Watercolour Painting – Jackson's Art Blog

On first look, the Holbein Artists Gouache Irodori (Starter) Sets are well curated and beautifully presented. Splitting these sets into seasons, reflecting the seasonal nature of Japan, is a lovely way to get a taste for the new colours. If you’re partial to dark and cool colours, warmer tones or pastel colours, you might choose the winter, autumn or spring sets respectively. However, if you’re confident in colour, and want a relatively well rounded palette, the Summer palette is a very good choice. In this article, I will be looking at the colours of the Summer Set, the blending potential, layering, and overall performance of these paints. I tested these swatches on the Jackson’s Hot Press Paper Block, using a Da Vinci Colineo Brush.

The Contents of the Holbein Artists Gouache Paint – Irodori (Starter) Summer Set

Holbein Gouache is made up of finely ground pigments, with little to no opaquing agents added to the pigment. I have previously found them to be a consistent and enjoyable gouache to use, and the new Irodori (Starter) Set colours did not disappoint. The Summer palette includes twelve 15 ml tubes of Holbein Artists Gouache, in the shades Scarlet, Orange Yellow, Canola Yellow, Taisha Brown, Spring Green, Evergreen, Bamboo Green, Ultramarine, Oriental Blue and Edo Violet. The set also includes White (Gohun) and Black (Sumi). These are two valuable additions to the palette that is designed with the bright pops of colour and lush greens that summer offers a landscape painter.

Holbein Artists Gouache Irodori (Starter) Summer Set

Colour Mixing

This palette covers most bases for what would be considered a traditional mixing palette. For my own palette, if I had the choice, I might consider adding a cool lemon yellow instead of Spring Green, and a cooler red, such as a Quinacridone or Carmine, instead of Edo Violet, to have a full range of colours that I enjoy mixing. I might have swapped Taisha Brown for an Ochre or an Umber too, but this is a very personal preference, and certainly doesn’t impact the performance of what these twelve tubes of paint can do. If you definitely prefer a more traditional palette, you could try the Holbein Gouache Set of 12, which covers warm and cool primaries; however, if you like to try something a little different that still covers all the bases for colour mixing, the Irodori Summer Palette could work well for you.

Firstly, I looked at the closest colours to true primary colours in the palette – Scarlet, Canola Yellow and Ultramarine. Both Scarlet and Canola Yellow lean towards the warm side of the spectrum, which meant the greens and aubergine colours I mixed all felt warm – however, perhaps this is exactly what I should have expected from a Summer themed palette! I could definitely see how these colours could help create the feeling of the end of a late summer day, basking in the warmth of the dappled light coming through the trees at the edge of a cool lake…. Now can I be transported there?

I imagine that the addition of one or two of the colours in this palette might be a little unexpected, too. For me, the bamboo green is a truly beautiful colour, but in its undiluted form is not often found in the natural environment. However, when I mixed Bamboo Green with other colours in limited palettes, I was able to get some surprising and really pleasing colours going. I experimented by putting Bamboo Green with Edo Violet and Orange Yellow, which are two colours I wouldn’t usually gravitate towards in my own practice. Mixing these enabled me to get some lovely warm and cooler browns, adding the colours in different quantities, as well as some soft olive greens – which are definitely colours I love to use. When layering these colours over the top of each other, both in their straight-out-the-tube form, and as washed out mixes – the pop of colour from the bamboo green was both enhanced and softened somehow, allowing for its brightness to feel more approachable.

Gohun and Sumi – White and Black

The additions of black and white are perhaps the reason that any painter might choose the Summer Palette over any of the other Holbein Irodori Sets, if they have not tried this range before. White is essential to almost every artist, regardless of their discipline, and can help create such a huge range of value without having to rely on the lightness of the paper to add layers of value. The black is, in my opinion, less essential, but can allow a quick route into changing the value of your colours. To demonstrate this I used Orange Yellow and Oriental Blue, mixing them with both black and white to show the range of value, and created a very tiny painting to show the range of tones and values you can get from just these colours.

The black and white are opaque, strong pigments, with a velvety finish. Sumi appears to me a neutral black, leaning neither blue or yellow. They are both ideal for adding those tiny details towards the end of a painting: so long as your underneath layers are completely dry, and your brush is not wet, in my tests there was very minimal pick up of the underlying pigment. The density of the pigments of the Holbein Gouache is most obvious here.

Layering with Holbein Gouache

I regularly use gouache combined with other media in my own practice, and the Holbein Gouache’s consistent performance when using both as a wash, and in a more opaque form for layering, earn them a firm place amongst my favourites. The Summer Palette colours are no different. In my opinion they feel almost more pigmented than perhaps some of the others. Some of the colours are a little more unusual, too, and I enjoy the challenge of adding something slightly different to my work. The pigment blends make for some lovely, vibrant washes to use as a base for more opaque gouache, or a different media.

As the pigments in this gouache are very finely milled, there is little granulation in terms of pigment separation. Granulation isn’t usually expected from a gouache paint, as it is usually associated with creating flat areas of colour, but I have seen it occasionally in some other brands. However, across some of my more wet swatches of the Holbein Gouache, you can see how the pigment pools in some areas. I prefer to use a hot press paper, which doesn’t usually encourage this effect as a cold press might, so I was pleasantly surprised to see it as a lover of a soft texture!

When mixing two colours together, if you pool a small amount of the paint with a lot of water, you can see the pigments then separate, which can help to create a softer, or more ‘watercolour’ like look to your gouache paintings. I had a quick play with this technique, again returning to colours I might not ordinarily gravitate to; this time I used Taisha Brown, Canola Yellow, Spring Green, Edo Violet and White. I chose these colours to both push myself, and because I was influenced by the ‘summery’ nature of the palette.

I made this painting within half an hour – the gouache dries quickly, meaning that you can layer on top of it easily with thicker layers of paint. I worked largely from light to dark, as you might with watercolour. Working wet-on-wet for the first layers meant that the paints blended easily into each other, and the Holbein Gouache blended beautifully. I then added darker layers using less water, to intensify areas of darkness. Finally, for the darkest areas I used very little water. At each stage, the Holbein Gouache was easy to manipulate and work with.

The Properties of Holbein Artists Gouache

Holbein states that ‘as with their watercolours, Holbein have produced a gouache of exceptional quality. They grind their gouache more finely than others, adding little or no opaque agents to their colour. The pigments used have been chosen for exceptional saturation and the ability to mix freely without loss of brilliance, opacity or hue values. The colours will give consistent results without darkening or muddiness, they will not bleed or crack and offer complete opacity when layered.’ During my testing, I agree with all of this. The only case in which they crack on the paper are if they are laid extremely thickly (1 mm thick or more) and there is never a need to do this to gain opacity. Even in the most typically transparent colours, such as Canola Yellow or Oriental Blue, the pigment content is high, and although some body pigments are used (such as calcium carbonate or silica), I have not found this to be at detriment to the vibrancy at any point. The binders used are largely gum arabic, but it is worth noting that ox gall is used in some colours. As this is derived from ox bile, some colours are not vegan, so please check individual colours if this is important to you.

Lightfastness also needs to be taken into consideration on a paint by paint basis – as with all pigment based products, it very much depends on the pigment used as to whether the paint has good lightfastness or not. Holbein state that the whole range has ‘excellent lightfast ratings’, but according to their colour chart there are a few colours in the summer palette that have ‘moderately durable colours’, which generally equates to ‘good’ on the usual lightfastness scales. These colours are Bamboo Green, Evergreen, Spring Green, Canola Yellow and Orange Yellow. If this is something that concerns you, it is worth keeping an eye on each tube. However, I am reassured that none of the colours in the Summer Palette, or within the whole of the Irodori colour range, fall below this lightfastness rating, which for most of us is high enough!

For those of us who like to create our own palettes, these do perform well in a stay wet palette, but as with all gouache, they dry quickly. I would suggest adding additional binders or extenders if you want to keep using your paints for longer, (as I did here) as although the gouache is easily rewettable, after a couple of uses the creaminess that you get from it fresh from the tube is gone.

Overall, the Holbein Artists Gouache Paint 15 ml Irodori (Starter) Summer Set of 12 is a lovely starter set, for anyone new to gouache, the brand, or just looking to try something new. The colours lend themselves perfectly to lush green spaces and the bright blue skies of a temperate summer, but could be manipulated for less idealistic landscapes too, thanks to the additions of the white and black. The set was a joy to use, and a palette I could see myself playing with for many more summer days.

Contents – A Guide To Stretching Watercolour Paper

0:00 Introduction

0:17 Why You Should Stretch Your Watercolour Paper

1:02 What You Need To Stretch Paper

2:28 Before Stretching Watercolour Paper

2:56 Soaking The Paper

3:50 Placing The Soaked Paper On The Board

4:30 How To Apply Gumstrip To The Edges Of Your Paper

7:33 Painting On Stretched Watercolour Paper

8:19 How To Remove Your Paper From The Board

9:22 Removing Used Gumstrip From The Board

10:00 Summary

10:37 Credits

What Causes Paint To Shimmer?

The shimmering and sparkling effects of certain colours is thanks to the reflection and refraction of light as it interacts with transparent pigment particles used. The pigment particles tend to have a highly reflective surface, and in some paints this is manipulated with the presence of either titanium dioxide or iron oxide to alter the colour and manipulate how light is refracted (and at times how the light can be interfered with destructively), as well as transmitted by the paint.

Daler Rowney FW Ink Gold Shimmering Ink

When light refracts it changes its appearance; as can be seen when a light is shone through a prism. Many paints that shimmer or sparkle contain mica flakes, which are effectively very thin flakes of silicate mineral that can both reflect and refract light. Mica flakes have already reached their maximum level of oxidation which means they are non tarnishing and weather proof, unlike the metals they are used to replicate, such as coppers, bronzes and aluminiums.

Iuile Shiny Fairy Dust Gold Watercolour

Golden Mica Flake Large Iridescent Acrylic Colour

Where Do The Different Descriptions Come From?

When researching for this article it came to light that while the majority of terms are scientific, there are occasions where paint manufacturers use words to fit with their branding that may cause confusion. For example, while the word luminescent means to glow, none of Daniel Smith’s Luminescent range could be said to really glow; rather, the colours in the Luminescent reflect light rather than emit it. Iridescence is something of a blanket term to describe a number of different paints that reflect light, and is often used in product names that could be more specific, perhaps using more descriptive words such as metallic, pearlescent or interference. However with all shimmering colours, the effects can be altered and manipulated by mixing with other paints, and the extent to which you wish to control the shimmer of your colour can be explored further. Some tips can be found at the end of this article.

Iuile Shiny Fairy Dust Gold Watercolour on black and white paper.

Luminescent Paint

Luminescent is a term that describes the emitting of light without causing heat (incandescent in contrast is the term to describe heat induced light). The word derives from latin (lumen meaning light) and was first used by the German physicist Eilhard Wiedermann in 1888 to describe ‘all those phenomena of light which are not solely conditioned by the rise in temperature’. Technically, luminous or luminescent paint is any paint that appears to glow, such as fluorescent (glows in the dark when in the presence of black light, also known as ultraviolet light) or phosphorescent (absorbs light in dark and emits light in the dark) paint. However the words luminescent and luminous are sometimes used by paint manufacturers to describe paint that shimmers or sparkles, including metallic paints, interference and iridescent paint.

Daniel Smith Iridescent Aztec Gold Watercolour

Iridescent and Interference Paint

Iridescent paint is characterised by changes in the appearance of its colour depending on what angle you view the paint at and the colour of the surface that the paint is applied to. Iridescence is caused by light reflecting and refracting multiple ways through the pigment particles in the paint. The word derives partly from the Greek word iridos meaning rainbow, and is suffixed with the latin derived ‘-escence’, which means ‘tending towards’.

Iuile Shiny Fairy Dust Gold Watercolour which changes colour when tilted.

In artist paints, not all iridescent paint will show rainbow-like iridescence. While some might appear to get close, such as Iluile Iridescent watercolours, metallic paints will only appear to shimmer in light and not show as wide a spectrum of colour in varying angles of light, but these are still iridescent paints.

Interference colours are a particular kind of iridescent colour, and are also referred to as two-tone and Duo-Chrome depending on the manufacturer of the paint. They are made with very fine mica flakes that are coated with a thin layer of titanium dioxide. The thickness of the titanium dioxide coating determines the colour of the paint, e.g. Interference Green has a thicker coating of titanium dioxide, while Iridescent Pearl has a much thinner titanium dioxide coating. The titanium dioxide increases the optical density of the layer of paint, causing light to slow down as it travels through the pigment particles, and refract. The refracted light transmits as the complementary colour to the colour of the light that is reflected. Interference colours are especially formulated to only allow a narrow band of wavelengths of light to be reflected. This explains why a green tint can be seen in certain angles of Interference Red paint , blue can be seen in certain angles of Interference Orange paint, yellow can be seen in certain angles of Interference Violet paint, and so on.

Iridescent paints are made with incredibly highly reflective plate-like pigment particles, that are much thinner than non-iridescent pigments, but have a much wider diameter (according to GOLDEN paints, an average flake of Iridescent Pearl is the same diameter as 50,000 Carbon Black pigment particles placed side by side). Because high colour saturation relies upon light bouncing between a large number of pigment particles within a layer of paint, iridescent paints that do not make use of iron oxides in their formula have very weak colour strength.

L – R: Golden Interference Red, Golden Interference Red mixed with Jackson’s Cadmium Red Hue Professional Acrylic, Jackson’s Phthalo Green Professional Acrylic mixed with Golden Interference Green, Jackson’s Phthalo Green Acrylic, Golden Interference Green

Metallic Paint

Iridescent colours with a greater colour strength are also known as metallic paints. Metallic paints are composed of the same mica platelets but they are coated with iron oxide, either instead of or as well as titanium dioxide. Because iron oxide is highly opaque, lightfast and available in a range of hues, it brings a stronger colour to the appearance of the paint. Metallic paints can either have a sparkly, glittery appearance, or a softer, shimmering finish, depending on how reflective and the size the particles of the pigments used in the paint are.

