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Tag Archives: watercolour

In: Pigments

PY150 Nickel Azo Yellow

This Nickel Azo Yellow pigment is magic. When you look at the dry colour a pan looks brown, so you expect to see something like raw sienna colour when painting. However, when painted it’s totally different. Of course, it’s not turning purple, but still surprisingly provides a very transparent rich yellow colour. It’s super transparent, which makes it work perfectly for glazing in oil and washing techniques in watercolour.

It’s very transparent, so you can create a gradient from very pale yellow to golden. Like many other synthetic organic pigments, it leaves satins behind, penetrating into the top paper layer quite fast.

Makes a good lightfast Indian Yellow or Gamboge substitute. You can find this colour under different names, such as: Aureoline, Nickel Azo Yellow, Gamboge Hue, Indian Yellow, Nickel Azo Golden, Translucent Golden Yellow and others. In ENL Watercolours line it comes as Nickel Azo Golden.

 

In: Pigments

PBr24 Chrome Antimony Titanate

Naples yellow is a pigment named after the city of Naples in Italy. The origins of Naples yellow remain unclear, but it’s one of the oldest known pigments. We know it was used by Egyptians as far back as circa 1500 BC to add yellow colour to glass, and originally the pigment was made from lead antimoniate. The first recorded use of ‘Naples yellow’ as a color name in English was in 1738.

The lead-based Naples yellow was toxic and caused lead poisoning among workers who handled it and artists who painted with Naples yellow. So, later, to imitate Naples Yellow, this beautiful pastel yellow colour, without taking health risks, manufacturers started simply mixing titanium white (PW6) with yellow ochre pigments (PY42-43). However, this mixture doesn’t work for artists, who prefer mono-pigment colours. Not so long ago, in 1939, PBr24 Chrome Antimony Titanate was discovered, and in 1967 the production of this wonderful pigment began.

PBr24 is a light valued, yellowish to reddish brown to light golden, orange or tan. It may be slightly staining in watercolours and have fair tinting strength as it already contains some titanium white. As PBr24 is a synthetic (man-made) inorganic pigment, its light-fastness is excellent in all mediums. What about opacity, Chrome Antimony Titanate as most chromium and titanium oxide-based pigments, is quite opaque.

You can find this colour now in my ENL Watercolours. As this pigment has quite low oil absorption, it dries quite fast in oil painting and will be included in my ENL Oil paint collection this year.

How to use watercolour medium
In: Practice

How To Use Watercolour Medium?

If for oil or acrylic painting we have many mediums to choose from that serve in a different way, watercolour medium sounds a little bit weird: why watercolour needs a medium? There is no texture to build, there is no need to increase or decrease drying time? Why do I need medium for watercolours?

In fact, most watercolorists paint without any mediums added. However, there are some situations when medium helps us improve painting performance.

What is watercolour medium?

Generally speaking, watercolour medium has arabic gum as a main component. Traditionally, all watercolours had arabic gum as a binder. However, with time in mass production arabic gums was partially replaced with other sugar-based ingredients (such as dextrin) to reduce costs.

Arabic gum is a natural sap from certain kinds of Acacia trees. It’s used a lot in baking and RUSART, for example, buys food-grade arabic gum from grocery vendors to make sure high safety standards. Bakers add arabic gum to icings, chewing gums, fillings etc. as it acts as stabilizer preventing sugar from crystallizing, as well as emulsifier, providing even and smooth consistency of products.

For artist’s purposes, we use arabic gum solution with some additives. For our RUSART Naturals watercolour medium we use a small amount of honey and glycerin as plasticizers and essential oils as preservatives. 

We performed a few tests  with RUSART Naturals watercolour medium and, now, sharing the results with you.

Watercolour medium separates painting zones

 We applied watered down watercolour medium first on one half of the paper sheet and let it dry. Then we applied paint in wet technique on bare paper and on top of medium applied.

As you can see, watercolour medium prevents paint from bleeding, creating quite obvious borders between the colours.

