I have a small W&N Bijou box that came free with a 25 pack of full sheet arches paper years ago, I love it! I finally know what they call it "whisky painters" that other box looks like a flask! Love it!
Forgot to mention that I also used the glue gun to add stoppers (dots of glue) just under the hinge on the palette ( not on the top but jutting out below the hinge on the palette side) to hold the top level when open... so the lid (top) no longer drops down so low, it now is held up level by the glue dots. I used three dots spread out just under the hinge to accomplish this and it works well.
I had one of the old W&N bijou boxes with the 4 mixing areas - must of bought it around 1978-1980 when I was at collage. They came in a tan coloured plastic pouch with a small plastic water bottle and folding no.3 brush. I do sometimes wish I had kept it, but I gave it to young girl who was just starting out in watercolour. I have seen those old ones listed now on ebay for ridiculous amounts of money.
Good review! I found one of the Bijou boxes with the 4 wells a few months ago. I was really old and a little rusty. I disassembled it, cleaned and re enameled it and it is in good shape now.
I wondered what these were, so thanks for taking the time. I'm painting now daily Teoh, and giving you a big chunk of credit for this. You're a positive thread in my life!
Interesting review, thanks! I wish those super compact boxes were easier to find. I'm a bit surprised by the general lack of empty watercolor boxes (with empty pans would be great) available for sale. The standard 12 colors selection gets boring after a while.
You can find them on Amazon at www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=empty+watercolor+box&tag=ttmus-20 Or you can get Prima Marketing Watercolor which comes with the box and paints: www.amazon.com/Prima-Marketing-Watercolor-Confections-Tropicals/dp/B0197FGETY?tag=ttmus-20
Very interesting. I tried my Prang 16 color set today. Just practice. I was able to achieve flat washes, but it takes some time to get the hang of it. It was fun. Watercolors are very addictive. Once you start it's hard to stop. I'm going this Saturday to get some student grade practice watercolor paper and one or two more brushes.
just bought my very first water color set which is white night 12 set its more opaque but i like it inspired by ur review i keep on practicing and its not easy expection vs reality but i keep on going..
Great review, thanks Teoh. One thing you didn't mention is that the Bijou/Whiskey boxes are enamelled, while most of the others are just painted. They should last a little longer. However I had a bad rusting experience after painting on a beach and getting salty sand in the box, with a larger enamelled box by W&N. Plastic palettes offer the benefit of being lighter and not rusting. The down side is that they tend to stain at different degrees, especially with such colours as Prussian Blue (what cleans them is cooking oil). Looking for the absolutely perfect palette, I ended up with a considerable collection of them.
I got one of these Whiskey Painters palettes earlier this year. It's been *super* useful during the plein air travelogue stuff I do. Fits right in my pocket.
Excellent review, I used my hot glue gun to divide the mixing areas in half, thereby turning 2 wells into 4. I ran a glue gun line down the middle, side to side within the well area, (this is removable and does not damage the surface of the palette). On one side I decided to run another line creating fourths on that side thereby making smaller but usable areas (2 large, 4 small mixing areas in total.... large of course is a relative term when referring to such a small palette.
I found a very small (seems smaller than those above) and the trays seem to be 1/4 size. It has a case and a very small water bottle. The kit seems to be the same size as your WN, so maybe you could put real half trays in there. I have no idea how you'd use such small trays so I got another. It's cute but doesn't seem too functional.
+Teoh Yi Chie I haven't had my palette long enough for that to happen, my pans fell out after I pushed the tabs to hold them in didn't work, anyways that's what works for me and it's just another idea. I now only use the colors in my Schmincke pan set as back up to my tubes, I plan on getting perhaps a Mijello Fusion Palette to put my paint in from the tubes, have you ever tried a Mijello Palette of some sort? I'm still not entirely sure what kind of palette I'm going to get, I know I want it to be portable. Anyhow I enjoy your channel and the info you provide, thank-you and take care!
