19 Best Watercolor Paints: Recommendations For Artists In 2023
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Watercolors are one of the most famous painting mediums. They are easy to use, come in a wide variety of colors, and are relatively inexpensive. However, choosing which brands are worth your money can be difficult with so many different brands on the market.
In this article, we will review 19 different watercolor paints that have been rated as the best by both professional artists and novice painters alike.
Our Top Picks
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Best Watercolor for Beginners - Chalkola Watercolor Paint Set• Vibrant colors |
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Best Starter Kit - Emooqi Watercolor Paint Set • Brilliant colors |
Best for Professional Artists - Sennelier French Artists Watercolor Metal Tin Set• Mixed with honey |
1. Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint
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What Customers Have to Say
Artists think that the set is a great upgrade for their cheap watercolor sets. The colors are strong, very economical, and one set goes a long way. The case is not the best, though. Many artists prefer if the case was metal or tin.
Why We Think It's Great
Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint is a great option for artists looking to try out watercolors. It comes with the added benefit of built-in palettes and even has its tray, making it easy to transport whether you're on an adventure or in your studio.
The transparent quality makes it perfect for landscapes. It prides itself on an extensive line of art materials compatible with this watercolor paint set, including its watercolor paper and Cotman brushes. The set includes 24 removable half pans that you can easily remove from the plastic casing. You can use the lower part of the case as a shallow water dish.
Who Should Buy It
The Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint is the best choice for student artists because of its standardized pigments meant to lower the set price.
2. Daniel Smith Extra-Fine Introductory Watercolor
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What Customers Have to Say
The colors are so dynamic that even if the users have only 6 colors, they produce more by mixing the colors, as one artist showed in her paint grid. No wonder the majority of the users recommended it to their fellow artists.
Why We Think It's Great
Daniel Smith makes the largest watercolor ranges with more than 240 colors, not available anywhere else on other brands. The set includes six paint tubes in Hansa Yellow Light, Quinacridone Rose, Phthalo Blue (GS), and three warm primary colors: New Gamboge, Pyrrol Scarlet, and French Ultramarine.
Though it may look too limited, you can create more colors from these basic tubes. The paints are easy to mix and blend, making it easier for newbies to learn more about watercolor paintings.
Who Should Buy It
The Daniel Smith introductory watercolor set is best for artists who are not intimidated by the prospect of mixing their colors and find a way to improve their color mixing.
3. Chalkola Watercolor Paint Set - Best Watercolor for Beginners
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What Customers Have to Say
Many users agree that the Chalkola Watercolor Paint Set is a great watercolor set at an equally great price. The color swatch is also very helpful for the artists to practice their color mixing since they have something to use as a reference.
Other artists used it to fill their used-up half pans for easier access during the painting process. The size is very convenient and easy to bring around as long as you keep it in their container.
Why We Think It's Great
The Chalkola Watercolor Paint Set is an excellent gift idea for both young and adult newbie artists. It has a good selection of colors and an ample amount per 12ml tube to let you perfect your artwork before it runs out.
It is also very inexpensive, so you can practice your art without breaking your bank. The finish is a bit grainy due to synthetic pigments, but the paint will stay on the paper after it dries out well.
The set contains white, 5 shades of red, 4 shades of yellow, 4 shades of green, 7 shades of blue, 4 shades of purple, Cambodge, yellow ochre, raw sienna, raw umber, burnt sienna, burnt umber, sepia, black, and Payne's gray. It also includes metallic gold and metallic silver.
Who Should Buy It
We recommend the Chalkola Watercolor Paint Set for newbie artists because of its affordable price and great colors.
4. Van Gogh Watercolor Paint Set
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What Customers Have to Say
Some artists prefer it over more expensive watercolor brands because of the high-quality pigments. The high degree of lightfastness and brilliant colors are two significant factors to look for when buying watercolors because they determine how long your painting will last.
Why We Think It's Great
We're impressed that even after scanning a watercolor painting done using this paint set, the colors remained vibrant, so it looks lovely even when saved in the pdf or jpeg format. Even beginners find it very easy to use and blend.