Why? Arabic gum works like glue and holding agent, not for watercolours only. For example, for hot enamelling techniques, when artists spread glass powder on metal surfaces, they use arabic gum based holding agent, if they desire to affix enamel to certain areas.

Watercolour medium helps with washing out lines

We gave experimental pieces sometime to dry and then we used just water and squirrel imitation brush to wash out paint.

Paint came off effortlessly from the paper WITH medium, leaving behind completely white lines. Without medium paint didn’t come off in full. 

Why? Watercolour medium created a fine film between paints and paper that prevent paints from being absorbed by cotton fibre. SO, if you’re planning to correct your painting a lot, or you’re working with synthetic organic pigments (hanza yellow, naphthol red, pyrrole red, Phthalo blue or green etc.) use watercolour medium to be able to correct your lines after application. All synthetic organic pigments have stronger staining properties than mineral pigments. 

Mineral pigments don’t show that dramatic difference. Also, if your paper contains less cotton, watercolour medium’s effect will be less intense.

Watercolour medium makes some colours look brighter

As you see from the picture, colours at the top half look more intense than at the lower part of the paper. Also, you can notice beautiful flow patterns that medium helps create. However, there is a reverse side of that. Excessive use of arabic gum leaves shine and slightly tacky finish.

Why? Arabic gum is technically sap, and medium made with this gum can be considered as water-based varnish, that changes optical properties of the painting layer.

Watercolour medium helps covering oily surface 

Watercolours are water-based and grease or oil on paper surface repel watercolours. Do you remember kindergarten experiments with painting in watercolours on top of lines made with wax/oil crayons? 

Unfortunately, when we touch paper with hands, some grease from finger tips can stay on paper and affect painting outcome in unexpected way.

Arabic gum helps make your work smoother. We made an experiment. First, we drew some lines and smudged them with soft pastel. And even soft pastels can contain oils or waxes. Then we used watercolour medium and spread pastel powder with a brush. Left side doesn’t have any medium applied, and you can see that spreading is not that smooth, as well as some oily spots show off.

The right side looks softer and has no visible oil stains.

Why? Arabic gum here works as the finest film, covering oil and everything else, taking only smallest particles into the layer.

 

Make your own experiments and open new opportunities with arabic gum medium! But use it wisely. As you see, it may have some “side effects”.

(c) RUSART

Nadine Sallinen Artist
In: Artists

Featured Artist: Nadine Sallinen

Meet Nadine Sallinen

Nadine is an artist residing and working in BC, Canada. She has had a fascination with art since childhood. She started initially with watercolours, drawing with pencil, coloured pencils, pen and ink and acrylic painting, and then to using pastels. She discovered that pastels suited her style and love of detail. She learned drawing and painting from an old-fashioned mail order course many years ago, and took a watercolour workshop in her 20’s. For a time, Nadine set art aside while working and raising a family, only to get back to it after her kids moved on to live their own lives. Returning to the use of familiar mediums was enjoyable, and exploring new techniques from books, online, and taking a few workshops, brought new challenges and variety to pursuing art every day.

Nature as a Subject, Pastel as a Medium

Nadine’s main subjects are inspired by nature – animals, flowers and landscapes. Some of her paintings have been inspired by the scenes and images from her trips to Japan and Europe. Recently, art has become important not only as a creative activity, but also for personal growth and enjoyment; paying attention to details calms her spirit and feeds her soul. A bedroom converted into a studio means she can just close the door, and anything in progress can be picked up the next day where she left off. This is her happy place.

Nadine Sallinen ArtistAlthough pastels are Nadine’s favourite medium, she has recently returned to working with watercolours with Rusart handmade watercolours. They are smooth flowing, have a range of vivid, deep colours, and working with them has opened up a new outlook to using this medium. Using good quality pigments and quality papers removed the sense of unpredictability from the application of watercolours. In addition, combining the experience gained in using watercolours and gouache as an underpainting to pastels, brought a new enjoyable dimension to her art.

