I love this series, it's so helpful when you have a limited budget. I can't afford to try all these myself, so I let you buy them all instead! I recently bought the Art Nouveau set from Kuretaki Gansai Tambi. They're my first Japanese watercolors and I'm really enjoying them, but I don't know anything about their pigments or lightfastness. They're really interesting colors and they're good as an add-on set I think. Maybe you can talk about the some time, they're available on amazon.
I have the old stock version of Meiliang that I bought from Temu earlier in the year. I actually like them a lot, but now that you said they are not lightfast, I won't use them for final paintings. I do have a White Nights Botanical Sketch set in tubes that I like. I bought my niece an Art Whale set last year as it was recommit highly somewhere else, too. She likes it a lot. I have been giving her watercolor lessons. This was very informative. Thank you!
Excellent! This is great info! 🎉 For helping students find their tools, I will recommend it. Recently, I'm loving the Rosa pans and tubes, would love to see how you rate them.
I have more expensive paints but I still use my pretty excellent paints. I think they’re so fun and vibrant. I use them in my sketchbooks and always have fun. Thanks for the reviews!
What a great detailed video! Would you consider making one for artist level paints such as WN, Daniel Smith, A. Gallo, etc.? Luv your swatch sheets! So pretty!
Greetings from Canada. Thank you so much for your wonderful, in-depth reviews.❤ They sure help! I ended up getting the Niji 24 pans plus the White & Night in the plastic container as I could not find the other one. They are lovely. I also have a 24 set of the Mangyo. Enough paints to last me a lifetime! I'm 66 and just starting.. But now I'm off to apply some magenta color nail polish to my nails as you inspired me to give myself a manicure 💅 😊
I got White Nights, and since they became scarce, I explored Roman Szmal. They are affordable too and many more pigments to choose from. I purchased some even though I thought my set was complete.
I’ll do a similar video on indie brands soon. Roman Szmal has some really fun colors. Have you tried mineral violet? That one has a lot of personality.
Excellent video!👏👏👏 Thank you for providing very detailed information for each product. Compiling it must have been time consuming. This content is extremely helpful since I know little about pigments and how their properties effect the paint. I Greatly appreciate your willingness to share knowledge.💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
PS Rosa Gallery paints are excellent value and great quality. You might want to consider them for a future review. Available in sets and open stock, full pans and tubes, at affordable prices. They all have pigment info. You can get 21 full pans in a sturdy tin for $35 right now. They offer even cheaper options in cardboard boxes, a great option if you already have tins. Jackson's and Amazon stock these. Some people say compare them to White Night's, but having over 50 of WN, they are NOT like Rosa. I find Rosa less chalky and better flowing, with great transparency. I stick to buying open stock single pigment colours only, so I have more control over the mixes. Have a go, I think you will like them.
Wow! An amazing, useful overview! I've never seen this information presented anywhere else. I will subscribe even before seeing anything else you post for easy access to this great video. Thank-you! Debs in Montana... who has a granddaughter who loves watercolor but is only 11. After a few years of her choosing "paint with gram'ma" as her favorite activity, I've started looking for inexpensive (she is still young) but nicer than dollar store sets of paint for birthdays. This is so helpful.
Thank you for your observations of the different paint brands. You went out of your way to be so informative. I have several professional brands such as Winsor Newton, Daniel Smith, Michael Harding, etc. I was impressed with your remarks on White Night in lavender case, so I have decided to add these paints to my family. Most of my paints are in tubes, but I create different paletts and noting brand, name of color and then swatching that color next to it. Each brand and its colors are in separate containers, because I have my favorite colors and they can be put in that palette as well. White Night will be my second palette/kit, Paul Rubin being my first. However, I think I will enjoy White Night, due to your comments and that of others on Amazon. Thank you for being specific in the 35 palette and the 36, as I was more interested in the lavender palette.
I'm so glad you found this helpful. Enjoy your new White Nights set! I've tried both Winsor and Newton and Daniel Smith, but I haven't experimented with Michael Harding yet.
I am just starting WC and I bought the Mei Liang set. It had individual pans that you unwrap each one. It had a swatch card to use, but it had different named paints than what was written on the chart. I diNt known
As far as Prang, a family friend gave me a used palette as she teaches elementary. I think if I'm not mistaken they're more comparable to Crayola kids paint.
I’m a complete newbie to watercolour; you mentioned during the White Nights 36 white box review that fluorescent brighteners aren’t good…? Why is that exactly? This is the first time I’m seeing them discussed, so I’d love to know! Also, if I may ask, is cauliflowering when the paint pools into lumpier cloud-like shapes when it’s fading into a water base? Is it preferable to have it simply fade out as a gradient? Sorry if these are daft questions!
