Watercolour is a beautiful medium used by many artists. It can be used to create vibrant and delicate images, and is often the first medium many budding artists try out. Often, when starting out with watercolour, artists must choose between watercolour pans and watercolour tubes. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages, so it’s important to understand the differences before making a decision.
Ease of Transportation
Watercolour pans are generally considered to be the more convenient option when transportation is a factor. This is because they typically come in a small, compact tin, which is easy to carry around. Watercolour tubes, on the other hand, are usually much larger, and can be difficult to transport, especially with a large number of them.
Impact on Brushes
Watercolour pans are known to be harder on brushes than watercolour tubes. This is because the pans are hard and the action of ‘rubbing’ the brush on the pan can damage brushes. this is why it is often bettwe to use an old bruhs to pick up and activate colour from pans (or any dried watercolour) and to transfer colour to a mixing palette.
Pre-Wetting
Watercolour pans work much better if they are prewetted. This is because they are esentially dried watercolour and they need water to be added back into them. Watercolour tubes do not require pre-wetting, sinmply to be mixed with however much water you need.
Creating Your Own Pans Using Tubes of Colour to Fill Pans
If you’d like to create your own watercolour pans, it is possible to do so using watercolour tubes. This can be a great way to save money, as you often get more paint in tubes than in pans of a similar price. It can be tricky to fill your own pans with some colours taking longer to dry and others shrinking but if you are willing to take a little time or accept less than perfectly filled pans, this can be a great option. This is the one I use myself.
Overall, each type of watercolour has its own advantages and disadvantages, and it is important to consider these before making your decision. If you’re looking for convenience and economy, then watercolour pans may be the better option. However, if you’re looking for a greater range of pigments, and better value for money, then watercolour tubes may be the better choice.
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