The set has 18 half pans (3 yellows, 3 reds, pink, 3 blues, 4 greens, yellow ochre, raw umber, burnt sienna, burnt umber) and 2 tubes in white and black. Most are transparent (with azo yellow and mustard as semi-opaque) and have medium lightfastness.
The set also includes a sponge and paintbrush, plastic casing that also doubles as a palette. The pans are individually covered and labeled well, though they are not removable from the case.
Who Should Buy It
The Van Gogh Watercolor Paint Set is a good starter for newbie artists who want to try their hands on a better brand of watercolor paints.
5. Emooqi Watercolor Paint Set - Best Starter Kit
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What Customers Have to Say
Users love it for its price and complete set. The colors are vibrant, and the metallic paints are smooth to apply with a shimmery finish. It's easy to add layers, though some users report that some colors are too opaque for their liking.
Why We Think It's Great
The Emooqi watercolor has 48 colors, 6 of which are metallic (golden yellow, bronze, green, sky blue, purple, and brown), while the rest are matte. The pans are removable, with a provision for the brushes in the tin case. The cover also doubles as a palette for easier mixing of the colors.
The matte colors are white, 7 shades of yellow, orange, 4 shades of red, 2 pinks, 7 shades of green, 6 shades of purple, 8 shades of blue, ocherous, laterite, yellow-gray, ripe brown, dark brown, and ivory black. The set also includes 2 water brushes, 3 round brushes, a pencil, and 20 sheets of watercolor paper.
Who Should Buy It
The Emooqi Watercolor Paint Set is the perfect starter kit because you have all the supplies you need to start with watercolor art.
6. Mozart Watercolor Paint Essential Set
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What Customers Have to Say
Though some users have issues with the finish and the smell, the majority of the users love it for its quality and color collection. It is also very affordable, sold at less than a quarter of more expensive brands.
Why We Think It's Great
Some users who are not familiar with the peculiarities of vegan may complain of the smell and flakiness of the paint, but those with lifestyle preferences have limited choices. Overall, though, the watercolor paint is good. We won't recommend this set to professionals because of quality issues.
The paint set is slim and easy to log along when you want outdoor inspiration for your paintings. It is in cake form, not in pans, as some watercolors in this review are. The colors in the set are white, lemon yellow, brilliant yellow, yellow ochre, Di Sierra, gamboge, orange, crimson, brilliant red, and carmine.
Other colors are leaf green, brilliant green, deep green, turquoise, Astral blue, Prussian blue, cobalt blue, ultramarine, violet, purple, grey, burnt sienna, burnt umber, and deep black.
Who Should Buy It
We recommend this artist-approved watercolor set to beginners and hobbyists. A no-guilt option for vegan parents looking for a quality product that fits their lifestyle.
7. Sennelier French Artists Watercolor Metal Tin Set - Best for Professional Artists
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What Customers Have to Say
For artists who have tried various watercolor brands, this set is the most impressive and economical. Even if it is professional-grade, it is easy enough for beginners to use. It also layers beautifully.
Why We Think It's Great
The buttery texture of the Sennelier French Artists Watercolor set impressed us, making application very easy. The colors are beautiful and vibrant. It is also very transparent, easy to blend, and stains the paper well.
The pans are small, though, so if you're planning to paint on large artworks, it is best to get more than 1 set of this watercolor set. The tin holds 18 watercolor pans but can hold as much as 24. If you have unused pans, you can stuff them into the spaces in the tin.
The colors in the set are lemon yellow, vermilion, crimson, carmine, purple, ultramarine blue, Phthalocyanine blue, forest green, phthalo green, burnt sienna, Payne's grey, warm sepia, Naples yellow, bright red, Venetian red, cinereous blue, raw umber, and ivory black.
Who Should Buy It
We recommend this set to be professional and intermediate watercolor artists on the go.
8. Taotree 48-Color Watercolor Cake
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What Customers Have to Say
According to many parents who bought this set for their younger kids to practice with, the set is impressive, especially the neon colors, which are surprisingly bright for this price point. The lid is also convenient to use as individual pallets.
