those too ☺️

[@erickamagyaya7833]

Wow. nice review! 😇Between white nights and winsor & newton cotman, which one do u prefer?

[@AmandaWiley]

Thank you! Sorry I'm so late in getting back, you may have already chose one by now. It depends. I prefer Cotman, but that's because I think they work better for how I work. They glaze better, they are predictable and affordable, and they are very easy to get what set or color you need at a price point for any budget. They are however, not as pigmented as the White Nights in a single glaze. There are a couple of exceptions, Yellow Ochre, Cerulean Blue, and a few others of course comes to mind where I would get literally anything but White Nights. I think if you want a large, inexpensive set, with good pigmentation, and you only want to do loose work or a couple glazes then White Nights isn't a bad choice. If you want consistent quality, a brand you can grow into, a set or purchasing experience to fit any painting style or budget, including buying open stock pans or tubes as you run out, and a brand that allows for many types of workflows and techniques; then it has to be Winsor & Newton Cotman.

[@cziłałakart]

Finally, a refreshing review 😌 💜 I am also not the biggest fan of their yellow ochre or yellows in general as I find some of them "muddy", love the indigo though 😄

[@amyr.862]

I bought some of these individually from Jackson's and kind of like them. I dug through the pigment info and bought all single pigment transparent colors and a couple of earth tones. The neutral black is same mix as other neutral tints and it works that way, so it can sub for Payne's grey. It's probably not the greatest paint but not awful. There's probably batch variation to consider as well. The only quibble I have is that the ultramarine doesn't granulate very much for me.

[@mariram]

Try their Ultramarine Deep, it granulates nicely.

[@predragdjokic3761]

Amanda one question considering Ruby color.Did you test all white nights watercolors for light fastness and did Ruby change over time maybe exposed in a sun??? I searched for red pigments and want to make my limited palette and i have White Nights,Van Gogh,Winsor and Newton Cotman and that's it in my country so i choose a White Nights all colors to paint with.I am waiting for new White Nights Yellow with py154 pigment to arive in month to make it primary yellow besides Lemon but this Ruby i bought and it troubles me for it lightfastness.I will for sure make a swatch and put it on a window to test it but it would really help to find out more to know to use it or not constantly as my primary red.I found out that this pigment is use in cosmetics and plastics and that lightfastness varies from manufacturer to manufacturers so i just want to know should i skip this color when making final paintings.Thank you upfront.I subsribed and put on notification there is alot of useful stuff here on your channel.

[@AmandaWiley]

I never did any lightfastness tests with any colors in this set, I'm sorry! I realized pretty soon on that I wasn't going to keep it, so I didn't think to make additional swatches or anything that I could use for testing later.

[@labaccident2010]

I have this set, and I like it, but it’s not my favorite. I have away a bunch of the paints I no longer regularly use, but I kept this one because I use it for specific things. I got more pans and replaced some of the less lightfast colors. I still have one I want to replace but getting ahold of pans for this is a bit tedious

[@lilcahangeliqueopina654]

Interesting review and I wish you went more in depth. I came here from the blog expecting more information in the video. I'm very curious to know what issues you encountered with the glazing and with which pigments. The transparent colors glaze very nicely for me while the earth pigments dont. I've been using this brand regularly and haven't encountered the same issues. I think it would have helped if you showed a demonstration of the glazing. I do agree that the quality is not consistent across the pigments. Their quinacridones so far have been very vibrant and reliable. I agree that some colors have weird textures, especially the yellow ochre. It is so weak and has almost no color payoff so it has remained untouched in the 2 years since I've had it. I also wish they had a stronger, single pigment umber. No idea why they would use 3 pigments for such a popular color. The cerulean blue is also a bit lacking.

[@moonlightgator541]

I have a set of 24 colors in a carton box calls Leningrad, it is budget packaged for Russia. I don't hate them but I have to admit I prefer my vanGogh watercolors better they just feels more vivid and luxurious. I tend to grab White Nights when I do studies or quick sketches like you mentioned. When I don't plan on making a lot of glazing. I think they OK. Before I received my set as a gift I ask one Russian artist who have been working with them for years what colors I should get which ones are the best. She recommended 313,311,304,324,621,613,503, 508,524.

[@AmandaWiley]

I always hear such wonderful things about Russian paints, I've heard about a few brands, but never Leningrad. I would be curious to hear your thoughts on how they compare to White Nights. I know paints tend share similarities based on the country they are made in. I agree with you on Van Gogh, they are beautiful budget paints.

[@moonlightgator541]

@@AmandaWiley Leningrad is White Nights but in carton box package like Sonet. Pans are the same as White Nights only difference is the box. There are other brand of Russian watercolors a heard a good things about is Dedovskie , litteral translation "grandpa's"

[@aritakahashi3823]

Do you prefer watercolor tubes or pans? What are their cons and pros?

[@AmandaWiley]

I definitely prefer tubes, as the pros far outweigh the cons. They are more economical, have less binding or fillers, can be used fresh or can be placed in a palette or panned easily if preferred, are easier when working on larger projects, allow more versatility in any given workflow, and can very easily travel without fear of making a mess. Pans are more expensive, can melt and be messy in warmer months or environments, can have variations in the formula based on the company (poured vs. extruded) which can lead to more binder/fillers and opacity in the paints, can be difficult when working with large projects, and damaging overtime to large brushes.

[@Fers_Ibarra]

I agree with thw yellow ochre... I dindt like it either, is so transparent... almost doesnt pigment... The cerulean blue the same... I´ll change it both... all the other colours are spectacular, full of pigment, they doesnt lift up, all the contraty the get stain in the paper like profesional watercolors, I love them... (except those two colors). The Vang Gogh are similar, but the white nights have much more pigment, a little of water and is just crazy how it take the color...