Williamsburg Iridescent Pale Gold Oil Colour

L – R: Williamsburg Iridescent Pale Gold Oil Colour, Pebeo Fantasy Moon Gold Alkyd

Iridescent paint that is not made from mica flakes, is made with highly reflective, non tarnishing metallic pigments such as stainless steel and micaceous iron oxide (sometimes also known as specular hematite). Such paints tend to have a more gritty sheen.

Pearlescent Paint

Pearlescent paint is a particular kind of iridescent paint that allows you to see its colour and white reflected from the pigment particles simultaneously. It reflects all visible wavelengths of light, which causes the bright white reflection. Unlike interference colours or other iridescent colours, it mainly reflects white with only subtle transmission of other colours. Pearlescent paint is often used in the automotive industry. The effect is similar to the surface of a pearl, hence the name.

Winsor & Newton Iridescent Watercolour Medium

Lightfastness and Toxicity of Iridescent Paints

The leading professional grade iridescent colours have excellent lightfastness ratings and have comparable toxicity ratings, so require the same caution in handling as other paints.

Useful Considerations When Working With Iridescent Paint

1. Most are translucent and rely on the reflective qualities of their pigments, therefore their appearance is greatly affected by the colour they are applied to. Metallic colours can look significantly stronger and more opaque on a dark background and interference/two tone iridescent colours can take on a completely different hue when applied to black paper (as opposed to white paper).

Golden Interference (left) and Daler Rowney Interference Colour Acrylic Medium

2. Avoid mixing iridescent colours with opaque colours if you wish to maintain maximum iridescence. The effects are better maintained if mixed only with transparent colours.

3. Interference colours tend to have low colour strength. Adding a tiny amount of black (1:100) will strengthen the reflected colour

4. Add matt mediums to reduce sparkle, and increase appearance of sparkle by mixing with gloss mediums.

5. Thicker applications of interference colour can reduce the interference effect, as pigment particles may not lay flat to show their broad side square on to the viewer. For the most pronounced interference effect, apply multiple thin layers of colour as a wash or a glaze, as this will achieve the highest concentration of pigment particles all laying with the broad side flat against the paper. The layer of paint when dry will have a high shimmer with its complementary colour highly visible when the colour is held at an angle.

6. Iridescent colours can be mixed with regular colours to add a shimmering effect and lighten the tone of the colour. You will need a greater ratio of iridescent colour for the effect to show on more opaque and lighter pigments than colours that are darker or more transparent. Pearlescent paint tends to have the biggest influence in colour mixes apart from when it is mixed with white or pale grey paint, which tends to block the iridescent qualities of pearlescent paint.

Winsor & Newton Iridescent Watercolour Medium can be used as a shimmering glaze on its own, or mixed with colour

7. If you mix an interference colour with a similar hued regular colour, for example Interference Red with Cadmium Red, the iridescence can make the colour appear more red. With lighter hued colours such as lime greens, pale pinks and acidic lemon colours, it’s possible to use interference colours to make them appear almost fluorescent, while still possessing good lightfastness (unlike real fluorescent colour which tends to be fugitive).

Adding Iridescence to Cadmium Red Medium Hue and Phthalo Green Jackson’s Acrylic using Golden Interference Red and Golden Interference Green Acrylic Paint

8. If you mix an interference colour with its complementary colour, e.g. Interference Green with a red, or Interference Red with a green, the paint surface can take on a shimmer that reflects both the colour of the paint and its complementary hue.

9. By tinting a regular transparent colour with an iridescent colour, you can create shimmering glazes that change appearance depending on the colour they are applied to. Add mediums to increase transparency, fluidity or texture to see how these variations influence the effects of iridescence. Contrast with more opaque iridescent colours such as metallic hues and iridescent colours that have been mixed with regular opaque pigments.

Iuile Watercolour Sparkle Gold Dot Card Watercolours on a wash of Jackson’s Cerulean Blue Watercolour

Iridescent paints reflect and refract light, causing changes in the appearance of the paint at different angles, while pearlescent paints reflect white light. While you might expect luminescent artist paint to glow, many tend to only reflect light and sparkle. Shimmering paints have plenty of potential and familiarity with how they behave can easily lead to successful experimentation of effects when mixed with other colours and mediums. It’s also worth seeing what happens when you apply them to different colour backgrounds. How they behave can be unexpected, and contribute to a beguiling and intriguing paint surface.

A Note About Mica

Following the original publication of this article, we received correspondence from a number of readers asking where and how the mica flakes used in some of these paints are sourced. I contacted the paint manufacturers who produce the materials featured in this article and have so far received the following responses.

Golden Paints
The mica in our Mica Flake products is mined in the United States. Mica in our Interference and Iridescent lines is sourced internationally, from companies who are members of the Responsible Mica Initiative. This is a complicated problem, which has by no means been solved, but this group is working diligently on it.

Daler Rowney
Our pigments used are both natural and synthetic depending on the colour. But, it goes without saying we only use reputable suppliers with checks and balances in place to ensure nothing we use comes from such mines. You can certainly be reassured of this.

Iuile
Iuile use synthetic micas in their watercolours and supplied Jackson’s with a statement from the source of their mica; ‘ …the mica we use for these products fully conform with RMI (Responsible Mica Initiative). Furthermore, we declare (sic) all our suppliers conform with No Child Labour Policy and source materials from Mineral Conflict-Free areas’.

The Individual Colours of the Holbein Artists’ Gouache Irodori Autumn Palette

Breaking down the colours initially, I was unsure. Safflower Red is a slightly cool leaning red to my eyes – bright enough, but deeper and not as warm as a vermillion that I would have originally thought appropriate. Orange as a name is slightly misleading, as this colour is by no means a traditional orange, and in my eyes closer to a slightly muted Burnt Sienna. Gardenia Yellow is a bright yellow, with a slightly cool ochre lean to it on closer inspection, and Amur Cork Yellow is a fractionally cooler yellow with a green lean. When both these yellows are diluted with water, there is minimal difference to the naked eye. Amber is as I would have hoped – a beautiful rich warm ochre tone. Bark Brown is perhaps warmer than I personally would have expected from the name, but still a colour I actually used a lot, and Smoked Bamboo is a cool brown, with a soft granulation when washed out.

I was very skeptical about the three warm leaning greens. Leek Green is what I would consider a ‘grass green’ – a colour that often appears in a mixed palette, but I rarely use without mixing another colour into it. Pine Tree Green, although lovely, for my tastes would be darker and Elm Green is a soft olive green. Therefore, there was a lot of pressure on Indigo, as the only blue in the palette. Indigo, as one of my most used and favourite colours, was a good choice for me. It provides a much needed cooling effect amongst the other colours. This indigo is a brighter colour than I might have expected when diluted with water and compared to some of its counterparts (Winsor & Newton Indigo gouache is a little more muted), but within the context of this palette, I was pleased to see it.

There are colours I would like to swap out for an alternative. The two yellows, in my opinion, aren’t justifiable unless used in their pure form, without mixing. I mixed both of them in turn with Indigo to see if I could create a different green to the ones already pre-mixed in the palette, and the difference in results were minimal. I ended up creating greens that were similar to Leek Green, and when mixing Amber with Indigo I created a colour that was close to Elm Green.

Autumn Palette

The final addition in the Holbein Autumn Palette is Antique Rich Gold. Personally, I don’t often use iridescent or metallic colours in my work, but for those that do, this is exactly as it is described, and could make an interesting addition when used in conjunction with the other colours. I did enjoy the incredibly subtle shimmer coming through when I mixed a tiny amount of diluted gold with white Gouache.

Autumn Palette

Adding White to the Autumn Palette

One thing that is missing for me from this palette is white. I understand why Holbein has left it out. The Seasonal Palettes of Japan feature each colour from the Irodori Gouache range once, meaning white is lacking from all but the summer palette, which for me is something I like to have. That said, most gouache users will have their own white, so I took the liberty of using my own when I began to experiment with this palette.

Using Limited Colour Palettes

I made two more limited colour palettes, using just five colours from the Autumn palette.

The first palette, I leant towards the more cool colours. I used Indigo, Amur Cork Yellow, Elm Green, Pine tree green and Smoked Bamboo, with additional white to create a swatch page. The Amur Cork Yellow, pure, diluted and mixed with white created a real pop of bright green yellow amongst soft, earthy blue greys, dark umbers and olives. For the second palette I used Bark Brown, Leek Green, Gardenia Yellow, Safflower Red and Orange, with additional white. The Leek Green, when mixed with white, gave an otherwise overall soft peach and burnt sienna colour way, that pop of something different I was looking for.

Autumn Palette

This is when the Autumn Palette began to shine, and does its namesake justice. For me, Autumn is my favourite season to paint because of the subtlety of the colours the natural world has to offer. The cooler air, soft mists and gentle decay of nature creates a muted feel, with a slight golden light that begins to close off the year. After mixing the colours together I began to understand how this could be relatively easily achieved with the Autumn Palette.

It was easy to make the soft golden browns, ochres and umbers that felt more Autumnal to me. Mixing Safflower Red with Indigo and a tiny bit of bark brown made a gorgeous dark aubergine colour, which when mixed with white, created that soft cool lilac brown I see so often in the landscape.

Autumn Palette

I don’t usually use just gouache in my work, choosing to use paint alongside other media to create the overall effect I’m looking for. However, creating a small, Autumnal themed illustration using just these paints, was not as challenging as I first thought it might be. I was able to get light washes effectively. The high quality of the Holbein Irodori Gouache paints meant they were very easy to use, creating fine washes as easily as layering impasto textures on top of each other. (If you do do this, I would recommend allowing plenty of drying time before adding the next layer).

Autumn Palette

The Holbein Artists’ Gouache Irodori Autumn Palette can be supplemented by other colours to curate an even wider palette. I would love to add an alternative blue in place of Elm Green to help create the cooler atmosphere I love to make, and a white. I’d also like to add a true orange, or a brighter, warm yellow alongside Gardenia Yellow. But you can create a large variety of colour with this palette as it stands, and the warmth lends itself to those sunlit early evening walks over crunching leaves we so often associate with autumn.

Read Frances’ review of the Holbein Artists Gouache Irodori Summer Set

Roman Szmal’s New Aquarius Colours

I was given the opportunity to test the new paints coming to the Aquarius range, and the first thing that struck me was the broad range of colours; from the vibrant Phthalo Blue (turquoise shade) through to moody Urban Grey, to the delightfully earthy Natural Umber Reddish. Something to note about the earth shades in the Aquarius range is that they are all made from natural earth pigments sourced from all over the world, instead of the more common synthetic iron oxides. Out of the 20 new colours I tested, 16 of them were single pigment paints.

After swatching out each paint, I decided to take a closer look at a handful of my favourite colours so far.

Roman Szmal Aquarius Watercolours

Phthalo Blue (Turquoise Shade): PB15:4, Transparent, Very Lightfast

I was immediately drawn to the fresh, vibrant colour of this particular paint. According to the Blue Wool Scale, Phthalo Blue (turquoise shade) rates an 8, which is classed as Very Lightfast, remaining unchanged for 200+ years. When I removed the protective layer from the watercolour pan, I discovered this paint – and all the Roman Szmal paints that I tested – to be a soft-set watercolour, with a uniquely malleable, tacky texture. As such, I did have a little difficulty peeling away the protective cover, and did end up pulling away some paint as well. However, this was easily scraped back into the pan, or onto my palette for immediate use, with the side of a palette knife.

Roman Szmal Aquarius Watercolour Paint Phthalo Blue (Turquoise Shade)

The paint itself wetted up quickly, offering a wealth of intense blue colour. The phthalo pigments are not known for their subtlety, and this particular blue certainly did not disappoint in that respect. Pleasantly creamy in texture, a little of this paint went a very long way, starting as an intense, turquoise-tinted blue hue, softening down with plenty of water into a clear, pale wash with no granulation. This is also a staining colour, and as such it didn’t lift well from my watercolour paper: even when I scrubbed with a sturdy brush, it left a stubbornly blue tint behind.

Urban Grey: PW6:1, PBr29, PB29, & PY150, Semi-Opaque, Very Lightfast

This is one of only four colours in the new range of Aquarius paints to contain more than a single pigment. Urban Grey is an elegant shade, created from the pigments PW6:1, PBr29, PB29, and PY150. At first glance, such a medley of pigments would seem to make little more than mud; however, in the hands of Roman Szmal, these colours combine into a deep grey that I suspect will become beloved by urban landscape painters, splitting out into a miasma of beautiful neutral darks. This is not a transparent watercolour, and as such would not be ideal for glazes or layering; however, its semi-opaque nature combined with its tendency towards granulation can offer some interesting effects, particularly on more heavily textured paper.

Roman Szmal Aquarius Watercolour Paint Urban Grey

Perylene Scarlet: PR149, Semi-Transparent, Lightfast

Perylene Scarlet is a versatile and intense red. Another of Roman Szmal’s single pigment paints, it works well both as a mixer, and when used purely on its own. When taken straight from the pan, this paint is a deep and impressive red that leans slightly towards the cooler side. Despite this, it mixes well with both warm and cool colours, offering a wealth of autumnal hues when mixed with Azo Yellow or Gamboge (hue), as well as some interesting violets and neutrals when combined with a variety of blue-toned colours. This paint is graded a 7 in lightfastness on the Blue Wool Scale, and is rated as moderately staining with moderate granulation. When testing this paint, I was able to achieve some lovely soft washes of colour, which layered well.

Roman Szmal Aquarius Watercolour Paint Perylene Scarlet

Perylene Red Deep: PR179, Transparent, Very Lightfast

I was excited to try this colour after testing the Perylene Scarlet, as I was interested in comparing the two. Despite the similarity in their names, these are two very different reds. Perylene Red Deep is a more subtle colour, and has darker, earthier tones that bring to mind shades of rust. This paint layers well as a transparent colour, and as a subtler non-granulating red it might be an interesting addition to a landscape painter’s palette, for times when the more traditional reds are a little too much.