Why We Think It's Great
The set has 48 colors, with enough shades of the colors of the rainbow plus pinks, browns, gray, black, and flesh. Unfortunately, if you're looking for white, you may need to look for it from a different set.
The top lid is removable, and a slot just below the hinges fits the free paintbrush. It also has a free water brush that may or may not work, depending on your expertise to work it. The brush is very slim, so you may need to buy a new one if older kids will use this set.
Though the product info description says that the set measures only 3.1 inches, it measures 11 x 6.5 inches, and each color measures about 1 inch in diameter.
Who Should Buy It
The Taotree watercolor paint set is excellent for young children and hobby artists who don't want to spend much on their introductory paints. It also easily mixes if you need to, and the paint is very transparent, so you can blend them without any issues.
9. Arteza Watercolor Paint, Set of 12 Colors
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What Customers Have to Say
The colors are very bright and cover well, according to numerous users. They are also easy to mix and blend, and you can use them by combining different watercolor techniques without any issues with quality and finish.
Other customers bought them as gifts, and the delighted recipients were proud of their lovely watercolor paintings.
Why We Think It's Great
The colors available in the set are white, lemon yellow, yellow ochre, scarlet red, crimson red, ultramarine blue, and cerulean blue. You also get light green, sap green, burnt sienna, burnt umber, and noir.
The storage box is sturdy and keeps the paint from spilling or leaking. The squeezable plastic tube has a secure cap with an easy-to-identify color label, all nestled in a stackable tray that fits inside the cardboard box. Every Arteza paint is artist-approved since they want to bring artists the best quality paint at an affordable price.
Who Should Buy It
This set is a good starter set for newbies who want to use quality watercolor paint when practicing their art.
10. Castle Art Supplies Watercolors Paint Set
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What Customers Have to Say
Users who received it as a gift love the artwork they have done with this set. They're an excellent value for money, though it's more opaque than transparent, making layering more pronounced. It's easy to clean off the brush, which is a great plus, especially for younger artists.
Why We Think It's Great
Isn't it true that you just want to paint lovely watercolors? Choose our expert artists' ink-and-watercolor paints, which are already making thousands of watercolor artists around the world ecstatic.
These paints are ideal for blending using any technique you choose! Our carefully selected watercolors are perfect for honing your blending abilities. These paints, when mixed with water, provide painters with unlimited design possibilities. Each tube contains 12ml of watercolor paint with airtight, resealable tubes.
Who Should Buy It
The Castle Art Supplies Watercolors Paint Set is excellent for beginners and intermediate artists with its 24 colors and easy application.
11. Nicpro Watercolor Paint Kit
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What Customers Have to Say
The artists who have tried this love the inclusions in this kit because they can start making their watercolor art as soon as they have the kit. The watercolor paper has a nice tooth and texture, and they can use it for wet on wet technique without fearing about the quality of the paper.
Why We Think It's Great
The Nicpro Watercolor Paint included in this kit has vibrant colors, easy to apply, and is non-toxic. The smooth texture eases blending and mixing, while the transparent finish helps in lovely layering. Each tube has 12ml, labeled with the color name, transparency, and lightfastness.
The colors included in the set are white, lemon yellow, mid-yellow, yellow ochre, orange, vermilion, scarlet, burnt sienna, crimson, and flesh tint. It includes rose, violet, phthalo blue, ultramarine blue, cobalt blue, cerulean, viridian, sap green, emerald green, burnt umber, raw umber, grey, and black.
The kit also includes 24 tubes of watercolor, 25 sheets of watercolor paper pad, and a plastic palette. The brush set uses high-quality synthetic squirrel brushes with UV-coated paint on the handle to prevent flaking off and double crimp to hold the bristles in place.
Who Should Buy It
The Nicpro Watercolor Paint Kit is the perfect starter kit for newbie and intermediate artists.