Welcome to watercolor! Yes and yes. Fluorescent brighteners are an issue for anything you plan to put out on display because they’re prone to fade quickly. Companies use them because it’s cheaper and easier than sourcing actual pigments. (Or it might not even be possible to get a color that bright, so they fake it.) Opera Rose is a color which uses brighteners in most (but not all) brands. Some of these can fade completely within a matter of days or weeks if you hang them on a wall that gets sunlight. It’s not bad to use them in journals or for work you plan to scan rather than hang, but it’s wrong for companies to label them as lightfast when they most definitely aren’t. Reputable brands are more likely to be forthcoming so you can make your own decision about whether to use those colors. And cauliflowering is kind of a personal preference. Some painters think it’s fun and dynamic. I don’t. 😂 I think it looks like you put a drop of water on what should have been a finished piece. It can happen because of the paint, the paper, or technique. Unless I’m imagining it, some paints just seem more prone to it.
I’m glad to know that you consider Cotman a good student grade brand, although you don’t like the box. Indeed, I have a 24 set that came in a nice tin in which I ‘ve added a few colors more. I think you’d like this more than the little plastic box.
Well now, if opinions validate you and your choices hold on to your set my friend because I'm about to hit you with some real world truth. Cotman is pretty much all any real artist uses. By real I mean people actually painting and selling original art work instead of prints and personality online. Nothing wrong with it, by God everyone should start a TH-camr channel, but most artists are painting and surviving on their sales. Those whom aren't sponsored or ambassadors of a company, or aren't paid with free product to sell that product on TH-cam almost all paint with cotman tubes. Every country has plein air competitions and galleries open only to real artists and real art collectors. Again, by real I mean those willing to slap down an easy 1200usd for a 3x5 watercolor and the artist who painted it survived solely upon gallery sales. Those not making money by being advertisers on social media. Again, not a bad thing either way. Just different. We use cotman tubes because A) they are great reliable quality B) cost a fraction of other brands C) available everywhere in the world. No matter where you find yourself painting, if your tube of ultramarine should get stepped on, forgotten, etc, one can easily run down to the local box craft store and pick up a replacement. So you are in great company. :)
38:02 Prang. These are for school kids, low price and non toxic. I would not expect pigment info. They are targeted at primary school classes for(selling rhem by the box with 20 units). I love the tin, super sturdy and great design. Once the colours are empty they can be filled with good tube paint. The washable ones are streaky and gummy. I did not like them. They are made by Dixon, owned by Fila, which owns Daler Rowney, Arches, Canson, Strathmore, Maimeri, Lukas, Princeton Brushes and many other companies. (Check the back of the box, you will see Dixon)
i think prangs are actually made to be near professional level🤔 But i think their downpart is that its semi dry or semi wet whatever u call it. so it can have a glossy like effect when paint is concentrated. But it's a nice watercolor for beginners 😊
I haven’t tried Rosa yet. They’re on my list. Kim Crick tested their lightfastness, so be sure to check her blog for a handful of colors which faded despite being rated higher. She really liked a lot of the colors, though. Especially magenta!
Ammmmnnnn I have the old Meiliang and I did remove all the paints and transfer them in half pans.. it was pretty easy. Do not expect lightfast in student grade paint I had mine for only 5usd or less. This is a practice set and it doea it's thing
@@KeyLimeInk Yeah, there were like 2 or 3 that was hard glued but others came off really easy.. I guess that will be my last student grade, I was starting starting with watercolor when I bought it. Back then someone did a lightfast test and meiliang or pretty excellent did okay.. So maybe something changed in the formulation. I don't really know. Anyway, I enjoyed your review
If you open happen to pull that set out again, here’s Kim Crick’s lightfast test for Mei Liang over the period of one year in Florida. About half of the colors showed signs of fading - but some certainly more than others. I just mark an X on the more fugitive choices so I can keep that in mind while painting. www.kimcrick.com/pages/pretty-excellent-watercolor-review-lightfast-test
I was surprised by Lukas's price for what it offers-it's crazy 🤯🤯!! It's almost the same price as the professional 24-color set from Schminke. Blows my mind 😵💫. White Night is definitely on my wishlist 💙, but I’m aiming for the 12-tube set because I'm saving up for the 36-tube Mijello Gold Mission set 😅😂. I’m currently using the Cotman and Kuretake 48-set. Good review video, thanks! Art Whale surprise me hehe.