Roman Szmal Aquarius Watercolour Paint Perylene Red Deep

Natural Umber Reddish: PBr7, Semi-Transparent, Very Lightfast

I really enjoyed the earthiness of this umber paint. In terms of the single pigment used to create this colour, PBr7 is incredibly versatile, and comes in a variety of different tones. It’s often found in paints marked as earths, ochres, umbers, and siennas; and in this particular umber, it takes on a pleasing reddish-brown colour. The Aquarius range of watercolour paint prides itself on using only natural earth pigments for their earth shades, hence this paint’s name. It has a moderate level of granulation, which can create some interesting textures when applied with enough water. It is also moderately staining, lifting relatively well from the watercolour paper but still leaving a little pigment behind.

Roman Szmal Aquarius Watercolour Paint Natural Umber Reddish

Velvet Black: PR264, PG7, Semi-Transparent, Very Lightfast

Interestingly, Velvet Black is not a ‘true’ black, in the sense that it isn’t created from a single black pigment; instead, this colour is a blend of PR264, a red pigment, and PG7, a green pigment. In this case, the red and green colours work to neutralise each other beautifully, resulting in this rich, dark paint which can be applied cleanly and smoothly, with little to no granulation. This makes it both an ideal mixer and neutraliser, as well as offering some interesting washes in varying tones of grey. I tried blending it with some of the other, brighter colours from the Roman Szmal range, and was delighted to be able to mix some attractive darks and neutrals. As such, I found this to be one of the most interesting and versatile colours in the range.

Roman Szmal Aquarius Watercolour Paint Velvet Black

My expectations were high when I began testing these colours, and after plenty of time spent blending, mixing and swatching, the Aquarius range of watercolour paints did not disappoint. Once I became accustomed to the softer texture of the paint pans, I found them very easy to use. They wet up quickly, mix well with one another, and create some interesting blends of colour and texture. I enjoyed the variety of warm and cool tones, but I did find myself missing some greens. However, I was able to create my own green tones, and I found the single pigment colours to be incredibly good mixers and very smooth to work with. All the paints I tested carried a high pigment load, which is to be expected from artist quality paints, and as a result of this the pans will go further, and last longer. There is no doubt that there are some exciting and versatile paints in this latest addition to the Roman Szmal Aquarius watercolour paints, which will only serve to bolster their already impressive range of colours.

Roman Szmal Synthetic Squirrel Quill Brushes

by Barbara Howard

I fell in love with Roman Szmal Aquarius Watercolour Paint a couple of years ago, so I was very interested when I saw Jackson’s were stocking Roman Szmal Watercolour Brushes. In the recent Jackson’s brush sale, when I saw how affordable these brushes were, I purchased a small, medium and large quill and a small liner brush. On arrival the other brushes I had ordered were pushed to one side when I discovered what fun these Roman Szmal Brushes were to paint with.

Synthetic Squirrel Quill

The brushes have shafts of transparent lacquered wood and are approximately 150 cm long. The shaft has a plastic quill with wire as per standard quill style. Made from synthetic squirrel hair they feel soft without being floppy and have a good snap to them. The width of the fibres is: small 4.5 mm, medium 6 mm and large is 7.5 mm, and length ranges from 20 mm to 30 mm. The brushes come to a very fine point, especially when wet. All sizes hold a considerable amount of water resulting in one dip going a long way.

Synthetic Squirrel Quill

My first practice sheet shows the thin lines that can be achieved with all three quills, as well as the width when used on the side in one stroke. The next example shows how evenly the water is released in a continuous long stroke as does the leaf shape in a shorter length. Note how even the even the paint was released on the long line. The last example gives you the idea of how good the water holding capacity was. I ran out of room for the large brush and the medium brush was particularly impressive.

Synthetic Squirrel Quill

My second is a play sheet showing the versatility of these brushes. The curlicues were easy to achieve, even the largest brush would have made them perfect. Being able to do successful lettering, curls and swirls in one go with ease was a real bonus. I found that because of the flexibility and smoothness of painting with these brushes that my painting flowed and was a lot looser as a result.

I also purchased a small liner brush, again made of synthetic squirrel hair. The hairs are long and hold a lot of water for such a fine brush. The water is released steadily and the paint goes a long way. The length and softness of the hairs means the brush dances across the paper, gives very fine twig and grass effects, and creates interesting effects when used sideways.

Synthetic Squirrel Quill

I am very impressed with all 4 brushes. They are such fun to paint with and have encouraged me to experiment with different styles and techniques. The quality and the affordable price makes these Roman Szmal Brushes a must buy and try.

Synthetic Squirrel Quill

About Barbara Howard

I am a self taught watercolour painter, living on an island that is colourful in summer, and grey and misty in winter. So painting with colours is essential to capture the colours of one and survive the other. My leaning is towards semi abstract still life, landscape and buildings but I experiment with different techniques and styles all the time. For me playing with colour using mostly watercolour paints is an absorbing passion and pleasure, a hobby for life.

Louise Balaam Takes Us Through Her Sketchbook Practice

As a landscape artist I believe drawing in the landscape is absolutely essential for my process – and such an enjoyable thing to do as well. I don’t see the drawings as particularly important in themselves and I don’t paint directly from my drawings, but I see the sketching process as a crucial way of gathering information for the artist. Being in the landscape with your drawing materials keeps you there for much longer than taking a photograph, and it gives you a chance to absorb and be aware of all the other aspects of where you are – birdsong, other sounds, the breeze, the feel of the air, the ground you’re sitting on… It all feeds into your understanding of the place, not just the visual aspects. I’ll often make notes on my drawings about particular birds I can hear, or what plants are around me, for example. I like to work quickly and spontaneously, capturing different aspects of the landscape in a range of sketches and media. I’m not aiming to make exact drawings but to somehow capture the feeling or the essence of where I am.

Sketchbooks

I use a range of sketchbooks when drawing outside. I find it very helpful to have two or three on the go at once – I often use water-based media and having more than one sketchbook means that I can put one drawing aside to dry and start to work on another one. I don’t have a favourite sketchbook type, though I do like to use paper which is heavy enough to take water-based media without cockling. I like to use a range of formats and sizes when I’m drawing, from square to a very wide double-page spread. In some situations, for instance drawing from other artists’ work in galleries or standing up in the landscape, a spiral-bound sketchbook is very useful as the sketchbook can be bent back on itself.

Media

In terms of media, I use a range of different media when I’m drawing outside. I find that having media with colour really helps to remind me of the particular atmosphere of a place when I’m looking over my sketchbooks back in the studio. I like water-based media because of its fluidity and its painterliness. Although I don’t think of myself as a watercolour artist, I’ll usually have a box of watercolour pans, plus a watertight folding plastic palette which I use with tube watercolours. I like to have a tube of white artist’s gouache to use with the watercolours, which gives me some opacity and allows me to work in the spontaneous, gestural way I like.

I also use Derwent XL Water-soluble Sticks, which are so useful – they’re chunky sticks which can be scribbled with and then washed over with water, used on already-dampened paper, or used with a brush as a solid block of colour. The other water-soluble media with colour I use is acrylic inks. I like drawing directly with the bottle dropper and then using water to release the colour onto the page.

I like to have some monochromatic media as well. I find that using monochrome helps me focus on the structure of the landscape and its tonal values, without the distraction of colour, so it plays a different role. I generally have pencils (water-soluble pencils such as Derwent and propelling pencils with a rubber which are very handy to scribble with), charcoal, compressed charcoal and a water-soluble brush pen such as Tombeau. I like the Artgraf tailor’s chalk block of pigment, which is soft and fun to use.

I often use different media together on the same drawing, depending on the particular colour or consistency I’m looking for.

As I mentioned, I prefer not to use sketches or drawings directly to paint from. I find that this can lead to trying to copy the drawing with paint, and in my work I’m aiming to keep spontaneity and energy in the painting. I can’t do this if I’m trying to copy something, so my process is to look at the sketchbook to remind me of the feeling of the place and the colour relationships, but then to put it aside when I start to paint. I want the painting to take its own course – it will be informed by the drawings and by my experience of doing the drawings, but not necessarily be directly related to any one drawing.

I feel that drawing in the landscape is such a crucial part of a landscape artist’s practice. It provides the source material which the paintings come from. In my work I want to communicate my emotional response to the landscapes which are significant and meaningful to me, and I find it’s so helpful to have gotten to know those landscapes in different seasons and different weather. To my mind drawing is one of the best ways of getting to know those places at a deeper level.

Practical Advice

My advice to artists (which I don’t always manage to follow myself!) is to make sure you have your sketching bag packed and ready wherever you might be – including water to draw with and a range of sketchbooks as I’ve mentioned. I find a rucksack the most practical way of carrying everything I need, plus a very useful bit of kit is a little folding seat pad (from camping shops.) I like to sit on the ground when I’m drawing as I can have all my media around me and I feel more in touch with the landscape. The seat pad means I can sit comfortably on wet grass or sharp rocks. Bulldog clips are handy to hold down the pages of a sketchbook in windy weather.

I find it useful to label sketchbooks with the relevant places and dates. Where possible I try to keep the drawings for one place – for example Pembrokeshire or St Ives – in the same sketchbook, so I can review a range of drawings from the same place together.

Materials Used

Sketchbooks

Moleskine Sketchbooks

Fabriano Classic Artist’s Journal

Royal Talens 140g/m2 Sketchbook

Stillman & Birn Mixed Media Sketchbook

Hand Book Journal Company Drawing Journal

Seawhite Travel Journals

Water-soluble Materials

Daler-Rowney Aquafine Watercolour Tubes

Seawhite Artists Gouache – White

Derwent XL Inktense Water-soluble Blocks

Liquitex Professional Acrylic Ink

Daler Rowney Acrylic Ink

Mijello Watertight Folding Plastic Palette

Pro Arte Polar Brush

Monochrome Media

Coates Willow Charcoal

Jakar Compressed Charcoal (Black and Greyscale)

Derwent Water-soluble Sketching Pencil

Artgraf Tailor’s Chalk Pigment Blocks

Papermate Non-stop Propelling Pencil

About Louise Balaam

Louise Balaam is a member of the New English Art Club and of the Royal West of England Academy, and has a degree and a Masters in Fine Art. She has work in many private collections and has shown in the Royal Academy Summer Show, the Threadneedle Prize, the Lynn Painter-Stainer Prize, and the Discerning Eye exhibition. She is represented by Cricket Fine Art in Chelsea, London and other galleries. With the New School of Art she tutors workshops in Lewes, Sussex as well as producing online teaching content.

Follow Louise on Instagram

Visit Louise’s website

Six Months Painting With the Escoda Ultimo Evolution 1933 Brush

As a synthetic brush, I must admit to being a touch wary at first about just how well the Escoda Ultimo Evolution was going to hold up over time. It was no doubt exceptional when I first tested it, straight out of the box; but I’ve had synthetic brushes before that quickly fell to pieces after constant, daily use. Thankfully, I can confirm that this remarkable watercolour brush is certainly not one of those.

I have a tendency to over-use certain brushes; if I find one I like that also fits my hand well, then I will use it for almost everything. Over the last six months I have been working on my own watercolour projects, as well as several painting tutorials and demonstrations; and I have honestly lost track of the number of times I have reached for this brush.

One of the key features of the Evolution is its water and paint carrying capacity: up to 50% more than the standard Escoda Ultimo Round Mop Brushes, thanks to its unique perforated ferrule design. This has proven to still be consistently excellent with every use. It remains capable of creating lovely smooth washes of colour. When I paint with this brush, I find that I rarely need to dip back into my palette, except to change colours. This has helped greatly diminish the number of awkward runbacks I’ve encountered while painting flat washes.

Escoda Último Evolution 1933 Watercolour Brush after six months of painting in the studio.

As with all my watercolour mop brushes, I rinse them carefully under the tap after every use with clean water, and tend to only wash them with brush soap once a week. Visually, this brush is still in virtually immaculate condition, as I would expect: the dark wooden handle is still smooth and pleasing to hold, the ferrule still firmly in place, and the bristles still secured with no loss of hairs that I have seen. When dry, the soft bristles tend to splay and look a little fuzzy, but this does not affect the point, which still comes together perfectly when the brush is wetted, ready for paint.

As such, I can still happily use this brush for not only larger sweeps of colour, but smaller and more intricate details. My main concern when agreeing to test this brush over time was that it would struggle to maintain a tight point, however I am glad to find that this is not the case. I use it regularly to add calligraphic marks into my paintings, working both wet in wet and wet on dry, and have no complaints about its performance after six months of almost daily use.

Escoda Último Evolution 1933 Watercolour Brush after six months of painting in the studio.

I must add that while I have used the brush regularly and consistently, I have been somewhat careful with it – I haven’t used it to paint any vigorous, ‘scrubby’ hard marks that might have damaged the soft bristles. However, I have used it to lift colour from a wash, which has involved a mild amount of scrubbing, and can happily say that this process has not compromised the integrity of the brush, which always comes back together into a sharp point, no matter how much I splay it out whilst painting.

Due to the softness of these synthetic bristles, I think it wise to treat this brush with gentle care. I have done this, and it has rewarded me by maintaining not only its rounded shape, but its crisp point and water-carrying capacity most excellently. The wooden handle remains delightfully smooth, splinter-free, and ergonomic, and despite my initial misgivings, after its six-month trial, the Escoda Ultimo Evolution 1933 brush remains a real, genuine pleasure to paint with.

Lisa Takahashi Takes Us Through Her Sketchbook Practice

An Evolving Relationship With My Sketchbook

I admit that I have always found a sketchbook a bit of a commitment, and that it’s only very recently that I am finally understanding the best way to use a sketchbook; a way that suits how I work. My earliest memory of using a sketchbook dates back to school, and in that time my use of the sketchbook was a bit back-to-front. I’d paint a picture and then be advised that I would need evidence of my preparation and research for the painting in a sketchbook. My art teacher ended up calling it post-paration because no one in my class was interested in drawing as a means of developing a painting, and so we’d all end up doing very quick doodles and stick half-relevant newspaper clippings in a sketchbook in a last ditch attempt at a better coursework grade.