More Art By Nadine

Nadine Sallinen ArtistNadine is a member of the Pastel Artists of Canada and the Coast Cultural Alliance of BC. Her instagram account is @nadinesallinen and a facebook art page Nadine’sArt. Her website is harmonyandbalance.ca  She has had a few exhibits locally, and her art has sold to private collectors in the US, Canada, and Brazil.

Her motto is:

“Everyone can do art.” Simply get started with a basic set and begin creating. Buy the best quality supplies you can afford – it does make a difference.

Granulation in Watercolours
In: Paints

Granulation in Watercolours

Watercolour is a very unique medium, and as result we see depends on many factors:

  • paper
  • amount of water used
  • paint quality
  • brushes and
  • mediums.

Today we’ll take a closer look at granulation. 

What is Granulation

Generally speaking, we observe granulation in watercolours when pigment particles don’t evenly cover the paper during or after painting. Granulation implies sedimentation and sometimes flocculation.

These two processes are very similar to each other, but not the same. While the sedimentation occurs when pigment particles separate from each other and naturally fill imperfections in paper or settle down on a surface, the flocculation happens when pigment particles form some random textures and patterns. Heavy mineral pigments combined with high pigment load allow you to achieve both, sedimentation and flocculation.

Why Granulation Happens

Chemistry and physics explain everything. As watercolours (like any other kind of paint) contain binder and pigment, here we get relationship between their masses, particle sizes and densities. When pigment is lighter and finer than the binder we get smooth washes, and when pigment’s particles are bigger and rougher, we get granulation. It happens because binder can’t hold particles well together and water that we use during painting breaks the adhesion between them.

What Pigments are Granulating

As rocks, metals, and other minerals are usually heavy, natural mineral pigments tend to show more granulation, such as:

  • cobalts blue and green – PB28, PG19 etc.
  • cadmiums ed and orange – PO20, PR108 etc.
  • earth green PG23
  • some ultramarines PB29
  • Siennas and umbers PBr8, PBr12, PY43 etc.
  • Oxide iron black PBk11
  • Van Dyke NBr8

PBk11 shows very strong granulation that explains this pigment’s use in many mixes to achieve granulation properties. For example, in such mixes like Payne’s Gray, forest green, deep blue or deep brown colours.

Also, paints made from semi-precious stones are very granulating, such as malachite, lapis lazuli, sodalite, serpentine etc.

For the smoothest washes man-made synthetic organic pigment would be the best choice. Their particles are so fine that a lot of milling cycles required to achieve good bond between the particles and a binder. Here are some examples of smooth (non-granulating) pigments:

  • phthalo blue and greens PB15, PG7
  • Pyrrole red PR254
  • Hanza yellow and orange PY65, PY3, PO5
  • Quinacridones, including reds and magenta PR122
  • Perylene Red PR149
  • Alizarin Crimson NR8

As you could notice, bright yellow and red colours are normally smooth, while blues and blacks have naturally more granulating options. 

How to Increase Granulation in Watercolours

There are many ways how to show more texture in your watercolours:

  • Use more water. As water dilutes binder using more water provokes sedimentation
  • Add granulating pigments. Adding colour containing PBk11 while mixing will increase granulation
  • Use textured paper for sedimentation and smooth paper for better flocculation. As heavy particles tend to fill the gaps and holes, pigment will settle down in “dents” in paper. To show flows of particles we should use smooth paper to direct the paint.
  • Add granulating medium

Experiment with your paints to achieve desired appearance. Most of RUSART Naturals watercolour paints are granulating as we prefer non-toxic mineral pigments for our paints when it’s possible. If mineral pigments are toxic or not ethically sourced we use synthetic man-made pigments. 

In: News

Watercolours – What’s Inside?

Watercolour paints have much longer history than oil and, of course, acrylics. It appeared in China in the 2nd century AD, when paper was invented, because no paper no watercolour painting.

As any paint watercolours consist of pigment, binders and other ingredients. Let’s take a closer look at them.

Pigments for watercolours

Although pigments are kind of universal for many kinds of paints, not all of them work well for watercolours. 