12. Arteza Watercolor Paint Set in Half Pans
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What Customers Have to Say
Many hobby watercolor artists enjoyed using Arteza watercolor paint sets because of their vibrant colors. Some say that it exceeded their expectations of a cheap watercolor brand but judging from the images of delighted newbie artists. They made fantastic art out of this watercolor paint.
Why We Think It's Great
The paintings made from these watercolors are very vivid, with amazing highlights and details you don't expect from a set of this price point. It is very affordable and economical to use. It mixes and blends beautifully. The manual on how to make swatches is also very helpful for every beginner.
The free water brush is of good quality and clip, so you don't lose it easily. The paint pans are removable, so you can rearrange the paint pans according to your preference. Although the set has only 36 pans, it can squeeze in up to 48 paint pans.
Who Should Buy It
If you prefer pan paints over tube paints as a newbie artist, here's the perfect watercolor paint set for you.
13. Schmincke Horadam Aquarell Half-Pan Paint Metal Set
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What Customers Have to Say
Many artists who have tried this set believe that Schmincke Horadam Aquarell Half-Pan Paint Metal Set is their favorite watercolor set. According to other artists, the pigments are good, the vibrant colors, and glide smoothly on paper.
Why We Think It's Great
The watercolor pans are individually wrapped and labeled as to lightfastness, transparency, and staining. Five stars mean extremely lightfast, while 1 star means least lightfast.
White square means transparent, white square with a slash is semi-transparent, black and white square is semi-opaque, and black square is opaque. As to staining, a white triangle means non-staining, a black and white triangle means semi-staining, while a black triangle means staining.
The colors are lemon yellow, cadmium yellow light, cadmium red light, carmine, ultramarine, Prussian blue, phthalo green, olive green, yellow ochre, Venetian red, sepia brown, and ivory black. Each of these colors has varying lightfastness, transparency, and staining.
Who Should Buy It
If you're planning to expand your palette, the Schmincke Horadam Aquarell Half-Pan Paint Metal Set is a good starter watercolor set since the metal case has provision for 12 more additional half pans.
14. Rembrandt Watercolor Paint Metal Tin Deluxe Set
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What Customers Have to Say
The set is great, and the colors are fantastic, commented one professional artist who also has an art tutorial channel on Youtube. The colors are very transparent, and the pans are individually wrapped to prevent them from drying out.
Why We Think It's Great
The Rembrandt Watercolor Paint Metal Tin Deluxe Set has bright colors and does not get chalky or muddy when used. It's a bit expensive for an average artist, but many professional artists claim it's worth the splurge because of its high transparency, lightfastness, and high-quality pigments. It even includes a professional-grade red sable brush.
The cover serves as the palette with 4 distinct partitions if you want to keep a color untainted. Each pan is wrapped with a foil covering, each bearing appropriate labels. It includes 5 shades of yellow, 2 shades of orange, 7 shades of red, 10 shades of blue, 8 shades of green, 11 shades of brown, including burnt sienna, burnt umber, raw umber, and sepia.
Who Should Buy It
The Rembrandt Watercolor Paint Metal Tin Deluxe Set is perfect for serious and professional watercolor artists.
15. Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolor, Field Box
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What Customers Have to Say
Artists who have been using this paint set for a while think that it's the perfect watercolor set for people on the go. One artist even has this set in his glove compartment, in his case, and another that he stuffs into his coat pocket all the time to use it when he has the time.
Why We Think It's Great
The plastic case is small, about 5.12 inches long, 1.46 inches wide, and 0.39 inches deep, and weighs 5.9 ounces. The pan itself is 1 inch long, 0.4 inches wide, and 0.25 inches deep, filled to the brim with the watercolors. The cover serves as the water dish.
The tab on the back of the case for hanging it where convenient. The left, right, and bottom wings of the case serve as the palette. It also includes a sponge for cleaning and drying your brush. The brush is small and foldable and fits into the slot on the right-wing of the case.
The half pans come individually labeled and wrapped in cellophane. The pans are removable from the case, so you can hold them conveniently while painting. The colors in the set are French Ultramarine, Ivory Black, Permanent Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber, and Titanium White.