This expectation to ‘show your workings out’ for a painting really put me off drawing for a very long time, but I feel incredibly fortunate that I have since found the sheer pleasure of putting pencil, pen and watercolour to paper.

My Favourite Sketchbook

My favourite size sketchbook is an A3 hardback sketchbook that can easily accommodate very free and expressive life drawings, brainstorms and notes, sketches for developing ideas for linocuts, and sometimes paintings. I’ve recently taken a break from A3 sketchbooks because they are so big and felt that perhaps a smaller A5(ish) sketchbook might be more practical for drawing on the go, which I know is an incredibly beneficial practice, but I will freely admit it’s not one I’ve managed to engage with on a daily basis. I’m happiest working with one sketchbook at any one time as I like the continuity and the clear journey you can read when you flick through the pages years after – I do sometimes have several on the go but it always feels a bit like I’m cheating on one or the other! I regularly teach painting and linocut workshops and so a spiral bound pad of Bockingford is usually hanging around in the studio as well. I tend to keep my paintings and drawings for workshops separate to the sketchbooks that form part of my personal practice.

It’s important for me to have watercolour paper and cartridge paper available at all times – you cannot get the most out of your paints, graphite pencils and drawing pens on the wrong surface. For watercolour paper I use cold pressed 140 lb weight paper, usually Bockingford or a Jackson’s Watercolour Block. Either of these papers are fantastic for quick sketches and idea development (for more finished works on paper I tend to use Jackson’s Two Rivers or Arches). For cartridge paper I use Seawhite 140 gsm – it’s a lovely resilient surface that withstands light washes of watercolour and lots of erasing, and I can get a good range of tone using graphite on it. It’s all I need from my drawing paper.

Sketchbook Related Materials

Alongside my sketchbooks, I often sketch in watercolour on loose sheets of paper (for online portrait painting sessions or plein air landscape painting) and I also occasionally write three pages of stream of consciousness first thing in the morning in a notebook, as a way of checking in with myself. It very often ends up being about new ideas for drawings, paintings or prints that I would like to explore.

My Preferred Art Materials For Sketching

I mainly use a 3B graphite pencil usually for sketching – sometimes I’ll have something softer to hand for really dark shading. I love the versatility of a simple graphite pencil, you can get a huge range of tones, and it easily erases. When I’m sketching in watercolour I tend to use a mix of pans and tubes – I have a 24 Half Pan Schmincke Watercolour Set and I also have a vintage metal money box tin full of my favourite tubes of Jackson’s Artist Watercolour. I use my huge John Pike Palette so I can make all manner of mixes. When I’m not working with graphite or watercolour I do occasionally work with Faber Castell Brush Pens, Jackson’s Fine Liners, Talens Ecoline and Tombow Fudenosuke Calligraphy Soft Brush Pens. More recently I’ve begun to incorporate collage into my sketchbooking, using cheap double sided origami paper and a craft glue stick.

I use 3B graphite pencils because they are easy to control yet smudgeable, and graphite marks are easy to refine and alter as you work. This is why I feel very comfortable drawing with a graphite pencil, and why I usually use them for idea development for work in other media, such as linocut or painting. On the other hand, once you make a mark with a black pen there’s usually no turning back, and so working with a pen, in a way, can be more liberating, as you have to accept every mark you make and just keep going. Black pens are my favoured material for plein air and urban sketching. Watercolours are great for observing colour, and I like to use them when sketching for fun, just to practice my observational skills. They’re easy to lift from watercolour paper with a sponge or piece of kitchen paper.

My Intermittent Sketchbook Routine

There’s nothing regular about my creative practice, and consequently there can be weeks where I don’t pick up a sketchbook, and then long stretches where I can’t leave the house without one because I need it for recording observations, either within myself or further afield. My sketchbooks are multifunctional. I feel I’ve finally reached an aspiration quite recently – to feel at ease with using a sketchbook just to play and enjoy the tactile quality of making marks. But on top of that and a more long standing use of a sketchbook is to work out how to separate the layers of a multiblock linocut, or to refine the composition of a more involved watercolour or oil painting.

My preparatory drawings for linocut often give other people a headache! My preferred method is to work exclusively with line in pencil, and then I tend to turn the sketch into a ‘colour by numbers’, assigning each colour I intend to work with a number, and then marking every shape with the right number. It’s the clearest way for me to create a map that I can refer to when I reach the image transfer and cutting stages of a linocut print. Sometimes I use shading rather than numbers and it is a lot more time consuming, but it does give me more of an idea of the final print. I don’t tend to use coloured pencils or watercolour for linocut preparation because I find the differences in colours to my printmaking colours can confuse me and can sometimes also kill the motivation to carry on; the sketch ends up looking too much like the final product and so I lose the curiosity I need to keep going.

A Sketchbook Isn’t Important To My Creative Practice

A lot of the sketches you’ll see in my sketchbooks are finished works in themselves and don’t lead to anything else.

A sketchbook is not important to my practice. It’s a useful way to keep drawings protected and a chronological record of my creative development. But what’s more important to my creative practice is the art of sketching itself, and that distinction is crucial.

Sometimes the size and shape of a page in a sketchbook doesn’t match what I need to draw and so I’ll work on loose sheets instead. It’s really important for me to recognise this as sometimes a sketchbook page can hinder the enjoyment of drawing – and that’s fatal. It’s only recently I’ve learnt that every drawing session is different and that identifying the right tools and working with them and stopping when constraints are hindering your enjoyment is key. It’s certainly only been in the last 5 years that I’ve given myself permission to tear pages from the back of a sketchbook to tape to other pages so I can make drawings bigger when needed… it’s ridiculous really. But I’ve noticed that I can be indebted to my materials when really I need to show them who’s boss in order to get anywhere. The horrible irony though is that sometimes the freedom to do anything is equally hindering – so you have to learn to recognise when limitations and frameworks are either helping or hindering your creativity.

My advice is to use a sketchbook in a way that enriches your enjoyment of life, and your work. It may take time to work out exactly what that means, and the answer is a very personal one. Don’t feel you need to limber up and make your best work in your sketchbook. A sketchbook is a tool, and you don’t need to show it to anyone. I’m taking this opportunity to show you mine because I want you to see there’s pages of scribbles, there’s nonsensical writing, there’s journaling, phone numbers, shopping lists. And then there’s idea development, life drawing, drawings of my partner sat in front of the TV, pictures made on holiday. For me a sketchbook is a record of my existence, as and when I need to record my existence, which isn’t always. How you choose to use yours will become apparent and if you don’t feel inclined to use a sketchbook, that’s OK too.

Materials Used

Seawhite A3 Portrait Hardcover Sketchbook

Bockingford Sketchbook

Talens Sketchbook

Jackson’s 3B Pencil

Tombow Fudenosuke Calligraphy Soft Brush Pen

Talens Ecoline Pen

Faber Castell Indian Ink Pens

Jackson’s Fineliner Pens

Schmincke Horadam 24 Half Pan Set

Jackson’s Watercolour Tubes
Indian Yellow, French Vermillion, Carmine, Indigo, Cerulean Blue, Hookers Green, Sap Green, Raw Umber, Ivory Black, Paynes Grey and Yellow Ochre.

John Pike Palette

Origami Paper

Glue Stick

Staedtler Mars Plastic Eraser

About Lisa Takahashi

Lisa Takahashi is an artist, writer and teacher based in Taunton, Somerset. Her multi-block linocuts are bold geometric evocations of the movement and energy of everyday scenes. She is a passionate plein air artist in the Post Impressionist tradition, and works in watercolour and oils. Lisa featured as a semi-finalist on Sky Arts Landscape Artist of The Year 2018, and a judge on Channel 5’s Watercolour Challenge in 2022. She exhibits her work regularly across the UK and has been selected four times for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Alongside her practice, Lisa teaches painting and printmaking workshops, works as a Studio and Materials Specialist for Jackson’s Art Supplies, and contributes articles and illustrations to the popular printmaking publication Pressing Matters.

Visit Lisa’s website

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Contents – A Guide to Masking Fluid

0:00 Introduction

0:34 Why you should use masking fluid

1:27 Choosing your masking fluid

1:56 How to apply masking fluid

2:53 Applying with a ruling pen

4:40 Applying with a toothpick

4:59 Applying with a toothbrush

5:45 Masking fluid in a dispensing bottle

6:09 Applying with a brush

6:15 How to care for your brush when applying masking fluid

7:04 The benefits of applying with a brush

7:25 Application in action with a variety of tools

7:50 Applying colour over dried masking fluid

9:49 Removing the masking fluid

12:28 Credits

First Impressions of the Holbein Artists’ Gouache Irodori Winter Palette

On first impression, the Holbein Irodori Gouache Winter Palette certainly looked, well, cold. From the packaging, there didn’t appear to be any obviously warm yellow or gold tones, which was a stark contrast to the Autumn Palette: the reds lean cold, the blues looked icy, and Patina looked like a Viridian. However, some of the browns were more neutral, and Russet Green is a warm-leaning olive green, which initially meant it was one that I was drawn to the most. I like to mix a lot of my own colours when curating my own gouache palette, but I’m always on the lookout for those useful, stand alone colours to add to it, and I felt sure that Russet Green would be one of them. In fact, there were several that I would like to add to my own Winter Palette. In this review, I break down the Holbein Irodori Winter Palette into smaller palettes, and investigate the way the colours work together to create an unusual, but overall beautiful, palette.

Holbein Artists’ Gouache Irodori Winter Palette

The Individual Colours of the Holbein Artists’ Gouache Irodori Winter Palette

Unlike the Autumn Palette, there were no obvious overlaps between the colours here. Twenty five percent of the palette being devoted to browns seemed a little unnecessary on first look, but they all behaved very differently when I swatched the individual colours. It is also worth noting that some of the colours are more transparent than others – for some gouache users, this slight inconsistency might sway you, if you prefer a more flat colour. As someone that really enjoys a painterly mark, and quite happily flits between watercolour and gouache, I enjoyed the differences between some of the colours. When testing each colour, I made one thick swatch, adding water across the next two, and mixing them with white to create a slight gradient effect. I will say that this palette is also missing a white, as the Autumn Palette did. For me, I prefer to have one in every palette as it is essential to my practice, but I imagine that most of us have enough for it not to be a problem! For the swatches I made, I used Holbein traditional gouache in White.

Crimson is exactly the colour you would expect it to be, but quite transparent. Iron Oxide Red is more opaque than Crimson, with a warm undertone that I enjoyed a lot when mixed with White. Russet Brown is a cool red brown with a subtle granulation, and Dark Brown is a neutral brown with a touch of yellow, which granulates beautifully in washes. Patina is a neutral to cool green, like a viridian, that is also a little more transparent. Russet Green is an olive green, with a gentle vibrancy and some transparency, whereas Geisha Blue is an extremely opaque, cool light blue. You could make a not dissimilar colour by mixing white with Hummingbird Blue, a beautiful bright blue with a green lean, but Hummingbird Blue is different enough in consistency when compared to Geisha Blue to warrant them both to be nice additions to the palette.

Winter Palette

Peony is, as you might expect, a cool deep pink with some transparency, and Blue Black is a dark deep neutral blue, with an indigo lean. When mixed with White it makes a lovely shade similar to Payne’s Grey. I found Rikyu Grey harder to place. It’s a light, neutral, opaque grey, with a subtle yellow beige feel to it, that I personally might not regularly use by itself, and Antique Gold is a neutral light shimmer. Again, I don’t choose to use iridescent or reflective paints in my own work, but it is opaque and can be washed down to give a very subtle glitter to a piece of work.

Testing Limited Colour Palettes

This time, I initially broke the twelve individual colours into groups of three to make smaller limited palettes. Initially, this felt tricky, as there are only three colours that I considered to be light in value in the palette (including the gold), with all the others being at least a dark mid tone. I tried to create varied palettes, and ended up making some brighter colours than I expected, alongside some beautifully subdued greys and desaturated hues that I was hoping for.

Mixing Patina and Geisha Blue created a bright, opaque aqua, which contrasted well with the warmer Red Iron Oxide. Hummingbird Blue, Rikyu Grey and Russet Brown makes for a subdued, cool and natural palette that reminds me of that early morning dog walk in the mist. Russet Green and Crimson, when combined with Blue Black, created some rich, strong tones that I associate with heavy fabrics and dark warm rooms. As I mentioned before, I don’t gravitate towards a glitter in my paint, but the pigments, when I mixed Antique Gold with Peony and Dark Brown, made for some lovely warm browns with a subtle and an altogether lovely shimmer. I never thought I would type that…

Winter Palette

I then decided to push these a little further, making larger scale palettes. The first focussed on the greens and reds in the palette. I used Peony, Crimson, Russet Brown, Rikyu Grey, Russet Green and finally Patina, as my cool colour amongst the warmer hues. I added white to these too, and mixed, without a particular theme or image in mind. I like to do this when I’m struggling with a new illustration or project, as a matter of course – it frees up my mind and opens new possibilities – and it definitely did that for this palette. The soft lavender hue that comes through as the sun is setting on a cold winter fog? You can make that. The light sage green that the grass appears to turn after a frost? Easily done with Russet Green, Patina and a dollop of white. Dusty pinks, dark siennas and cold greens are in abundance here, and a pop of crimson on top brings them all together in a lovely complementary palette.

For the final palette, I grouped the blues together alongside Antique Gold and Red Iron Oxide in order to complement them, adding the Dark Brown as a warmer neutral. Again, I was really happy with some of the pale neutrals that came out of mixing this way. The soft siennas and bright blues are reminiscent of a bright and cold winter’s day, the tonal range is wide and the Blue Black allows for some interesting purple hues to come through. Hummingbird Blue truly sings amongst the desaturated palette I created.

