Thank you for sharing. I love Rembrandt paints but they're not easily available here and more expensive. And the fact that you do one-year tests instead of those silly three- to six-month tests many other UA-camrs do is immensely more informative. I hope you get around to swatching polychromos pencils at some point.
Thank you! I've put the old - not so good - test strips back in the window for another year, in fact. And I've re-swatched everything for a new first year test, plus a lot of other paints as well in July. I just haven't gotten around to posting the swatching/set-up video yet, but I will soon. The polychromos pencils have been swatched and put in the window as well at the end of August. That's another video waiting to happen... Turns out when UA-camr say editing takes a long time, they're aren't kidding, as I keep finding out. 😄 Thanks for watching!
I tend to forget about permanence while painting despite being aware of the issue. Interesting video. Looking forward to the update. Thank you for sharing!
Yes, that was me too, until I actually started to get into this whole lightfastness business. 😄 By now I’ve made a lot (!) of new and better swatches/test strips, that have all been put in the window in July 2022; old paints and new paints. So, the next updates will follow in under a year (and I might still make a video out of the entire new set-up/swatches as well). Thanks for watching and happy painting!! 😊
I love seeing results of lightfast tests. Like you, I found it’s important to paint a careful swatch, my first test I couldn’t tell if a color had faded or if it was my bad swatching. Also I found that I needed to carefully mark the cut edge, as matching up the outside edges can throw you off too. I make big x’s on the back so I can match them back up. You wont have that problem on your newer swatches where you left a white border. Sometimes color changes occur because the manufacturer used a brightener or filler that affects the colors - These are not always disclosed. I’ve started painting my new colors onto black paper or a piece of black acrylic- any fillers will show up on drying. I also have a tiny little pocket flashlight that has a UV button and I can see if a pigment lights up under UV- indicator of brighteners. Those will always change, often within a few days.
Thanks for your comment! Please, please don’t take this the wrong way, but it’s sort of good to hear I’m not the only one who got their tests not entirely right the first time around. Because I really did feel rather foolish... I only put the video out because there were some actual results, and it might be of help to some other newbie testers out there as well. That matching-up problem did show up for me with the smaller swatches. Now that I’m re-swatching (like, a lot of watercolours, new and old!), I am paying attention to that and marking where necessary. All of my new swatches are indeed bigger, neater, and will have proper full-on Southern exposure this time around. I’ll probably be making a ridiculously long swatching video about that soon, and this will be followed by the updates/results a full year later. So, watch this space if you have the patience, lol. 😊 Also, thanks for mentioning that black paper and UV-light trick. I’ll definitely be looking into that!
Interesting video. I couldn’t really discern a difference with the sepia but it may just be my monitor. Thank you for taking the time to do these tests and report on the results. :)
The lack of noticeability in the sepia changes was probably more to do with my camera (phone) and the smallness of the swatch. I have since put up new larger ones for testing, and I'm curious to see how they'll do in the coming year. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Yes, I expect so. Or rather, I fear so too... 😊 I did make an entirely new set of bigger and better swatches as well this July, which should help with getting beter results. Thanks for commenting!
I was searching for info on Rembrandt olive green and saw this video. Thank you for posting your test details. Here in India we frame watercolors and keep inside. Even the most lightfast watercolors may fade in the tropical sun if kept in balcony or direct sunlight. Not only do all well known brands have Prussian blue, they have mixtures with that too. Like Prussian green of Daniel Smith, Violet lake of Mijello etc. WN has another version of pb 27 named Antwerp blue. Does this pigment fade less in mixtures?
Glad the video was of use to you! In May I did a quick in between check on my new, better and bigger swatches, and again that olive green held up fine. Even better, I put my old tests back up as well, so they’re nearing the two-year mark, and the olive still looks good. I don’t know about Prussian blue in mixes, I’m afraid. I just know by now that you cannot trust what it says on the tube, and I simply test everything I have. And I look online for information as well, of course (but I still test). As I’m sure you know already, Jane Blundell has a great amount of information on her site concerning watercolours and lightfastness tests, and also Kimberly Crick.
Prussian blue is indeed fugitive. and my old pan even goed very light coloured (i talk how is painted and is also bottom side) and i not sure if even come from factory such way. get new one. i going use it end somewhere. but i recommend phtalo blues to replace. Indanthrone blue is nice but is redish when preussian blue is greenish. nice pigment but i dont yet done own lightfastness tests.
