If you'd like to see all of the other Paul Rubens colors swatched (from the 48 pan set, phosphorescent 24 set and mica glitter sets) I put the images on my Paul Rubens review page at www.kimcrick.com/pages/paul-rubens-watercolors-lightfast-test-art-supply-review These paints average about $2 a pan... really quite affordable in comparison to many other brands. Sometimes I see them go on sale for dirt cheap, just over a dollar a pan and well... I have to fight the urge to hoard more of them for no good reason. I did see a sale today, I put a link in the description if you're curious. No matter what, I hope the video was enjoyable... I loved those neutral grey mixtures! Happy painting everyone :)
PS. I've noticed a lot of my responses, other creators responses to me, and some of your comments are being instantly deleted by RUclips as part of some super sensitive spam filtering. I haven't been deleting comments, it's RUclips sorry. They really don't like links or certain key words. Several people mentioned that their comments disappeared right after making them, because they linked to another website or channel. Hopefully they'll sort it out eventually!
It's happened to me so often (not just here all over YT) that I stopped adding links. I have had decent luck adding the link alone with no text separately. It's been going on at least six months maybe longer. They are also deleting certain words.. like that virus that apparently cannot be names that starts with a "C". If I type that word it's deleted almost every time.
Your website and videos are fantastic sources of information! Thank you for your careful testing and comparisons- they are very valuable for artists interested in watercolor.
This was a super cute layout! I started with the PR 12 set and ended up buying the 48 set during a super sale so that I could just mix and match my own smaller set. I ended up fitting 18 total pans into the 12 pan tin and I'm happy with the custom selection, but can mix and match in the future as desired. I think they're a great mid-grade set for travel when you don't want to be worried about losing or ruining your paints but still want something that works in an "average" way. And I still have duplicates of all the original 12 colors so I can refill those when they run out. I also REALLY like that sketchbook for mixed media, it's a great quality hot pressed paper. It would definitely be nice if they could offer a cold press book though for sure, especially with their competitive pricing.
I have a Paul Rubens 5x7 watercolor sketchbook. It is my favorite sketchbook. I like that pages are perfed, so you can tear them out easily. I have done some really nice paintings on the paper in this book. Paul Rubens says the paper is hot press, but I would say it lies in between hot press and cold press. Plus they are really affordable.
I've grown to appreciate hot press.. but there is 100% an adjustment with water control. I also find I have to be very strict with my drying.. I use my hair dryer extensively with it. Any time I switch I do a small study first just to get back into the right habits vs cold press.. and vice versa. Never fails I always screw up edges or get a bloom the first time I use it. Arches is my favorite HP... it has this really odd "fuzzy" texture that takes some getting used to but I find is very forgiving. I avoid all completely smooth HP, especially the shiny smooth ones... has to have just a touch of texture and preferably a matte surface. You might try the Fabriano soft press.. I'm not the biggest fan of Fabriano but it's different for sure and worth grabbing a sheet from Blick (they sell singles). I tend to go for smoother CP, or rougher HP.
I like the Arches HP for Watercolor Pencils (Not so much like the Fabriano CP but that is a different story). The only problem that I have is that there is nearly no visual differences between the front and backside. Watercolor washes look on the front side smooth but on the back patchy/blotchy :/
I use masking fluid when I remember. Only if I have a straight line or something easy will I use tape to mask it off. I also have what is basically clear contact paper that I could cut a complex shape out of and put on my piece to mask things off, but I've only used it once in all this time. I really liked your faux Polaroid and leaf sample idea - how fun!
Hello Kimberly, I don’t know if you’re going to see this message, but your review of this Paul Rubens 12 half pan watercolor set gave me the confidence to order it from Amazon. Today (03/18/22) it’s $13.40. I ordered two from your link. One to use and the other as a gift or for spares. Your artwork is beautiful. I have two silhouette stamp sets, so your video gave me ideas how I can combine stamping and painting. Thank you for everything you do!
Beautiful painting! I use the green painters tape. I sometimes use it more than once to reduce waste. If there’s a leak under the edge, white gouache comes in handy.
What a neat 12 pan set! I have such little experience with hot press paper & masking tape, I really appreciate you showing all of these items in action. I've never felt inclined to try to learn about using masking fluid or tape, I just revel in my mild competence. You sold me on using a white gel pen a long time ago, which has been super good for highlights & minor fixes. As always, magnificent artwork (absolutely love the "tape".. takes me back to leaf collecting as a kid, ahh the good ol' days.) Thanks for sharing!
Once again, love your artwork. If I'm being honest, even the swatches you do are beautiful! I don't use the very expensive brands for my own work. I use Windsor and Newton watercolour paints and I have Lyra, Derwent and a few other branded pencils. I do draw my artwork, I don't enjoy 'colouring in'. Each to their own as they say. You mentioned coloured pencils in this video and I have just purchased the Intense by Derwent. Could you do a piece or two using these please. I would love to see how you use them. I do understand you are a serious artist and would perhaps prefer not it. Again, thank you for your videos I get immense pleasure from them.