Who Should Buy It
This intermediate-grade watercolor set is best for artists on the go because it has all you need in a single pack - palette, water container, sponge, brush, and 12 colors in half pans.
16. Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor, 36 Colors Set
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What Customers Have to Say
One customer did not let the Japanese names deter him from using these watercolor paints and even went as far as translating the names into English. After a year of use, he doesn't have complaints about the quality of this paint set. Others say that it's creamy and very delightful to apply.
Why We Think It's Great
The 36-color set uses quality pigments, doesn't dry out, and the pans are removable. It is very creamy, and it has a protective sheet that you can use as a palette. The finish is slightly shiny.
The colors included in the set are white, black, scarlet, bright red, cadmium red, carmine, lemon yellow, yellow ochre, cadmium yellow, and aureolin.
It also includes cadmium orange, carmine, rose madder deep, rose madder, sap green, viridian, sap green light, hooker's green, sap green deep, olive green, forest green, and malachite. Other colors are ultramarine, indigo, pale ultramarine, turquoise, turquoise-green, cerulean, Prussian blue, gold, bluish gold, and white gold.
Who Should Buy It
The Kuretake Gansai Tambi Watercolor is an excellent paint for professionals who want to use an affordable watercolor set.
17. Mozart Premium Japanese Watercolor Paint Set
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What Customers Have to Say
Artists call this a trial paint for its price and colors before transitioning to more expensive watercolor paints. According to another artist, it is very economical since he's been using it for a month regularly and can still go for another month or so.
Why We Think It's Great
The Mozart Premium Japanese Watercolor Paint Set includes 26 premium watercolors, 6 neon paints, and 8 metallics. The pans are removable so that trying found; you can group them according to your preference. However, removing the pans may be a chore since they have individual slots instead of watercolor pens.
The neon colors included in the set are pink, orange, red, yellow, green, and blue, while the metallics are red ochre, bronze, gold, yellow, purple, green, blue, and silver. The other colors are reds, purples, yellows, orange, greens, blues, browns, Payne's grey, grey, deep black, and white.
Who Should Buy It
The Mozart Premium Japanese Watercolor Paint Set is perfect for both beginners and intermediate artists.
18. AEM Watercolor Paint Set
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What Customers Have to Say
Some professional artists tried using this watercolor set, and they found it very good for its price. Though they have lowered their expectations, they found the colors vibrant, and the watercolor paper is good. Their only complaint is the brushes that shed a lot, flat only, and too big for details.
Why We Think It's Great
The kit includes 1 set of watercolor tubes in 24 colors, a pad of watercolor paper (20 sheets), a palette, and watercolor brushes (#6 round, #6 flat, and #8 flat). The 12ml plastic tube is squeezable with an airtight cap to protect the paint inside, nested in a plastic carrying case. The carrying case has slots for the brushes for easier organizing.
The paint is odorless, making it perfect for kids to use, easy to apply, and wash off from the paintbrush. You can also access an ebook on watercolor painting basics with every purchase of this set.
The colors are white, lemon yellow, mid-yellow, yellow ochre, flesh, orange, vermilion, carmine, scarlet, bright red, yellow-green, sap green, deep green, and phthalo green. The other colors are cobalt blue, cerulean blue, ultramarine, deep blue, phthalo blue, burnt sienna, burnt umber, dark chocolate, dark coffee, and black.
Who Should Buy It
This set is another alternative for parents who want to give their children kid-friendly painting supplies.
19. Art Accelerators Watercolor Paint Set
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What Customers Have to Say
Many newbie artists agree that this watercolor set is perfect for those trying to find their hand at watercolor art. The colors are easy to mix and have a very smooth consistency, making it easy even for kids to use.
Why We Think It's Great
The set comes in 32 colors in 12ml squeezable plastic tubes with airtight screw-on caps. These are lightfast and colorfast watercolor paint that lasts a long time and does not dry easily even when placed on a palette and left for a time.
