Well no, you don’t and if you are on a very tight budget sometimes, student grade is what we can afford. I think we have to work with what we have and lessons like my Mindful Water Lessons work with student quality paints. Before you hit buy on your basket though, consider if you could start with a smaller selection of professional watercolours for the price of your student quality set. If this is the case then, read on to learn a little more about the differences.
When it comes to watercolour painting, there are two main types of paint: professional quality and student quality. Each has its own pros and cons, so it’s important to understand the differences before making a decision on which type of paint to purchase.
Professional quality paints are often more expensive but offer superior performance. They have higher levels of pigment and binder, giving them more vibrant colours and a smoother consistency. Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith, Schminke and Maimeri Blu are some of the most popular professional quality watercolour brands. Sennelier also makes high-quality professional grade watercolour paints, they use a honey binder which makes them very creamy.
Student quality paints are a more affordable option and are typically used by beginners and hobbyists. These paints are usually less vibrant and have a rougher consistency. Some popular brands of student grade watercolour paints include Winsor and Newton Cotman and Sennelier Le Petit Aquarelle. There are lots and lots of brands out there, these are two I have tried.
I also have a set of Kuretake Gansai Tambi. These are student grade but have very rich colours. They do however contain a number of paints that will fade (a lot) over time. This can be true of lots of student grade colours, but it is often trickier to find the information for student grade paints than artist grade paints.
When it comes to my own painting, I prefer to use professional quality paints. I find that they last longer and require less product to get the desired effect. Additionally, switching from student grade to professional grade paints was a bit of a learning curve for me as the colours and mixes behave differently.
Overall, the choice between professional quality and student quality paints comes down to personal preference and budget. I’d probably err towards building up a collection of professional quality paints as I find that they last a long time and a little goes a long way. however it really is down to personal choice. Whilst I may enjoy a certain brand of paint you may like something different. I have quite a mix in my palette currently!
Dot cards can be a good way to try a paint range as can buying the same pigment (not name) paint from different brands. Some brands have more paints that granulate and some less. Some brands have all or mostly single pigment paints. Then there is the value for money question-some paints can be bought in bigger tubes making them overall more economical (if you will use it all). You also need to consider if you want your paints to be vegan which can rule out certain binders and additives like honey.
It can be a lot to consider when picking a brand of professional paints. I have a mix of Winsor and Newton, Sennelier, Daniel Smith, Maimeri Blu and some Schminke and Horadam.
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