I got the metallic glitter set from paul rubens for my bithday and I love it! The colors are so creamy and pigmented and perfect for details😊 Maybe I buy the normal set too🤔
I love to use them together! Those metallic colors look gorgeous on top of their normal colors and I'm convinced that gold and pearl look good mixed into anything lol.
That was fun to watch! Your art is beautiful! I have the Paul Ruben's 24 pan set and the 24 set with the glitter look, plus I have the pink sketch book, but I do believe mine is cold press, not hot press. I like Paul Ruben's a lot. I find the paint to be vibrant and easy to work with plus I like all the colors for the price. Thanks for sharing!
I use white artists tape.. usually from Blick although most stores have their own brand.. also known as drafting tape in some places. It works on most papers, all of the higher quality.. there are a few really cheap pulp papers that can't handle it, but they are very fragile. If you ever decide to try masking fluid I highly suggest Winsor and Newton mask and a ruling pen. I got my ruling pen for $6 on Amazon and it works great. They make a purple painters tape that is harder to find, but that is made specifically for delicate surfaces as well. I like the white because it doesn't mess with my color balance.
Oh yeah, I think purple tape would throw me off too! Do you ever have a problem with masking fluid hardening/going bad in the bottle? I tried a couple brands a long time ago and even though I thought I shut the bottles well, they always seemed to dry up before I was even halfway through them. It frustrated me enough that I never bought more.
@@KimberlyCrick Not yet.. I've had mine about six months or so. It does get goobery bits in the cap I have to pick out every once in a while (tweezers work well). Be sure you never shake it.. that will ruin it as it puts air bubbles into the mask. Stir gently if needed with a stick of some sort. I tried several different kinds before the WN and had so many problems.. the WN has been 100% so far.
I'd love a video on the Tombow pens you mentioned. I have their mechanical pencils and brush pens, and they're ace, but I've had staedler fineliner pens for years and haven't yet managed to explore beyond them.
Many waterproof pigment based fineliners are extremely similar. Staedtler, Tombow, Winsor & Newton and Uni Pin all make nearly identical products. I ditched micron a long time ago because they don't dry as waterproof as quickly as the others and some of their color ones turned out to be fugitive and made me cranky lol. I'll eventually cover all the pens and waterproof inks I've tried :)
My favorite page you've done yet🤩. I used the link you gave to order the 12 pan set, and it has a 50% off coupon!!! This set is $13 and change right now!
wow that demo painting at the end 😍 I've been trying to get more into washi tape recently and I've been happy with my results! I like that I can find really thin ones pretty easily :)
Thank you, I'll have to look for some thinner tape options! I liked that this was fairly wide so I could cut shapes out of it, but thin would be so much better for making swatch charts :)
You're really creative wow! I've been using masking tapes for years but never thought of using the like this. I simply use them to give nice crispy white frames to my paintings.
Masking tape makes me want to get some of those special scissors with unique edges to cut shapes out of the tape, like wavy line edges. I'm thinking tons of little diamond shapes could be cool too, especially layered on top of already colored surfaces to preserve dry layers of colors instead of just white paper. So many things to try :D
@@KimberlyCrick Thanks for another great video! You read my mind! I’ve been wanting to do some “reverse” gradient-style masking, but it’s a (stinky!) hassle using masking fluid once, much less over and over. I’ve hand-torn masking tape before to create tree trunks and branches, which has always seemed to work fine, but I’d never tried it over painted areas. Just this morning I began making (several) abstract cards, using washi/scotch/blue tapes to see which ones work the best. I’ve got several “in rotation,” so with any luck I may end up with at least ONE that’s nice enough to send out, lol! Your comment made me think about those small/mini “punch” shapes. I don’t have tape wide enough to try it, but as we have a billion of those punches (because KIDS), I may try some sticker/label sheets that are made to go through a printer. Have you ever tried any of those for masking use? Thanks again for the video!
Oof this set is really tempting especially on sale for $12-$13, they are artist grade paints with an aesthetically pleasing palette, what more can you ask? I have to remind myself there are other great options out there as well, one great quality student grade and the other affordable artist grade (Shinhan PWC - they are cheap in Asia) and it's diffucult to choose. Tube paints offer more paint for the price, but this palette looks as high quality as the paint!
The painting demo is gorgeous! I wish Paul Rubens paints were more readily available because so far I've only seen them on Amazon and in premade sets which is a bummer
Thank you and I wish we could find Paul Rubens individual colors easier as well. They have tubes in the Paul Rubens ali express shop, but since the pandemic shipping from China to most other places in the world takes a month or more (if it doesn't get lost). Maybe one day we'll be able to find a better selection more easily obtainable worldwide.
