Everything you need to know about my watercolor palette

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Everything you need to know about my watercolor palette Krzysztof Kowalski E-mail: kowalski1302@gmail.

1 Everything you need to know about my watercolor palette Krzysztof Kowalski Facebook: Krzysztof Kowalski watercolors Website: YouTube channel: esperoart Botanical painting blog: Krzysztof Kowalski, Poland 2015

2 I would like to thank: Annie Jay Glenda Walker Lengel Anderson Nohely Arany Gomez Patricia Genever who proofread my English version of this document and made the necessary corrections. Thank you!

My watercolor palette Krzysztof Kowalski I have many colors and there are many more waiting for me to try. There is nothing wrong in trying out new paints.

3 My watercolor palette Krzysztof Kowalski I have many colors and there are many more waiting for me to try. There is nothing wrong in trying out new paints. Some of them will end up in a drawer, waiting there for better times. Others will find their place on my palette. Trying out new colors is always so enjoyable! When I choose colors, I take into consideration 3 main characteristics: pigment, transparency and lightfastness. Before I discuss them, I must emphasize one important thing - brand. A particular brand does not matter to me. What matters is the particular color, its characteristics and that it is a professional grade. Professional grade (also called artists quality) paints are all very good. I can t say that &Newton (W&N) is better than Daniel Smith (DS), or Schmincke Horadam (SH) is better than another brand. They are all excellent as long as they are professional grade. PIGMENTS In choosing any paint, pigment is the most important characteristic for me. Knowing which pigment is in the paint allows you to judge whether you need another red or not because... you may already have it. Here is the example: I have &Newton's Perylene Maroon. I go to an art shop and I see Schmincke's Deep. I think "OK, I must have it, it must be beautiful". In fact, it is beautiful; I already know it because Perylene Maroon is exactly the same color. How do I know? Because both of them have pigment PR179, which is written on the label. However, this method doesn t always work. For example: paints with pigment PV19 have dozens of different hues, but it s still worth checking the pigments. Another reason why I check pigments is that I think the less pigments, the better. Single pigment = single color. Imagine, for example, Hooker's Green by Schmincke Horadam. It contains 3 pigments: PB15:3, PG7, PY42. That means it is a mix of 3 colors. If you would like to mix it with Sepia Brown Tone by Schmincke Horadam, which contains 3 pigments as well (PR166, PBr7 and PBk9) - you are actually mixing 6 different colors! Mixing 6 colors will not give you a beautiful, clear, vivid color. It would be much better to mix just two colors, right? So I tend to buy paints with only 1 pigment if possible. For example, I prefer Daniel Smith's rather than &Newton's because DS's has one pigment, PO49, and W&N's has three pigments PR206, PV19, PY150. Don t get me wrong - it doesn't mean that there's something wrong in buying paints with more than one pigment, but if there was an equivalent with fewer pigments, I woud go for it. Speaking about the pigments, this is the code: PW - pigment white PR - pigment red PG - pigment green PY - pigment yellow PV - pigment violet PBr - pigment brown PO - pigment orange PB - pigment blue PBk - pigment black Pigment codes can be found on tube or pan labels and in color charts provided by producers. &Newton Daniel Smith Schmincke Horadam 1

There is one more reason why it's good to know something about pigments. Imagine you have Indanthrene (or Indanthrone) PB60 and Phthalo Green PG7 on your palette.

4 There is one more reason why it's good to know something about pigments. Imagine you have Indanthrene (or Indanthrone) PB60 and Phthalo Green PG7 on your palette. You go to an art shop and you notice Prussian Green by Schmincke Horadam ("I must have it, it's gorgeous" - you think). While your heart is beating very quickly because of the new, fabulous color, you haven't noticed that you already have this color. Prussian Green is a mix of Indanthrene and Phthalo Green, and we know this by looking at the pigments. So there's no need to spend money on another tube of paint. TRANSPARENCY I like transparent or semi-transparent paints. I like to work with glazes, build up shapes, forms and colors with layers. Working this way with opaque paints is just impossible. Sometimes there are exceptions: Naples Yellow Deep is opaque and I have to live with it. If I have a choice, I always choose transparent paints. LIGHTFASTNESS The more lightfast the paint, the better. You probably know Aureolin Yellow PY40. I remember a craze for this color, but Jane Blundell's lightfast tests (whether or not a color holds up when exposed to light) show that this color fades in a wash and goes gray and dull in mass-tone. It s definitely a color to avoid. Luckily most paints are very lightfast so there's no need to worry. I would only avoid those which are fugitive (i.e. fade with time and/or light exposure). The colors When it comes to choosing particular colors, I always start with 6 basic colors: a warm and a cool yellow, a warm and a cool blue, a warm and a cool red. Then I add earth tones: one slightly yellowish, one slightly reddish and one dark brown. My next step is adding colors I use frequently and which often come in handy. The last stage is adding colors which I just like and maybe they will come in handy one day (I keep these in a separate palette and in a drawer). So in general, I can say that I don t have one and only one palette. My palette changes with time because I test new colors once in a while. But I can distinguish some stages of completing my colors. For some people stage 2 may be the final stage. That would be a limited palette for me. For others it s not enough, so they would add more colors. That s just a personal preference. STEP 1 - choosing six basic colors STEP 2 - adding the earth tones STEP 3 - adding useful colors, used frequently STEP 4 - additional colors kept in a drawer, just in case 2

