Question about watercolor paints

[bif]

I just started playing around with the medium and have enjoyed using M. Graham paints. Is there a big difference in brands? Are there any better brands?

Also, what's the difference between watercolor and gouache paints? Can you mix them? (On the same sheet of paper?)

[mopinko]

1. there's always better brands to spend extra on.

but the old line brands like windsor newton are fine, unless you are pulling down big money or want to make sure your work is here for your great grandchildren.

yes, you can mix them.
i used to use caran d'ache. super fun medium. more forgiving, and lots of effects that you cant get w paint. the pencils are good too. good for details.

[JudyM]

4. Which caran d'ache set would you recommend?

Kind of pricey and I’ve wondered about them…

[mopinko]

5. i'd say go ahead and start w a small set.

see how you like them. you'll likely burn those colors 1st anyway.

ftr, i never did find a red i liked. they were all cadmium, and i hate it. i learned how to mix and get pretty much what i wanted, but never on the head. could never get a light red, as opposed to a pink.
i also used pastel over them sometimes. you can get rly high chroma, and completely block the paper if you want. used black ink outlines to start.

[Ocelot II]

2. Gouache is more opaque than watercolor.

You could use them on the same sheet of paper if you wanted some part of the painting to have a transparent look and the rest more opaque. Opaque paints have a flatter look but you can cover up mistakes more easily. It's really hard to fix a mistake with watercolors.

[katmondoo]

7. Sometimes I fix a watercolor using Gouache. If your tree trunk is too dark use a lighter color

gouache in some areas as high lights. For beach paintings of ocean waves use white gouache to show wave tops. I tear off a corner of a heavy watercolor paper, dip in white gouache and dab horizontally onto the ocean color to create the waves. Many really good effects using watercolor and gouache. Also Gouache can be used to paint on wood. Must have several coats varnish to preserve the painting. The colors deepen and really come alive after the varnish.

[CrispyQ]

3. I upgraded to this 24 color set & am very happy with both the paints & the palette.

https://www.amazon.com/Mungyo-Professional-Colors-Integral-Palette/dp/B07SJQ91TV/ref=sr_1_5

I bought the 12 color set, too, more for the small, portable palette, & I'm very happy with it, too.

Looking forward to seeing your work!

[ultralite001]

6. I learn such great stuff here...

Thanks for sharing...

That is all...

[bif]

8. Thank you all for the great input.

This forum is the best!

[GPV]

9. Gouache is lovely with watercolor. Be aware the flatness of it pulls it forward, so it doesn't do

Last edited Tue Aug 2, 2022, 05:22 AM - Edit history (1)

well as a distant plane, but can make the foreground pop. Sarah Burns and James Gurney on YouTube show it better than I can say.

M graham is a lovely studio paint, but the honey can make it somewhat goopy for travel palettes. I use mostly Daniel Smith and love them. You can add granulating medium to your m grahams, if you want. Also, Daniel Smith sells dot cards so you can try them out. (Jane Blundell, a master watercolor mixer, shows them here: https://janeblundellart.blogspot.com/2015/11/daniel-smith-try-it-dot-cards-for.html ) If you go back to my earlier palette post, those are mostly DS swatches. But I started w Van Goghs. A split primary starter set will help you learn to mix. A watercolorist has to be an artist, chemist, and physicist.

Here's a how-to playlist for watercolor technique with landscape tutorials: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL0YdnF2VHk5jOSxZWuS2Iw9ZJCwcWSpf

[bif]

10. I've heard good things about Daniel Smith paints

Now that I've already bought a pretty complete set. I'm pretty happy with the M. Graham paints.