Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint Set, 12 Half Pans w/ Water Brush Pen and Mixing Palette

Im just starting to experiment with different mediums, so this is by no means an expert opinion. I just wanted something affordable and portable I could play with and so far this is perfect for my needs.

perfect

Nice portable watercolor set. I kinda know how to watercolor although I dont think the idea of a brush made of these materials is ideal. I think its still a bargain; and a lot of people swear these brushes are wonderful. I prefer a brush with the ability to hold water and color that is similar to a real brush. Not that theres anything inherently wrong with these types of brushes I just prefer a real paint brush specifically designed for watercolors. The results these brushes provide is decent but isnt a substitute for the real thing. Although if you dont feel like carrying a water bottle this may be the way to go.

In love my new favorite watercolor paint, super compact but plenty big enough case.

I love the box that comes with this set. The paints themselves are decent, some colors take a little work to get the pigment out of the pans. I swatched the colors on canson xl watercolor paper (as seen in pictures). I have some issues with the colors. As you can see with the mixing chart I made (photo included), you are able to mix a wide variety of greens with the colors in this set. You can also get a decent variety of purples and violets. However this set is quite lacking in the types of oranges you can mix. The reason for this is because, while there are two blues (one warm and one cool), this set only includes one yellow and one red. Though color temperature is relative, both of those included appear cool to my eye, which mix out to slightly dull and muted oranges. Despite this palettes potential for mixing a variety of greens, it also includes two convenience greens (viridian hue and sap green), both of which I like but are not necessary since you can mix both colors with the yellow and blues provided in the set. The set also contains both paynes gray and black, which are redundant in my opinion. Since they serve a similar purpose it seems a waste to include them both in a 12 color palette. As for the Chinese white, it is a controversial color among watercolor artists, but serves a function if you like pastel colors and dont mind adding opacity to your color mixes. If I were to choose these colors I would remove either one or both of the greens, as well as the black, and replace them with a warm red and a warm yellow, which this selection could benefit from. The water brush isnt my favorite that Ive tried, its very small and when you squeeze the barrel a lot of water comes out so its a little hard to control. If you prefer a traditional paint brush as opposed to a water brush you can fit other types of travel brushes in the brush compartment (as pictured). You could also omit the brush altogether and fit more a few more half pans where the brush is meant to go. I was able to fit 6 meeden-brand half pans in that space, although you would have to find a way to get them to stay in the pan, perhaps with glue or double sided tape. Overall Im happy with this purchase. Because of the price I wont be afraid to use up these paints for sketches and practice pieces, and when theyre used up Ill likely fill them up with tube paints. If youre looking for a starter set of watercolors I WOULD NOT recommend this set. The colors included are not optimal for mixing, so I would look for a split primary set (a warm and cool version of each primary) if youre just starting out. However if youre looking for a good sturdy box to travel around with that has plenty of mixing space, this set is definitely worth it even if you toss out the paints to refill them with your own preferred brand.

Easy to blend. Compact enough to travel with. My only complaint is there is no brown paint.

Good price - good product

The paints are ok. When the lid is opened all the way it doesnt lay flat. Very frustrating to use. When you press on the main part the base pushes down causing the lid to flip up. The lid doesnt latch or close tightly so if it gets bumped or tips, some of the paint blocks & the pans themselves, fall out. They arent secure at all. I have to keep a rubber band around it. I dont even use them & bought something better made.

Nice set of student watercolors. Brush pen is just ok but needs to be emptied before storing. Colors are smooth and creamy and activate easily. Great for a portable sketch kit.

Pretty decent quality. I still prefer professional over Cotman, but the color payout is great for the price. My only qualm is with the Lemon Yellow Hue; it is far less pigmented and rich than the other colors (because it’s a hue), and I have used better Lemon Yellow Hues from other brands that are by no means as high esteemed as Windsor & Newton. Hence the 4 stars. But the quantity of paint is quite good and I believe this will last me awhile, even though I’ve been using it to paint 11x14 paintings, rather than solely as a travel kit.