The set includes white, Payne's grey, lemon yellow, mid-yellow, flesh, yellow ochre, pale yellow, yellow-orange, raw sienna, vermilion, scarlet, and crimson. Rose, magenta, hooker's green, green light, emerald green, sap green, viridian, and deep green are also in the set.
Cerulean blue, cobalt blue, ultramarine, Prussian blue, blue-green, violet, phthalo blue, raw umber, burnt sienna, burnt umber, grey, and ivory black.
Who Should Buy It
The Art Accelerator watercolor paint set is an excellent choice for art students, newbie artists, and artistic children.
Best Watercolor Paint Buying Guide
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Quality
Watercolors are easy to mix and create new colors, so you can start with only the basic colors before investing in a more extensive collection. Professional-grade watercolors use high-quality pigments.
Thus the colors are more vibrant and permanent, but also more expensive. Student-grade watercolors, on the other hand, have more fillers that don't mix well. These sets, in turn, have more colors to limit your mixing.
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Permanence
Permanence dictates how long a finished artwork should stand since you cannot protect your artwork from environmental stresses. Usually, more expensive brands do not have many fillers and have a higher quality pigment, thus making the watercolor more lightfast. Lightfastness is the paint's durability to light and humidity.
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Transparency
Transparency is essential in watercolors since it is what creates the allure of a watercolor painting. If working with opaque watercolor, thin it out by adding more water. However, you have to use good watercolor paper so you don't damage your artwork.
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Staining
Some watercolor paints remain on the surface of the paper while others penetrate, thus creating a stain. Between the two, non-staining watercolors are easier to remove and erase. However, it muddies the paint on the paper when layering, creating poor output. Staining, on the other hand, results in better transparency and better layering.
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Form
There are two forms of watercolor paints in pans or tubes. The pans are great because they're portable. The amount of pigment you can put in is limited, so it's best for smaller projects like paintings and drawings. However, it is also very economical since you can do a lot with a single pan.
Tubes, on the other hand, have ready-to-use liquid paint. If you're using tubes, it's easier to use more paint quickly. However, this can mean buying paint more often because brands don't hold up well when constantly rewetting. It is not advisable for a traveling artist, especially if you don't have a proper art container to keep your art supplies intact during road trips.
Best Watercolor FAQ
1. What is watercolor paint?
Watercolor is a superb or straightforward art medium. As water is added, the paint liquefies, and the pigment can be used as painting material. Besides them, paints painted with watercolors may also have certain solvents, fillers, or additives.
These are added to alter the paint features to achieve durability, increase the viscosity, add brightness, etc. Watercolor Paints are a basic medium that can buy at an outlet anywhere in the world. You will be able to distinguish between good and bad and eventually create better art objects.
2. Which colors should I start with?
When painting, you want both vivid or transparent colors. The amount of colors also depends on each artist who enjoys working on a few colors while others prefer working in more variety.
There is an abundance of watercolor techniques you can learn along the way. These things include learning how to make glazes, lay washes, dry wetting, and create textures. And these are some techniques you should be familiar with. Choosing the perfect watercolors is a good step in the right direction.
3. How long do watercolor paints last?
Paint colors generally last from 2 to 3 years. Pans typically last longer than tubes. Many tubs are formulated with ingredients such as glycerine and honey in the hope that they don't dry out over time. To keep your paints from discoloring, wrap them tightly and keep them dry.
Too much humidity can dry out the water-soluble formula. Too much moisture may also soften the paint's water-solution properties too much for too much humidity.
Conclusion
For this review, we have picked our favorites for both beginners and professional artists.
The best watercolor for beginners is the Chalkola Watercolor Paint Set because it has vibrant colors, is affordable, and is non-toxic even for younger artists.
Another winner as the best starter kit is the Emooqi Watercolor Paint Set. It is excellent because it includes all the supplies you need to start with watercolor art, has removable pans for easier organizing, and has brilliant colors.
Lastly, we vote for the Sennelier French Artists Watercolor Metal Tin Set for the best watercolor set for professional artists. It uses natural blackberry honey to dry out even when exposed to the sun, colorfast and lightfast for longer hours.