You can mix a grey very close to Paynes using ultramarine and burnt umber - i think that is what Jane Blundell uses for Jane’s Grey. I use Scotch Tape. 😉
Yes, that's a pretty common mixture used as an alternative to black pigments. I used the ultra and burnt umber to mix grey at 3:08 but this mix is not as strong, staining or vividly blue leaning (like we may want for a night sky) as those that include PB15. This set would definitely had better mixing potential with Phthalo Blue instead of their Paynes Grey, particularly for greens and purples. You don't have any trouble with the stronger adhesive on scotch tape damaging the paper surface? I imagine that probably works great on papers with a durable surface/extra sizing.
@@KimberlyCrick No problemsso far. The adhesive on scotch tape is not as strong as masking tape in my experience and, as with masking tape, you can soften the adhesive with a heat gun, even if the tape has been on the paper for days!
i was just thinking about getting this set! i'll probably wait until the price drops a bit (it's £22 for me right now, but i've seen it go on sale for £18 before and i'm kicking myself for not pouncing on it), just because my art supply budget is small, but it looks really good considering what you pay. the payne's grey thing is a bit of a hassle, but it might work as a nice limited-ish palette, and once the paints are used up i can keep the tin! p.s. i love mt washi tape for masking! it can be a bit pricey but it's super pretty, and you can reuse each bit of tape a few times if you're careful about peeling it off :>
I just got the regular 48 and 48 glitter (prime day deal). Do you feel these are best applied wet on wet? I swatched wet on dry but maybe should try that. I love your swatch chart. Great way to see their range. Can you explain how you test each box? With it sped up in trying to decipher how you're testing in each box. Looks like they take salt well! I use washi tape but oh man when you leave it a few days Oops.
At 8:13 in the lower right you can see the chart for the swatch card with notes about each painted area. In general I work with all watercolors wet on wet far more often than on dry, it helps all paints go down more smoothly, predictably and ready to blend with other colors. They do salt texture react well, since there's no thick or heavy particle pigments in this set (such as gritty opaque colors or granulating colors). Unfortunately for those who love texture and color separation, it means all of these colors will be pretty subtle in mixtures (no easy replicating of Daniel Smith Primatek minerals or Moonglow for instance). Some of the blues in the 48 set are beautiful granulating colors though, their textures look amazing in really wet washes.
Thank you for sharing these helpful demos! Your painting and swatches are lovely. I purchased the Paul Rubens 24 set but am finding that when I paint thickly like dots in my abstract work- the paint looks shiny almost like acrylic paint. I’m not as familiar with watercolor but I’ve never had it look shiny in the pans when dry or when dotted on thickly. Can you shed any light on what might be happening? Thank You! Jalyne in Utah USA
Gum arabic is shiny when dry if watercolor is applied too thickly. I would assume this is just binder build up and you may find it lessens when the paint is thoroughly mixed with water on your palette before applying to paper. It could be that the binder ratio is a little high in your batch, I don't usually see that issue with Paul Rubens.
Let's see if vegan is one of those "words". So many pretty paints I do not try. Having said that, you would be amazed at the lengths I went to rationalize buying M Graham's Viridian to complete your Single pigment palette list,
Unfortunately I read that Paul Rubens uses honey in their tubes and I think the pans may have ox gall like schmincke/w&newton. That M.Graham pick though... I'm glad it doesn't use ox gall. The honey does wonders for difficult pigments like PG18. I hope you will get a lot of good use from it :)
always love your reviews. not a big fan of cadiums though, I am very curious to get Roman Szmal 12 half pan set though. I haven't seen any reviews of it yet, maybe you can? *wink wink* hehe. I loved the brushes you used here. will be looking after those
I’ve got the 12 halfpan set from RS - just added Payne’s Grey and Quin Gold in the middle and it’s my favourite travel set right now. But I love RS paints in general - if they ever decide to produce tube paints they will become my number one in general:D
@@chedoodles right? I was curious what other artists would think about that set. I personally love it, especially the not-so-obvious color choices. I would say it’s good way to try out Aquarius paints if you never did before, but also great way to have them in a more mobile version than the chunky full-pans if you already like them. In either case I would say: go for it!:D
Gorgeous. As always, great video, well informed, short and sweet. I have a question; recently i received the hot press mini journal (A6). I was super excited to try it that i dove into a character painting without doing any testing. Im a novice with little knowledge of watercolors and papers but i noticed that the journal i received seemed heavier than usual, smooth but the look of it has a roughness to it. When i started painting, the paints lied down nicely (differently but expected) but when it dried, the colors seemed dull. Im used to working with a lot of 100% cold pressed from various brands and this was the first time i got my hands on hot press - but my Paul ruben paints looked better and more vibrant on my cold pressed. If i understand correctly it should be the other way around? Plus I noticed that the paper looked more fibrous, even though the website states it holds up to lots of scrubbing. Thoughts? Thank you!