Normally, mineral pigments bind well with Arabic gum (watercolour binder), but most synthetic pigments require special attention. Synthetic pigments, such as phthalo blue and green, naphthols,  quinacridones, hanza, pyrrole, benzimidazolone and others tend to be finer than their mineral cousins. With water added these pigments form lumps that very hard to break into a smooth paste. That’s why manufacturers have to add more fillers and extenders to create a reliable homogeneous paste. 

Also, most synthetic pigments need a base to stick to and it’s not that easy to find information what was used as a base for a certain paint. That’s why performance may differ from brand to brand.

More information about different kinds of pigments and their use we’ll post in our News and Article section.

Watercolour Binder

Arabic gum is a traditional binder for watercolours. It’s a natural gum made from sap of certain kinds of acacia trees. Those trees are harvested in Sudan and throughout the Sahel, from Senegal to Somalia.

Arabic gum is a very safe ingredient and has a broad use in food industries. For example, bakers add it as a thickener to icing, fillings as well as to soft gums and candy. For RUSART Naturals watercolours, we buy food grade arabic gum to make sure it’s pure.

Some people think that honey is another kind of binder used for watercolours. That’s not true. Honey is a never-drying agent so watercolours based on honey will remain sticky and never form a smooth film. 

However, some manufacturers do ass honey in watercolours to keep paints moist and soft. Here we come – humectants.

Humectants and Plasticizers for Watercolours

Watercolour pains based on Arabic gum only will get dry within quite short time. They will look like a piece of chalk that’s hard to use. To keep paints soft (even for watercolours in pans), we have to add humectants, such as honey, glycerine, methyl cellulose, or corn syrup. 

These agents prevent paints from excessive dryness and increase flow. 

Preservatives

As you can see, watercolours have a lot of natural ingredients inside that in contact with water may start growing mold. Especially that’s important for watercolours in tubes, that keep moist for longer time. 

To prevent growing mold we need preservatives. Normally, manufacturers use formaldehydes or phenols to keep paints fresh. Another olden way to fight mold is using essential oils. That’s more expensive, but a safer way that we use in our RUSART watercolours.

Fillers in Watercolours

If you think that’s the least important part in the paints, you’re terribly wrong. Yes, for artists fillers is something they’d rather avoid (when possible) to keep colours clear and vibrant. However, pigments are expensive, market is competitive and only specialists or really professional artists will notice a difference. So fillers are technically the main ingredient for most student and artist grade watercolours. Professional watercolours normally have lower level of fillers.

Also, some pigments cannot been used without fillers because they don’t get the right consistence and need a base to for smooth texture. However, for most mineral pigments fillers are not necessary.

Manufactures use many chemicals as fillers. For watercolours the most common ones are dextrin (and other cheap sugars), chalk, clays, barium sulphates. Normally, these ingredients are not listed on the labels.

water based paints and water soluble paints
In: Manufacturing

Why water-based paints are not water-based

Now we can see more and more labels saying “water-based paint” or “water-based varnish” or “water-based medium”. In fact, only few kinds of products can be truly called “water-based”. Let’s look inside “water based paints” meaning.

Why company use “water-based” for their labels?

All these comes from the times when acrylic paints started to appear on the art supplies market and when a massive campaign against oil painting began. Wherever possible acrylic paint advocates poured a bucket of dirt on oil painting manufactures claiming that oil paints are toxic, not safe, and acrylic paints are much better, because they are water-based. Then the market was roughly split into “toxic oil-based” products and “safe water-based” ones with the big lie started.

Now manufacturers have many reasons to call more and more products “water-based” because:

  • “water” means natural and “water-based” attracts customers
  • “water-based” is a clear statement and easy to understand
  • labelling paints as “water-based” is a simple way to stay apart from alcohol- and oil-based ones.

Water-based vs water-soluble paints

A true meaning of “water-base” is a mixture or solution of pigment, dye or tint in water. We use these fluids for tinting plaster, paper, gesso or primer and other mediums. You can find tints at our shop too.

Manufacturers also use pigments dissolved in water for fresco painting, where wall plaster serves as a binder. For any other cases we need a binder to “glue” pigment particles together and keep them attached to a support, such as paper, canvas, wood etc. Binder is a base for any paint. So, water based paint meaning is very narrow. And talking about “water-based” paints we should rather say “water soluble” paints.