The Lukas paint company got bought by Daler Rowney and are now made in the UK. I find the older version that was made in Germany a bit more concentrated.
Oh, that's good to know! If you Google, the top results will tell you they're still made in Germany. Amazon doesn't say either way in their listings. But after reading your comment, I just dug through my "boxes of packaging" which I keep just in case . . . and it turns out the Lukas 1862 set does say in the tiniest print that it's made in the UK. I'll correct that on my fact sheet.
@@KeyLimeInk Great video. You put a lot of work into it. I only wanted to add to your knowledge base since I noticed a difference in a set I had from long ago and a newer set I bought.
I started with collecting Daniel Smith after some student grade and Kuretake Gansai Tambi, which I actually enjoyed. I must admit, I still really adore my Cotman studio set watercolors. The only downfall is the sap green’s lack of potency.
@@KeyLimeInk I know it’s not a ton but I have an older set and a newer set and noticed differences in the reds and purples/pinks I think. That said they may still be quite fugitive :)
I agree about the Mei Liang paints, I don't even use them in my journals anymore. Most of my art is in journals but I've found that there is better even in student and hobby grade paints. I like my Jane Davenport paints for vibrant hobby grade paints although I tell people not to run out and buy them either because they are also a bit expensive for what they are. Michael's used to carry them and I had an excellent coupon.
I’ve had fun with Jane Davenport Brights, but I can’t find them anywhere online. Do they even make them anymore? They’re not lightfast at all, but they made the coolest retro 70s look when mixed.
I also can't find them anywhere. I do know the brights and neutrals sets were made when Jane was under contract with American Crafts, when they ended their partnership it appears those sets were no longer manufactured. Several TH-camrs have speculated the Prima Marketing palletes are white labeled by the same people and the quality is very similar. I have not looked recently but I think those are still available.
I’m surprised how many TH-camrs recommend Mei Liang. I was very disappointed with them. I don’t use mine anymore but if friends come over to paint they like the wide choice of colours.
As for the Lukas 1862, their 3* LF = 7/8 on the Blue Wool scale ( up to 100 yrs under museum conditions) and a 2* LF = 6/7 on the BW scale (50-100yrs under museum conditions). I would not call that being 'not lightfast enough'. My mom has a painting of a race horse done with Lukas paints that has hung on her livingroom wall for almost 40 yrs, no issues with fading
Right, but independent tests show shifting with some of the pigments they’ve chosen to add recently. I don’t doubt a painting with their colors from 40 years ago performed well. That’s awesome! I’m talking about specific colors from this particular set which inexplicably have new, odd formulations.
@@KeyLimeInk Yes I've heard some say that after the Lukas paints were no longer made in germany, but england they are not what they used to be. I have an old set from the 80s and I love them. I also found some 1/2 pans made in germany in my local hardware/art store and I bought them all 😄 There's also some issues with the van Gogh paints. There is some kind of white filler in them. If you make a fairly thick mix and let it dry in your mixing pallet you will find the dry paint has a white underside , so no wonder they look a bit dull and behave a bit funny when mixing colours.
I’m so glad you noticed the white filler in Van Gogh as well. They’re fine for me on watercolor paper, but I’m more likely to see the effects when I push the boundaries and try to use them on journals which have less texture / tooth / saturation. There’s nowhere for the filler to hide.
Hello I'm in Florida. I found the best paints are Daniel Smith 😍 love love love ❤️ there paints 🎨. I bought the May Liang set and was very disappointed 😞!!!!! It was the set with the small tins yuck!! I don't like the paints either😢. Cost like 30.00 dollars I should have sent them back because it showed half pans!! What a rip! Oh well live and learn. I had Recently bought a new Paul Runbans paints with 12 paints in it. I wish I could send you a picture of it but I don't like the May Geen even though it's a one pigment PG7, the Pussian Blue is a one pigment PB27, the color doesn't want to come off the pan into the brush! I couldn't figure it out? Also they have a white and a black both are one pigment colors. Then it has cadmium yellow hue PY151 and cadmium red hue PR255?? With the cadmium I'm worried about cancer? The Sepia is close to the same color as the one pigment PY42 burnt umber but the Sepia has 3 pigments? The violet has 2 pigments. I was going to send this back but I thought I ask and see what you say about it. I only have a few days to send back. Oh this set cost 30. You did a lot of work on the pallet and paints you reviewed. Have a good day 😊. JK FLORIDA USA 🇺🇸.