Rubens definitely seems a bit soft and absorbent. It can take some layers but I agree it is not great for scrubbing/lifting compared to some other brands. Luckily it takes pen/pencils well since it's so smooth. Some soft/loose fiber cold press papers tear (rip/paper pilling) when needle fine pen tips catch on their bumpy surface. I talk a little about the traits of this hot press around 2:45 but basically this paper will make your paints look more dull than a better sized paper (like the gelatin coating on Arches). There seems to be more hot press papers than cold press ones that have very little surface sizing (the coating that determines lifting or staining properties, or how fast the watercolor absorbs). Though this is not always the case (Bee or Legion brands are also soft and absorbent even in cold press). Once I had a fabriano hot press pad with no sizing and the colors just absorbed into pale dull versions of themselves and just spread recklessly through the paper fibers :( Some brands are "hard sized" (like Moleskine and many cellulose papers, Jackson's store brand watercolor paper or Millford) which means colors will look vibrant, but easily lift (hard to layer on) due to the slick surface coating. I'm overall not a big fan of hot press since the smooth texture doesn't hold water as well, but hot press is better for tiny details and dry brushing. I prefer using cold or rough papers, so I can use big pools of wet on wet for blending and to promote granulation texture (pigment particles settle into the dips and valleys). That being said all brands of paper use different types of surface sizing ranging from starch and vegan options to animal hide glues and gelatin so the experience varies. The type and amount of sizing/coating is what determines how vibrant the paints are, by allowing the pigments to sit on the surface instead of being absorbed into the paper. Characteristics really depend more on the brand's coating vs the texture of the paper for how much the paint absorbs vs sits on top and appears vibrant. Cold vs hot is a bit more reliably about texture and how much water it can hold and evenly absorb. Arches and Winsor & Newton make some of my favorite papers since there's not too much sizing, so I can layer away without fear of lifting dry layers, but also not too little to make colors impossible to lift. Unless I really need smooth paper for pen or fine details like botanical studies, I find cold press is usually a superior surface type for watercolors. Could be personal preference, but I hope that helps :)
@@KimberlyCrick thank you. Thank you thank you. I understand a lot better now. I guess I am so used to cold pressed, i didn’t understand much about either types and thrown off. Ill need to try some more types of hot press to see if i really do not like it for my illustrations. I figured i would bc of the smooth surface since I do like mixed media like pencil and markers on smooth paper! Thank you so so much for answering my question. Since I really dont understand the .. science (?) of watercolors and paper (really all types of media 😅) I couldn’t quite explain the issue i was seeing 🤍 Love these videos.
I use normal table salt, usually Morton's the cheapest one at the grocery store. A few things change how pronounced of a salt reaction you'll get: Granulating colors react less and sometimes not at all. If your wash is really wet there may be very big blooms or none at all. If your wash is too close to dry the specks will be tiny. It has to be a just shiny with water stage. It helps if you wet the paper first, then do your wash, instead of putting color on dry paper where it's more prone to immediately staining. If all else fails paper might be a reason. Most brands have a good reaction, except for really chalky bargain paints. Hope that helps :)
Thank you for this video! About your choice of brushes, may I know why you choose Princeton Heritage over Aqua Elite, which is supposed to be superior? I am asking because I can’t find any retailers who offer Princeton Heritage in Australia 😫.
The Heritage brushes seem to hold a finer tip and allow me to use them for really tiny details for a very long time without bristle fray. I think the Aqua Elite might manage water better, but maybe not quite the same fine point. When I want a brush that will really carry a lot of water and dispense it well I use my Neptunes. I guess I personally just prefer having a brush that is really good at one specific thing than sorta good at multiple things. I just switch between 2 brushes usually while painting, one for wash, one for detail. That's what suits my work flow, but honestly brushes are a tool that can just be gotten used to (the best brush is the one you use often and know what to expect from it). Happy painting :)
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If you'd like to see all of the other Paul Rubens colors swatched (from the 48 pan set, phosphorescent 24 set and mica glitter sets) I put the images on my Paul Rubens review page at www.kimcrick.com/pages/paul-rubens-watercolors-lightfast-test-art-supply-review
These paints average about $2 a pan... really quite affordable in comparison to many other brands. Sometimes I see them go on sale for dirt cheap, just over a dollar a pan and well... I have to fight the urge to hoard more of them for no good reason. I did see a sale today, I put a link in the description if you're curious. No matter what, I hope the video was enjoyable... I loved those neutral grey mixtures! Happy painting everyone :)
PS. I've noticed a lot of my responses, other creators responses to me, and some of your comments are being instantly deleted by RUclips as part of some super sensitive spam filtering. I haven't been deleting comments, it's RUclips sorry. They really don't like links or certain key words. Several people mentioned that their comments disappeared right after making them, because they linked to another website or channel. Hopefully they'll sort it out eventually!