Water soluble paints include a very wide range of products:

  • watercolours (based on Arabic gum)
  • acrylic paints (based on acrylic dispersion or emulsion )
  • Latex paints (based on acrylic resin)
  • Water-soluble ink (based on acrylic dispersion)
  • Gouache (based on Arabic gum or acrylic dispersion)
  • PVAc tempera paints (based on poly vinyl acetate)
  • Casein paints (based on casein and oil)
  • Finger paints (based on dextrin, starch and other sugar-glue binders)

As you see, a spectrum of “water-based” paints is very wide and it doesn’t always mean “water plus pigment only” pair.

Potential other ingredients for water-soluble paints

Depending on kind of paint and its intent to use paints will have some other components beyond just binder:

  • Fillers – to make a tube look bigger and replace expensive components like pigments
  • Enhancers – to make paints spread easier, enrich colours or achieve other properties, like opacity/transparency, increase viscosity, add gloss or matt finish, reduce or increase drying time and other
  • Preservatives – to prevent mold growing and extend shelf life
  • Humectants – to prevent paints from drying 

And here we can find some harmless components, such as honey, clays, marble dust, corn syrup, starches, dextrin, essential oils, resins, silica, glycerine etc. 

On top of those paints most likely will contain one or more of those: isopropyl alcohol, white spirits, solvents, ammonia, formalin, phthalates, xylene and other.

Always check list of ingredients, especially if work indoors. Manufacture safety data sheets do not disclose all information.

You can read more about different ingredients of paints and how they contribute into your art and your health in our knowledge base. And get updates to your email with our newsletter.

In: Artists

Featured Artist: Rose Kamma Morrison

Rose Kamma Morrison is a Canadian BC-based artist with an interesting artists’ path and a very strong personality. Elena, RUSART’s owner, “met” Rose online in 2020, right after COVID-19 pandemic started. Elena made her first samples of paints and Rose responded to volunteer call to test her paints. Since then Rose inspires Elena with her strong personality and uneasy artist’s path.

“My horizon is broader than my tunnel vision.”  – Rose Kamma Morrison

Rose was diagnosed at 16 with Usher’s Syndrome (deaf/blind) has taught her to look, feel and create. She has an interest in all things outdoors.

Rose is happiest when enjoying the experience of running, hiking, rock climbing, swimming, skiing, kayaking and traveling. Living on the West Coast of Canada, the mountains, byways, forest, ocean and lakes have become her playground. When away from these outdoor pursuits, Rose loses herself in the world of her arts, using watercolour, pencil, ink, mix media and photography.

Featured Artist: Rose Kamma Morrison During her school years, Rose took advantage of all art classes becoming familiar with different mediums and later taking art courses at a local College.
 She refused to allow Usher’s Syndrome to define her; she would rather express beauty in her art, this is how she views her world.

Before retiring,  Rose was an Interior Decorator/Paint Consultant.  Her greatest achievement is raising her beautiful daughter, Emily. She is with a wonderful man, Chris Morrison, who is the pillar of her strength and supports her in all things she’s doing.  He taught her all things are possible.  “My love and friend”. –  Rose says.

Rose is always thankful to her mother who refused to believe that she should be in an institution. It is because of her Rose flourished. And because of her dad, Rose has the passion for the outdoors, sports and sense of adventure.  All these people are the reason for who Rose is today.

Featured Artist: Moon Night and Tree Rose MorrisonWith continuing loss of vision it has taught her a lot about grief.  Grieving can be interpreted  in artistic form, however abstract or surreal loss may feel, it is unique to all and all to experience.

You can find Rose’s works on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RTKMorrison/ or on Instagram: @rosetkmo

Art lessons with a professional artist - all levels to advanced welcome
In: News

“My goal is to help you discover yourself as an artist” – Elena NL

Elena Nahum Leroy is an art instructor, teaching drawing and painting art lessons since 2009 (in-person and online). Here you can find the most frequently asked questions regarding her way of teaching and what to expect from the classes with her.