If a color has ‘hue’ in its name, then it’s one made to look like the original but does not have the chemical or metal in it. So- your Cad yellow and red does not have any cadmium used in it. Hue colors are safer.
I’ll have to look at that particular Paul Rubens set. For easier re-wetting, get a little spray bottle and spray the paints with water about ten minutes before you sit down to work. They’ll be much easier to pick up with your brush if you activate them that way.
@@KeyLimeInk the pigments are shiny and weak in the pans. Reports from students indicate the colors fade within weeks of using them. I’ve used Prang paints for my beginners for 18 years and I miss them already. Do you recommend a substitute?
Ugh! No, I don’t have another suggestion. I’ve been testing sets under $20 to look for something appropriate for kids / school. It’s really hard to find a set which is non-toxic and lightfast at the price point of Prang / Crayola / etc.
Personally thought the comparison of every single palette to a $20 bill and business card was kinda/ very irrelevant and unnecessary hahah. You could just compare them to either the 24 or 48 color metal tins which ppl are already familiar with! Or just give an example of their size like what you said about the aqua-mini palette by comparing it to an Altoids tin. Love your TN & watercolor vids so def not a hate comment haha But when you compare each single palette separately to a bill and card each time, it’s still difficult to get an accurate comparison!
I hear you, but I think you’d be surprised how many viewers have no idea what a 48 half pan tin looks like on their desktop. I’ve seen so many reviews of watercolors where customers say they’re returning their order because the paints were so much smaller than they expected for the price. Maybe they’re used to seeing big acrylic tubes or even cans of house paint?! Or, the opposite. Lots of people return the White Nights 36 full pan box because it’s ginormous and they can’t take it in their backpack or it covers their work surface. Just trying to give them a visual they might already have in their pocket.
Accurate size comparison is so important on all types of media communication. If it’s not provided the mind of the observer comes up with all different sizes randomly.
@@KeyLimeInk I have to admit I was pretty annoyed with the comparisons as well. No hate, I have sensory issues so I'm not a good measure. But if you want my opinion on how you can do it in a way that will show the comparisons for whoever find it important and also avoid this repetition for the ones of us that think it is too much: just say it out loud the first 2 times and after that put the bill and card near the tin but go on talking about the brand. Make it only visual after you've said it a couple of times. That would be nicer in my opinion. Thank you for the video anyway!
🌿 TIME STAMPS
00:00 Intro
01:08 Art Whale 24 half pans
01:53 Let's talk about single pigments
02:55 Let's talk about lightfastness
06:46 Art Whale 48 half pans
10:18 Cotman 12 half pans
13:38 GenCrafts 24 half pans
16:29 Lukas Aquarell Studio 16 half pans
19:51 Lukas Aquarell 1862 24 half pans
22:25 Mei Liang Pretty Excellent 36 half pans
27:17 Mei Liang Pretty Excellent 48 half pans
31:22 Paul Rubens Artist 48 half pans
35:50 Prang 16 half pans
38:02 Prang Washable
39:34 Sakura Koi 24 half pans
41:55 Sennelier Aqua Mini
44:34 Van Gogh 12+3 half pans
48:13 Van Gogh 36 half pans
50:54 White Nights 35 full pans (lavender tin)
55:22 White Nights 36 full pans (white box)
58:23 Yasutomo Niji 12 half pans
1:00:52 Yasutomo Niji 24 half pans
1:05:04 Review Comparing the 19 Sets
Helpful comparison, thank you. Sadly White Night doesn't seem to be available in UK. Think I will be getting the Rubens.
Thank you! I was struggling to figure out what would be good on a budget.
I love this series, it's so helpful when you have a limited budget. I can't afford to try all these myself, so I let you buy them all instead! I recently bought the Art Nouveau set from Kuretaki Gansai Tambi. They're my first Japanese watercolors and I'm really enjoying them, but I don't know anything about their pigments or lightfastness. They're really interesting colors and they're good as an add-on set I think. Maybe you can talk about the some time, they're available on amazon.
Amazingly helpful video! Look forward to checking out some of your other videos now.
Loved this review. ❤thank you so much!
I have the old stock version of Meiliang that I bought from Temu earlier in the year. I actually like them a lot, but now that you said they are not lightfast, I won't use them for final paintings. I do have a White Nights Botanical Sketch set in tubes that I like. I bought my niece an Art Whale set last year as it was recommit highly somewhere else, too. She likes it a lot. I have been giving her watercolor lessons. This was very informative. Thank you!
I can't wait to watch, but first, I must get the coffee going !!