Love these boxes, would love to have the one with the bottle of water. Except on Amazon they both come empty, but the price is as if it is full of very expensive paints. So they are not economical. I've not seen them with paint in them. I'll have to look into that. Thank you great review, very informative as always!!
I really enjoy watching your reviews :D it's really helpful! I have been watching your videos for a while now, I learned a lot and bought my first ever watercolour set from your watercolour recommendations and it was perfect (winsor and newton, cotman) Please keep making informative videos like these :D
I know this is an old video Teoh, but I wonder if you ever found a way to keep the lid with the mixing space from flapping down? I wish it would open and stay level. Many thanks! You inspire!!
I used my glue gun to add dots of glue just under the hinge, jutting out a bit to act like a small stopper so lid doesn’t drop down-( glue dots on the body side, the top when it opens stops at the dots of glue and is level) This doesn’t damage the palette.
Great review, I just got my whiskey box in the mail today, can't wait to fill it up! :) I would love to see a tutorial and preferred method for cleaning a dirty watercolor box, if you have time to do that?
+heidiology I just use an old spoiled brush to clean off the mixing area under running water. It's quite fast. I don't clean it 100% clean because some pigments are staining so there will be no way to make the mixing area totally white again. As long as they look white enough, that's good enough for me. Then I'll leave it in open air to dry.
Hi Teoh! I just wanted to take a second and tell you how much I appreciate every video you do. So much! :) One question--are you able to fit 5 of the Windsor and Newton half pans in the middle row, too? Just curious if it would hold 15 of the half pans. Again, thanks so much for your dedication and information. As a budding artist obsessed with watercolor and fountain pens, I look forward to your videos each week. I am 44, but just going back to college as an art student at the University of Missouri-Columbia and I often recommend your channel to others. Thanks again!! :)
+RBoy Arts The middle row is not big enough to fit the WN pans vertically so you can't squeeze five there. Wow, that's great to be studying art. I hope it's going to be fun 😁
Hi Teoh! Thanks for all your informative videos. I finally gave in & bought the whiskey painters boxes. I was wondering if there are any travel brushes that would fit inside the compartment in the middle. I read somewhere that a Wi sir Newton pocket brush would fit but it didn't say which one.If you see this & respond, thanks in advance!
Hello Parka! I was wondering if you can make a video on how to clean your travel palletes, because whenever I try cleaning mine, it usually ends up horrible! Thanks in advance
+Samermc9 What do you mean by horrible? I just clean the mixing area with an old brush under running water. It's very fast. There is no way to make the mixing area white because some colours are staining.
+Teoh Yi Chie Oh, my pallete becomes horrible because If I had rewetted my old pallete's colours and try to clean it, some of the colour will splash into the pans, making it a bit dirtier. My pallete is the Cotman Pocket Plus, so it has 2 compartments which are removable.
Just tilt the box sideways, maybe like 45 degrees, and use a small stream of running water to wash the mixing area with a brush. After it's clean enough, use some tissue to dry it. Then repeat for the other mixing area.
The paint should last for 2-3 days depending on how often and how big you paint. The water in the container is probably enough for 2 sessions and will have to be refilled when you have the chance to do so. I like that there's a tray that goes with the box.
Thanks for this video. And for the very valuable info, that in the small whiskey painters box you can only fit winsor newton empty pans because they are smaller. Now I am surfing for hours after them and can't find them. I am grinding my teeth. Do you know where to order them and be sure you get the right size? Believe it or not: I bought whiskey painters empty refill pans from amazon AND THEY ARE TOO BIG as all the other ones. Do you have an advice? Thanks for reading all this, Petra
Check out my text review at www.parkablogs.com/content/review-winsor-newton-watercolour-bijou-box I've updated the purchase links to where you can find all the watercolour boxes.
I have a small W&N Bijou box that came free with a 25 pack of full sheet arches paper years ago, I love it! I finally know what they call it "whisky painters" that other box looks like a flask! Love it!
