I have Daniel Smith PBk11 to make my own DIY granulating watercolors. My problem is after I bought it and my initial enthusiasm of making DIY granulating watercolors using PBk11 I forgot the very reason why I bought it!!! This was a good reminder for me. I’m fascinated how you effortlessly drew the teacup, saucer, and the spoon. If I drew that I’d have to erase and redraw it many times. I really like PG7 but I find it difficult to use due to it being so bright. Adding PBk11 was a great way to tone it down and make it granulating. Hope your finger heals quickly. I enjoyed the painting at the end, thank you!
Thank you for your comment!! It happens the same to me, sometimes I just forget to use a paint I like!! As per the cup, it’s probably my favourite subject to paint…I often paint one or a teapot when I have little time or I just need to relax without stress…have a lovely day/!
Hiya Elisabetta, I think that the Rembrandt PBk11 is the most granulating on the market and you showed the possibilities of it in the video very well indeed, thanks very much. It's great for rough stonework and soil, in fact if you mix a bit of the black with a mid red like Cadmium Red It makes a perfect representation of potting compost! so the next time that you are painting flowers in pot's it's one to remember. I love the coffee cup and spoon. In the UK we call a band aid a plaster, as in the true meaning of gesso, the former name being a brand name used in N.America. I hope that your finger heals quickly, take care Elisabetta, Ciao, David. x
Dear David, I obviously enjoy planting flowers!! It will soon be September with new flowers to plant and I will remember it 😊 🪴.Thanks a lot for the plaster suggestion, it was on the tip of my tongue but for some reason I thought it was wrong! Here in Italy we learn English mostly from British or Irish teachers so I’m actually more familiar with British English. PBk11 from Rembrandt is the only one I have tried but I think it will last a lifetime! I have actually seen a video by Irit Landgraf (whom I appreciate very much) where she says it’s her favourite granulating black. Thank you always for your comments. Have a lovely weekend and I hope you get some time for painting! Take care Elisabetta
I JUST got my PBk11 😁. I’d ordered my Rembrandt before I saw this. I also have a DS Lunar Black..HOWEVER, not sure if it’s an oddity in my tube, or it’s supposed to have a violet brown tint…but..not what I wanted to mix granulating colors. I’d mixed just a touch with some chromium green..yuck! I got a dull, weird mud. I had a sample of Rembrandt black from a friend that achieved what I wanted. I also tested my sample with a mix of lightly granulating PY159 (WN Lemon yellow deep) + also granulating PR108 (a handmade Cad red) with a bit of PBk11….YES!! Got my heavily granulating, separating brown-gray “desert brown” clone I needed for a specific painting! Tonight, I will likely play with my new tube after watching your video…as my friend Liz “haven’t you finished your cranes yet?!” Nope! Too busy playing with my new paints! 😂 I’m trying to duplicate a Chinese painting..I may have mentioned it. Doing it on western WC, with its large, brilliant vermillion background wash-is fine. But, doing that big of a wash on Xuan paper?! 🤯. Not so easy. One funny part is that the color you got with the pthalo green? It’s the exact color at the bottom of the painting around the rocks. I believe the original painter made that effect by painting over not-so-dry ink on the rocks, with whisps of either a pthalo green, or maybe a greenish turquoise mix, to imply water. The contrast of that color with a very vibrant vermillion (VERY similar to “Flaming Red” in Rosa which is exactly what I’m going to try using in my next attempt on Xuan) is stunning and what drew me to the painting when my late son posted pictures from a modern art museum in China. I still love Wu Guanzhong’s more muted paintings with occasional (or many in some paintings), splashes of color; but some of the VERY bright paintings that became more numerous as Chinese artists traveled to Europe in the 1800’s…something about them draws me in..although they are very different in form from the “psychedelic” paintings of my teen years in the early 70’s; they still have that effect, but coupled with detail found in nature. Does that make sense? I promise I haven’t imbibed any…substances. My best friends husband teases us that one of these days he’s going to catch his 2 “old hippies” smoking weed, listening to Deep Purple and painting our walls in crazy colors. 😂. You never know…..😁
Hi Elaine! I had to read your message 2 or three times for the incredible richness of information 😊. If you are on Instagram I would be very curious to see your art… I was a teen too in the 70’s! In any case, welcome to my channel. In a previous message you asked about White Nights…that was my go to palette before the war, but I try not to use it now and I would prefer not to review a Russian product until the war is over…have a lovely weekend! (You mentioned your late son Elaine, if I understood that right, my thoughts are with you)
I am new to using watercolors so I am delighted to learn of granulating colors and to use them to show off their lovely qualities. The Emerald Green mix would be very nice in a "nightscape". I have not added black to my watercolor palette though it is interesting that I liked Mars Black (pb11) in oil paint and also Peach Black in oils. Thank you another inspiring visit. xo
Dear Michele, thank you for your interesting comment! I think Black is an option in watercolor and sometimes it can give interesting results…oil painting is in my wish list! Thank you as well for your suggestion about emerald green. A nightscape is actually shaping in my mind since a few days…have a very lovely day. (BTW dear Michele, Caro Michele, is the title of a beautiful book by Natalia Ginzburg)
Such a fun experiment! I have done some mixing with yellows too, and it just creates the loveliest olive greens, like you say. I could see the emerald green you mixed being used for some tropical water scenes, for shading.