Yes, I've got both the Phthalo blue red shade and green shade by now, and I'm liking the green shade the best so far. Still trying out different mixes with the phthao and indanthrene and umber, though, to get closer to the Prussian blue. At least all the new test strips are in the window by now, so new lightfastness results wil be posted in a year (including a lot of blues). Thnx for commenting!
I have tested the lightfastness of many watercolor brands ( the professional and the student )grades.The one that has the most lightfast prussian blue is van gogh which is weird beacuse it is the student line of royal talens watercolors , I hope this would be helpful.
Really? That is surprising. I'm a bit weary of the entire colour at the moment, I'm afraid. But I'll certainly keep this in mind. Thank you for your comment!
@nano vega. I took your advice and I’ve included the Van Gogh Prussian in a big blue-off I’m having, to look for a replacement and test some other colours.😊
i understand is not reliable pigment soemtimes you can get better etc i am also this way not reliable. and one what happens in your Van gogh is happened be better one. its like lottery.
Also what paper used matters and water etc its complex thing. but there is pigments like prussina blue what i recommend simply avoid. i have few what are likely problem even manufacutrer own tests but their features maeks me want use them at least if i seen fading real hanging condintions not yet possbility do weinow tests. i dont know aparment owner thinks if i put tests window. and glass at least here blocks most uvb radiation what is thing what is problem some pigments and also makes skin cancer.
I think handprint was listing most prussian blues as not lightfast and some of them will turn more green. I think Winsor & Newton Professional Prussian Blue was rated as good in lightfastness. I didnt test Potter's Pink myself but I always mix this color when it's fresh out of the tube so the binder don't seperate. Granulating colors tend to do that.
Yes, apparently it is a very tricky colour, that Prussian blue... And that is an interesting comment about the Potter's Pink and the granulating colours in general. I don't tend to use granulating colours all that much, although I do really like them. I'm going to have to play around with that one some more. Thank you for the feedback! 😃
@@suzand. Try putting the strip with the faded Prussian blue in a drawer or a place hidden from light. It should go back to it's pre-faded state after a couple of minutes, hours or a day. If you love the colour and make prints of your work, or paint in a sketchbook, I wouldn't worry about it. :)
@basta dotto Thanks for the comment! And yes, fortunately these days making decent quality scans and prints at home are relatively easy indeed, which helps. Having said that, I am now testing some new blues, and strongly looking at Phthalo blue (green shade) in combination with an Indanthrene blue, just to see if it can replace the Prussian blue. And I just read somewhere that the 1st one should also work in combination with raw umber(?), so I’m hopeful that will work. 😊
@@suzand. i use red shade i think. but i try get both in tubes someday. try get more tubes. but i now i have about 7 tubes what have colour what i use end and about 16 pans what i use end. discontinued,weak colours and some from brand what i very likely dont buy again.(its bit hard get and non standard shaped pans and not much unique colours and more unique is weak).
and we should remember humidity and temperature is also important part of lightfastness. but sepia replacents are biggest suprise. i say replacents becouse they are not real sepia.
I’m starting to take a deeper dive into understanding the pigments in my watercolors. So I am aware of the problems with Prussian Blue, Madder Lake, Alizarin Crimson, and a whole host of violets and pinks. And I’ve come to understand that what the paint brand may say can sometimes be more marketing than reality. But we just have to know, a brand website may only give you lightfast info that shows results under the more favorable tested conditions with mass tones and museum lighting conditions. So what I’m doing to get more objective info is to go to websites that do a lot of their own testing, independent of the brand such as Handprint, WetPaint, Jane Blundell and many others. I use the search words: “watercolor pigment PB17” for example (if you just give the pigment number only, it’ll give you lots of technical info for the pigments use in auto paints and such.) I’m getting ready to offer my work for sale. I’m considering including a note with each sale to say something like: “I have used the best quality paint with the highest lightfast ratings, but to preserve the beautiful colors you see here, I highly recommend hanging this and all artwork in general, out of direct sunlight.” That’s my 2 cents. Thanks for sharing your results.👍☺️
Hi and thnx for the two cents! 😊 I’ll be sure to try out your tips and have indeed already found one or two sites with lots of independent testing. Madder lake in general seems to be a problem, but not the madder red (so I’m now testing a new tube of paint as replacement), some people avoid Prussian blue at all costs etc. etc. And reading ‘museum conditions’ as a condition has made me a bit weary now, yes... Good idea to include a note with your work for future buyers, and, of course, using only paints you have thoroughly researched and/or tested yourself. Again, thank you for your comment!