[@diannaa5631]

I paint from my ceramic pallet not the pans and found no problems with an even application on cotton paper.i also consider them professional right on the border line.not student and a great way to get started and beyond

[@heelrunner]

All of the cons you mentioned are exactly what stops me from liking this palette. I find myself reaching for the simple cottman just because its smoother and layers well.

[@esinfa]

I have cotman Van gogh and sonnet(student version of white nights) I only reach for sonnet paints when I need opaque and pigmented paint. There is a stickyness to it too. Although it is very creamy and pigmented it doesn't fit my style and I don't reach for it often.

[@alexandrag89]

Could you try Aquarius by Roman Szmal paints and maybe comparison with white knights?

[@AmandaWiley]

I’m looking into getting a set to review in the future! I’m not sure when that will be though.

[@Lauraisabelgonzalezart]

I don't know why this got so many 👎 because it's a great review!

[@AmandaWiley]

Thank you! I'm not sure either. The only negative feedback I've received is from people who really love this brand and thought I should've had a nicer review. I thought it was an extremely fair and well rounded review based on my own personal painting style. I never said they were bad or not to buy them, and I even made sure to add who I thought they could work for. It definitely isn’t a secret that I didn’t like them if you read the comments, but that wasn’t the point of the review. My goal was to help someone know if they could work for them or not, and I hope it did!

[@suhelavaneerten419]

I think it is because they like the paint? For me your pace is too fast, Id like a bit more space between scentences/ subjects. But thats personal and would def not be a thumbs down worth for me. I found the information very usefull, to the point and thorough. Thanks!

[@AmandaWiley]

Thank you! I think that’s why as well. Its certainly not my intention to make anyone feel like their favorite paint is bad, because it’s not. Everyone is different, I was just trying to help those who are curious about this brand, while also talking about how it handled for me with how I paint specifically. I felt like the review was well balanced with pros and cons, so regardless of the feedback I feel like I did my best. I get that a lot about talking too fast. I’ve been trying really hard recently to slow things down, but it’s hard to change speech patterns! I have done better lately, but even I look at my very first videos and am stunned at how quickly I spoke! Thank you for your kind comments and feedback!

[@nadines.1107]

@@AmandaWiley to me it felt fast as well, but not the speed of your speaking but the cuts between sentences. It felt cut together from individual recordings, and it felt rushed that way. In normal speaking we kinda pause and take a breath before the next sentence.

[@moonlightgator541]

I substitute ochre for raw siena.

[@AmandaWiley]

That's a good tip, thank you!

[@alexislindroos]

They have a numbering system. Also I like their tubes, but I can't say if they're better than the pans.

[@tonyrichengod9280]

Good review. I bought these t today and also ran into quite a few quality issues. Good for practice, but not for serious work or commissions Edit: After using them for a while I really like them, they color are very intense once you work the paint out of the pan. Being that they come in pans, they are a bit hard to get paint out as compared to tubes. I still much prefer my Holbeins for serious work simply because the pigment is finest and binder is different so they flow in water easier, but these are great for everyday use and practice

[@sr2971]

Mhm

[@carolgehman6036]

Actually these are artist quality and many professional artists use them!

[@cataliniulian5972]

the brush that you're using is not the best for watercolour

[@carolgehman6036]

Thorough review, but it's artist grade, not student grade. It doesn't even compare to Cotman.

[@Angelwrites]

It does compare.

[@carolgehman6036]

@@Angelwrites we all have different opinions and preferences. 🙂

[@user-xu3pn4wr2b]

То самое чувство, когда кроме слова красивый ничего не поняла

[@marinefeuilleaubois5182]

I wish I found your video before I bought my White Nights. I hate them :( So much good reviews, for the price I thought I could buy a 24 colors palette from them, what a disappointement... I was useing some W&N cotman in half pans before, and I didn't like how they were very dull. But I didn't hate them. I hate my white nights :( I can't event give them to someone who wants to try watercolor, it wouldn't be nice ! And I can't trash a nearly new palette like this, gaaaaaaaaah :[ I tried Van gogh ones before I saw your videos about it. I never heard of them, and I just love them. LOOOooooove them. Why so few people are talking about them??? Van gogh costs a bit less than W&N Cotman (in europe where I live, might be different in the US) and are waaaaay better. Even if I found your channel and videos a bit too late to save me some money, I want to thank you for your thourough reviews. I will keep an eye on your future reviews as it seems we like the same type of watercolor :) Keep safe.

[@AmandaWiley]

Thank you so much!! I know I only tried White Nights because of all of the glowing, positive, reviews of them. I couldn't find a single negative review on them anywhere. It seems like everyone loves them, and I honestly don't understand. I try really hard to have reviews that are very objective whether I love or hate them, I want people to know whether or not a brand could work for them regardless of my feelings. However, I couldn't hold back from saying that I really didn't like these. I ended up selling mine on eBay shortly after filming this review. I love Van Gogh so much! 💕 I'm honestly surprised at the amount of people who don't like them. They are such a high quality paint, especially for the price! They rewet beautifully, and they are super vibrant! I just don't get it, but I'm happy you've found my reviews helpful! Thank you for such a kind comment! :)

[@lmrharper3586]

I think there are a few horrid colors in the White Nights .

[@lmrharper3586]

Cadmium red, Titan red ,yellow ochre ,yellowish green ,emerald green, I dont like Bright blue and ,cerulean are meh

[@AmandaWiley]

Absolutely, I agree with all of these being pretty bad!

[@vera1630]

Well let me tell you what I found out. That talking to much in the video from beginning to end was kinda annoying but It worked best for me when I muted it and watched it. You talk to much!!! Why?

[@ukpaul9221]

It would show integrity of we boycotted White Knights, Sonnet etc until Ukraine is free from Russian aggression.