Winter Palette

This palette is certainly not for every artist – I would have loved to see a warm bright, such as a light golden ochre in place of the Antique Gold, to add more variation and hint at some warmth. That said, this palette is at the very least representative of the climate of the colder, darker months. There are a few inconsistencies in some of the paints. Geisha Blue and Rikyu Grey are prone to crumbling more if you use them in an opaque fashion, but as they are very flat colours I would think that is due to the nature of the binder to pigment ratio, or perhaps the binder itself. There is less crumbling with the more transparent colours, which I again suspect is due to the binders used. There isn’t a lot of readily available information on this, but for my own mixed media practice, it doesn’t concern me at all.

Winter Palette

If you like painting en plein air, or your work is influenced by the seasonal shifts we experience, then there is a lot to be gained from this palette. There’s a richness across some of the colours that create a jewel like quality, that I am now tempted to bring into my work – so it doesn’t all feel dark and desaturated like the dark November afternoon I am writing this on! If you enjoy colour mixing, the Holbein Irodori Gouache Winter Palette can offer you a lot of inspiration, and perhaps an alternative colour palette for the colder season.

Read Frances’ review of the Holbein Artists Gouache Irodori Summer Set

Read Frances’ review of the Holbein Artists Gouache Irodori Autumn Set

Mark Entwisle Takes Us Through His Sketchbook Practice

I generally have three sketchbooks on the go. An A6 sketchbook, permanently in my bag, an A5 one which is more for drawing at home, and an A5 watercolour sketchbook, more for travelling or when I’ll have time to paint.

For drawing I mostly use the Moleskine Hardback Notebooks and Sketchbooks. I like the smooth paper.

Mark Entwisle Sketchbook

I favour notebooks that have more, thin pages as they don’t feel as serious, so I feel less of the restriction that each drawing has to be really good. Sketchbooks are a good place to experiment and feel free to make mistakes, make a note of something that interests you without wondering who else will be interested.

I use A5, hardback watercolour sketchbooks with hot press paper. I don’t particularly like textured paper, especially on a small scale. I’m trying out new ones at the moment as they have stopped making the ones I used to use.

Mark Entwisle Sketchbook

My current A5 watercolour sketchbook by Hahnemuhle, that I’ve painted in all summer, is very good, so I’ll probably stick with that. The paper seems to have equally good surfaces for watercolour on both sides. Not always the case!

The two things I always carry with my sketchbook are a Pentel 0.9 Mechanical Pencil, the Architect’s Pencil. A bit thick for small A5 drawings, but I find the 0.5 leads snap too easily. I think I’m a heavy handed draughtsperson.

And an orange Bic Biro, Fine point and black ink. I think I draw better with a biro as its permanence sharpens the senses. I also like that you have to leave all the lines in. On my foundation course we were told not to use an eraser as you would just draw the same line again. I also like those bic biros with four different colours.

I do have a small watercolour tin with eight quarter pan colours and a sawn off brush to keep things minimal and light if I’m planning on painting, but I generally carry a larger metal tin as I need the larger palette areas.

I use watercolours for their immediacy, unpredictability and simplicity. I bought my first set, a small tin that said Rembrandt on the lid, when I was 13 or 14 at a jumble sale. It hadn’t been used. I found it quite easy and logical to paint with straight away. I’ve always found it’s a medium I just get, unlike oils which seemed like trials and tribulations for years, like painting with mud, as Roger Dean put it. A lot of artists I know find the opposite and feel that watercolours are some sort of wizardry! For 15 years as an illustrator I used watercolours exclusively, doing book covers, record covers and theatre posters.

Mark Entwisle Sketchbook

On my foundation course at Cambridge Art College we were told to draw something, anything every day, like a pianist might practice their scales. I think I’ve pretty much stuck to that and consequently have quite a large diary-like collection of sketchbooks.

Mark Entwisle Sketchbook

Being dyslexic, I draw where others might read. Waiting rooms, trains, beaches, watching telly. Pretty mundane things, the everyday, loved ones, things others might not have seen.

Mark Entwisle Sketchbook

We were told that if you draw something you will remember it better than if you sat and really looked at it. I find now that looking through an old sketchbook, as I have been, preparing to write this piece! The sketchbooks are like diaries, not just remembering the thing you drew, but other things going on around you at the time. They seem to carry more pertinent information than photos.

I don’t think I do translate my sketches into finished works directly, although they inform the way I paint. They either remain in my sketchbooks or are cut out and framed for exhibitions. There’s often a spontaneity about them due to the unpremeditated nature of them. You’ve literally sat in front of something and painted, often directly with a brush as someone is likely to move. You’ve sort of done it and would be hard pressed to get it again copying it but bigger. I think they work alongside larger paintings that I’ve done in the studio where I try to keep the same sense of immediacy. Similarly with the studio work, I don’t do preliminary sketches and compositions as I feel I’ve slightly used up the energy of the initial impulse. I try to avoid talking about what I’m painting next.

The use of sketchbooks is important mostly for keeping your hand/eye in. For practice, for inquiring, for doing things free from concern about other people’s opinions about it, free to get it wrong, ruin it, try doing it differently, and to get unexpected results.

Draw every day. Draw anything. Draw for yourself. If you’re interested, it’s likely others will be. Don’t try to be someone else, concentrate on drawing everyday and your own style will emerge. Don’t over polish, embrace mistakes. Maybe being clumsy or heavy handed is your thing.

Picasso said, I believe in inspiration, but it has to find you working.

Mark Entwisle

About Mark Entwisle RWS

The son of an RAF fighter pilot, Mark Entwisle was born in Amman, Jordan in 1961 and sent to boarding school in Berkshire aged seven. It was here that his passion for art was ignited and encouraged. Mark went on to take a foundation course at the Cambridge College of Art and Technology, specialising in printmaking, followed by a degree in illustration at Brighton, graduating in 1984.

Some of his first commissions were for major publishers such as Penguin, Random House and Heinemann. He created book covers for Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Aldous Huxley and PG Wodehouse as well as many others. He also designed posters for the National Theatre production of Wind in the Willows and record covers for Chris Rhea.

During his 15 years as an illustrator Mark continued to feed his need to paint and began showing at galleries in Bath and London.

Mark continues to exhibit widely both as a solo artist and at carefully chosen group shows. He is immensely proud to have been recognised with a number of respected art prizes, most recently winning a first in the Sunday Times Watercolour Competition 2020.

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Review of Jackson’s Lay-Flat Hardcover Sketchbooks

by Holly Reynolds

As artists, I think most of us are on the hunt for the elusive ‘perfect’ sketchbook. My sketchbook needs to be versatile and a place I feel comfortable working in: sturdy enough to hold up to whatever media I want to throw at it, but inexpensive enough that I’m not afraid of “ruining” it with messy sketches.

Jackson’s Lay-Flat Hardcover Sketchbooks 100 gsm

This sketchbook ticks those boxes. I’m a big fan of the whole range of Jackson’s Lay-Flat Hardcover Sketchbooks, but the square 21 x 21 cm format is a particular favourite of mine. The long, letterbox-like format of a double page spread gives you enough room to work across without being a daunting space to fill. When closed, the sketchbook is compact enough to be thrown in a rucksack for drawing on location, and a comfortable size to hold while drawing away from your desk.

Jackson’s Lay-Flat Hardcover Sketchbook 100 gsm 72 Sheets 21 x 21 cm Square

The paper is 100 gsm, neutral white and smooth with a very subtle texture, making it perfect for pencil work. You get some ghosting through the pages, but I actually appreciate it; it makes me approach my work with a more relaxed mindset and reduces any apprehension about starting on a fresh blank page. Gouache and acrylic paint apply well and have not presented any issues for this sketchbook. Although a paper of this weight is not designed to facilitate large amounts of wet media, I have also used ink and light watercolour washes and have been pleasantly surprised with how well the paper has responded. Bearing in mind the price of these sketchbooks, I find them to be great value for those seeking affordability without compromising too much on versatility.

Drawing by Holly Reynolds

The design of this sketchbook prioritises functionality over aesthetics. I much prefer a sketchbook that doesn’t feel overly luxurious, as it encourages me to stop being precious or overly cautious about sitting down and actually using it! I appreciate the straightforward aesthetic of the greyboard cover and have found it more than rigid enough to protect my work and lean on while working away from my desk. The flat-lay binding is also a must for me as it allows for seamless work across double-page spreads and facilitates easy scanning of artwork.

The Jackson’s Lay-Flat Hardback Sketchbooks have quickly become favourites of mine, joining my rotation alongside other reliable choices such as the Royal Talens Art Creation Sketchbooks and Moleskine Watercolour Sketchbooks. Jackson’s Lay-Flat Sketchbooks address certain gaps for me; the distinctive large square format is absent in many other brands, and I often favour the white paper of the Jackson’s books over the creamy-yellow tone in Royal Talens when doing work in colour. For work that doesn’t require a more substantial paper weight, Jackson’s also proves a more practical choice compared to pricier options, such as Moleskine. All in all, this is a well-rounded sketchbook at a very competitive price point.

Drawings by Holly Reynolds

About Holly Reynolds

Holly Reynolds is an artist and illustrator originally from Birmingham but now living in South Wales. She graduated from the University of Worcester in 2019, having developed a love of visual storytelling and a particular interest in fairytales, mythology, and folktales from around the world. Holly has since provided a portrait of Cillian Murphy to the BBC, used in the advertising campaign for season 5 of ‘Peaky Blinders’. She has also self-published an illustrated anthology of dog-related folktales, Canine Tales of Britain, and her first commercially published book, a Chinese translation of Anna Sewell’s classic Black Beauty, is due to be published in Spring 2024 by Great Star Media.

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Connie Lim Takes Us Through Her Sketchbook Practice

As a fashion illustrator and dedicated life drawer, I see these two aspects as very much intertwined. Drawing from life is essential in capturing the moment, the energy, the details of clothing, and the personalities of the models who become characters in the sketches.

Connie Lim

Part of what I do as a fashion illustrator, is draw backstage at London Fashion Week, or draw from still images and film from the catwalks. Fashion illustration serves as a visual interpretation of the artistic creations made by different fashion designers. In this role, illustrators often find themselves situated outside the design process of the clothing, concentrating instead on capturing the essence, and final form of the fashion pieces.

Connie Lim

With a decade of experience in the fashion illustration industry, I consider the sketchbook a vital component of my creative process. To me, the sketchbook is like my creative playground. I use it to try out new techniques, and explore different styles without stressing about how it turns out.

When I first started on my creative journey, I was on a quest to uncover my unique style, to define what resonated with my taste and truly reflected me. This, I found early on, was an important aspect of being an illustrator in general, to distinguish yourself from others.

Therefore, in hopes to find myself and what I was drawn to, each year I dedicated myself to master a specific medium. I honestly believe it takes time to truly understand and personalise a medium, to use it in your own way. And so I dedicated individual years to the pencil, pen, coloured pencil, watercolour, gouache, and so forth. With each, I cultivated a repertoire of techniques that felt uniquely mine. I think it’s very similar to cooking – experimenting which ingredients/materials to combine to create interesting outcomes and tastes. This is still a constant exploration and this year I have added oil pastels to the mix!

I typically use one or two sketchbooks simultaneously. One serves as a dedicated space for observations, allowing me to capture scenes, details, or anything that catches my eye. The other functions as a place for my personal inspirations, tailored to the specific project I’m currently working on.

The observation sketches come in handy when doing quick sketches backstage at London Fashion Week. Sometimes I’ve got just ten seconds to capture a runway look so it’s ideal to have a sketchbook that needs to be portable and not have loose pages flying around. I also draw backstage as well, and I stick to dry mediums because it isn’t ideal to have a pot of water and wet media, as it will get in the way or be at risk of spillages! I found it interesting that the limited options give my sketches a style that was born out of necessity.

Connie Lim

Moleskine Sketchbooks are my usual go-to items. The quality of the paper and its resilience makes it a perfect canvas for pencils, markers, watercolour, ink, or acrylic studies. I quite like how the papers have a yellow-ish tone to them so it’s not stark white. Somehow, the whiteness of the paper stunts a bit of my creativity. Perhaps, I have this feeling that I will make a mess on anything sparkly white? It just makes me a bit nervous!

When I’m travelling, I like the A5 size because it’s convenient to sketch wherever I go. Also, if I am drawing people, I can be more discreet! However, if I am in the studio, I like to work on the A4 size or even A3. My sketchbook becomes a playground where I can work with a mix of materials, letting loose and experimenting without any boundaries. It’s my free space.

Connie Lim

In terms of favourite materials, the Faber Castell Polychromos Pencils are my go-to base tool. As a draftsperson who leans towards seeing in lines, I like using vibrant colours to my drawings instead of a normal pencil. I feel that it brings a bit of life into my sketches with a diverse colour palette.

I also use both gouache and watercolour for my wet media. I tend to use the Winsor & Newton Designer Gouache and Professional Watercolour. However, I’ve recently experimented with Himi Jelly Gouache, and found myself drawn to the saturation of colours such as the pink, purples, and blues.

Connie Lim

Last year, I decided to add acrylics to the mix. After some play, my go-to is Golden Acrylics mainly because I appreciate the density and vibrancy of their colours. Additionally, I incorporate Winsor & Newton Inks in various shades, including the metallic gold and silver, which happen to be personal favourites.

Connie Lim

In my toolkit, you’ll also find Caran D’ache Neopastel and Sennelier Oil Pastels. The Sennelier Oil Pastels have an incredibly creamy and soft texture that provide a counterpoint to the more robust and harder option like Daler Rowney. On the flip side, the Neopastel by Caran D’ache is an ideal middle ground between firm and soft, making it a great set that I frequently reach for my daily drawings.

I gravitate towards these materials primarily for the richness of their colours and the vibrancy of their pigments, coupled with the diverse textures they offer. Currently, in my process, I feel colour and texture holds the most importance for me.

