Sakura Koi 24 was my first ADULT watercolor set. I didn't have any idea what to expect 😃. I remember painting flowers and having a wonderful time doing it. In retrospect, the paints were better than the Crayola sets of my childhood, but with recent knowledge of artist grade paint, Sakura just isn't for me. I think they provide an excellent segue from child's paints to adult painting. But to see watercolor in all it's splendor and glory, you have to pay for it, i.e, W&N, Daniel Smith, Sennelier, etc.... I Absolutely LOVE your videos. They provide such an invaluable source of information for your viewers. Thank you so much 🤗🤗🤗😊😊😊😊😊
Thank you!! :D I agree, it's a decent set to transition from kids paints to "serious" paints, but once at the "serious" level, it's hard to go back down. We come to expect something from the paints and it's confusing and frustrating when they don't deliver.
My koi paints were used once when I got them and haven't been touched since... Same thing would happen to the petit color paints. The case looks so much nicer though! And those tools are cute!
I hope you got a small Koi set then... I haven't used mine much either. The boxes are rather good though, I wish it was easier to discard the insert and the paints...
lol, Grace Blosser! So funny how artists have their preferences. I keep a Koi set in my car (in my travel kit) and absolutely love everything about it! I often say that if I had the money, I'd buy a set for every student I have! lol! Cheers! :)
I just got the Koi set and it does open flat now. I took out the tray, and it can hold 20 half pans with the water brush or 24 pans without. I really got it for the box.
Thanks for this review Eve! I keep seeing Koi and wanting to get some to review on the channel, but I keep having to remind myself I would never use them after the review compared to all my other watercolors and that I shouldn't spend money on them. I do love the improvements to the box in this other set though. I find it odd the Koi set doesn't match it's own boxes!
I think if anything, it would be worth it for you to get the koi set to tell other people about your experiences with them, since all the reviews I originally found were super positive and in-love with them! It's actually really refreshing to hear Eve is also less than lukewarm about them, and I'd be curious to hear your take as well! Actually, you might even be able to get some koi paints for free since my most recent video includes a giveaway for a custom travel palette with the tube koi paints in it. =>.
If you want to try the paints themselves, I know of an insert for a 12-colors set that could easily travel to you... No box or anything else though, and I've tinkered with this set a lot. It's an option, let me know if you ever want to talk more about that ;)
Have you ever considered doing a 'blind' test? I mean trying a few types of paints, not knowing the brand(s) you are using and comparing. We have all heard of wine tastings where the cheap wine can be preferred when the testers don't know which is 'supposed' to be the best or worst. I wonder if the same can happen with paints.
I'd love to do that! I'd have to recruit a friend to prepare it so I wouldn't know which is which, but I'll definitely keep this great idea in mind! :)
Hi Eve! My first set of watercolors was Sakura Koi that I got on Amazon. They were fine as a starter set, but when I tried other brands they have been left to collect dust. After watching the demo, I think I will try them again : )
I have the Koi tube set of 18, and the Koi pocket set of 30. I think they are great paints for artists just starting out. I got a set for my mom since she's always wanted to learn watercolor painting. She can figure out what colors she likes best with a larger range. Then when she is more confident I can upgrade her paint set for her. For me, I wanted to keep the 30 color palette because it is really nice, so with a knife and some careful patience, I was able to take out the paints and replace them with my M Graham and Winsor and Newton watercolors.
I tried prying some of the paint cakes out and I broke my exacto blade at the tip, oops. I'll try with a slim knife, it's a good idea. I wish the insert was a bit thicker plastic though, it's really easy to break through. Sounds like a good set for beginners :)
Yeah, I didn't use an exacto knife. I figured the plastic the paint was in was too cheap. Though you had the opposite problem happen than what I was expecting, lol. I think it's a good set for beginners too. The 30 range really helps one figure out what colors they like, etc. Before moving on to the professional brands. I like the set's versatility, and how sturdy it is apart from the cheap portion that holds the paint.
Those small tools are too cute! I have the 24 set of Sakura Koi WC, bought it years ago.. I used to love them very much before I know and tried other paints (you'd understand :p) Now it sits on the bottom of my drawer most of the time, unused. I think I will give it to my children, so they can use the paints up. I still recommend them though for my crafters and art journalers friends, because of the price.