5 STEP 1 - SIX BASIC COLORS My six basic colors are always two yellows, two blues and two reds (each warm and cool). There are many equivalents for each of these colors in other brands (and even within the same brand). I will mention just a few examples. This is a matter of personal choice, so it s good to do your own research. Most of my colors are &Newton (W&N), and the other brands are indicated as follows: DS stands for Daniel Smith and SH stands for Schmincke Horadam. Cool yellow - Yellow PY154 Yellows (other colors too, actually) can be divided into cool, medium and warm tones. Yellow tones that are really cool are closer to green. I like to use medium yellow as my cool yellow and I leave cooler yellows for special occasions. Yellow PY154 is a wonderful cool yellow. Another good example is Hansa Yellow Medium PY97 (DS), which is also a medium tone, but I treat it as a cool yellow. If you like something really cool then you should look for something like Lemon PY175 (W&N), Bismuth Yellow PY184 (W&N) or Hansa Yellow Light PY3 (DS). Warm yellow - Yellow Deep PY65 My favourite warm yellow has always been New Gamboge made by &Newton with a single pigment PY153. Unfortunately, this pigment is not used anymore and the new New Gamboge now consists of two pigments. I was forced to look for an alternative and now my warm yellow is Yellow Deep PY65 (W&N) (DS s Hansa Yellow Deep uses the same pigment). There is also a beautiful Indian Yellow by W&N, consists of two pigments PO62 and PY139. Cool red - Magenta PR122 It s not really red, it s a magenta. Some could say it s pink, and it is. It s always been my basic cool red. Purple Magenta PR122 by Schmincke Horadam is the equivalent. Warm red - PR254 Pigment PR254 is a wonderful red. DS s Pyrrol and SH s Scarlet are the same pigment PR254. Scarlet Lake PR188 (W&N) is warmer, more orangy alternative. PR209 (W&N) is more pinkish (DS s Coral uses the same pigment). They all can work as a warm red. The Big Brother Lily and Swallowtail (caterpillar and adult) 41 x 31 cm (16 x 12 ) 3

DS s Phthalo (Green Shade) and SH s Helio Cerulean are the same colors. Warm blue - French Ultramarine PB29 This is a very popular color, a favourite of many people.

6 Cool blue - (Green Shade) PB15 There is a little issue with blues. People see colors differently. That s nothing new. There are those who say that (Green Shade) is warm, not cool, while the cool one is Ultramarine. This seems to be a personal point of view. For me, (Green Shade) is cool. DS s Phthalo (Green Shade) and SH s Helio Cerulean are the same colors. Warm blue - French Ultramarine PB29 This is a very popular color, a favourite of many people. Its equivalents are: DS s Ultramarine and SH s Ultramarine Finest. cool yellow Yellow PY154 warm yellow Yellow Deep PY65 cool red Magenta PR122 warm red PR254 cool blue (Green Shade) PB15 warm blue French Ultramarine PB29 STEP 2 - THE EARTH TONES On my palette I like to have one yellowish earth tone, one reddish and one really dark brown. Ochre may be a surpise as my alternative for Raw Sienna. Ochre is much stronger, maybe more yellowish and definitely brighter. I think it s better to choose the brightest colors because we can always neutralize them, subdue them a bit. It s easier than making a bright color from something dull. So my three earth tones are: yellowish earth tone Ochre PY42 reddish earth tone Burnt Sienna PR101 dark brown Burnt Umber (DS) PBr7 These 9 colors listed here make up my essential palette. If I had to limit my palette, I would limit it to these nine colors. But, as I mentioned at the beginning, I don t have a limited palette and there are many other colors I couldn t live without. So here comes STEP 3 - adding useful colors which are used frequently. 4

STEP 3 - ADDING FREQUENTLY USED COLORS I like this step because I can pick out more colors and create a wide variety of colors on my palette. I like to think this way: I have two yellows now.

