Hello friends! It's Sandy Allnock here with a new series on Sundays....we'll be exploring basic terms and terminology about watercolor, in quick posts with quick videos!
Today - it's all about reading the Daniel Smith Watercolor Chart - download one HERE if you don't have a printed one. You'll notice that the colors have a series of numbers and letters below them. Watch the video below, or read summaries in text below it - and be sure to pin the graphic for quick reference!
LINK: Watch in HD on our YouTube Channel HERE.
- Series: the grouping of paints via price point; series 1 are less expensive than series 4.
- Availability:
- 15ml tubes - about 3 full pans of paint
- 5ml tubes - about 1 full pan or 2 half pans of paint - most popular colors worldwide.
- sticks - about 3 full pans of paint (not available at Ellen Hutson at this time).
- Lightfastness: not prone to fade or discolor when exposed to light
- I (excellent rating, will last 100 years)
- II (very good)
- III (fair)
- IV (fugitive - it will fade or discolor with time)
- Staining: ability to wash out or lift color
- 1 - non-staining - washes out well
- 2 - low staining
- 3 - medium staining
- 4 - staining
- Granulation: natural texture created by the minerals in the pigment
- N - no texture
- Y - some degree of granulation
- Transparency: penetration of light through the paint
- transparent - allows light through
- semi-transparent/semi opaque - allows some light through
- opaque - allows little light through. (However not as little as acrylic paint.)
Pinnable reference guide
I recommend starting yourself a pin board with tips you find all over the web on watercolor techniques - I'll be sharing lots of them here, but there are already so many out there too! Each week I'll provide a new graphic to add to your collection for quick reference!
Thanks so much for joining me - see you next week!