It's happened to me so often (not just here all over YT) that I stopped adding links. I have had decent luck adding the link alone with no text separately. It's been going on at least six months maybe longer. They are also deleting certain words.. like that virus that apparently cannot be names that starts with a "C". If I type that word it's deleted almost every time.
Just gorgeous colors! I'm blown away how Paul Rubens just appeared out of nowhere and just became instant competition
I just love the way you paint. So pretty and clean.
Thank you for your sweet comment, I'm happy to hear that :)
Your website and videos are fantastic sources of information! Thank you for your careful testing and comparisons- they are very valuable for artists interested in watercolor.
Beautiful, I love your drawings used for the painting. Your line work is amazing!
This was a super cute layout! I started with the PR 12 set and ended up buying the 48 set during a super sale so that I could just mix and match my own smaller set. I ended up fitting 18 total pans into the 12 pan tin and I'm happy with the custom selection, but can mix and match in the future as desired. I think they're a great mid-grade set for travel when you don't want to be worried about losing or ruining your paints but still want something that works in an "average" way. And I still have duplicates of all the original 12 colors so I can refill those when they run out. I also REALLY like that sketchbook for mixed media, it's a great quality hot pressed paper. It would definitely be nice if they could offer a cold press book though for sure, especially with their competitive pricing.
Every time where I want to buy the Phosphorescent Set my rational side screams
I have a Paul Rubens 5x7 watercolor sketchbook. It is my favorite sketchbook. I like that pages are perfed, so you can tear them out easily. I have done some really nice paintings on the paper in this book. Paul Rubens says the paper is hot press, but I would say it lies in between hot press and cold press. Plus they are really affordable.
I love ALL your videos!! Thanks for sharing!!
I've grown to appreciate hot press.. but there is 100% an adjustment with water control. I also find I have to be very strict with my drying.. I use my hair dryer extensively with it. Any time I switch I do a small study first just to get back into the right habits vs cold press.. and vice versa. Never fails I always screw up edges or get a bloom the first time I use it. Arches is my favorite HP... it has this really odd "fuzzy" texture that takes some getting used to but I find is very forgiving. I avoid all completely smooth HP, especially the shiny smooth ones... has to have just a touch of texture and preferably a matte surface. You might try the Fabriano soft press.. I'm not the biggest fan of Fabriano but it's different for sure and worth grabbing a sheet from Blick (they sell singles). I tend to go for smoother CP, or rougher HP.
I like the Arches HP for Watercolor Pencils (Not so much like the Fabriano CP but that is a different story).
The only problem that I have is that there is nearly no visual differences between the front and backside.
Watercolor washes look on the front side smooth but on the back patchy/blotchy :/
I use masking fluid when I remember. Only if I have a straight line or something easy will I use tape to mask it off. I also have what is basically clear contact paper that I could cut a complex shape out of and put on my piece to mask things off, but I've only used it once in all this time. I really liked your faux Polaroid and leaf sample idea - how fun!
I love this scrapbook style painting :)
Hello Kimberly, I don’t know if you’re going to see this message, but your review of this Paul Rubens 12 half pan watercolor set gave me the confidence to order it from Amazon. Today (03/18/22) it’s $13.40. I ordered two from your link. One to use and the other as a gift or for spares. Your artwork is beautiful. I have two silhouette stamp sets, so your video gave me ideas how I can combine stamping and painting. Thank you for everything you do!
Wow what a great sale price!!! Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy them as much as I have. Happy painting :)
@@KimberlyCrick you’re welcome and thank you! 🤩
Beautiful painting! I use the green painters tape. I sometimes use it more than once to reduce waste. If there’s a leak under the edge, white gouache comes in handy.
I always use it more than once, as well.
What a neat 12 pan set! I have such little experience with hot press paper & masking tape, I really appreciate you showing all of these items in action. I've never felt inclined to try to learn about using masking fluid or tape, I just revel in my mild competence. You sold me on using a white gel pen a long time ago, which has been super good for highlights & minor fixes. As always, magnificent artwork (absolutely love the "tape".. takes me back to leaf collecting as a kid, ahh the good ol' days.) Thanks for sharing!
What a stunning painting! I love the "taped" corners! I, too, wish there were a different cool blue in this set!
Once again, love your artwork. If I'm being honest, even the swatches you do are beautiful! I don't use the very expensive brands for my own work. I use Windsor and Newton watercolour paints and I have Lyra, Derwent and a few other branded pencils. I do draw my artwork, I don't enjoy 'colouring in'. Each to their own as they say. You mentioned coloured pencils in this video and I have just purchased the Intense by Derwent. Could you do a piece or two using these please. I would love to see how you use them. I do understand you are a serious artist and would perhaps prefer not it. Again, thank you for your videos I get immense pleasure from them.
