All watercolor paints are not the same.

 Today I am reporting on my research about watercolor paints. So far I know that a few companies like Winsor and Newton and Schminke produce watercolors set that have opaque, transparent, granular and staining and they can all be opaque or transparent or semitransparent or semiopaque. Wow!

Kuratake Gansai Tambi watercolor paints which I own and have used with much joy are opaques. No transparency if you don't count that the more water you use the lighter the hue; no granulation. They are intended to be opaque and vivid and they are.

Sennelier, my preferred watercolor, has opaque, semiopaque, transparent and semitransparent paints. No granular paints; no stains. Now I realize that my watercolors tend to be tighter in technique because I generally use a limited palette like that Zorn palette which is opaque in nature. I didn't know. Now I do but I'm not sure that will change anything. Well, I'll try to use the primary colors and employ some transparent and semitransparent hues. 

I stopped reading after all of this and realized that if you wish to focus on a particular type of watercolor you need to so some research before you buy anything. I'm happy with the few Winsor and Newton tubes that I use and my Sennelier Fine Watercolor and student grade and my travel set. I do love my travel set. I don't do Pleinair painting. Just don't like it. But, with my limited work space, the fewer the tubes or smaller the travel set the better. 

I just received, two days ago, the Meed 42 color Traveller's Watercolor set and I'm looking forward to using it. I've wanted it for some time and the price was right. For $16.95 I got the paints and four water brushed. Nifty. I'm not certain I'll use the water brushes. I have several and I use them with Inktense for the most part and sometimes watercolor pencils. I have read some reviews and I can see why you need to be sure that the palettes are dry before closing up or they'll create a mess. I"ll let you know when I try them.

I did just give Prang Oval 8 watercolor buttons a shot and I was impressed with the vibrance of the color and the ease of use. Not lightfast so not for paintings I want to sell but heres' a painting I did in my latest video.

There was no reference photo. I looked at one mushroom and added a couple more in different positions. The color is strong. I painted wet on dry with a touch of wet on wet and the paints preformed well. I think if you're just starting out with watercolor painting Prang is a good set to start with. They retail for $8 to $10 but can be gotten for $4 or $5. Then, if you don't enjoy the method, you haven't lost very much.

Click HERE to view that video and click HERE2 to see the unwrapping of the Meeden 42 set.

Right now I'm planning a loose, for me, watercolor painting using my Sennelier paints. I have four days off in a row and it's earmarked for this masterpiece. 

Before I go I want to give you all the helpful hint about finding out if your paint is opaque, transparent, etc. On the back of the tubes most that I have tried have a tiny square. If it's opaque the square is filled in with black. If it's semiopaque the square has a diagonal line with one half black. If the paint is transparent the square is white and if it's semitransparent there is a diagonal line in the box but no color,  I did not know this.

I understand that Schminke uses a triangle rather than a square. When checking out watercolor paints at the art supply store, turn over the tube and take a look. It may or may not make a difference to you.