You did an excellent job reviewing these. Thank you. Also I LOVE your colour swatch template. So thorough.
Excellent! This is great info! 🎉
For helping students find their tools, I will recommend it.
Recently, I'm loving the Rosa pans and tubes, would love to see how you rate them.
Thank you! I haven’t tried Rosa yet.
I only have a small arteza 12 water color set and was curious on how they compare. If you do another video, I'd love to see those
I have more expensive paints but I still use my pretty excellent paints. I think they’re so fun and vibrant. I use them in my sketchbooks and always have fun. Thanks for the reviews!
What a great detailed video! Would you consider making one for artist level paints such as WN, Daniel Smith, A. Gallo, etc.? Luv your swatch sheets! So pretty!
Yes, I'm working on the open stock artist quality version as we speak. Stay tuned!
Greetings from Canada. Thank you so much for your wonderful, in-depth reviews.❤ They sure help! I ended up getting the Niji 24 pans plus the White & Night in the plastic container as I could not find the other one. They are lovely. I also have a 24 set of the Mangyo. Enough paints to last me a lifetime! I'm 66 and just starting..
But now I'm off to apply some magenta color nail polish to my nails as you inspired me to give myself a manicure 💅 😊
I got White Nights, and since they became scarce, I explored Roman Szmal. They are affordable too and many more pigments to choose from. I purchased some even though I thought my set was complete.
🌷 Enjoy your watercolor journey - and your manicure!
I’ll do a similar video on indie brands soon. Roman Szmal has some really fun colors. Have you tried mineral violet? That one has a lot of personality.
@KeyLimeInk I haven't as I stick to single pigments, but I am prepared to mix. I have my eye on a few of RS newest. Chromium Oxide Deep for one.
Super helpful video! Thank you for sharing this with us!
🌷 Sure thing, and thank you for watching!
SOOO helpful! Thank you!!!
Excellent video!👏👏👏 Thank you for providing very detailed information for each product. Compiling it must have been time consuming. This content is extremely helpful since I know little about pigments and how their properties effect the paint. I Greatly appreciate your willingness to share knowledge.💜💜💜💜💜💜💜
PS Rosa Gallery paints are excellent value and great quality. You might want to consider them for a future review. Available in sets and open stock, full pans and tubes, at affordable prices. They all have pigment info. You can get 21 full pans in a sturdy tin for $35 right now. They offer even cheaper options in cardboard boxes, a great option if you already have tins. Jackson's and Amazon stock these. Some people say compare them to White Night's, but having over 50 of WN, they are NOT like Rosa. I find Rosa less chalky and better flowing, with great transparency. I stick to buying open stock single pigment colours only, so I have more control over the mixes. Have a go, I think you will like them.
Wow! An amazing, useful overview! I've never seen this information presented anywhere else. I will subscribe even before seeing anything else you post for easy access to this great video.
Thank-you!
Debs in Montana... who has a granddaughter who loves watercolor but is only 11. After a few years of her choosing "paint with gram'ma" as her favorite activity, I've started looking for inexpensive (she is still young) but nicer than dollar store sets of paint for birthdays. This is so helpful.
🌷 Awww! Enjoy your painting time with her. What a sweet connection you have.
Thank you for this info - it helps me a lot!
Mission gold is my favourite
I use Van Gogh for all my classes. My fav student grade and I can get tubes online to refill my pallets.
I'm so glad they're working for your students, and it's nice that Van Gogh is so readily available and economical throughout the world.
You make a good point about van Gogh being available in tubes. Huge plus for me too
Thank you for your observations of the different paint brands. You went out of your way to be so informative. I have several professional brands such as Winsor Newton, Daniel Smith, Michael Harding, etc. I was impressed with your remarks on White Night in lavender case, so I have decided to add these paints to my family. Most of my paints are in tubes, but I create different paletts and noting brand, name of color and then swatching that color next to it. Each brand and its colors are in separate containers, because I have my favorite colors and they can be put in that palette as well. White Night will be my second palette/kit, Paul Rubin being my first. However, I think I will enjoy White Night, due to your comments and that of others on Amazon. Thank you for being specific in the 35 palette and the 36, as I was more interested in the lavender palette.
I'm so glad you found this helpful. Enjoy your new White Nights set! I've tried both Winsor and Newton and Daniel Smith, but I haven't experimented with Michael Harding yet.
I am just starting WC and I bought the Mei Liang set. It had individual pans that you unwrap each one. It had a swatch card to use, but it had different named paints than what was written on the chart. I diNt known
Oh, that’s interesting. I wonder why the card was different than the included paints?