I got the metallic glitter set from paul rubens for my bithday and I love it! The colors are so creamy and pigmented and perfect for details😊 Maybe I buy the normal set too🤔
I love to use them together! Those metallic colors look gorgeous on top of their normal colors and I'm convinced that gold and pearl look good mixed into anything lol.
I’m very interested in your videos. I learn so much thank you for sharing your thoughts
That was fun to watch! Your art is beautiful! I have the Paul Ruben's 24 pan set and the 24 set with the glitter look, plus I have the pink sketch book, but I do believe mine is cold press, not hot press. I like Paul Ruben's a lot. I find the paint to be vibrant and easy to work with plus I like all the colors for the price. Thanks for sharing!
The artwork is really lovely and makes me want to get to work in my sketchbook. Thank you for your work; as usual very informative.
I use white artists tape.. usually from Blick although most stores have their own brand.. also known as drafting tape in some places. It works on most papers, all of the higher quality.. there are a few really cheap pulp papers that can't handle it, but they are very fragile. If you ever decide to try masking fluid I highly suggest Winsor and Newton mask and a ruling pen. I got my ruling pen for $6 on Amazon and it works great. They make a purple painters tape that is harder to find, but that is made specifically for delicate surfaces as well. I like the white because it doesn't mess with my color balance.
I also 2nd the white drafting tape and ruling pen!!
Oh yeah, I think purple tape would throw me off too! Do you ever have a problem with masking fluid hardening/going bad in the bottle? I tried a couple brands a long time ago and even though I thought I shut the bottles well, they always seemed to dry up before I was even halfway through them. It frustrated me enough that I never bought more.
@@KimberlyCrick Not yet.. I've had mine about six months or so. It does get goobery bits in the cap I have to pick out every once in a while (tweezers work well). Be sure you never shake it.. that will ruin it as it puts air bubbles into the mask. Stir gently if needed with a stick of some sort. I tried several different kinds before the WN and had so many problems.. the WN has been 100% so far.
I'd love a video on the Tombow pens you mentioned. I have their mechanical pencils and brush pens, and they're ace, but I've had staedler fineliner pens for years and haven't yet managed to explore beyond them.
Many waterproof pigment based fineliners are extremely similar. Staedtler, Tombow, Winsor & Newton and Uni Pin all make nearly identical products. I ditched micron a long time ago because they don't dry as waterproof as quickly as the others and some of their color ones turned out to be fugitive and made me cranky lol. I'll eventually cover all the pens and waterproof inks I've tried :)
My favorite page you've done yet🤩. I used the link you gave to order the 12 pan set, and it has a 50% off coupon!!! This set is $13 and change right now!
Thank you and wow! Such a great deal!!! :D
Gorgeous watercolour painting 😍
wow that demo painting at the end 😍
I've been trying to get more into washi tape recently and I've been happy with my results! I like that I can find really thin ones pretty easily :)
Thank you, I'll have to look for some thinner tape options! I liked that this was fairly wide so I could cut shapes out of it, but thin would be so much better for making swatch charts :)
You're really creative wow! I've been using masking tapes for years but never thought of using the like this. I simply use them to give nice crispy white frames to my paintings.
Masking tape makes me want to get some of those special scissors with unique edges to cut shapes out of the tape, like wavy line edges. I'm thinking tons of little diamond shapes could be cool too, especially layered on top of already colored surfaces to preserve dry layers of colors instead of just white paper. So many things to try :D
@@KimberlyCrick Thanks for another great video! You read my mind! I’ve been wanting to do some “reverse” gradient-style masking, but it’s a (stinky!) hassle using masking fluid once, much less over and over. I’ve hand-torn masking tape before to create tree trunks and branches, which has always seemed to work fine, but I’d never tried it over painted areas. Just this morning I began making (several) abstract cards, using washi/scotch/blue tapes to see which ones work the best. I’ve got several “in rotation,” so with any luck I may end up with at least ONE that’s nice enough to send out, lol!
Your comment made me think about those small/mini “punch” shapes. I don’t have tape wide enough to try it, but as we have a billion of those punches (because KIDS), I may try some sticker/label sheets that are made to go through a printer. Have you ever tried any of those for masking use? Thanks again for the video!
Love the scotch tape effect.. cute.
Awesome friend,great upload✌️😃..
Oof this set is really tempting especially on sale for $12-$13, they are artist grade paints with an aesthetically pleasing palette, what more can you ask? I have to remind myself there are other great options out there as well, one great quality student grade and the other affordable artist grade (Shinhan PWC - they are cheap in Asia) and it's diffucult to choose. Tube paints offer more paint for the price, but this palette looks as high quality as the paint!
I use Duck brand Clean Release masking tape..