It's a really nice transition set, and I can see how it can be great for crafters and journalers (good price, lots of colors, etc). And for kids too, I think they'd be thrilled to have a "serious" paint set if they love drawing and painting. (And then you can reuse the box, hehe )
Terrific review! The Petit set looks lovely, but for me, I'll stick with the larger sets, as I go through them faster than any other watercolor sets I've ever owned. They are my #1 travel set and I adore them. The only thing I do not like about them is that the paints tend to raise and crack. This has happened to every set I've bought. Your painting, also, is wonderful. :)
Thank you! :) Have you thought about refilling used up colors with other paints? And you actually go through these sets?! I'm awed! I just get discouraged and grab another one from the stash... I have a 24 colors insert (because I repurposed the box) and I'm never gonna go through it XD
I've actually only gone "through" one, but the second has worn down quite a bit. I bought a third for my daughter, but she preferred my Daler Rowney Aquafine set, instead, which I never used. I have been saving the old Koi set that I went through to fill with Daniel Smith (which I've never used and plan to after the holidays!). However, I won a Portable Palette from Teoh's channel, so I might use that, instead! Oh my, so many paints - so little time! lol! Cheers! :)
Daniel Smith is my absolute favorite-I hope you like them!!! I am ALSO in awe of your Koi usage, and I can practically hear Eve's jaw dropping at your preference over Koi vs. Daler Rowney! Haha, we were JUST comparing our favorite "inexpensive" sets and hers is D.R.'s Aquafine. =>.
I got the DRAquafine at a local AC Moore for $3 (it was a returned, unused open package that the store didn't carry, so the manager gave it to me for $5... plus I had a 40% off coupon!! lol!), so it was not a big investment for me. It wasn't a bad set, at all, I just never really took to it. Not like I did to the Koi sets. I just love the large Koi set (I'm holding it right now, cradling it like a baby, telling it not to listen). lol! For what it's worth, my daughter adores the DR set, so at least it went to a good home! Cheers! :)
I had Sakura Koi Sketcher pocket set 18 (or something), but box was stained just after first use and I didn't like paints, they where really chalky. I liked their brush, so I kept it and the paints I gave to my friend, who didn't have travel set at all. I did small lightfastness test on summer and almost half of the Sakura Koi colors faded...
These paint were *almost* my first watercolor set until i saw teoh's review and comparison with the prima marketing sets, and went with those instead. Im still not sure about that decision, but hey, its more than a year later and i still love watercolor, even if i did have some initial struggles with my paper... *_COUGH canson xl cough_* i think the boxes are cute, but i still like the little metal tins.
Oof, yeah... Canson XL is not ideal. It's really hard to beat a good cotton paper and it's definitely not the Canson XL one that will do it. Great paper for swatches or just testing color mixes though :)
Great video Eve! 😁 I haven't tried these paints. I haven't really had a desire to. For the price I can see why those new to wc would pick them. Great comparison.
Hi Eve, I had a Koi travel set with 24 cakes in it. I liked the box. It had a lift out tray that could fasten on either end of the box. It came with a waterbrush, that was not a good brush. The paints were held in place by this cheap plastic material that one might find in a box of chocolates. I liked the box and had intended to reuse the box; but, in the process of trying to use of the paints, the cheap plastic broke apart. I ended up just tossing the box, paints and all.
Hi Donna! Oh no, what a sad end for your set. I have no idea why the insert is made of plastic so thin. It really wouldn't hurt to make it out of sturdier stuff.
Good review. I have this set. In this petit set, lose the black and white. I tend to paint with less water and a little looser to nail something down quickly. Thicker mixtures of paint do not bead up. The label petit is the correct name for this palette.The paints are hard, chalky and do crack after they are dry. I will keep palette and upgrade paints.
I got the 12 colour Sakura Koi set and find them disappointing. They're weakly pigmented and get very muddy with all the multi-pigmented colours. The case is nice.
I have to agree with the the paints. I even decided to replace 4 of the colors because to hated how they turned out. One of them was the white though with I replaced with w+n gouache, the other colors I replaced with w+n cotman. Regardless I’m planning on keeping them until I completely finish using them up and then switch to something like the cotman or the st. Petersburg White Nights since it’s going to be 1 year at least before I do so.
This isn't available to me and it sort of upsets me as I really like the tools given more than the water brush, I do have some koi paints and some gansai paints but I was wanting these for when I'm out. I can't find this particular box anywhere.
I got the exact same palette from eBay but in a different packaging. I used it once and decided the palette was not for me, even though I quite liked how the palette looked. So I sold it lol. To be honest, the colours were alright and they blended ok but I knew I wasn’t going to use it as much because I’m just not a big fan of chalky watercolours.
Yeah... The colors often look fine on swatches, but mixing and making big washes is more difficult with these, as they tend to make weird patches. Okay set for beginners that are unsure about it all, but sadly, these are not good on the long run.