As far as Prang, a family friend gave me a used palette as she teaches elementary. I think if I'm not mistaken they're more comparable to Crayola kids paint.
Hi, thank you for the video, great selection & information. 🎉 I'm also relieved to see a video thats not pushing the MeiLiang watercolours at last 😅
I’m a complete newbie to watercolour; you mentioned during the White Nights 36 white box review that fluorescent brighteners aren’t good…? Why is that exactly? This is the first time I’m seeing them discussed, so I’d love to know!
Also, if I may ask, is cauliflowering when the paint pools into lumpier cloud-like shapes when it’s fading into a water base? Is it preferable to have it simply fade out as a gradient? Sorry if these are daft questions!
Welcome to watercolor! Yes and yes.
Fluorescent brighteners are an issue for anything you plan to put out on display because they’re prone to fade quickly. Companies use them because it’s cheaper and easier than sourcing actual pigments. (Or it might not even be possible to get a color that bright, so they fake it.)
Opera Rose is a color which uses brighteners in most (but not all) brands. Some of these can fade completely within a matter of days or weeks if you hang them on a wall that gets sunlight.
It’s not bad to use them in journals or for work you plan to scan rather than hang, but it’s wrong for companies to label them as lightfast when they most definitely aren’t. Reputable brands are more likely to be forthcoming so you can make your own decision about whether to use those colors.
And cauliflowering is kind of a personal preference. Some painters think it’s fun and dynamic. I don’t. 😂 I think it looks like you put a drop of water on what should have been a finished piece.
It can happen because of the paint, the paper, or technique. Unless I’m imagining it, some paints just seem more prone to it.
That lukas 1862 price point is insane.
I agree! The cost used to be pretty reasonable but has skyrocketed lately.
I love Lukas watercolours I’ve got the 24 studio and the professional grade whole 70 set
I’m glad to know that you consider Cotman a good student grade brand, although you don’t like the box. Indeed, I have a 24 set that came in a nice tin in which I ‘ve added a few colors more. I think you’d like this more than the little plastic box.
Well now, if opinions validate you and your choices hold on to your set my friend because I'm about to hit you with some real world truth. Cotman is pretty much all any real artist uses. By real I mean people actually painting and selling original art work instead of prints and personality online. Nothing wrong with it, by God everyone should start a TH-camr channel, but most artists are painting and surviving on their sales. Those whom aren't sponsored or ambassadors of a company, or aren't paid with free product to sell that product on TH-cam almost all paint with cotman tubes. Every country has plein air competitions and galleries open only to real artists and real art collectors. Again, by real I mean those willing to slap down an easy 1200usd for a 3x5 watercolor and the artist who painted it survived solely upon gallery sales. Those not making money by being advertisers on social media. Again, not a bad thing either way. Just different.
We use cotman tubes because
A) they are great reliable quality
B) cost a fraction of other brands
C) available everywhere in the world.
No matter where you find yourself painting, if your tube of ultramarine should get stepped on, forgotten, etc, one can easily run down to the local box craft store and pick up a replacement.
So you are in great company. :)
38:02 Prang. These are for school kids, low price and non toxic. I would not expect pigment info. They are targeted at primary school classes for(selling rhem by the box with 20 units). I love the tin, super sturdy and great design. Once the colours are empty they can be filled with good tube paint. The washable ones are streaky and gummy. I did not like them. They are made by Dixon, owned by Fila, which owns Daler Rowney, Arches, Canson, Strathmore, Maimeri, Lukas, Princeton Brushes and many other companies. (Check the back of the box, you will see Dixon)
i think prangs are actually made to be near professional level🤔 But i think their downpart is that its semi dry or semi wet whatever u call it. so it can have a glossy like effect when paint is concentrated. But it's a nice watercolor for beginners 😊
Have you tested Rosa watercolor paints? I would be interested in your opinion of the urban palette. I am new and bought this to try.
I haven’t tried Rosa yet. They’re on my list. Kim Crick tested their lightfastness, so be sure to check her blog for a handful of colors which faded despite being rated higher. She really liked a lot of the colors, though. Especially magenta!
Ammmmnnnn I have the old Meiliang and I did remove all the paints and transfer them in half pans.. it was pretty easy.
Do not expect lightfast in student grade paint I had mine for only 5usd or less. This is a practice set and it doea it's thing
You’re lucky! My set was glued in pretty permanently.