I love Pbk11, it works really well with other granulating colours, like the ultramarines and cobalts . I also like to see the effect when used with very transparent pigments like quinacridones and phthalos. Great fun !
Great Tip! Rembrandt & Van Gogh have a series of Dusk colours, which mix PBK11 with other colours...but I find them TOO dark. I would much rather make my own mixes, like you do. Thisnis a lovely dusky palette Elisabetta! Vam Gogh also offers PBK11 (Oxide Black). It costs around €3.5 a tube, and it is ideal for these experiments where you need a tiny pinch of the colour.
If you ever make your watercolors with pigment powder, definitely get the black pbk11 pigment! It works great to just make a black, but also add to other granulating pigments. Mix it with your gum Arabic, a few drops of clove oil and even a bit of honey or ox gall, depending on how you want it to flow. I’ve even mixed a bit of pbk11 pigment with pigments like Indian red, ultramarine blue, or yellow ochre. It’s fun!
@@WatercolorElisabetta I have bought the Gamblin pigments from Blick aka Dickblick. And I bought several from Jackson’s. They’re great! I like the earth pigments, and I have Cobalt and Ultramarine. You will need a glass muller and a glass platform, which I just bought a thick glass cutting board for $10 US at my Bed, Bath and Beyond store. It is clear, slightly textured on one side, smooth on the other. It’s very relaxing. I’ve even mulled herbs and spices. Turmeric makes a glorious yellow! My next project, when it’s cooler, will be soft pale blues from Easter egger, and Olive egger shells. I get farm eggs from my daughter.
@@sunnycharacter oooohhh….you just gave me some ideas! I don’t have a glass mulling or cutting board..but I wonder if I use one of my Caran D’Arch textured palette… I use it with both my inktense pencils and even my colored Chinese ink sticks…grind out a bit of color, add a tiny drop of water, and I LOVE painting with the granulated paints I get. I’ve “hmmm’d and hawed” about just getting some natural pigments..I think I’m going to go for it next month..at least maybe a green and blue that I can make some substitute paints….
Consider the DS Sicklerite instead of Pbk11 by Rembrandt. It's as granulating, and it doesn't change the hue of the color too much. The black color is too overpowering, Sicklerite is just a warm grey.
The sicklerite has been shown, in some artists lightfastness testing, to not be lightfast. So if that's important to you that might be something you want to consider! :)
One of my next purchases will be QoR's Ardoise Gray, PBk19, a warm granulating gray. It might be a good substitute for Sicklerite. I fully trust QoR's lightfast ratings (unlike DS's trustworthiness at times) and QoR rates it as 1 (highest). I'm looking forward to trying Ardoise Gray as it is a pretty uncommon pigment, especially as a single pigment.
@@heelerjustheeler879 It is not a good substitute. I own that color because I loved how it looked in swatches fresh from the tube. Well, it does not rewet almost at all (literally a stone), it's slimy (you have probably seen some pigments doing that in almost all brands, most notably Cobalt Violet or Chromium Ox Green), and it doesn't granulate nearly as much. It's a good color to use fresh from the tube I guess, but it won't be a good substitute for Sicklerite.
I have Daniel Smith PBk11 to make my own DIY granulating watercolors. My problem is after I bought it and my initial enthusiasm of making DIY granulating watercolors using PBk11 I forgot the very reason why I bought it!!! This was a good reminder for me. I’m fascinated how you effortlessly drew the teacup, saucer, and the spoon. If I drew that I’d have to erase and redraw it many times. I really like PG7 but I find it difficult to use due to it being so bright. Adding PBk11 was a great way to tone it down and make it granulating. Hope your finger heals quickly. I enjoyed the painting at the end, thank you!
Thank you for your comment!! It happens the same to me, sometimes I just forget to use a paint I like!! As per the cup, it’s probably my favourite subject to paint…I often paint one or a teapot when I have little time or I just need to relax without stress…have a lovely day/!