@@EveBolt The 12 set Sakura Koi box on your video looks kinda different from the other Sakura Koi boxes. I was wondering if they had updated the 12 set box to look like the other ones since you made this video. Mainly on the part of the lid being able to lay flat on the table.
@@izzyg8316 Oh, I see! I can't give you an answer (as I don't know) but hopefully someone else will see your comment and will be able to provide some info!
I am enjoying your videos :) I have a query regarding the Petit Color set, if you remove the plastic insert could you fit in 12 pans of other paints and is the bottom flat? Thinking of getting if for the case and putting in artist quality paints. I did try taking out the plastic insert in my Koi 24 set and on the bottom the case isn't smooth but gridded so pans would not lay flat unless I modify further. Thank you :)
Hi! Thank you! :) I tried to check with my Petit Color set, the bottom looks flat but it's really hard to check as the plastic insert is solidly glued to the bottom. If you managed to remove the insert, I think it could accommodate something like 14 full pans. Hope this helps! :)
Sakura Koi 24 was my first ADULT watercolor set. I didn't have any idea what to expect 😃. I remember painting flowers and having a wonderful time doing it. In retrospect, the paints were better than the Crayola sets of my childhood, but with recent knowledge of artist grade paint, Sakura just isn't for me. I think they provide an excellent segue from child's paints to adult painting. But to see watercolor in all it's splendor and glory, you have to pay for it, i.e, W&N, Daniel Smith, Sennelier, etc.... I Absolutely LOVE your videos. They provide such an invaluable source of information for your viewers. Thank you so much 🤗🤗🤗😊😊😊😊😊
Thank you!! :D
I agree, it's a decent set to transition from kids paints to "serious" paints, but once at the "serious" level, it's hard to go back down. We come to expect something from the paints and it's confusing and frustrating when they don't deliver.
For paints you don't really like, you sure painted a sweet little painting, Eve! 😙
Thanks Tiffany!Lol, well I tried! They are not awful, but I don't like using them. It's a feels thing! XD
My koi paints were used once when I got them and haven't been touched since... Same thing would happen to the petit color paints. The case looks so much nicer though! And those tools are cute!
I hope you got a small Koi set then... I haven't used mine much either. The boxes are rather good though, I wish it was easier to discard the insert and the paints...
lol, Grace Blosser! So funny how artists have their preferences. I keep a Koi set in my car (in my travel kit) and absolutely love everything about it! I often say that if I had the money, I'd buy a set for every student I have! lol! Cheers! :)
I just got the Koi set and it does open flat now. I took out the tray, and it can hold 20 half pans with the water brush or 24 pans without. I really got it for the box.
It is a really nice little box! :)
It does with ease? I'm planning on the box too but I dont want a disappointment......
Thanks for this review Eve! I keep seeing Koi and wanting to get some to review on the channel, but I keep having to remind myself I would never use them after the review compared to all my other watercolors and that I shouldn't spend money on them. I do love the improvements to the box in this other set though. I find it odd the Koi set doesn't match it's own boxes!
I think if anything, it would be worth it for you to get the koi set to tell other people about your experiences with them, since all the reviews I originally found were super positive and in-love with them! It's actually really refreshing to hear Eve is also less than lukewarm about them, and I'd be curious to hear your take as well! Actually, you might even be able to get some koi paints for free since my most recent video includes a giveaway for a custom travel palette with the tube koi paints in it. =>.
If you want to try the paints themselves, I know of an insert for a 12-colors set that could easily travel to you... No box or anything else though, and I've tinkered with this set a lot. It's an option, let me know if you ever want to talk more about that ;)
Have you ever considered doing a 'blind' test? I mean trying a few types of paints, not knowing the brand(s) you are using and comparing. We have all heard of wine tastings where the cheap wine can be preferred when the testers don't know which is 'supposed' to be the best or worst. I wonder if the same can happen with paints.
I'd love to do that! I'd have to recruit a friend to prepare it so I wouldn't know which is which, but I'll definitely keep this great idea in mind! :)
I yhink I would buy the petit one, just for the box and fill with my own paints. Its nice and neat.
Hi Eve! My first set of watercolors was Sakura Koi that I got on Amazon. They were fine as a starter set, but when I tried other brands they have been left to collect dust. After watching the demo, I think I will try them again : )
I hope you'll have fun painting with them again, if only for the nostalgia and good memories :)
Thanks for the review Eve! Loved the little scene you painted☺.