The painting demo is gorgeous! I wish Paul Rubens paints were more readily available because so far I've only seen them on Amazon and in premade sets which is a bummer
Thank you and I wish we could find Paul Rubens individual colors easier as well. They have tubes in the Paul Rubens ali express shop, but since the pandemic shipping from China to most other places in the world takes a month or more (if it doesn't get lost). Maybe one day we'll be able to find a better selection more easily obtainable worldwide.
You can mix a grey very close to Paynes using ultramarine and burnt umber - i think that is what Jane Blundell uses for Jane’s Grey.
I use Scotch Tape. 😉
Yes, that's a pretty common mixture used as an alternative to black pigments. I used the ultra and burnt umber to mix grey at 3:08 but this mix is not as strong, staining or vividly blue leaning (like we may want for a night sky) as those that include PB15. This set would definitely had better mixing potential with Phthalo Blue instead of their Paynes Grey, particularly for greens and purples.
You don't have any trouble with the stronger adhesive on scotch tape damaging the paper surface? I imagine that probably works great on papers with a durable surface/extra sizing.
@@KimberlyCrick No problemsso far. The adhesive on scotch tape
is not as strong as masking tape in my experience and, as with masking tape, you can soften the adhesive with a heat gun, even if the tape has been on the paper for days!
@@natford8271 Oh I'm going to have to try the heat gun trick! Thanks :)
i was just thinking about getting this set! i'll probably wait until the price drops a bit (it's £22 for me right now, but i've seen it go on sale for £18 before and i'm kicking myself for not pouncing on it), just because my art supply budget is small, but it looks really good considering what you pay. the payne's grey thing is a bit of a hassle, but it might work as a nice limited-ish palette, and once the paints are used up i can keep the tin!
p.s. i love mt washi tape for masking! it can be a bit pricey but it's super pretty, and you can reuse each bit of tape a few times if you're careful about peeling it off :>
I just got the regular 48 and 48 glitter (prime day deal). Do you feel these are best applied wet on wet? I swatched wet on dry but maybe should try that. I love your swatch chart. Great way to see their range. Can you explain how you test each box? With it sped up in trying to decipher how you're testing in each box. Looks like they take salt well! I use washi tape but oh man when you leave it a few days Oops.
At 8:13 in the lower right you can see the chart for the swatch card with notes about each painted area. In general I work with all watercolors wet on wet far more often than on dry, it helps all paints go down more smoothly, predictably and ready to blend with other colors. They do salt texture react well, since there's no thick or heavy particle pigments in this set (such as gritty opaque colors or granulating colors). Unfortunately for those who love texture and color separation, it means all of these colors will be pretty subtle in mixtures (no easy replicating of Daniel Smith Primatek minerals or Moonglow for instance). Some of the blues in the 48 set are beautiful granulating colors though, their textures look amazing in really wet washes.
Thank you for sharing these helpful demos! Your painting and swatches are lovely. I purchased the Paul Rubens 24 set but am finding that when I paint thickly like dots in my abstract work- the paint looks shiny almost like acrylic paint. I’m not as familiar with watercolor but I’ve never had it look shiny in the pans when dry or when dotted on thickly. Can you shed any light on what might be happening? Thank You! Jalyne in Utah USA
Gum arabic is shiny when dry if watercolor is applied too thickly. I would assume this is just binder build up and you may find it lessens when the paint is thoroughly mixed with water on your palette before applying to paper. It could be that the binder ratio is a little high in your batch, I don't usually see that issue with Paul Rubens.
havent tried those paints yet, really wont to tho as they look like ok paints but...need to wait until I use up other supplies first lol
Let's see if vegan is one of those "words". So many pretty paints I do not try. Having said that, you would be amazed at the lengths I went to rationalize buying M Graham's Viridian to complete your Single pigment palette list,
Unfortunately I read that Paul Rubens uses honey in their tubes and I think the pans may have ox gall like schmincke/w&newton. That M.Graham pick though... I'm glad it doesn't use ox gall. The honey does wonders for difficult pigments like PG18. I hope you will get a lot of good use from it :)
always love your reviews. not a big fan of cadiums though, I am very curious to get Roman Szmal 12 half pan set though. I haven't seen any reviews of it yet, maybe you can? *wink wink* hehe. I loved the brushes you used here. will be looking after those
I’ve got the 12 halfpan set from RS - just added Payne’s Grey and Quin Gold in the middle and it’s my favourite travel set right now. But I love RS paints in general - if they ever decide to produce tube paints they will become my number one in general:D
There's not a single review about it which makes me crazy lol. I want to get it
@@chedoodles right? I was curious what other artists would think about that set. I personally love it, especially the not-so-obvious color choices. I would say it’s good way to try out Aquarius paints if you never did before, but also great way to have them in a more mobile version than the chunky full-pans if you already like them. In either case I would say: go for it!:D
Gorgeous. As always, great video, well informed, short and sweet.