What is Elena’s teaching experience?

Elena has been teaching classes since 2009 and she has crossed the line of 2000 students since that time. In winter 2020, right before COVID-19 restrictions, she had about 80 students she was personally teaching on weekly basis and her school RUSART Fine Arts Co. had over 200 “weekly” art students in total.

What are Elena’s mediums?

There are many 2D art mediums:

  • acrylic,
  • oil,
  • watercolours,
  • soft pastel,
  • oil pastel,
  • drawing,
  • ink,
  • markers,
  • coloured pencils,
  • collage,
  • mixed media.

Depending your level, Elena can help you with the mediums.

Art classes in Ottawa region - children, youth, adults, portfolio preparationBeginner’s level means you have never used this or that medium before or had some experience playing around (like paint parties). Elena can introduce you absolutely all listed mediums all the way from the beginning to upper intermediate level.  

Upper intermediate means you can freely work in a certain medium, but you still need professional advice on your ideas, material use, colour balancing and finishing your project (like portfolio preparation). Starting from this point Elena can help you with

  • acrylic,
  • oil,
  • watercolours,
  • soft pastel,
  • oil pastel,
  • drawing,
  • coloured pencils,
  • collage,
  • mixed media.

And if you need assistance at Advanced level, when you can freely work in a certain medium, but need deeper knowledge of techniques, materials, pastes, archival properties etc., Elena can help you with:

  • acrylic,
  • oil,
  • watercolours,
  • drawing, and
  • mixed media.

Oil Painting Lessons for Youth and Adults in OttawaWhat is Elena’s goal of teaching?

“I’m sure that if you decided to take art classes you’re already an artist inside and my role is to help you to find yourself.” – That’s what Elena is saying about her way of teaching.

Art is not a science and what works there may not work here. Yes, there are a lot of rules to know, but following the rules is not the key. For example, we can find “mistakes” in master pieces by Rembrandt, Michelangelo, Eduard Manet, Edgar Degas and many other masters and famous artists. But their work are masterpieces regardless “mistakes”. The soul, not the rules, brings a picture to life and makes it look remarkable. So, the goal of art sessions here is to let another artist – YOU – to appear.

How your regular art lesson will look like?

You with your teacher will choose a project for your art lessons together. A project that matches your tastes, goals, and skills. Elena will tell you different ways of how this project can “go” and you choose which way looks better to you. Elena will explain what to do step-by-step to create your very own artwork in YOUR WAY. You’ll learn basics of composition, perspective, material use, and mixing colours.

The more projects you make with Elena the more styles and techniques you’ll try and learn. The goal here is to introduce as many styles and techniques as possible, so in the future you can choose what you like better and find yourself in arts. Even if you find this or that style too challenging or not a good match to your personality, at least you tried it and made a choice. Normally students prefer starting with realism (academism) as the classical way to study.

Pencils Drawing Private Lessons in ON and QCWhat about homework and independent practice?

Sometimes you’ll be asked to start painting or drawing from what you see, with no instruction for a short time, but with a thorough feedback from Elena. It may be a little bit frustrating at first to work on your own, but only this helps develop observation skills, wake up your mind, reveal your artistic personality, and eventually will make you independent.

If a painting or drawing implies repetition, you may be offered to do repetitive things at home, provided you have time and space for the homework. Yes, we’re trying to save your classroom time.

Does Elena paint for her students?

You may see big improvements after the first sessions or it may take some longer time, but you’ll definitely see progress from the first lesson. It may parents and friends think that Elena is drawing or painting for her students. This myth was completely gone after she switched to online art
lessons during pandemic times. There is no way she can touch your work via zoom.

But still she can make some demo on your work when it’s really needed or she can make finial touch if asked by a student. All these are the same for both kids and adults.

Does Elena help with portfolio?

Elena’s students get awards, participate in art shows and even sell their paintings! And yes, Elena also helps prepare portfolios for universities, colleges and art schools.

Where can I learn more about Elena Nahum Leroy?