Thank you for sharing. I love Rembrandt paints but they're not easily available here and more expensive. And the fact that you do one-year tests instead of those silly three- to six-month tests many other UA-camrs do is immensely more informative. I hope you get around to swatching polychromos pencils at some point.
Thank you! I've put the old - not so good - test strips back in the window for another year, in fact. And I've re-swatched everything for a new first year test, plus a lot of other paints as well in July. I just haven't gotten around to posting the swatching/set-up video yet, but I will soon. The polychromos pencils have been swatched and put in the window as well at the end of August. That's another video waiting to happen... Turns out when UA-camr say editing takes a long time, they're aren't kidding, as I keep finding out. 😄 Thanks for watching!
I tend to forget about permanence while painting despite being aware of the issue. Interesting video. Looking forward to the update. Thank you for sharing!
Yes, that was me too, until I actually started to get into this whole lightfastness business. 😄 By now I’ve made a lot (!) of new and better swatches/test strips, that have all been put in the window in July 2022; old paints and new paints. So, the next updates will follow in under a year (and I might still make a video out of the entire new set-up/swatches as well). Thanks for watching and happy painting!! 😊
I love seeing results of lightfast tests. Like you, I found it’s important to paint a careful swatch, my first test I couldn’t tell if a color had faded or if it was my bad swatching. Also I found that I needed to carefully mark the cut edge, as matching up the outside edges can throw you off too. I make big x’s on the back so I can match them back up. You wont have that problem on your newer swatches where you left a white border. Sometimes color changes occur because the manufacturer used a brightener or filler that affects the colors - These are not always disclosed. I’ve started painting my new colors onto black paper or a piece of black acrylic- any fillers will show up on drying. I also have a tiny little pocket flashlight that has a UV button and I can see if a pigment lights up under UV- indicator of brighteners. Those will always change, often within a few days.
Thanks for your comment! Please, please don’t take this the wrong way, but it’s sort of good to hear I’m not the only one who got their tests not entirely right the first time around. Because I really did feel rather foolish... I only put the video out because there were some actual results, and it might be of help to some other newbie testers out there as well.
That matching-up problem did show up for me with the smaller swatches. Now that I’m re-swatching (like, a lot of watercolours, new and old!), I am paying attention to that and marking where necessary. All of my new swatches are indeed bigger, neater, and will have proper full-on Southern exposure this time around. I’ll probably be making a ridiculously long swatching video about that soon, and this will be followed by the updates/results a full year later. So, watch this space if you have the patience, lol. 😊
Also, thanks for mentioning that black paper and UV-light trick. I’ll definitely be looking into that!
Interesting video. I couldn’t really discern a difference with the sepia but it may just be my monitor. Thank you for taking the time to do these tests and report on the results. :)
The lack of noticeability in the sepia changes was probably more to do with my camera (phone) and the smallness of the swatch. I have since put up new larger ones for testing, and I'm curious to see how they'll do in the coming year. Thanks for watching and commenting!
About the reds: after two years in the sunlight you will see the fading more clearly
Yes, I expect so. Or rather, I fear so too... 😊 I did make an entirely new set of bigger and better swatches as well this July, which should help with getting beter results. Thanks for commenting!
I was searching for info on Rembrandt olive green and saw this video. Thank you for posting your test details. Here in India we frame watercolors and keep inside. Even the most lightfast watercolors may fade in the tropical sun if kept in balcony or direct sunlight. Not only do all well known brands have Prussian blue, they have mixtures with that too. Like Prussian green of Daniel Smith, Violet lake of Mijello etc. WN has another version of pb 27 named Antwerp blue. Does this pigment fade less in mixtures?
Glad the video was of use to you! In May I did a quick in between check on my new, better and bigger swatches, and again that olive green held up fine. Even better, I put my old tests back up as well, so they’re nearing the two-year mark, and the olive still looks good. I don’t know about Prussian blue in mixes, I’m afraid. I just know by now that you cannot trust what it says on the tube, and I simply test everything I have. And I look online for information as well, of course (but I still test). As I’m sure you know already, Jane Blundell has a great amount of information on her site concerning watercolours and lightfastness tests, and also Kimberly Crick.
Prussian blue is indeed fugitive. and my old pan even goed very light coloured (i talk how is painted and is also bottom side) and i not sure if even come from factory such way. get new one. i going use it end somewhere. but i recommend phtalo blues to replace. Indanthrone blue is nice but is redish when preussian blue is greenish. nice pigment but i dont yet done own lightfastness tests.