Oh wow. A free gift is always welcome. lol
thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich
thefrugalcrafter Lindsay Weirich g
Forgot to mention that I also used the glue gun to add stoppers (dots of glue) just under the hinge on the palette ( not on the top but jutting out below the hinge on the palette side) to hold the top level when open... so the lid (top) no longer drops down so low, it now is held up level by the glue dots. I used three dots spread out just under the hinge to accomplish this and it works well.
I had one of the old W&N bijou boxes with the 4 mixing areas - must of bought it around 1978-1980 when I was at collage. They came in a tan coloured plastic pouch with a small plastic water bottle and folding no.3 brush. I do sometimes wish I had kept it, but I gave it to young girl who was just starting out in watercolour. I have seen those old ones listed now on ebay for ridiculous amounts of money.
Good review!
I found one of the Bijou boxes with the 4 wells a few months ago. I was really old and a little rusty. I disassembled it, cleaned and re enameled it and it is in good shape now.
That's a rare but good find!
So much information. Best reviewer ever! Thank you.
+Tim Wooten Gamble Thanks 😁🙌
I wondered what these were, so thanks for taking the time. I'm painting now daily Teoh, and giving you a big chunk of credit for this. You're a positive thread in my life!
Thanks for your kind comments :-)
Interesting review, thanks! I wish those super compact boxes were easier to find. I'm a bit surprised by the general lack of empty watercolor boxes (with empty pans would be great) available for sale. The standard 12 colors selection gets boring after a while.
You can find them on Amazon at www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=empty+watercolor+box&tag=ttmus-20
Or you can get Prima Marketing Watercolor which comes with the box and paints:
www.amazon.com/Prima-Marketing-Watercolor-Confections-Tropicals/dp/B0197FGETY?tag=ttmus-20
Very interesting. I tried my Prang 16 color set today. Just practice. I was able to achieve flat washes, but it takes some time to get the hang of it. It was fun. Watercolors are very addictive. Once you start it's hard to stop. I'm going this Saturday to get some student grade practice watercolor paper and one or two more brushes.
Yes, it's very fun. Get a sketchbook and you can track your progress :-D
Will do. That'd be great. :-D
The Meeden half pans (very inepensive on Amazon) are also a bit smaller, perfect for travel palettes.
just bought my very first water color set which is white night 12 set its more opaque but i like it inspired by ur review i keep on practicing and its not easy expection vs reality but i keep on going..
+Cez Manlangit The more you draw, the better you get
Thanks so much Teoh! You always do such an excellent job of reviewing things! 😄
Very helpful and thorough review. Thank you!
Great review, thanks Teoh. One thing you didn't mention is that the Bijou/Whiskey boxes are enamelled, while most of the others are just painted. They should last a little longer. However I had a bad rusting experience after painting on a beach and getting salty sand in the box, with a larger enamelled box by W&N. Plastic palettes offer the benefit of being lighter and not rusting. The down side is that they tend to stain at different degrees, especially with such colours as Prussian Blue (what cleans them is cooking oil). Looking for the absolutely perfect palette, I ended up with a considerable collection of them.
ooo I dig the one with the water compartment!
I got one of these Whiskey Painters palettes earlier this year. It's been *super* useful during the plein air travelogue stuff I do. Fits right in my pocket.
When I'm on the way, I usually have a water bottle (to drink from) with me.
Excellent review, I used my hot glue gun to divide the mixing areas in half, thereby turning 2 wells into 4. I ran a glue gun line down the middle, side to side within the well area, (this is removable and does not damage the surface of the palette). On one side I decided to run another line creating fourths on that side thereby making smaller but usable areas (2 large, 4 small mixing areas in total.... large of course is a relative term when referring to such a small palette.
Brilliant!
I found a very small (seems smaller than those above) and the trays seem to be 1/4 size. It has a case and a very small water bottle. The kit seems to be the same size as your WN, so maybe you could put real half trays in there.
