Paints and Pigments

Posted on Nov 14, 2009

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Where to begin, the whole subject of paints and pigments is endlessly, deliriously delicious!

PIGMENT AND PAINT RESOURCE

• Handprint – just gotta visit this site if you love watercolor, gouache, and more about pigments than you could ever imagine.

I LOVE GOUACHE

• If you love gouache like i do, you must familiarize yourself with Roz. She’s an expert in my opinion, and I continue to learns lots from her – thru her blog.
• Two fantastic links from Roz about choosing your gouache palette:
  Selecting a travel gouache palette
  Choosing a gouache palette

PAINTS I USE AND LOVE

• SCHMINCKE Watercolor and Gouache
  Simple, I love them, I mean i really LOVE them.  These are the paints of my dreams but because of their huge pricetag they are not the paints of my everyday! I started out with a great 24 full pan set of watercolors.  And have since collected some of their gouache, which is truly out of this world quality. These purchases are onesies and twosies at a time for me.
• M. GRAHAM Watercolor and Gouache
  Very nice, made with honey so they do NOT dry out.  Good and sometimes bad, such as I can’t use certain colors in my travel gouache palette anymore cuz one tube of quin magenta (glorious color) leaked.  Made a mess. Overall, the value and quality are fantastic.
• Holbein Watercolor and Gouache
  I haven’t really used their watercolors too much, a tube here and there, and very nice.  As for their Gouache, I would say to avoid their Designer Gouache (not as lightfast, tho the colors are luminescent) but I go for their artist grade gouache.  Dries in a palette though, as do most gouache. I’ve only found M Graham and Schmincke to hold up when poured into palettes for convenience and travel.
• I think I’ll leave out the paints I haven’t tried yet….or where the jury is out.

OTHER STUFF I LOVE TO PAINT AND PLAY WITH

• Caran D’ache watercolor crayons – dense, rich, yummy
• Portfolio water soluble oil pastels – very very nice and cheap! (24 under $10)
• Sumi ink
• Lamy Safari Fountain Pens
• Pilot brand Gold and Silver metallic pens…stinky, but great stuff
• Faber Castell Watercolor Pencils – I’ve got over 200 of these, love them!
• Carbo Othello pastel pencils – a set of 24 does me fine.

Well, that’s it for now.