Connie Lim

The sketchbook is like my bible and I have it on hand at most times. It’s like a diary and a journal where I have my ideas and exploration of whatever I am into at the moment and what medium or combinations of mediums I am using at the moment. And sometimes, the sketchbook in itself becomes a work of art in its own right. Many pages have been showcased and sold. I find that trying to make the second version of a draft feel as emotional and lively as the first one is tricky, since the first attempt has its own spontaneity.

I also went through a phase where I was revisiting old sketches. Sketches that I thought were horrendous! Facing them again helped me accept that that was me at that time and that drawing was what I needed to go through to get better, to where I am now. I started painting over them and thus created a new version of the old and new. You can see a bit of the previous sketch behind the new one. It was an interesting process and created a new aesthetic in my work. Also, a very eco-friendly way of reusing paper!

Connie Lim

If I was to offer any advice, I think having a bit of detachment from the need for your sketchbook to be perfect is something to always have in mind. Understanding that some pages may not be showcasing amazing work, and that’s perfectly fine. This is all part of the process of letting go. And it’s all about harnessing a sense of ease, and allowing for a more unrestricted creative expression. So, without hesitation let’s keep drawing!

Materials Used

Faber Castell Polychromos Pencils

Arches Watercolour Paper

Fabriano Watercolour Paper

Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolours

Winsor & Newton Inks

Golden Acrylic Paints

Caran D’ache Neopastel

Sennelier Oil Pastels

Arches Paper 150 gsm

Moleskine Sketchbooks

Connie Lim

About Connie Lim

Connie Lim is an illustrator from Los Angeles, California now living in London. She is an avid observational drawer, and is interested in capturing the moment through her constant life drawing practice. Through mixed media, she plays with various combinations and techniques to create playful but striking images. You can find her sketching almost everywhere, from backstage at fashion shows to in store live drawing portraits and products.

Her clients include Guerlain, Bulgari, Louboutin, and Chanel. She has shown in galleries such as Oxo in London, Acid Gallery in France, Fashion Illustration Gallery AF, and ShowStudio. Her work has been featured in publications including Martin Dawber’s Great Big Book of Fashion Illustration, and Beautiful by Gestalten, as well as the latest by Taschen, The Illustrator – 100 Best From Around the World, and most recently New Fashion Illustration by Hoaki Publishers.

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What is Green Gold?

The single-pigment colour that we usually call ‘Green Gold’ is more properly called Copper Azomethine Yellow, and it is a great example of how pigments don’t always fit into hard-and-fast colour categories. Technically, Copper Azomethine is a yellow pigment – it appears in the Pigment Colour Index as Pigment Yellow 129. However, when it is used in masstone (the undiluted colour) it is a mossy brown-green. An amber yellow dimension comes through when the paint is diluted or tinted with white, like in the below swatches:

MaimeriBlu Green Gold tinted incrementally with Titanium White Watercolour on Bockingford Cold Pressed Watercolour Paper

The History of Metal-Complex Pigments

Metal-complex pigments are made by combining metallic atoms, usually copper or nickel, with an organic compound like azo, isoindoline, or azomethine. The first metal-complex pigment was developed in the 1920s, and throughout the 20th century more were formulated and made commercially available. There was particular interest in them in the 1970s and 1980s, with a view to using them in the automotive industry. It was for this purpose that Copper Azomethine was introduced in 1972, but its unique colour-characteristics and excellent lightfastness meant that it was taken up by artist paint manufacturers in the following decades.

There aren’t many metal-complex pigments in the artist palette today. Many have been discontinued, or are only used within the car industry. The only other metal-complex pigment used by artist today is Nickel Azo Yellow (PY150), a transparent and reliably lightfast yellow.

Schmincke Horadam Transparent Yellow Watercolour on Bockingford Cold Pressed Watercolour Paper

Looking at the above swatch, it’s clear that Nickel Azo Yellow is related to Green Gold, because it has a similar quality of being a different colour in masstone than in dilution. In Nickel Azo Yellow’s case, it is an warm ochre in masstone, but appears cooler and more lemony when it is diluted.

While Nickel Azo Yellow is only sometimes on offer as a single-pigment yellow (most often it is used by paint manufacturers in mixtures with other pigments to formulate specific colours), Green Gold is an increasingly common colour that is included in many professional and artist quality oil, acrylic, and watercolour ranges. It’s worth checking the tube to see if it contains the single-pigment Copper Azomethine pigment (PY129), or if it is a hue made with a blend of different pigments, as this will affect how it performs in mixtures.

From left: Golden Green Gold Acrylic Paint (PY150, PG36, PY3)
Michael Harding Green Gold Oil Paint (PY129)
Old Holland Green Gold Oil Paint (PY129)

Colour Mixing with Green Gold

For the following mixtures I’ve used watercolour, but the pigments would work in a similar way in oil and acrylic as well.

Mixtures with Blue

Green Gold doesn’t need much blue to become a ‘true’ green, but the temperature and tinting strength of the blue you mix it with make a huge difference in the kind of greens you can make.

MaimeriBlu Green Gold watercolour incrementally added to (from left):
Schmincke Horadam Cobalt Turquoise (PG50)
Jackson’s Phthalocyanine Blue (PB15:3)
Daniel Smith Cerulean Blue (PB35)
Michael Harding Indanthrone Blue (PB60)
Isaro Ultramarine Blue (PB29)

Cobalt Turquoise (PG50, column one in the above chart), which is very cool and high in tinting strength, quickly cuts through the warmth of Green Gold to make some lurid, electric greens. On the other hand, Cerulean Blue (PB35, column three), is warmer than Cobalt Turquoise and has a lower tinting strength, so the greens it makes are more muted, and the golden tones of Green Gold dominate. With the warm blues, like Indanthrone Blue (PB60) and Ultramarine Blue (PB29), Green Gold’s own warmth is intensified. As a result the greens are mossy and earthy. In the case of Indanthrone Blue, an extremely dark-valued blue, the greens are so dark they could be a near-black if the paint is applied thickly. Green Gold makes a great starting point for mixing a wide spectrum of greens, especially greens that are muted and natural-looking. For this reason it could replace yellow, for mixtures with blue, in a landscape or botanical palette.

Many blue pigments, including Ultramarine Blue and Cobalt and Cerulean Blues, granulate in watercolour. While Copper Azomethine is a non-granulating pigment, it makes for some interesting pigment-separation effects when mixed with granulating pigments and applied with plenty of water.

From left: MaimeriBlu Green Gold (PY129) and Schmincke Horadam Cobalt Turquoise (PG50)
MaimeriBlu Green Gold (PY129) and Isaro Ultramarine Blue (PB29)

Mixtures with Red

Red and yellow are a classic mixing pairing – a gateway to rich oranges. How does Copper Azomethine compare as a replacement for traditional yellow pigments?

This mixing chart begins with a warm orange-red (Napthol Red, column one), and gets cooler as as moves to the right, moving through the pink-reds, (Alizarin Crimson and Quinacridone Magenta, columns three and four), and ends on a purple pigment (Quinacridone Purple PV55, column five). In many ways Green Gold acts very similarly to a yellow in these mixtures, particularly with the warm reds as it makes some fiery, golden oranges. However, as the red gets cooler (i.e. closer to purple) some more muted shades come into play.

MaimeriBlu Green Gold watercolour incrementally added to (from left):
Daniel Smith Organic Vermilion (PR188)
Schmincke Horadam Quinacridone Red Light (PR207)
Daniel Smith Alizarin Crimson (PR83)
Jackson’s Quinacridone Purple (PR122)
Schmincke Horadam Quinacridone Purple (PV55)

Alizarin Crimson is a particularly good mixing partner (column three). Their tinting strengths were perfectly balanced, and they created some beautifully flushed, earthy oranges that could be interesting in a portrait palette (for those concerned about genuine Alizarin Crimson’s lightfastness, a permanent version of Alizarin Crimson would behave similarly). Finally, the purple in the final column makes some extremely strange, shadowy shades of aubergine, like a threatening stormy sky or a bruise. This is possibily one of the weirdest pigment combinations I’ve found in a while, and it could be used to extremely atmospheric affect.

Miscellaneous Mixtures with Green Gold

Finally, I used this final mixing chart to play a bit more with mixing Green Gold with colours from other pigment families. After what it did with Quinacridone Purple, I started by mixing it with Dioxazine Violet (PV23, column one). Dioxazine Violet is much darker and bluer than Quinacridone Purple, so it made mixtures that approached black, and the overall spectrum of mixtures was much cooler. Opera Rose (in column two) has an entirely different energy. Opera Rose is a Quinacridone pigment blended with a fluorescent dye, so it is an extremely vibrant highlighter-shade of pink. It becomes unexpectedly orange when it’s mixed with Green Gold, making some very light and fluffy peach-shades before tipping further towards green.

MaimeriBlu Green Gold Watercolour incrementally added to (from left):
Michael Harding Deep Purple (Dioxazine, PV23)
Jackson’s Opera Rose (PR122, PR81:1)
Daniel Smith Indian Red (PR101)
Jackson’s Raw Umber (PBr7)
Michael Harding Orange Sunset (PO34)

I wanted to see how it interacted with earth colours. I chose Indian Red (PR101, column three) and Raw Umber (PBr7, column four). What these mixtures revealed is that Green Gold is actually quite similar to these earth colours, especially with Raw Umber. While there was certainly a continual change in hue as Green Gold was added to the mixture, the saturation and value of the colour didn’t really change at all. Raw Umber tends to be a green-shade of earth, and the Copper Azomethine merely enhanced its existing greenness.

The fact that Copper Azomethine doesn’t fit squarely into a colour family makes it an exciting proposition for colour mixing! Let us know how you use it in your palette by leaving a comment.

Tips for Watercolour Glazing

What is Glazing?

In its simplest form, glazing is a form of layering. It relies on thin, even layers of transparent paint, applied one on top of another, to develop colour and tone. It is a fantastic way to build up tonal value gradually, instead of going straight in with heavy colour. By employing this method of building up transparent layers, you can achieve a sense of luminosity and depth in your paintings, as well as bringing a greater sense of colour harmony to your work.

At first glance, the characteristics of a wash and a glaze are quite similar; the main difference is their purpose. Washes are large areas of paint that are laid down to create the overall sense of tone or colour. Glazes tend to be transparent layers of paint applied over existing parts of a painting that have already dried, to enhance the tone or change the colour of the underlying layer. They can be mixed from both pan and tube watercolour paint.

Transparency and Opacity

As this process relies on the transparency of the medium, it is important to check the transparency rating of your colours before you begin. Generally speaking, most watercolour paints will provide this on their packaging and will sit somewhere within the range of: Transparent, Semi-Transparent, Semi-Opaque, and Opaque. As a general rule of thumb, transparent pigments are the best to use for glazing and layering, as they allow the underlying colours to shine through.

Building up glazes of Jackson’s Burnt Sienna Artist Watercolour, a transparent pigment (PBr7)

Opacity is also affected by the quantity of water mixed with a watercolour paint. When heavily diluted, opaque pigments can show more of a transparent quality; and by the same token, when transparent pigments are applied at full intensity (i.e. with very little water added) they can initially appear opaque. For this reason, opaque or semi-opaque colours can also be used for glazing but will lack the clarity and luminosity that transparent paints can achieve. However, they can still be used to achieve different effects.

For example, we can compare Burnt Sienna, a transparent watercolour paint, with Venetian Red, an opaque colour. When heavily diluted, the Venetian red will appear to be transparent. However, when more layers are applied, the opacity of the pigment becomes more readily apparent. Likewise, the Burnt Sienna is also transparent when diluted; however, its transparency and luminous quality remains, even when multiple layers are applied to the same area. This is the reason why transparent colours are recommended for glazing, if the goal is to achieve clean, bright layers of colour.

Comparing the transparency of Burnt Sienna (left) and Venetian Red (right)

Single Pigment Colours

As well as the transparency of your chosen colours of glazing paint, it can also be worth taking a look at their pigment numbers. You can usually find these alongside the transparency ratings on most paint packaging. Many watercolour paints are created using a blend of more than one pigment, and the particular pigment blend often varies between manufacturers. For example, the Winsor & Newton Professional brand of Cadmium Orange paint contains two pigments: PY35 and PR108, while the Cadmium Orange from the Michael Harding Professional Watercolours paint range contains only one pigment: PO20. Single pigment colours are less likely to lose their clarity and become ‘muddy’ than those created using multiple different pigments, so they are more often the ones favoured for glazing; particularly when applying glazes in multiple layers.

From top: Jackson’s Indian Yellow Hue Artist Watercolour (PY83, PY93) and Jackson’s Yellow Ochre Artist Watercolour (PY42)

Staining Colours

It can also be a good idea to examine the pigment types in your watercolour paints, to see whether they contain staining pigments or not. Staining watercolours seep into the surface of the paper when applied, and this can make them challenging to lift out. However, this quality also makes them the ideal colours to glaze over, as previously applied layers are less likely to be disturbed by the application of fresh paint. For example, a Phthalo Blue is much easier to glaze over than a Cobalt Blue, because the Phthalo is a staining pigment and won’t easily lift.

Indian Yellow Hue glazed over Phthalo Blue

Uses of the Glazing Technique

A common use of the glazing technique is to alter the colour in certain specific areas of a painting. For example, a section that has already been painted with a wash of red might benefit from a thin glaze of transparent yellow in parts, to warm it. Similarly, a green area of a painting, such as a field or pasture in a landscape setting, might benefit in some areas from a thin glaze of a transparent blue to cool it. This is a useful way of adding depth to paintings, especially in landscapes, where warm colours tend to come forwards while cool colours recede. It is also a handy way to paint cast shadows. Glazing can also be used to enhance the colour harmony of a painting, by applying a thin layer of a single transparent colour carefully across large areas.