Thanks Cathy! :)
I have the Koi tube set of 18, and the Koi pocket set of 30. I think they are great paints for artists just starting out. I got a set for my mom since she's always wanted to learn watercolor painting. She can figure out what colors she likes best with a larger range. Then when she is more confident I can upgrade her paint set for her.
For me, I wanted to keep the 30 color palette because it is really nice, so with a knife and some careful patience, I was able to take out the paints and replace them with my M Graham and Winsor and Newton watercolors.
I tried prying some of the paint cakes out and I broke my exacto blade at the tip, oops. I'll try with a slim knife, it's a good idea. I wish the insert was a bit thicker plastic though, it's really easy to break through.
Sounds like a good set for beginners :)
Yeah, I didn't use an exacto knife. I figured the plastic the paint was in was too cheap. Though you had the opposite problem happen than what I was expecting, lol.
I think it's a good set for beginners too. The 30 range really helps one figure out what colors they like, etc. Before moving on to the professional brands. I like the set's versatility, and how sturdy it is apart from the cheap portion that holds the paint.
Those small tools are too cute! I have the 24 set of Sakura Koi WC, bought it years ago.. I used to love them very much before I know and tried other paints (you'd understand :p)
Now it sits on the bottom of my drawer most of the time, unused. I think I will give it to my children, so they can use the paints up.
I still recommend them though for my crafters and art journalers friends, because of the price.
It's a really nice transition set, and I can see how it can be great for crafters and journalers (good price, lots of colors, etc). And for kids too, I think they'd be thrilled to have a "serious" paint set if they love drawing and painting. (And then you can reuse the box, hehe )
Terrific review! The Petit set looks lovely, but for me, I'll stick with the larger sets, as I go through them faster than any other watercolor sets I've ever owned. They are my #1 travel set and I adore them. The only thing I do not like about them is that the paints tend to raise and crack. This has happened to every set I've bought. Your painting, also, is wonderful. :)
Thank you! :)
Have you thought about refilling used up colors with other paints? And you actually go through these sets?! I'm awed! I just get discouraged and grab another one from the stash... I have a 24 colors insert (because I repurposed the box) and I'm never gonna go through it XD
I've actually only gone "through" one, but the second has worn down quite a bit. I bought a third for my daughter, but she preferred my Daler Rowney Aquafine set, instead, which I never used. I have been saving the old Koi set that I went through to fill with Daniel Smith (which I've never used and plan to after the holidays!). However, I won a Portable Palette from Teoh's channel, so I might use that, instead! Oh my, so many paints - so little time! lol! Cheers! :)
Daniel Smith is my absolute favorite-I hope you like them!!! I am ALSO in awe of your Koi usage, and I can practically hear Eve's jaw dropping at your preference over Koi vs. Daler Rowney! Haha, we were JUST comparing our favorite "inexpensive" sets and hers is D.R.'s Aquafine. =>.
I got the DRAquafine at a local AC Moore for $3 (it was a returned, unused open package that the store didn't carry, so the manager gave it to me for $5... plus I had a 40% off coupon!! lol!), so it was not a big investment for me. It wasn't a bad set, at all, I just never really took to it. Not like I did to the Koi sets. I just love the large Koi set (I'm holding it right now, cradling it like a baby, telling it not to listen). lol! For what it's worth, my daughter adores the DR set, so at least it went to a good home! Cheers! :)
I had Sakura Koi Sketcher pocket set 18 (or something), but box was stained just after first use and I didn't like paints, they where really chalky. I liked their brush, so I kept it and the paints I gave to my friend, who didn't have travel set at all. I did small lightfastness test on summer and almost half of the Sakura Koi colors faded...
I got the 18 colors mini version, because it is a little bit cheaper and smaller... I'm loving it! It is so funny to use!!
It's great that you are enjoying it! :)
These paint were *almost* my first watercolor set until i saw teoh's review and comparison with the prima marketing sets, and went with those instead. Im still not sure about that decision, but hey, its more than a year later and i still love watercolor, even if i did have some initial struggles with my paper... *_COUGH canson xl cough_* i think the boxes are cute, but i still like the little metal tins.
Oof, yeah... Canson XL is not ideal. It's really hard to beat a good cotton paper and it's definitely not the Canson XL one that will do it. Great paper for swatches or just testing color mixes though :)
Great video Eve! 😁 I haven't tried these paints. I haven't really had a desire to. For the price I can see why those new to wc would pick them. Great comparison.
Thanks Val!
You have far more pleasant paints in your stash already, you can skip these completely.