Here is the list of colors which I usually add to my 9 basic colors from previous step. All of these make up my extended essential palette.

Lemon is another yellow useful when mixing greens. is very versatile. It makes beautiful rich greens. When mixed with (Green Shade) makes a beautiful Sap Green. It s a very handy color in many cases.

7 STEP 3 - ADDING FREQUENTLY USED COLORS I like this step because I can pick out more colors and create a wide variety of colors on my palette. I like to think this way: I have two yellows now. Which other yellows do I need? Which of them do I use frequently? Which are really helpful? Then I go to reds and blues and do the same. Later I consider other colors like violets, greens and oranges. Here is the list of colors which I usually add to my 9 basic colors from previous step. All of these make up my extended essential palette. Lemon PY175 PO49 (DS) Transparent Orange PO107 PR209 Deep PR264 Permanent Rose PV19 Green ( Shade) PG7 Indanthrene PB60 Cobalt PB28 Ultramarine Violet PV14 Purple PV55 (DS) Perylene Maroon PR179 Lemon is another yellow useful when mixing greens. is very versatile. It makes beautiful rich greens. When mixed with (Green Shade) makes a beautiful Sap Green. It s a very handy color in many cases. I prefer DS s because W&N s equivalent has three pigments. Transparent Orange is not really necessary, because we can mix a wide range of oranges with yellows and reds, but I just like to have one orange already prepared. It is very similar to SH s Translucent Orange PO71. is more transparent and more pink than. DS s Coral is the same color. Deep is a beautiful dark, blood-like red. DS s Pyrrol Crimson is the same color. Permanent Rose is my main rose color, which I often use to paint pink flower petals. Green ( Shade) is a great basic green though not good to use alone as it looks too artificial, but it s a a great base for mixing other greens. It also makes muted violets with Magenta. DS s Phthalo Green ( Shade) is the same color. Indanthrene is a dark blue, good for darkening other blues and sometimes other colors too. It s also good for making greens. Cobalt is a beautiful light blue, also useful when making greens. Ultramarine Violet is similar to Violet (Dioxazine) PV23, but it s not as strong and is more lightfast. Purple is a deep, dark purple which makes beautiful mixes with reds. Perylene Maroon is a lovely dark brown-red, makes beautiful oranges and is very versatile. 5

PY175 Yellow PY154 Yellow Deep PY65 PO49

Transparent Orange PO107 PR254 PR209 Deep

Perylene Maroon PR179 Burnt Umber (DS) PBr7

Ultramarine PB29 Cobalt PB28 (Green Shade)

(DS) These are the colors I use the most

Orchid Tree and the Great Mormon butterfly

8 According to my list so far, my palette consists of these 21 main colors: Lemon PY175 Yellow PY154 Yellow Deep PY65 PO49 (DS) Ochre PY42 Burnt Sienna PR101 Transparent Orange PO107 PR254 PR209 Deep PR264 Magenta PR122 Permanent Rose PV19 Perylene Maroon PR179 Burnt Umber (DS) PBr7 Green ( Shade) PG7 Indanthrene PB60 French Ultramarine PB29 Cobalt PB28 (Green Shade) PB15 Ultramarine Violet PV15 Purple PV55 (DS) These are the colors I use the most and I always have them on my palette. Orchid Tree and the Great Mormon butterfly (chrysalis, caterpillar and two adults), fragment 41 x 31 cm (16 x 12 ) 6

STEP 4 - ADDITIONAL COLORS Other colors are just additional and I keep them in my drawer just in case. I don t use them frequently, some of them I have used maybe once or twice.

Depending on what I m currently painting, I take some pans and include them to my main box. You are not limited in any way. You can have any color you want.

Rose PR122, BV10 Scarlet Lake PR188 I used Naples Yellow Deep to paint the butterfly wings on page 3.

Raw Umber is useful for landscapes; it s much more natural than Ochre. Permanent Sap Green on it s own is too strong, but in mixes it s very beautiful.

It may be used to paint water or sometimes might be used in landscapes. I sometimes use this color for leaves. It s a very distinct color. I also used it in some parts of my butterflies.