@@WatercolorElisabetta you’re welcome! Great idea to have some objects that you can easily draw and paint.
Hi Elizabetta! I love how you quickly gave form to your cup by leaving some paper unpainted and shading the other side of the cup with PBk11.
Hello to you and thank you ❤️, mugs and cups are one of my favourite subjects. They are my comfort food of sketching!
@@WatercolorElisabetta 😂
Hiya Elisabetta, I think that the Rembrandt PBk11 is the most granulating on the market and you showed the possibilities of it in the video very well indeed, thanks very much. It's great for rough stonework and soil, in fact if you mix a bit of the black with a mid red like Cadmium Red It makes a perfect representation of potting compost! so the next time that you are painting flowers in pot's it's one to remember.
I love the coffee cup and spoon.
In the UK we call a band aid a plaster, as in the true meaning of gesso, the former name being a brand name used in N.America.
I hope that your finger heals quickly, take care Elisabetta, Ciao, David. x
Dear David, I obviously enjoy planting flowers!! It will soon be September with new flowers to plant and I will remember it 😊 🪴.Thanks a lot for the plaster suggestion, it was on the tip of my tongue but for some reason I thought it was wrong! Here in Italy we learn English mostly from British or Irish teachers so I’m actually more familiar with British English.
PBk11 from Rembrandt is the only one I have tried but I think it will last a lifetime! I have actually seen a video by Irit Landgraf (whom I appreciate very much) where she says it’s her favourite granulating black.
Thank you always for your comments. Have a lovely weekend and I hope you get some time for painting! Take care Elisabetta
I JUST got my PBk11 😁. I’d ordered my Rembrandt before I saw this. I also have a DS Lunar Black..HOWEVER, not sure if it’s an oddity in my tube, or it’s supposed to have a violet brown tint…but..not what I wanted to mix granulating colors. I’d mixed just a touch with some chromium green..yuck! I got a dull, weird mud.
I had a sample of Rembrandt black from a friend that achieved what I wanted. I also tested my sample with a mix of lightly granulating PY159 (WN Lemon yellow deep) + also granulating PR108 (a handmade Cad red) with a bit of PBk11….YES!! Got my heavily granulating, separating brown-gray “desert brown” clone I needed for a specific painting!
Tonight, I will likely play with my new tube after watching your video…as my friend Liz “haven’t you finished your cranes yet?!” Nope! Too busy playing with my new paints! 😂
I’m trying to duplicate a Chinese painting..I may have mentioned it. Doing it on western WC, with its large, brilliant vermillion background wash-is fine. But, doing that big of a wash on Xuan paper?! 🤯. Not so easy.
One funny part is that the color you got with the pthalo green? It’s the exact color at the bottom of the painting around the rocks. I believe the original painter made that effect by painting over not-so-dry ink on the rocks, with whisps of either a pthalo green, or maybe a greenish turquoise mix, to imply water. The contrast of that color with a very vibrant vermillion (VERY similar to “Flaming Red” in Rosa which is exactly what I’m going to try using in my next attempt on Xuan) is stunning and what drew me to the painting when my late son posted pictures from a modern art museum in China. I still love Wu Guanzhong’s more muted paintings with occasional (or many in some paintings), splashes of color; but some of the VERY bright paintings that became more numerous as Chinese artists traveled to Europe in the 1800’s…something about them draws me in..although they are very different in form from the “psychedelic” paintings of my teen years in the early 70’s; they still have that effect, but coupled with detail found in nature. Does that make sense? I promise I haven’t imbibed any…substances. My best friends husband teases us that one of these days he’s going to catch his 2 “old hippies” smoking weed, listening to Deep Purple and painting our walls in crazy colors. 😂. You never know…..😁
Hi Elaine! I had to read your message 2 or three times for the incredible richness of information 😊. If you are on Instagram I would be very curious to see your art… I was a teen too in the 70’s! In any case, welcome to my channel. In a previous message you asked about White Nights…that was my go to palette before the war, but I try not to use it now and I would prefer not to review a Russian product until the war is over…have a lovely weekend! (You mentioned your late son Elaine, if I understood that right, my thoughts are with you)
Beautiful mixes, and painting. ❤
Thank you! I love mixing Mars Bkack too.