Hi Eve, I had a Koi travel set with 24 cakes in it. I liked the box. It had a lift out tray that could fasten on either end of the box. It came with a waterbrush, that was not a good brush. The paints were held in place by this cheap plastic material that one might find in a box of chocolates. I liked the box and had intended to reuse the box; but, in the process of trying to use of the paints, the cheap plastic broke apart. I ended up just tossing the box, paints and all.
Hi Donna!
Oh no, what a sad end for your set. I have no idea why the insert is made of plastic so thin. It really wouldn't hurt to make it out of sturdier stuff.
Good review. I have this set. In this petit set, lose the black and white. I tend to paint with less water and a little looser to nail something down quickly. Thicker mixtures of paint do not bead up. The label petit is the correct name for this palette.The paints are hard, chalky and do crack after they are dry. I will keep palette and upgrade paints.
I got the 12 colour Sakura Koi set and find them disappointing. They're weakly pigmented and get very muddy with all the multi-pigmented colours. The case is nice.
I have the set with the water brush but the set has the petite model
I think that's the American version of the set :)
Omg!! >.< I have the exact same set and the box is very cuteeee I also dug out the paint and change it to newer one
You have the Petit Color version too? :D
The colors are kind of hard to dig out, oops.
Eve Bolt - Bolt's Vault I dug it out with my old ruler and it broke a bit :'D
I have to agree with the the paints. I even decided to replace 4 of the colors because to hated how they turned out. One of them was the white though with I replaced with w+n gouache, the other colors I replaced with w+n cotman. Regardless I’m planning on keeping them until I completely finish using them up and then switch to something like the cotman or the st. Petersburg White Nights since it’s going to be 1 year at least before I do so.
I️ have the Sakura Koi set and I concur with your review. No flow and some colors are a bit chalky. I️ do like the box though.
That's a perfect way to sum it up!
Christmas is coming and I have my eye on your channel for ideas :) :) :) :)
Hehe, stay tuned! ;)
the pocket field sketch box seems to vary in quality depending where it was made.
Yeah! Seems like it!
This isn't available to me and it sort of upsets me as I really like the tools given more than the water brush, I do have some koi paints and some gansai paints but I was wanting these for when I'm out. I can't find this particular box anywhere.
Have you tried AliExpress?
Thank you... so useful nyo!
I got the exact same palette from eBay but in a different packaging. I used it once and decided the palette was not for me, even though I quite liked how the palette looked. So I sold it lol.
To be honest, the colours were alright and they blended ok but I knew I wasn’t going to use it as much because I’m just not a big fan of chalky watercolours.
I used the twenty four set of koi it is okay for beginners like me but the color could be more vibrant frustrating to mix colors
Yeah... The colors often look fine on swatches, but mixing and making big washes is more difficult with these, as they tend to make weird patches. Okay set for beginners that are unsure about it all, but sadly, these are not good on the long run.
Anyone knows if they updated the Sakura Koi box to look like the Petit Color one since then?
I thought the boxes were the same, aside from the label printed on the cover?
@@EveBolt The 12 set Sakura Koi box on your video looks kinda different from the other Sakura Koi boxes. I was wondering if they had updated the 12 set box to look like the other ones since you made this video. Mainly on the part of the lid being able to lay flat on the table.
@@izzyg8316 Oh, I see! I can't give you an answer (as I don't know) but hopefully someone else will see your comment and will be able to provide some info!
@EveBolt That'd be great. Fingers crossed! 🙏
Are sakura petit and sakura koi the same thing..?
Yes, I think so! I think it's a matter of where they are sold for how the title changes :)
I got my koi 12 set and its in the same box as that petit one and mine opens flat but its koi
I am enjoying your videos :) I have a query regarding the Petit Color set, if you remove the plastic insert could you fit in 12 pans of other paints and is the bottom flat? Thinking of getting if for the case and putting in artist quality paints. I did try taking out the plastic insert in my Koi 24 set and on the bottom the case isn't smooth but gridded so pans would not lay flat unless I modify further. Thank you :)
Hi! Thank you! :)
I tried to check with my Petit Color set, the bottom looks flat but it's really hard to check as the plastic insert is solidly glued to the bottom. If you managed to remove the insert, I think it could accommodate something like 14 full pans. Hope this helps! :)
Thank you :) I probably have enough sets for now, lol :)
please let me know: how many watercolor paints/sets do you own? 'cause it seems to be A LOT
It is a lot! :) Been at it for a long time now!
Mini
not one i have ever used, tfs
I got my koi 12 set and its in the same box as that petit one and mine opens flat but its koi