@@KeyLimeInk Yeah, there were like 2 or 3 that was hard glued but others came off really easy.. I guess that will be my last student grade, I was starting starting with watercolor when I bought it. Back then someone did a lightfast test and meiliang or pretty excellent did okay.. So maybe something changed in the formulation. I don't really know. Anyway, I enjoyed your review
If you open happen to pull that set out again, here’s Kim Crick’s lightfast test for Mei Liang over the period of one year in Florida. About half of the colors showed signs of fading - but some certainly more than others. I just mark an X on the more fugitive choices so I can keep that in mind while painting.
www.kimcrick.com/pages/pretty-excellent-watercolor-review-lightfast-test
Thank you for a very informative content.
🌷 Thank you for watching!
I was surprised by Lukas's price for what it offers-it's crazy 🤯🤯!! It's almost the same price as the professional 24-color set from Schminke. Blows my mind 😵💫.
White Night is definitely on my wishlist 💙, but I’m aiming for the 12-tube set because I'm saving up for the 36-tube Mijello Gold Mission set 😅😂.
I’m currently using the Cotman and Kuretake 48-set. Good review video, thanks! Art Whale surprise me hehe.
Right? Lukas did not used to be that expensive. The sets are much higher than a year or two ago!
If you look at art supply sites you can find it on sale for much cheaper, well at least 5 years ago. Prices have gone nuts on everything since then.
Thank you!❣
Thank you!
The Lukas paint company got bought by Daler Rowney and are now made in the UK. I find the older version that was made in Germany a bit more concentrated.
Oh, that's good to know! If you Google, the top results will tell you they're still made in Germany. Amazon doesn't say either way in their listings. But after reading your comment, I just dug through my "boxes of packaging" which I keep just in case . . . and it turns out the Lukas 1862 set does say in the tiniest print that it's made in the UK. I'll correct that on my fact sheet.
@@KeyLimeInk Great video. You put a lot of work into it. I only wanted to add to your knowledge base since I noticed a difference in a set I had from long ago and a newer set I bought.
Can you swap some of the bigger Yatsutomo set into the smaller one for a different palette?
Yes, definitely! Both sets come with the same standard size half pans. The racks will accept any standard full or half pans. They’re super versatile.
I started with collecting Daniel Smith after some student grade and Kuretake Gansai Tambi, which I actually enjoyed. I must admit, I still really adore my Cotman studio set watercolors. The only downfall is the sap green’s lack of potency.
How long ago did you buy that Mei liang set? They have changed up some of the pigments in the newer 36 set
My 48 set is only about a year old and has most if not all of the same colors as my older 36 set. I’ll see if I can get a brand new one to compare.
@@KeyLimeInk I know it’s not a ton but I have an older set and a newer set and noticed differences in the reds and purples/pinks I think. That said they may still be quite fugitive :)
I agree about the Mei Liang paints, I don't even use them in my journals anymore. Most of my art is in journals but I've found that there is better even in student and hobby grade paints. I like my Jane Davenport paints for vibrant hobby grade paints although I tell people not to run out and buy them either because they are also a bit expensive for what they are. Michael's used to carry them and I had an excellent coupon.
I’ve had fun with Jane Davenport Brights, but I can’t find them anywhere online. Do they even make them anymore? They’re not lightfast at all, but they made the coolest retro 70s look when mixed.
@@KeyLimeInkI think you can still find them from her website directly.
I also can't find them anywhere. I do know the brights and neutrals sets were made when Jane was under contract with American Crafts, when they ended their partnership it appears those sets were no longer manufactured.
Several TH-camrs have speculated the Prima Marketing palletes are white labeled by the same people and the quality is very similar. I have not looked recently but I think those are still available.
Good info! I haven’t tried Prima sets yet.
I’m surprised how many TH-camrs recommend Mei Liang. I was very disappointed with them. I don’t use mine anymore but if friends come over to paint they like the wide choice of colours.
What do you think about sonnet?
I’ve always heard they are White Nights’ student grade, but I haven’t had the opportunity to try them yet.
As for the Lukas 1862, their 3* LF = 7/8 on the Blue Wool scale ( up to 100 yrs under museum conditions) and a 2* LF = 6/7 on the BW scale (50-100yrs under museum conditions). I would not call that being 'not lightfast enough'. My mom has a painting of a race horse done with Lukas paints that has hung on her livingroom wall for almost 40 yrs, no issues with fading
Right, but independent tests show shifting with some of the pigments they’ve chosen to add recently. I don’t doubt a painting with their colors from 40 years ago performed well. That’s awesome! I’m talking about specific colors from this particular set which inexplicably have new, odd formulations.