I have no idea how you'd use such small trays so I got another. It's cute but doesn't seem too functional.
Me want whiskey box lol
winsor newton actually made a box that has the water bottle in it as well. it is a great set.
I suspect all these boxes are made in the same factory, and the different paint brands have the factory put their own names and logo on it.
Another brilliant video!!
THank you :-D
Great video! I use glue dots to hold my pans in!
+Hermione Jarvis Good idea. I find that after using the pans for a while, paint will go between the pans and stick them together anyway 😂
+Teoh Yi Chie I haven't had my palette long enough for that to happen, my pans fell out after I pushed the tabs to hold them in didn't work, anyways that's what works for me and it's just another idea. I now only use the colors in my Schmincke pan set as back up to my tubes, I plan on getting perhaps a Mijello Fusion Palette to put my paint in from the tubes, have you ever tried a Mijello Palette of some sort? I'm still not entirely sure what kind of palette I'm going to get, I know I want it to be portable. Anyhow I enjoy your channel and the info you provide, thank-you and take care!
The Mijello palette should be fine. I've not used them though. I only use those portable boxes so that I can bring them outdoors easily.
Love your videos and what you do.
Thank you :-)
Love these boxes, would love to have the one with the bottle of water. Except on Amazon they both come empty, but the price is as if it is full of very expensive paints. So they are not economical. I've not seen them with paint in them. I'll have to look into that. Thank you great review, very informative as always!!
+Gail Gassen Winsor and Newton used to sell them with paints. Nowadays they are mostly sold empty.
I really enjoy watching your reviews :D it's really helpful! I have been watching your videos for a while now, I learned a lot and bought my first ever watercolour set from your watercolour recommendations and it was perfect (winsor and newton, cotman) Please keep making informative videos like these :D
+Kawaii Eesha Thanks for your support 😁🙌
+Kawaii Eesha Isn't Kawaii Japanese for cute? 😁
Teoh Yi Chie omgggg you replied!!:D yes its cute in japanese hahah 😁
I Like the little boxes with a divider most. But They are very expensive. Do you know Why??
I know this is an old video Teoh, but I wonder if you ever found a way to keep the lid with the mixing space from flapping down? I wish it would open and stay level. Many thanks! You inspire!!
Maybe put some blu-tack or white-tack behind? But you will have to find place to store the blutack
I used my glue gun to add dots of glue just under the hinge, jutting out a bit to act like a small stopper so lid doesn’t drop down-( glue dots on the body side, the top when it opens stops at the dots of glue and is level) This doesn’t damage the palette.
Where can you buy the bijou from w&n?
I would buy used too.
Great review, I just got my whiskey box in the mail today, can't wait to fill it up! :) I would love to see a tutorial and preferred method for cleaning a dirty watercolor box, if you have time to do that?
+heidiology I just use an old spoiled brush to clean off the mixing area under running water. It's quite fast. I don't clean it 100% clean because some pigments are staining so there will be no way to make the mixing area totally white again. As long as they look white enough, that's good enough for me. Then I'll leave it in open air to dry.
That seems easy enough, thank you for the tip! I guess that doesn't need a whole video, haha. :)
Amazon sells replacement water containers for the whiskey painter’s palette.
Thanks for the info
I bought Qor watercolors. Have not used them because I know they are quite expensive.
+Matilda Elida They are good from the tube. Don't squeeze them into pans. When they rewet, the colours are not as intense
Have you ever tried the Winsor and Newton Cotman Field Box?
I've not tried that box. The design looks alright.
Hi Teoh! I just wanted to take a second and tell you how much I appreciate every video you do. So much! :) One question--are you able to fit 5 of the Windsor and Newton half pans in the middle row, too? Just curious if it would hold 15 of the half pans.