Another common use of glazing technique is to enhance the tone of a certain colour within a painting. By building up thin layers of the same colour over a single area, you can achieve a sense of gradual tonal difference as well as brilliant intensity in the areas you choose to place the glaze.

A single-pigment study in Burnt Sienna and Sakura Pigma Micron pen

Watercolour Glazing Colour Charts

A glazing colour chart is a handy reference tool that you can create, to help better understand the effects certain paints will have upon one another. It’s a fun way to experiment with a variety of different colour combinations, layering them up to see how they interact. Some colours will glaze together well; others will not.

To create a glazing chart, select a variety of colours, and paint several clean lines following one direction across your watercolour paper. Allow them to fully dry, then paint over them using the same selection of paints in the other direction, creating a cross-hatching of colour. Where the paint lines overlap, you will discover just how these different colours interact when layered, and see the variety of different and exciting hues you can create through this technique. Be sure to properly annotate your glazing chart with the names of the paints you have used, and, as a suggestion, your thoughts on the colours created.

Watercolour glazing chart, from top left: Burnt Sienna (PBr7), Indian Yellow Hue (PY83, PY93), Phthalo Green Deep (PB15:3, PG7), Phthalo Blue (PB15), Quinacridone Purple (PR122)

Watercolour glazing chart with Phthalo Green Deep (PB15:3, PG7), adding water incrementally for increased transparency

Tips for Careful Watercolour Glazing

Like any painting technique, glazing is not always as simple as it may appear, and proper application can take practice. The key to this type of layering is to wait until your first layer of paint is absolutely bone-dry, before painting additional colour on top. Otherwise, you risk disturbing the underlying layer of pigment and creating harsh marks, or patches of unintended lifting. Try to keep your brush strokes to a minimum, again to avoid disturbing the underlying paint; for this reason, larger brushes are generally recommended for glazing, especially those with soft bristles. Try to work quickly, and gently. It is also safer to go in with too pale a glaze to begin with, as colour can always be more easily added than taken away.

Glazing can be used to create a variety of different effects in watercolour painting, varying from the subtle to the dramatic. While it certainly isn’t for everyone, it’s a versatile technique that is well worth experimenting with. Adding different-coloured glazes can require a certain level of confidence, particularly when a painting is nearing completion, which is why tools such as the glazing reference chart can be so helpful. By building up these thin, transparent layers, wonderful depth, colour, and luminosity can be created using watercolour.

Review of Holbein Artists’ Watercolour Sets

by Paul Stevenson

Like many, I get huge personal satisfaction from creative art, especially outdoor sketching. However, although my pencil skills are acceptable, there’s room for improvement in another favoured medium, watercolour. With this in mind, I’ve resolved to allow space for more painting en plein air.

Holbein Artists' Watercolour Set of 16

My thoughts were quickly drawn to finding a new paintbox; one with a decent selection of colours, yet small enough to fit a jacket pocket, ready to take advantage of impulse opportunities. It was while searching Jackson’s website that I came across one manufactured by Holbein, whose materials I am familiar with. I already possess a good range of Holbein Artists’ Watercolours, plus one of their folding metal palettes, both of which are of the highest quality. So, I instinctively knew the set of 16 was what I’d been looking for. The product photographs on Jackson’s website also helped to confirm my decision to place an order.

Holbein Artists' Watercolour Set of 16

The Holbein Artists’ Watercolour Set of 16 was delivered within a couple of days and I can confidently say it is a little gem. Measuring 14 cm long by 7 cm wide, this beautifully enamelled box weighs a tad over 5 oz (150 g), and sits comfortably across the hand. For security, a good sized thumb ring is welded to the base, and, for what seems like a unique feature to me, each pan has a small magnet attached, which keeps everything secure, and in one place. Should any mishap occur, the paints stay in the box, even when everything gets turned upside down. Believe me, I’ve tried it! When open, the white enamelled lid acts as a three-section mixing well, while an opposite flap reveals itself as a mixing plate. The advantage of magnets also means a pan may be placed on this plate without fear of it falling off. Very clever!

Across the fields to Goldsborough, North Yorks from the sketchbook of Paul Stevenson

Many manufacturers supply small, 12-pan boxes, but this sixteen-colour set offers more scope. Should more colours be desired, there’s adequate space in the centre panel for another eight pans, and with another 32 colours available in Holbein’s half-pan range, there’s plenty to choose from. Alternatively, the same space might be used to accommodate a small travel brush. The inclusion of Chinese White might not suit everyone (purists may prefer to allow white paper to show) but would come into its own when used on tinted paper. Likewise, Holbein’s decision to include Payne’s Grey, instead of black, is a wise one; I much prefer to mix my own darks and Payne’s Grey often provides a useful base.

From Seaton Hole to Beer Cliffs from the sketchbook of Paul Stevenson

Holbein Artists’ Watercolour Set of 16 may not be the cheapest on the market but, for what it is, nothing else comes close. This little box is reminiscent of the ones that were available many years ago yet, sadly, no longer available. And, because it’s metal, it is durable, will stand more abuse than plastic, and when it has finally given up the ghost, it can be recycled. I absolutely love mine!

The Life and Practice of Henry Ossawa Tanner

Henry Ossawa Tanner was born in 1859 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. His father was a bishop and activist and his mother was a missionary. Both were leaders in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Tanner was 13 when he decided that he wanted to be an artist, and in 1879 he enrolled at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. There, he was taught by the reknowned American realist painter Thomas Eakins, who would have a significant influence on his developing style.

Self-Portrait, c. 1910
Henry Ossawa Tanner
Pencil and conte crayon on paper, 21.7 x 21.3 cm | 8.5 x 8.4 in
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr and Mrs Norman Robbins

Henry Ossawa Tanner’s art education and career in America were made extremely difficult by the racism he faced, both at art school and as an artist trying to sell his work. He later wrote in his autobiography about this time: “I was extremely timid and to be made to feel that I was not wanted, although in a place where I had every right to be.” In 1891 he went to Paris to study at the Académie Julian, Paris, and aside from brief periods Tanner would spend the rest of his life in France. His first entry to the Paris Salon was The Banjo Lesson (1893), a genre painting of an African American man teaching his grandson to play the musical instrument, passing his knowledge to the next generation. The painting poignantly subverts the racist stereotypes and caricatures that were so often present in depictions of Black Americans at the time, and it remains his most famous work.

From 1895 onwards, his artistic output was almost entirely religious. He dedicated himself to painting atmospheric biblical scenes with landscapes inspired by his visits to the Middle East. It is for these paintings that he was most acclaimed during his lifetime.

Moses in the Bullrushes, 1921
Henry Ossawa Tanner
Oil on wood panel, 56.8 x 38.5 cm | 22.4 x 15.2 in
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr and Mrs Norman Robbins

Henry Ossawa Tanner’s Painting Materials

Tanner worked primarily with oil paint and he built up his paintings with up to 22 layers of colour. Analysis shows that he had a technique of sandwiching layers of oil and resin between layers of pigmented or unpigmented tempera, a mostly water-based paint that he made according to his own recipe. Research suggests that he took this approach for the particular effect it created; as the tempera layer made the subsequent oil paint glaze bead up to make a reticulated, floating effect (you can see this in the painting above). Unfortunately, this unusual technique means that many of his paintings are structurally unstable, and they require a great degree of care to prevent deterioration. His painting technique also involved daubing on colour with loose, expressive strokes, and scratching through or sanding back paint layers to get back to what was underneath. So, Tanner’s paintings were complex constructions that involved both additive and subtractive processes.

Tanner’s Pigment Choices

Blue is the colour that Henry Ossawa Tanner was best known for using. Pigment analysis has identified Cobalt, Cerulean, and Ultramarine Blues in his paintings, alongside Viridian, Zinc White, Carbon Black, and a Red Lake pigment like Alizarin Crimson. All of these pigments are still used today.

Henry Ossawa Tanner’s pigments: Ultramarine Blue (PB29), Cobalt Blue (PB28), Cerulean Blue (PB35), Viridian (PG18), Alizarin Crimson (PR83), Lamp Black (PBk6), and Zinc White (PW4)
Mixtures (from left):
Row One: Cerulean Blue and Alizarin Crimson
Ultramarine Blue and Lamp Black
Row Two: Ultramarine Blue and Alizarin Crimson
Cerulean Blue and Viridian
Row Three: Cerulean Blue and Lamp Black
Cobalt Blue, Viridian, and Alizarin Crimson
Row Four: Ultramarine Blue, Lamp Black, and Zinc White
Alizarin Crimson and Lamp Black
Row Five: Alizarin Crimson and Viridian
Ultramarine Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Viridian, and Zinc White

Just as interesting is what appears to be missing from Tanner’s palette. In the paintings that have been analysed, there are no earth pigments. Even though brown earth pigments, like Siennas, Umbers, and Ochres, were cheap and readily available, it appears that he mixed brown tones using other pigments instead. It’s possible that Tanner was influenced by the colour choices of the French Impressionists, in whose work earth colours took a back seat in favour of vibrant new pigments. Of course, this doesn’t mean that Tanner never used earth pigments, just that there is no evidence for them in the selection of paintings that have been analysed.

Recreating Henry Ossawa Tanner’s Colour Palette

The following colour palettes have been inspired by three Henry Ossawa Tanner paintings. Some pigments are those that were used by Tanner, and others are modern 20th-century pigments that weren’t in his palette, but which I feel have something of the spirit of his work. Additionally, even though pigment analysis seems to suggest that Tanner didn’t use earth pigments, I found it impossible to recreate many of the colours I saw in these paintings without an earthy yellow, so I used Yellow Ochre in all of the palettes. It would be great to see further pigment analysis to know whether he used it! I would be willing to bet that he did.

Colour Palette One:

Haystacks, c. 1930

This rural scene was possibly painted en plein air. The subject matter, loose brushwork, and use of violet show the influence of the French Impressionists, especially the work of Claude Monet.

Haystacks, c. 1930
Henry Ossawa Tanner
Oil on canvas, 66.7 x 53.3 cm | 26.25 x 21 in
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Irwin M. Sparr

The whole palette has an airy feel, so I felt that Kings Blue is a good choice for one of two blues. Kings Blue is an opaque colour made up of Ultramarine Blue and Titanium White. The Titanium White brings out the reddish tones of Ultramarine Blue, so it produces a luminous shade of pale blue that is on the edge of violet. While Kings Blue is airy and light in value, in this palette I paired it with Prussian Blue which has some of the opposite characteristics– it is dark in value and green in undertone. Mixed together, Prussian Blue pulls Kings Blue back from the violet end of the spectrum, making a bright primary blue. On the other hand, the Manganese Violet enhanced the existing violet tones in Kings Blue, which evokes the fluffy pale violets in Haystacks.

Palette One: Prussian Blue (PB27), Kings Blue (PB29, PW6), Viridian (PG18), Manganese Violet (PV16), Yellow Ochre (PY42), Zinc White (PW4)
Mixtures (from left):
Row One: Prussian Blue and Viridian
Prussian Blue and Kings Blue
Row Two: Prussian Blue, Viridian, and Yellow Ochre
Kings Blue and Manganese Violet
Row Three: Manganese Violet, Zinc White, Yellow Ochre, and Viridian
Prussian Blue, Kings Blue, and Manganese Violet
Row Four: Manganese Violet and Yellow Ochre
Viridian, Yellow Ochre, and Prussian Blue
Row Five: Prussian Blue, Viridian, Yellow Ochre, Zinc White
Yellow Ochre and Manganese Violet

In the painting, there are gestures of a muted earthy yellow that complements the violets. Yellow Ochre seems like the best match for this, which can be desaturated by adding touches of Manganese Violet. Yellow Ochre can also contribute to some of the greens that are in the foreground of the painting, which I’ve evoked using mixtures with Viridian.

Manganese Violet neutralises Yellow Ochre in a mixture

Colour Palette Two:

Study for Christ and Nicodemus on a Rooftop, c.1923

This is a study for a finished work that is held by the Pennsylvania Museum of Fine Art. The finished scene contains much more details of the figures and the landscape, but the study is a more abstract exploration of form, colour, and tone.

Study for Christ and Nicodemus on a Rooftop, c. 1923
Henry Ossawa Tanner
Oil on wood panel, 24 x 33 cm | 9.5 x 13 in
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr and Mrs Norman Robbins

Study for Christ and Nicodemus on a Rooftop was made around 12 years before the introduction of Phthalo Blue pigments, but they have a versatility, strength, and depth that I think is reminiscent of this painting. The whole scene is bathed in blue, and the high tinting strength of Phthalo pigments ensures that they will make their presence felt in mixtures. This palette leads with two shades of Phthalo Blue, a green shade and a red shade. The green shade is cooler in undertone, while the red shade is warmer, and this provides two different ‘starting’ points for mixtures with Viridian, Yellow Ochre, Alizarin Crimson, and Zinc White.

Palette Two: Phthalo Blue Green Shade (PB15:3), Phthalo Blue Red Shade (PB15), Viridian (PG18), Yellow Ochre (PY42), Alizarin Crimson (PR83), Zinc White (PW4)
Mixtures (from left):
Row One: Phthalo Blue Green Shade and Zinc White
Phthalo Blue Red Shade and Zinc White
Row Two: Phthalo Blue Red Shade and Alizarin Crimson
Phthalo Blue Green Shade, Viridian, and Zinc White
Row Three: Phthalo Blue Red Shade and Yellow Ochre
Phthalo Blue Green Shade, Viridian, and Alizarin Crimson
Row Four: Phthalo Blue Red Shade, Yellow Ochre, and Alizarin Crimson
Viridian and Alizarin Crimson
Row Five: Viridian, Alizarin Crimson, Yellow Ochre, Phthalo Blue Green Shade, and Zinc White
Viridian, Alizarin Crimson, and Zinc White

There is a mauve hue to certain parts of the painting, so I included Alizarin Crimson in the palette to provide a cool red. Viridian and Alizarin Crimson are also wonderful mixing partners, making a cold, murky purple. I used Yellow Ochre with the Phthalo Blue Red Shade to make the colour of the earthy green mat that the left-hand figure is sitting on. This is an important part in the painting, as it provides a little fragment of warmth in an otherwise extremely cool image. If you look closely at the painting, the same colour is used to block in the hair of the right-hand figure. It’s a lovely colour relationship that ties the figures together.