9 STEP 4 - ADDITIONAL COLORS Other colors are just additional and I keep them in my drawer just in case. I don t use them frequently, some of them I have used maybe once or twice. Some of them I used just for a particular painting, others were helpful for creating particular colors. I will list some of them below. Depending on what I m currently painting, I take some pans and include them to my main box. You are not limited in any way. You can have any color you want. Naples Yellow Deep PBr24 Raw Umber PBr7 Permanent Sap Green PG36, PY110 Perylene Green PBk31 Cobalt Turquoise Light PG50 Indigo PBk6, PV19, PB15 Violet PV23 Cobalt Violet PV14 Opera Rose PR122, BV10 Scarlet Lake PR188 I used Naples Yellow Deep to paint the butterfly wings on page 3. It can be also useful to paint a morning or evening skies if you like to paint landscapes, or the walls of ancient cities if you are more into architecture. Raw Umber is useful for landscapes; it s much more natural than Ochre. Permanent Sap Green on it s own is too strong, but in mixes it s very beautiful. Perylene Green is a very dark green. I tend to use it to darken my greens. I also mix it with Deep to make black. Cobalt Turquoise Light is beautiful. It may be used to paint water or sometimes might be used in landscapes. I sometimes use this color for leaves. It s a very distinct color. I also used it in some parts of my butterflies. Indigo is a dark blue, versatile, good for darkening other colors. Violet is a standard violet but some tests show it s not very lightfast. Cobalt Violet is a very strong, light, granulating violet. It may be used on more than just flower petals. Opera Rose is very intense fluorescent pink. It s not good to use on its own but can make beautiful mixes. Keep in mind that it s also a fugitive color. Scarlet Lake is a beautiful orange-red, a poppy color. 7

DO I USE TUBES OR PANS? I use both. I use two palettes. One is a big porcelain palette that I use when I paint bigger paintigs.

I squeeze paint from the tubes into the wells on my palette. I ve been frequently asked whether my paints become dry or not.

Watercolors are reusable, I just spray them with my spray bottle of water and they are ready to use again and again.

It s much smaller than the porcelain palette and I use it for smaller paintings, mostly for botanical paintings.

In my opinion tubes are more versatile - I can use them in my big palette and in pans.

10 DO I USE TUBES OR PANS? I use both. I use two palettes. One is a big porcelain palette that I use when I paint bigger paintigs. It s much easier to make a big puddle of paint and to use bigger brushes. Porcelain/ceramic is the best surface for watercolors. You can always clean it perfectly. I also use dinner plates, saucers, nesting porcelain bowls - anything that is made of porcelain/ceramic is perfect. I squeeze paint from the tubes into the wells on my palette. I ve been frequently asked whether my paints become dry or not. Yes, they dry out and it s totally natural. Watercolors are reusable, I just spray them with my spray bottle of water and they are ready to use again and again. My second palette is a metal box for 24 pans. It s much smaller than the porcelain palette and I use it for smaller paintings, mostly for botanical paintings. I treat it as my travel palette as well. I squeeze my selected colors from tubes into the empty pans. In my opinion tubes are more versatile - I can use them in my big palette and in pans. When I need a big puddle of paint it s much easier to make it with paint from a tube than with paint from a pan. Naples Yellow Deep PBr24 Lemon PY175 Yellow PY154 Yellow Deep PY65 Quin. PO49 (DS) Transparent Orange PO107 PR254 Quin. PR209 Deep PR264 Permanent Rose PV19 Quin. Magenta PR122 Perylene Maroon PR179 Ochre PY42 Burnt Sienna PR101 Burnt Green Perm. Umber (DS) PBr7 (BS) PG7 Sap Green PG36, PY110 Cobalt Turquoise Light PG50 Cobalt PB28 (GS) PB15 Indan. PB60 French Ultramarine Ultramarine PB29 Violet PV15 Quin. Purple PV55 (DS) 8

Every color in our watercolor palettes is a matter of personal preference.

11 In conclusion, I would like to thank you for taking your time to read this. Please, remember that color choices are yours to make. Every color in our watercolor palettes is a matter of personal preference. I wrote this text in order to answer frequently asked question about the colors on my palette. I hope this answer is satisfying :) Thank you once again and good luck with your journey through the jungle of colors! :) Krzysztof Kowalski 9

Anna s suggested equipment list

Anna s suggested equipment list If you have any queries there are a series of videos Anna s made about her recommended materials available to watch for free at www.annamasonart.com/ Brushes Paper Pencil