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I'd like to preface by saying that I have not settled permanently on a certain set of paints, and my selections are not right for everyone. There are plenty of choices out there and I will do my best to help you navigate the options!

How many tubes of watercolor paint do you own?

Do you buy every color on every supply list for every workshop that you attend? (That was me.) Perhaps you received tubes of paint as a gift or an award (both true for me). Regardless of how you have accumulated your paints, my guess is that you own more colors than you need, and probably more than you'll ever use. (By the way, as seen in the above image, my paints are organized in order of the color wheel using Paint Tube Organizers; you can learn more about them here.)

Whether you already own countless tubes of paint or you are just starting out in watercolor, I'll share some tips that may help you find a color palette that is right for you.

First and foremost, do not buy student grade paints. They may be less expensive to purchase, but they will not serve you well; they have less pigment and more fillers which will yield inferior results.

Something had to be done.

A few summers ago, I bought a three-ring binder and a pack of plastic trading card sleeves, cut up scraps of watercolor paper, and got to work making paint samples of every color of watercolor paint I owned. (Yes, it was quite a project, but totally worth the time.) I used two swatches for each color: on one I listed the name of the paint, the brand name, and the pigment(s) used (apparently not always in that order as you see below); on the other I drew a thick black line with a permanent marker. The Roman numeral 1 on the bottom left indicates excellent lightfastness (added at a later date). I'll explain more as we go along, using a few snapshots from my color album.

Pigment

The above chart shows my color swatches for Pigment Violet 19 (PV19). As you can see, different brands may use different names for the exact same pigment. Also, the paint vehicle* used by the manufacturers can yield slightly different color results.

*Every paint is a mixture of microscopic pigment particles, which provide the paint color, mixed in a liquid paint vehicle that holds the pigment in suspension, allows it to be applied with a brush, then dries to bind it to the support (paper, board or canvas). The vehicle also contains other substances that reduce manufacturing costs, adjust the visual appearance and handling attributes of the paint, and increase its shelf life in the art store. ~ handprint.com

Lightfastness

Another quality that is very important to me is lightfastness/permanence. In the above group, I've eliminated WN Permanent Rose because, although its lightfastness is "very good", the others are "excellent". I've eliminated M.Graham Quin Rose, which has an excellent lightfastness rating, but it has a warmer hue than I like in a rose. (When I eliminate a color, I either use it up and don't replace it, or I give it away to an organization or an artist who is thrilled to receive it!)

Staining/Non-staining

Another thing this color project reveals is whether a color is staining or non-staining. In most situations I prefer to be able to lift color from the paper, but it's not my top priority. Can you see the difference in the above chart?

Transparency/Opacity

I prefer transparent colors, because I do a lot of layering. Opaque colors have a tendency to get "chalky" when layered. If you look carefully at the above image, you can see the opacity of the Cadmium Orange. When I created the swatches, I applied paint over the black line, let it dry completely, and then lifted the color with a barely damp flat brush. You can see the paint film remaining on the line where I did not remove it. That's not to say I don't use any opaque colors, because I sometimes do if a painting calls for it. But, being aware of the paint's properties, I can plan accordingly. (Currently my go-to orange is Holbein's Brilliant Orange - the *** in the bottom left corner means excellent lightfastness.)

Single vs. Multiple Pigments

I prefer to use single pigment colors because I do a lot of color mixing. Multiple pigment colors mixed together can create cloudiness or muddiness. (Look at the above charts and imagine mixing Moonglow with Winsor Newton Cad Orange - that's a total of 5 pigments!) However, there is an exception to every "rule": I love Holbein's Mineral Violet and I keep it on my palette. Although it has multiple pigments, you can see that it is still transparent, unlike the M.Graham version above it.

Now What?

So much to learn; so little time, right? I've barely skimmed the surface! The absolute best resource I've found for exploring color properties is handprint.com. Of course, the tubes of paint themselves usually provide (microscopically) all the information you need to know, or you can go to the manufacturer's website and download the color charts.

Take time to explore the beautiful and unique characteristics of watercolor on your own. There is no substitute for trial and error. I suggest you begin with six colors, one warm and one cool of each primary color (see my supply list for examples). Maybe make some swatches for reference, and then paint - a lot! Become intimately familiar with the way those six colors behave. Do they "play well" together? Do you like the results when you combine them or layer them? Experiment and have fun! Gradually add new colors to the mix and eliminate the ones that don't feel right to you. And please don't hesitate to share your results with me! I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Paint. Love. Repeat.