I am new to using watercolors so I am delighted to learn of granulating colors and to use them to show off their lovely qualities. The Emerald Green mix would be very nice in a "nightscape". I have not added black to my watercolor palette though it is interesting that I liked Mars Black (pb11) in oil paint and also Peach Black in oils. Thank you another inspiring visit. xo
Dear Michele, thank you for your interesting comment! I think Black is an option in watercolor and sometimes it can give interesting results…oil painting is in my wish list! Thank you as well for your suggestion about emerald green. A nightscape is actually shaping in my mind since a few days…have a very lovely day. (BTW dear Michele, Caro Michele, is the title of a beautiful book by Natalia Ginzburg)
Such a fun experiment! I have done some mixing with yellows too, and it just creates the loveliest olive greens, like you say. I could see the emerald green you mixed being used for some tropical water scenes, for shading.
Thank you for your comment! Yes, playing with mixes is a lot of fun and definitely inspiring!
I love Pbk11, it works really well with other granulating colours, like the ultramarines and cobalts . I also like to see the effect when used with very transparent pigments like quinacridones and phthalos. Great fun !
Thank you for your comment Lois! Yes it’s a lot of fun and combinations are endless!
Great Tip! Rembrandt & Van Gogh have a series of Dusk colours, which mix PBK11 with other colours...but I find them TOO dark. I would much rather make my own mixes, like you do. Thisnis a lovely dusky palette Elisabetta! Vam Gogh also offers PBK11 (Oxide Black). It costs around €3.5 a tube, and it is ideal for these experiments where you need a tiny pinch of the colour.
Exactly my point ❤️❤️you can calibrate granulation/darkness as you prefer! Thank you 🤩
If you ever make your watercolors with pigment powder, definitely get the black pbk11 pigment! It works great to just make a black, but also add to other granulating pigments. Mix it with your gum Arabic, a few drops of clove oil and even a bit of honey or ox gall, depending on how you want it to flow. I’ve even mixed a bit of pbk11 pigment with pigments like Indian red, ultramarine blue, or yellow ochre. It’s fun!
I have never tried! Where do you buy your pigments? I have noticed that Jackson’s sells his own brand!
@@WatercolorElisabetta I have bought the Gamblin pigments from Blick aka Dickblick. And I bought several from Jackson’s. They’re great! I like the earth pigments, and I have Cobalt and Ultramarine. You will need a glass muller and a glass platform, which I just bought a thick glass cutting board for $10 US at my Bed, Bath and Beyond store. It is clear, slightly textured on one side, smooth on the other. It’s very relaxing. I’ve even mulled herbs and spices. Turmeric makes a glorious yellow! My next project, when it’s cooler, will be soft pale blues from Easter egger, and Olive egger shells. I get farm eggs from my daughter.
WoW, thank you!
@@WatercolorElisabetta 🥰😎
@@sunnycharacter oooohhh….you just gave me some ideas! I don’t have a glass mulling or cutting board..but I wonder if I use one of my Caran D’Arch textured palette… I use it with both my inktense pencils and even my colored Chinese ink sticks…grind out a bit of color, add a tiny drop of water, and I LOVE painting with the granulated paints I get. I’ve “hmmm’d and hawed” about just getting some natural pigments..I think I’m going to go for it next month..at least maybe a green and blue that I can make some substitute paints….
Woow ..muchas gracias!!
Grazie a te! 😀
I do not use black. I try to avoid it, but I would like to try PBk11 and PBk26.
I also like to use neutral tint! But PBk11 is fun. Thank you for your comment!
@@WatercolorElisabetta Always a pleasure!
PBk26 looks like a beautiful color. Thanks for recommending it!
@@heelerjustheeler879 My pleasure!
Consider the DS Sicklerite instead of Pbk11 by Rembrandt. It's as granulating, and it doesn't change the hue of the color too much. The black color is too overpowering, Sicklerite is just a warm grey.
Thank you for your suggestion Eugenia! I’m curious now!
The sicklerite has been shown, in some artists lightfastness testing, to not be lightfast. So if that's important to you that might be something you want to consider! :)
One of my next purchases will be QoR's Ardoise Gray, PBk19, a warm granulating gray. It might be a good substitute for Sicklerite. I fully trust QoR's lightfast ratings (unlike DS's trustworthiness at times) and QoR rates it as 1 (highest). I'm looking forward to trying Ardoise Gray as it is a pretty uncommon pigment, especially as a single pigment.
@@heelerjustheeler879 It is not a good substitute. I own that color because I loved how it looked in swatches fresh from the tube. Well, it does not rewet almost at all (literally a stone), it's slimy (you have probably seen some pigments doing that in almost all brands, most notably Cobalt Violet or Chromium Ox Green), and it doesn't granulate nearly as much. It's a good color to use fresh from the tube I guess, but it won't be a good substitute for Sicklerite.