Looking at the whole palette, I wonder if the Phthalo blues might be a little too vibrant for the general muted quality of the colours in Study for Christ and Nicodemus on a Rooftop, as they both need to be tempered with other pigments to reach the moody blues in Tanner’s painting. In hindsight, perhaps Prussian Blue (PB27) and Indanthrone Blue (PB60) would have worked better.

Colour Palette Three:

Abraham’s Oak, 1905

The oak in this painting was a pilgrimage site that Tanner probably visited on his travels, but he made this painting when he was back home in France. The painting is dominated by misty grey tones. However, rather than being mixtures of black and white, the greys are full of colour. It is a perfect example of how vibrant pigments can combine to create shimmering desaturated hues.

Abraham’s Oak, 1905
Henry Ossawa Tanner
Oil on canvas, 54.4 x 72.8 cm | 21.4 x 28.7 in
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr and Mrs Norman Robbins

This is the most limited of all three recreated palettes, containing only four colours and white. I chose Cerulean Blue as the leading blue, as it has a gentle milky quality that seems to suit the overall atmosphere of Abraham’s Oak. This is a pigment that Tanner actually painted with, according to the research.

Palette Three: Cerulean Blue (PB35), Ultramarine Violet (PV15), Yellow Ochre (PY42), Lamp Black (PBk6), and Zinc White (PW4)
Mixtures (From left):
Row One: Ultramarine Violet and Yellow Ochre
Ultramarine Violet, Yellow Ochre, Cerulean Blue, and Lamp Black
Row Two: Ultramarine Violet, Yellow Ochre, and Cerulean Blue
Yellow Ochre, Ultramarine Violet, Lamp Black, and Zinc White
Row Three: Cerulean Blue, Yellow Ochre, Ultramarine Violet, and Lamp Black
Ultramarine Violet, Yellow Ochre, Cerulean Blue, and Zinc White
Row Four: Ultramarine Violet, Cerulean Blue, Lamp Black, Yellow Ochre, and Zinc White
Cerulean Blue and Lamp Black
Row Five: Lamp Black and Yellow Ochre
Cerulean Blue, Lamp Black, and Zinc White

It seems that there is a slight lavender tint in the sky, so I reached for Ultramarine Violet, a very blue-shade violet that is closely related to Ultramarine Blue. When making chromatic greys, it’s useful to consider complementary colours (that is, colours that are opposite each other in the colour wheel and will desaturate each other). I chose Yellow Ochre as a complementary pairing to Ultramarine Violet. This combination made a good starting point for multi-pigment mixtures. Finally, I added black to the palette, which may have been used in the very darkest parts of the painting. The black was also useful as a desaturating influence. While Lamp Black on its own might be a little too harsh, it could be mixed with Yellow Ochre or Cerulean Blue to make a warm or cool dark shade.

Henry Ossawa Tanner had a masterful grasp of colour that I really admire, and taking a close look at these paintings and considering what kinds of pigments can reproduce his complex colour mixtures has made me enjoy his work even more. I’m hoping in the future there will be more research into the material structure of his work and the pigments he used, as I’m sure that there is a lot more to discover.

Schmincke Horadam Naturals

The most important difference of this series, consisting of 16 colours, is the use of exclusive natural earth pigments and plant resins, which automatically creates a 100% vegan composition.

Eco-friendly, high quality, vegan watercolour is a powerful argument for people who are concerned about environmental protection, absolute naturalness, and the vegan component of the paints they use. The binder in this series, as in the watercolour and gouache line, is gum arabic resin, which means that these paints are watersoluble, and can be used either in their pure form or diluted with water.

In terms of their behaviour and features of working with them, the paints are similar to both watercolour and gouache. From gouache they took the possibility of a matt, dense paint layer, and the dense consistency of the colours from the tube themselves, and from watercolour, the behaviour of the paint to work with, and its transparency. Unlike standard watercolour paints, the Naturals series paints allow you to create a dense, opaque layer, without shine or excess thickness. Thus, in terms of the way it works and behaves, it is an amazing hybrid of watercolour and gouache, taking the best of both materials. By the way, this series can be mixed and combined with both watercolour and gouache paints from standard lines.

The lightfastness of each paint is correlated with the natural characteristics of the pigment, and, as always with Schmincke, these are high values. All paints are available individually in 15 ml tubes, as well as in two themed sets.

One of the most interesting aspects of the paints is the colours and the pigments themselves, on the basis of which they are created. The Naturals series includes 16 colours, eight of which are based on “earth” pigments, and eight which are based on ‘plant’ pigments. Let’s take a closer look at the shades and specific features of some of the paints in the series.

A Closer Look at Some of the Colours of Schmincke Horadam Naturals

Dragon’s Blood NR31

Red paint with the most poetic name and a romantic legend associated with it. The original resin of the dragon tree (as well as similar bright red resins such as cinnabar) was thought to be appreciated in the ancient times for its supposed medicinal properties. The name of the colour, according to the ancient Roman poet Pliny, comes from a battle between an elephant and a dragon-like creature, in which the blood of the two animals mixed and created this special red.

Dragon’s Blood is interesting not only by its name, but also by its shade, which is definitely cool and muted red-pink, as well as by its very interesting granulation. This is the most highly granulating paint of the entire series, and the pigment literally crumbles onto the surface of the paper into a very fine sand. It looks really spectacular!

Dragon’s Blood

Indigofera NB1

A natural indigo pigment made from blackish-blue plants. 100 kg of the dried plant only yields 1.5 – 2 kg of indigo pigment. This is one of the oldest pigments known to us. The oldest evidence of its use comes from excavations, and dates back to 3000 BC. It was also widely used in Roman paintings of the 1st century, in early medieval miniatures, and in paintings from all the eras of European painting. This colour gives you the opportunity to feel like a real ‘old master’.

Indigofera, the only blue colour in the new Naturals line, is very universal: depending on the amount of water with which the colour is diluted, it varies in the range from soft blue, to a fairly dense blue colour. Natural indigo is medium in lightness and brightness, a warm blue shade, and it is lighter than the synthetic indigo colour we are familiar with.

Indigofera

Dyers’ Green NB1, NY3

This colour is similar to Grass Green or Sap Green, and very pleasant, natural, not muted, but not too bright. It is the perfect shade for painting grass and treetops.

Dyers’ Green

Celadonite PG23 | Caucasus Earth PG23 | Green Slate PBk19

These three colours are made from earth pigments, and their behaviour on paper fits the phrase “very transparent micas”. They have a slight tint (greenish in the case of Celadonite and Green Slate, taupe in the case of Caucasian Earth), and they are really very transparent. When you look at them in their pure form, it seems like you are looking through old glass.

Celadonite

Caucasian Earth

Green Slate

Stil de Grain NY13

The most unusual and natural colour. The composition is not disclosed, and the pigment is produced according to a special secret recipe by only one company, which has been making this pigment since 1873. Stil de Grain is a very cool mustard colour, like how moss appears when lit by the sun. This is an incredible and very beautiful colour in its pure form, a cross between mustard and very cool yellow, with a green undertone – ideal for mosses, as well as frost-covered grass in bright sun.

Stil de Grain

Yellow Ochre PR102

Yellow Ochre is one of the most successful and popular colours in the main line of Schmincke Horadam Watercolours, and the Yellow Ochre from the Naturals series is in no way inferior to its “colleague”. It is a standard, warm, yellow-orange colour, intense and bright, a shade of linden honey. At the same time, the colour looks a little less saturated, and a little more orange than the usual Yellow Ochre, and is slightly granulating. It is curious that the original natural pigment for this paint was natural iron oxide – which is, essentially, rust.

Yellow Ochre

Red Bolus PR102

In shade, this colour is very similar to the usual Burnt Sienna – the same dim orange with a red-brown bias. On paper it granulates quite strongly.

Red Bolus

Lalvarit Violet N/A

This is a rare pigment created from andesite rock, which is mined from lava flows. One of the most interesting shades of the new Naturals line: warm and muted purple, fading into grey. Lalvarit Violet is an ideal colour for painting shadows – it is difficult to describe and find an analogy, so you need to see it in person, but it is in the range between purple, grey, beige, and brown. Imagine the colour of coffee with milk, to which you added a little bit of blackberry jam – and you get a colour similar to Lalvarit Violet.

Lalvarit Violet

Graphite Black PBk10

A very dark and dense colour, and the most opaque colour of the entire line. The pigment is natural ground graphite, and interestingly, it lies on the paper without the specific shine that graphite usually gives on the surface.

Graphite Black

In addition to these colours, the line includes:

Rügen Chalk PW18 (White Chalk)

Kamala NO2 (semi-opaque cold orange-yellow)

Curcuma NY3 (warm light yellow)

Madder Lake NR9 (fine cool red)

Vine Black PBk8 (neutral granulating black)

The Lightfastness of Schmincke Horadam Naturals

To make the seven plant-based colours in the Schmincke Horadam Naturals range, soluble plant dyes are precipitated onto an insoluble matrix. This process, known as ‘laking’ has been used for centuries to improve the lightfastness of dyes and make them suitable for making artist paints. However, lake pigments are not as lightfast as many modern pigments.

The lightfastness of the Horadam Naturals range has been tested in Schmincke’s in-house laboratory using the Blue Wool Scale. The test consists of eight strips of wool fabric, each dyed with a different dye with different defined lightfastness properties. The paint samples (applied on watercolour paper as a gouache-layer of 30µm) are tested alongside these control strips. The test is carried out for around 1600 hours until the most lightfast test strip, level eight, begins to fade slightly. The colour is compared with the test strips and given a lightfastness rating based on the blue wool strip that most closely matches the change in the colour sample. According to the Blue Wool Scale, a rating of eight is the highest, while one is the lowest.

To communicate lightfastness on their tubes, Schmincke use a 1-5 star rating which is given according to the Blue Wool Scale test. Stil de Grain has a two star rating (a four on the Blue Wool Scale) and it has the lowest lightfastness of the range. The other plant-based colours are rated between three and four stars (between five and seven on the Blue Wool Scale), depending on the dye-stuff that has been used to make it.

With the exception of Rugen Chalk, the inorganic colours have a four-star lightfastness rating (between five and seven on the Blue Wool Scale), which is lower than would be expected from an earth pigment. This is because, unlike synthetically produced iron oxides, the pigment contains naturally occurring impurities that may darken over time.

Most of the paints are odourless, but some have a subtle odour, that could be because of the natural ingredients. For example, Green Slate and Celadonite smell like stone heated in the sun, Curcuma smells like a spicy seasoning of the same name (turmeric), Caucasian Earth – like chalk, and Dyers’ Green – smell like something sweet.

The new watersoluble line is sold in 15 ml tubes, which are available individually, as well as in two thematic sets.

The Contents of the Holbein Artists Gouache Paint – Irodori (Starter) Summer Set

Colour Mixing

Gohun and Sumi – White and Black

Layering with Holbein Gouache

The Properties of Holbein Artists Gouache

Further Reading

Contents – A Guide To Stretching Watercolour Paper

Further Reading

What Causes Paint To Shimmer?

Where Do The Different Descriptions Come From?

Luminescent Paint

Iridescent and Interference Paint

Metallic Paint

Pearlescent Paint

Lightfastness and Toxicity of Iridescent Paints

Useful Considerations When Working With Iridescent Paint

A Note About Mica

Further Reading

The Individual Colours of the Holbein Artists’ Gouache Irodori Autumn Palette

Adding White to the Autumn Palette

Using Limited Colour Palettes

Further Reading

Roman Szmal’s New Aquarius Colours

Phthalo Blue (Turquoise Shade): PB15:4, Transparent, Very Lightfast

Urban Grey: PW6:1, PBr29, PB29, & PY150, Semi-Opaque, Very Lightfast

Perylene Scarlet: PR149, Semi-Transparent, Lightfast

Perylene Red Deep: PR179, Transparent, Very Lightfast

Natural Umber Reddish: PBr7, Semi-Transparent, Very Lightfast

Velvet Black: PR264, PG7, Semi-Transparent, Very Lightfast

Further Reading

Roman Szmal Synthetic Squirrel Quill Brushes

About Barbara Howard

Further Reading

Louise Balaam Takes Us Through Her Sketchbook Practice

Sketchbooks

Media

Practical Advice

Materials Used

About Louise Balaam

Further Reading

Further Reading

Six Months Painting With the Escoda Ultimo Evolution 1933 Brush

Further Reading

Lisa Takahashi Takes Us Through Her Sketchbook Practice

An Evolving Relationship With My Sketchbook

My Favourite Sketchbook

Sketchbook Related Materials

My Preferred Art Materials For Sketching

My Intermittent Sketchbook Routine

A Sketchbook Isn’t Important To My Creative Practice

Materials Used

About Lisa Takahashi

Further Reading

Contents – A Guide to Masking Fluid

Further Reading

First Impressions of the Holbein Artists’ Gouache Irodori Winter Palette

The Individual Colours of the Holbein Artists’ Gouache Irodori Winter Palette

Testing Limited Colour Palettes

Further Reading

Mark Entwisle Takes Us Through His Sketchbook Practice

About Mark Entwisle RWS

Further Reading

Review of Jackson’s Lay-Flat Hardcover Sketchbooks

About Holly Reynolds

Further Reading

Connie Lim Takes Us Through Her Sketchbook Practice

Materials Used

About Connie Lim

Further Reading

What is Green Gold?

The History of Metal-Complex Pigments

Colour Mixing with Green Gold

Mixtures with Blue

Mixtures with Red

Miscellaneous Mixtures with Green Gold

Further Reading

Tips for Watercolour Glazing

What is Glazing?

Transparency and Opacity

Single Pigment Colours