Yes, I've got both the Phthalo blue red shade and green shade by now, and I'm liking the green shade the best so far. Still trying out different mixes with the phthao and indanthrene and umber, though, to get closer to the Prussian blue. At least all the new test strips are in the window by now, so new lightfastness results wil be posted in a year (including a lot of blues). Thnx for commenting!
I have tested the lightfastness of many watercolor brands ( the professional and the student )grades.The one that has the most lightfast prussian blue is van gogh which is weird beacuse it is the student line of royal talens watercolors , I hope this would be helpful.
Really? That is surprising. I'm a bit weary of the entire colour at the moment, I'm afraid. But I'll certainly keep this in mind. Thank you for your comment!
@nano vega. I took your advice and I’ve included the Van Gogh Prussian in a big blue-off I’m having, to look for a replacement and test some other colours.😊
i understand is not reliable pigment soemtimes you can get better etc i am also this way not reliable. and one what happens in your Van gogh is happened be better one. its like lottery.
Also what paper used matters and water etc its complex thing. but there is pigments like prussina blue what i recommend simply avoid. i have few what are likely problem even manufacutrer own tests but their features maeks me want use them at least if i seen fading real hanging condintions not yet possbility do weinow tests. i dont know aparment owner thinks if i put tests window. and glass at least here blocks most uvb radiation what is thing what is problem some pigments and also makes skin cancer.
I think handprint was listing most prussian blues as not lightfast and some of them will turn more green. I think Winsor & Newton Professional Prussian Blue was rated as good in lightfastness. I didnt test Potter's Pink myself but I always mix this color when it's fresh out of the tube so the binder don't seperate. Granulating colors tend to do that.
Yes, apparently it is a very tricky colour, that Prussian blue... And that is an interesting comment about the Potter's Pink and the granulating colours in general. I don't tend to use granulating colours all that much, although I do really like them. I'm going to have to play around with that one some more. Thank you for the feedback! 😃
@@suzand. Try putting the strip with the faded Prussian blue in a drawer or a place hidden from light. It should go back to it's pre-faded state after a couple of minutes, hours or a day. If you love the colour and make prints of your work, or paint in a sketchbook, I wouldn't worry about it. :)
@basta dotto Thanks for the comment! And yes, fortunately these days making decent quality scans and prints at home are relatively easy indeed, which helps. Having said that, I am now testing some new blues, and strongly looking at Phthalo blue (green shade) in combination with an Indanthrene blue, just to see if it can replace the Prussian blue. And I just read somewhere that the 1st one should also work in combination with raw umber(?), so I’m hopeful that will work. 😊
yes it is and i think none brands say its fugitive.
@@suzand. i use red shade i think. but i try get both in tubes someday. try get more tubes. but i now i have about 7 tubes what have colour what i use end and about 16 pans what i use end. discontinued,weak colours and some from brand what i very likely dont buy again.(its bit hard get and non standard shaped pans and not much unique colours and more unique is weak).
and we should remember humidity and temperature is also important part of lightfastness. but sepia replacents are biggest suprise. i say replacents becouse they are not real sepia.
Quite right! And that sepia surprised me as well.
I’m starting to take a deeper dive into understanding the pigments in my watercolors. So I am aware of the problems with Prussian Blue, Madder Lake, Alizarin Crimson, and a whole host of violets and pinks. And I’ve come to understand that what the paint brand may say can sometimes be more marketing than reality. But we just have to know, a brand website may only give you lightfast info that shows results under the more favorable tested conditions with mass tones and museum lighting conditions. So what I’m doing to get more objective info is to go to websites that do a lot of their own testing, independent of the brand such as Handprint, WetPaint, Jane Blundell and many others. I use the search words: “watercolor pigment PB17” for example (if you just give the pigment number only, it’ll give you lots of technical info for the pigments use in auto paints and such.) I’m getting ready to offer my work for sale. I’m considering including a note with each sale to say something like: “I have used the best quality paint with the highest lightfast ratings, but to preserve the beautiful colors you see here, I highly recommend hanging this and all artwork in general, out of direct sunlight.” That’s my 2 cents. Thanks for sharing your results.👍☺️
Hi and thnx for the two cents! 😊 I’ll be sure to try out your tips and have indeed already found one or two sites with lots of independent testing. Madder lake in general seems to be a problem, but not the madder red (so I’m now testing a new tube of paint as replacement), some people avoid Prussian blue at all costs etc. etc. And reading ‘museum conditions’ as a condition has made me a bit weary now, yes...
Good idea to include a note with your work for future buyers, and, of course, using only paints you have thoroughly researched and/or tested yourself. Again, thank you for your comment!