@@KeyLimeInk Yes I've heard some say that after the Lukas paints were no longer made in germany, but england they are not what they used to be. I have an old set from the 80s and I love them. I also found some 1/2 pans made in germany in my local hardware/art store and I bought them all 😄
There's also some issues with the van Gogh paints. There is some kind of white filler in them. If you make a fairly thick mix and let it dry in your mixing pallet you will find the dry paint has a white underside , so no wonder they look a bit dull and behave a bit funny when mixing colours.
I’m so glad you noticed the white filler in Van Gogh as well. They’re fine for me on watercolor paper, but I’m more likely to see the effects when I push the boundaries and try to use them on journals which have less texture / tooth / saturation. There’s nowhere for the filler to hide.
Hello I'm in Florida. I found the best paints are Daniel Smith 😍 love love love ❤️ there paints 🎨. I bought the May Liang set and was very disappointed 😞!!!!! It was the set with the small tins yuck!! I don't like the paints either😢. Cost like 30.00 dollars I should have sent them back because it showed half pans!! What a rip! Oh well live and learn. I had Recently bought a new Paul Runbans paints with 12 paints in it. I wish I could send you a picture of it but I don't like the May Geen even though it's a one pigment PG7, the Pussian Blue is a one pigment PB27, the color doesn't want to come off the pan into the brush! I couldn't figure it out? Also they have a white and a black both are one pigment colors. Then it has cadmium yellow hue PY151 and cadmium red hue PR255?? With the cadmium I'm worried about cancer? The Sepia is close to the same color as the one pigment PY42 burnt umber but the Sepia has 3 pigments? The violet has 2 pigments. I was going to send this back but I thought I ask and see what you say about it. I only have a few days to send back. Oh this set cost 30. You did a lot of work on the pallet and paints you reviewed. Have a good day 😊. JK FLORIDA USA 🇺🇸.
If a color has ‘hue’ in its name, then it’s one made to look like the original but does not have the chemical or metal in it. So- your Cad yellow and red does not have any cadmium used in it. Hue colors are safer.
I’ll have to look at that particular Paul Rubens set. For easier re-wetting, get a little spray bottle and spray the paints with water about ten minutes before you sit down to work. They’ll be much easier to pick up with your brush if you activate them that way.
I don't have a lot of money. Can you compare them to a $5 bill instead?
My kind of humor😂
HAHAHAHAHA nice
this is so silly! I can't stop giggling
Lol
Beware: Recently Prang has changed completely and are totally different than they were before. Very sad.
Thanks for letting me know! What is different?
@@KeyLimeInk the pigments are shiny and weak in the pans. Reports from students indicate the colors fade within weeks of using them. I’ve used Prang paints for my beginners for 18 years and I miss them already. Do you recommend a substitute?
Ugh! No, I don’t have another suggestion. I’ve been testing sets under $20 to look for something appropriate for kids / school. It’s really hard to find a set which is non-toxic and lightfast at the price point of Prang / Crayola / etc.
Personally thought the comparison of every single palette to a $20 bill and business card was kinda/ very irrelevant and unnecessary hahah. You could just compare them to either the 24 or 48 color metal tins which ppl are already familiar with! Or just give an example of their size like what you said about the aqua-mini palette by comparing it to an Altoids tin.
Love your TN & watercolor vids so def not a hate comment haha
But when you compare each single palette separately to a bill and card each time, it’s still difficult to get an accurate comparison!
I hear you, but I think you’d be surprised how many viewers have no idea what a 48 half pan tin looks like on their desktop.
I’ve seen so many reviews of watercolors where customers say they’re returning their order because the paints were so much smaller than they expected for the price. Maybe they’re used to seeing big acrylic tubes or even cans of house paint?!
Or, the opposite. Lots of people return the White Nights 36 full pan box because it’s ginormous and they can’t take it in their backpack or it covers their work surface.
Just trying to give them a visual they might already have in their pocket.
Accurate size comparison is so important on all types of media communication. If it’s not provided the mind of the observer comes up with all different sizes randomly.
@@KeyLimeInk I have to admit I was pretty annoyed with the comparisons as well. No hate, I have sensory issues so I'm not a good measure. But if you want my opinion on how you can do it in a way that will show the comparisons for whoever find it important and also avoid this repetition for the ones of us that think it is too much: just say it out loud the first 2 times and after that put the bill and card near the tin but go on talking about the brand. Make it only visual after you've said it a couple of times. That would be nicer in my opinion. Thank you for the video anyway!