Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

Okay. I’ll admit it. I’m picky when it comes to my art supplies. Alright, maybe a little bit more then picky. That point being said each time I look to add to my collection I always spend hours comparing sets, scanning reviews, reading up on each set, seeking to get nice supplies without breaking my poor little piggy bank any more then I have to. This one caught my eye in the beginning of my search for a water color set and after going through dozens of others I ended up coming back again to this. I am certainly glad I did so. The packaging was a delightful surprise, this would make for a beautiful gift. I felt as if I’d received a box of chocolates, everything nestled together into a magnetic box that I’ve used to store everything since. The water color cakes are nestled in a tin which has a top perfect for mixing that 37th color you’re after. True to the description, these colors are highly pigmented and haven’t ceased to impress me yet, in fact there have been a few times where I was surprised at just how dark the color came off the brush and actually had to dab up some of the pigment and go back to the mixing lid to add some water. If you’re having trouble getting dark pigmentation you may just be adding too much water to the cakes. All watercolors lighten the more water you add to them, I’ve found that spritzing my water color tray before I get started with a light mist works perfectly, I get the bold color I want where I want it and lighten the colors in the lid if I need to.In the first picture is a quick color chart I made, along the side from top to bottom you can see how the colors behave in drop color (the yellow/red mix near the top), as a blended gradient (from bIue to purple), and with drop water, (I messed up on the green so I did it again in the space above it using the ultramarine blue). In the second picture, I made lightly sketched bare lines before coloring with the paints. I was able to achieve exactly what I wanted and the colors blended together smoothly for shading (although bad lighting makes it hard to see the shading in the picture), I can’t wait to do something on a larger scale with them. The colors are a bit chalky once dried but I don’t have a problem with it, I suppose that would leave it to a matter of preference. It does give them an almost softer look, plus even if you accidentally rub some of the paint onto your fingers you won’t lose the color and it doesn’t leave a mark. This set also came with 8 sheets of water color paper with a light grain texture. I do suggest that if you don’t already tape down your water color sheets you do so with this paper. This is something I always do regardless of what brand but this paper tends to swell with too much water. You will have to take more breaks when using it and will need to be more careful when doing washes as the paper may create valleys that the color will sit in resulting in you getting an uneven backing. I quickly discovered the water brush to be a wonderful surprise. I’ve never used one before now but you can get great line quality with it, it also allows you to fade your color in and out which is perfect for hand lettering. (The third picture I’ve provided I did as a quick example, although I was sad when I smeared the still wet paints with my hand) I’m no professional, simply a sixteen year old who has fallen in love with painting watercolor recently, and this set was exactly what I was looking for to expand my supplies. By the looks of it it seems it will last me a long time and I wouldn’t be surprised if when I eventually run out of paint if I'd find myself replacing it with this brand again. Worth every dollar, I’d recommend this to any one, great for those just starting out and those with more experience who don’t want a hole burned in their pocket by overpriced paints. It's not often you find quality paired with quantity, yet this set manages just that.