I have a question; recently i received the hot press mini journal (A6). I was super excited to try it that i dove into a character painting without doing any testing. Im a novice with little knowledge of watercolors and papers but i noticed that the journal i received seemed heavier than usual, smooth but the look of it has a roughness to it. When i started painting, the paints lied down nicely (differently but expected) but when it dried, the colors seemed dull. Im used to working with a lot of 100% cold pressed from various brands and this was the first time i got my hands on hot press - but my Paul ruben paints looked better and more vibrant on my cold pressed. If i understand correctly it should be the other way around? Plus I noticed that the paper looked more fibrous, even though the website states it holds up to lots of scrubbing. Thoughts? Thank you!
Rubens definitely seems a bit soft and absorbent. It can take some layers but I agree it is not great for scrubbing/lifting compared to some other brands. Luckily it takes pen/pencils well since it's so smooth. Some soft/loose fiber cold press papers tear (rip/paper pilling) when needle fine pen tips catch on their bumpy surface. I talk a little about the traits of this hot press around 2:45 but basically this paper will make your paints look more dull than a better sized paper (like the gelatin coating on Arches). There seems to be more hot press papers than cold press ones that have very little surface sizing (the coating that determines lifting or staining properties, or how fast the watercolor absorbs). Though this is not always the case (Bee or Legion brands are also soft and absorbent even in cold press). Once I had a fabriano hot press pad with no sizing and the colors just absorbed into pale dull versions of themselves and just spread recklessly through the paper fibers :(
Some brands are "hard sized" (like Moleskine and many cellulose papers, Jackson's store brand watercolor paper or Millford) which means colors will look vibrant, but easily lift (hard to layer on) due to the slick surface coating. I'm overall not a big fan of hot press since the smooth texture doesn't hold water as well, but hot press is better for tiny details and dry brushing. I prefer using cold or rough papers, so I can use big pools of wet on wet for blending and to promote granulation texture (pigment particles settle into the dips and valleys). That being said all brands of paper use different types of surface sizing ranging from starch and vegan options to animal hide glues and gelatin so the experience varies. The type and amount of sizing/coating is what determines how vibrant the paints are, by allowing the pigments to sit on the surface instead of being absorbed into the paper. Characteristics really depend more on the brand's coating vs the texture of the paper for how much the paint absorbs vs sits on top and appears vibrant. Cold vs hot is a bit more reliably about texture and how much water it can hold and evenly absorb. Arches and Winsor & Newton make some of my favorite papers since there's not too much sizing, so I can layer away without fear of lifting dry layers, but also not too little to make colors impossible to lift. Unless I really need smooth paper for pen or fine details like botanical studies, I find cold press is usually a superior surface type for watercolors. Could be personal preference, but I hope that helps :)
@@KimberlyCrick thank you. Thank you thank you. I understand a lot better now. I guess I am so used to cold pressed, i didn’t understand much about either types and thrown off. Ill need to try some more types of hot press to see if i really do not like it for my illustrations. I figured i would bc of the smooth surface since I do like mixed media like pencil and markers on smooth paper! Thank you so so much for answering my question. Since I really dont understand the .. science (?) of watercolors and paper (really all types of media 😅) I couldn’t quite explain the issue i was seeing 🤍 Love these videos.
What kind of salt do you use for your test ? I can never get that really vainy texture
I use normal table salt, usually Morton's the cheapest one at the grocery store. A few things change how pronounced of a salt reaction you'll get: Granulating colors react less and sometimes not at all. If your wash is really wet there may be very big blooms or none at all. If your wash is too close to dry the specks will be tiny. It has to be a just shiny with water stage. It helps if you wet the paper first, then do your wash, instead of putting color on dry paper where it's more prone to immediately staining. If all else fails paper might be a reason. Most brands have a good reaction, except for really chalky bargain paints. Hope that helps :)
@@KimberlyCrick it does ! Thank you !
Thank you for this video! About your choice of brushes, may I know why you choose Princeton Heritage over Aqua Elite, which is supposed to be superior? I am asking because I can’t find any retailers who offer Princeton Heritage in Australia 😫.
The Heritage brushes seem to hold a finer tip and allow me to use them for really tiny details for a very long time without bristle fray. I think the Aqua Elite might manage water better, but maybe not quite the same fine point. When I want a brush that will really carry a lot of water and dispense it well I use my Neptunes. I guess I personally just prefer having a brush that is really good at one specific thing than sorta good at multiple things. I just switch between 2 brushes usually while painting, one for wash, one for detail. That's what suits my work flow, but honestly brushes are a tool that can just be gotten used to (the best brush is the one you use often and know what to expect from it). Happy painting :)
@@KimberlyCrick Thank you!
Awesome friend,great upload✌️😃..