 

watercolour sticks by Daniel Smith buy online in Canada
In: Practice

How To Use Watercolours in Sticks

Watercolours as any other medium have pigment and binder inside. Pigment is what brings colours, normally, in a powder from. And binder is kind of “glue” that holds pigment particles together. Of course, there many other additives that paints may contain, but we’ll talk about the key ingredients.

When it’s about professional watercolors, we have gum arabic as a binder. Generally speaking, there are several forms for the watercolour paints.

Forms of watercolours:

  • Tubes. Most popular form for North America due to convenience of use and storage. Have more water and plasticizers than any other form of watercolours. Tubes are perfect for wet techniques and washes.
  • Pans. More traditional semi-dry form, but requires more complicated manufacturing procedures  and takes longer loner time to make than tubes. Have higher pigment load and work better for dry techniques.
  • Gouache. It’s opaque watercolour that have a sour cream texture. Very appreciated by designers.
  • Pencils. They look like any other pencil but different in use. A lead may contain some waxes and a lot of fillers, such as clays and others. Perfect for details, for combining graphic and painting techniques as well as for outdoor use. Less messy than any other form of watercolours.
  • Sticks. Have the highest pigment load among all the forms. Let’s take a look what we can do with them.

How to use watercolour sticks

As watercolours in pans

You can simply use the sticks as watercolours in pans with higher pigment load. That means take some paint with a wet brush, and mix colours on your palette. When happy with the result, paint in dry or wet techniques.

As watercolour pencils

Draw on dry paper as if it’s a regular pencil. Add lines of different quality and manipulate the intensity of colour by pressure. Use a sharp edge for finer lines. Blend colours together right on the paper and soften with water. If needed, you can “sharpen” the sticks, collect the shavings and use them as watercolour in pans.

As crayons

Use the wide side of a stick and apply on rough paper. Then add water with a brush or splatter water drops for more creative look.

Dry on wet

Generously water your paper and add some touch with the sticks. With different amount of water used you can achieve incredible and unique look

And the last thing – based on price and signet load ratio, watercolour sticks are champions. In other words, for the same about of money paid you’re getting more valuable pigment per application than any other form of watercolours.

Buy watercolor sticks by Daniel Smith>>

Rosa Gallery Watercolours in Pans buy online in Canada
In: Paints

Rosa Watercolours in Pans and Tubes

ROSA watercolours available at RUSART for artists (Rosa Gallery) and for students (Rosa Studio).

Watercolor paints for artists

Rosa Gallery watercolours are quite famous for their quality and affordability, but they are not easy to find in Canada. RUSART bright this watercolours to Canada and offers full range of colours.

Rosa Gallery watercolours in pans are artist grade paints with high pigment load and lightfastness, nicely filled into full pans (2.5 ml) and thoughtfully packed in environmentally thoughtful tin boxes. All these makes your painting experience convenient, useful, practical and enjoyable. These watercolours are very comparable in quality to White Nights paints.

Cadmiums and cobalts are true and give very rich and vibrant colours. Even though cadmium have a reputation of opaque colours and work better for acrylic or oil paints, here these colours are rather bright than opaque and will become a great addition to your palette.

Pigments in Rosa Gallery paints are mineral (like cobalts or cadmiums) or synthetic (such phthalocyanine or hanza). As a binder ROSA uses natural gum arabic, famous for being the best watercolour binder for centuries. High pigment load creates nice and long spreading gradient when water added.

RUSART offers ROSA Gallery watercolours in pans in sets based on their purpose: Botanical (14 colours), Modern (21 colours) and Classic (28 colours). We also offer individual pans that are very convenient for replacing your some colours in your sets that you use most.

For those who prefers tubes we offer a full range of ROSA Gallery watercolours in individual tubes (no sets).

We have them in 3 kinds of sets: 14, 21 and 28 colours. Individual pans will be available in fall 2021.

Watercolor paints for students

ROSA Studio watercolours is a great choice for beginners. These paints have the same binder and the same pigments, but contain more fillers. You can buy sets of 16 colours from our web-site.

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