MeiLiang 48 PRETTY EXCELLENT WATERCOLOR REVIEW vs 36 Compare Paul Rubens. Lightfast Issues, Dye Test

What's new in this set? Affordable bargain set differences vs Paul Rubens. Fluorescent dye additives. Bummer the undisclosed fugitive colors may hurt artists who trust incorrect lightfast ratings show more for links

For serious beginner watercolorists: I would still consider this set as one of the best practice paints available. Great for sketchbooks, crafts and color theory. If you're going to be making serious attempts at work you might gift, frame for your wall or sell on Etsy though - I highly recommend picking up a lightfast Magenta PR122 (cool red) and a Cadmium Red PR108 or Pyrrol Red PR255 (warm reds) that have excellent lightfastness. Roman Szmal is a great brand with good prices to supplement the stable blues/browns you get from cheap sets like this.

Roman Szmal - https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/rom...

MeiLiang Pretty Excellent 48 set listings (check to see which of these listings is cheaper right now):
https://amzn.to/3NvZmr0
or
https://amzn.to/3LubTJO

Miya Himi Rhombus watercolor set (the best competition - see my first video review at    • Miya Himi 36 Watercolor Paint Set Rho...   ) find the set on Amazon at -
https://amzn.to/3IUejiU
or
https://amzn.to/3qO8yNC

Outside of the USA? Check your local Amazon or AliExpress site.

UV Flashlight Lumenshooter (expensive 365nm has a great filter and provides intense UV which strongly detects fluorescent dyes or minerals for rock hunting) - https://amzn.to/3IROj88

UV Flashlight Escolite (cheaper 395 standard long wave - sufficient for detecting most fluorescent dyes, but less intense - just like lamp/party bulbs, which is more skin safe than the 365) - https://amzn.to/3JX0j9z

PAPER I mainly use Arches Cold Press you can find it on Jackson's UK - https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/arc...
or Blick USA - https://shrsl.com/2twqj
A more affordable alternative = BaoHong academy cotton - https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/bao...

Porcelain palette with many small wells for easy color mixing: Amazon - https://amzn.to/32QbuAi
or Jacksons - https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/jac...

Neptune paint brushes are a soft synthetic vegan imitation squirrel which hold an amazing amount of water!
Brushes at Blick - https://shrsl.com/2tyw0
Jackson's - https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/sea...
Amazon - https://amzn.to/3mwldCY

Waterproof ink favorites - Black Tombow Mono disposable pens: https://amzn.to/3vB35gz
or Uni Pin pens on Jackson's: https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/uni...
Colorful line drawings can be done with disposable Copic or Micron pens, but the most economical option long term is dip/calligraphy pen or refillable technical pen using bottled ink.
I most often use very fine line width 01 fineliners or 0.20 tip size technical pens.
R&K SketchInk is lightfast, waterproof and comes in many colors: https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/roh...

White highlights: I use white gouache and a 3/0 princeton heritage round detail brush. I no longer recommend gel pens (blobs, skips, fixed line width). Any pro grade PW6 Titanium White gouache can be mixed with watercolor to tint your highlights.
M Graham has a lovely white gouache that does not crack in the dry pan as badly as other brands, but Schmincke Horadam's pro gouache is a close second with superb quality.
Schmincke Titanium White gouache on Jacksons (UK/worldwide) here: https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/sch...
or M Graham white gouache on Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3rIw8wi
or at Blick: https://shrsl.com/3ds5w
I use affiliate links. As an Amazon, Blick or Jackson's associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you :)

My swatch card rubber stamps, line art for practice painting, original art, pigment database and written art supply reviews for over 100 brands of paint can be found at:

https://www.kimcrick.com/

  / kimberlycrickart  

  / kimberlycrickart  

#watercolor #prettyexcellent #paulrubens