Again, thanks so much for your dedication and information. As a budding artist obsessed with watercolor and fountain pens, I look forward to your videos each week. I am 44, but just going back to college as an art student at the University of Missouri-Columbia and I often recommend your channel to others. Thanks again!! :)
+RBoy Arts The middle row is not big enough to fit the WN pans vertically so you can't squeeze five there.
Wow, that's great to be studying art. I hope it's going to be fun 😁
Hi Teoh! Thanks for all your informative videos. I finally gave in & bought the whiskey painters boxes. I was wondering if there are any travel brushes that would fit inside the compartment in the middle. I read somewhere that a Wi sir Newton pocket brush would fit but it didn't say which one.If you see this & respond, thanks in advance!
This box is really small. If you fit a brush inside, that's going to be too small a brush to be any good for painting.
Teoh Yi Chie thanks for taking the time to respond Teoh!
Where'd you get the winsor and newton box with the water bottle, and water container? Plzzzzzzzzzz answer
I bought it from Amazon UK if I remember correctly.
Teoh Yi Chie thanks!
Could you use a glue gun to further divide the two wells into four?
Hello Parka!
I was wondering if you can make a video on how to clean your travel palletes, because whenever I try cleaning mine, it usually ends up horrible!
Thanks in advance
+Samermc9 What do you mean by horrible? I just clean the mixing area with an old brush under running water. It's very fast. There is no way to make the mixing area white because some colours are staining.
+Teoh Yi Chie Oh, my pallete becomes horrible because If I had rewetted my old pallete's colours and try to clean it, some of the colour will splash into the pans, making it a bit dirtier. My pallete is the Cotman Pocket Plus, so it has 2 compartments which are removable.
Just tilt the box sideways, maybe like 45 degrees, and use a small stream of running water to wash the mixing area with a brush. After it's clean enough, use some tissue to dry it. Then repeat for the other mixing area.
Is the fluid content big enough to have a dram from it?
...... can I realy have a wiskey while Im painting?
The paint should last for 2-3 days depending on how often and how big you paint. The water in the container is probably enough for 2 sessions and will have to be refilled when you have the chance to do so. I like that there's a tray that goes with the box.
Good information - thanks so much!!
Thanks :-)
Would you recommend the one with the water bottle or just getting the one without and having to carry a bottle of water anyways?
If you're going to paint for many sessions, a separate water bottle can carry more water. But you would have to bring a tray too.
its so pretty
+isabelle valher Thanks. 😁
Hi Teoh. Do you mix different watercolor brands ever? i.e. if some color is missing from our box, can we use another brand to substitue it?
+Socrates Alexander There should not be any problems mixing different brands. There's no downside that I can think of.
great video as always ! I love your channel :-)
+Nicole Martin Thank you 😊
Thanks for this video. And for the very valuable info, that in the small whiskey painters box you can only fit winsor newton empty pans because they are smaller. Now I am surfing for hours after them and can't find them. I am grinding my teeth. Do you know where to order them and be sure you get the right size?
Believe it or not: I bought whiskey painters empty refill pans from amazon AND THEY ARE TOO BIG as all the other ones. Do you have an advice? Thanks for reading all this, Petra
+pedigit I think you can fit the bigger pans. But you will need to squeeze them hard into the holder 😂
Thanks, I will try it :)
Do you have any thoughts on the Reeves watercolor paints?
+cance7984 I've not used that brand before
+Teoh Yi Chie I found them on Amazon.
where could I get the one with the water compartment from? and how much will it cost?
Check out my text review at www.parkablogs.com/content/review-winsor-newton-watercolour-bijou-box
I've updated the purchase links to where you can find all the watercolour boxes.
You can make 2 wels extra in the small box that only has two, with some hot glue! What is the brand of the one with the water container included?
Thanks. That's an idea :-D
your welcome! I love your youtube vids so much, glad to lend you a hand.
Link pls
In the video description?
The lid only is sold on Amazon
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B079VSLSHV/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
That could be useful too