Create shimmering washes, glittering highlights and iridescent effects with our Cotman Metallic Watercolour sets, available in eight colours.⁠ ⁠ Use them on their own or with Cotman Watercolour to take your work to the next level.⁠

We were so excited when we saw this post by @rachelwhitereadofficial, it is always fantastic to hear how beloved and well-travelled our watercolour sets are! Tell us about your favourite W&N materials.

Are you aware of the true origins of Indian Yellow? Though it was a hugely popular pigment among leading artists such as J. M. W. Turner, its source was unknown for centuries. ⁠ ⁠ The pigment was originally imported from Kolkata, India, in the form of soft yellow lumps in sealed packages. When these were opened at Winsor & Newton a powerful smell of ammonia was reported, but it wasn’t until the 19th century when it was revealed that the pigment was made from cow urine.⁠ ⁠ This practice was outlawed in the early 20th century, but Winsor & Newton have since created a synthetic alternative that closely resembles the original. The transparent, deep-mustard Indian Yellow pigment has the depth, body and radiance that made the original so sought after.

Cobalt Blue and Winsor Red Professional Watercolour on rough paper. Embrace the unique texture of rough paper to experiment with granulation techniques.

We adore this artwork by @Julia_Henze⁠ ⁠ 🎨 Materials used:⁠ - Winsor & Newton Studio Collection Watercolour Pencils. ⁠ ⁠ Share your watercolour artwork and creative process with us by tagging #WNWatercolour

A useful way to check where a colour lies on the granulation spectrum is to wet your paper and add some colour on top then gently rock the paper back and forth until the pigment settles. ⁠ Some colours, like the ones in this video, will granulate on their own. Whereas other smooth pigments may need some additional help. ⁠ In this case, try using Winsor & Newton Granulation Medium.

For a long time, artists have gravitated to watercolour for quick studies and sketches when they are on the move. Our archive of watercolour boxes (circa 1910–40) works as a timeline that showcases how we addressed the variety of requests from artists over the years. ⁠ ⁠ The larger box allowed for bigger cakes and a bigger palette for mixing, where the miniature circular tins look like they would have fit perfectly into a pocket – ideal for spontaneous artist on the go. Some of the travel sets had water reservoirs built into the boxes themselves, but there were also bottles for carrying more water separately. ⁠ ⁠ You can see that the biggest box on display features the names of the colours next to the cakes, so that artists could always know what they were working with. There were small areas next to the colours where artists could create a ‘clean’ pool of fluid colour, ready to be mixed on the palette to create new hues. Other boxes prioritized the compact size and wider colour range by providing for smaller cakes. ⁠ ⁠ Whatever the preference, we have always aimed to provide options that suited each artist’s way of working with quality watercolours. And these boxes show that it didn’t stop with pigment; the innovation carried right through to refining the perfect portable vessel for every individual. Which of these boxes might you prefer to use? #WNArchive

Discover our themed watercolour sets, curated by professional artists. 🎨⁠ ⁠ - Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Floral Set⁠ - Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Landscape Set⁠ - Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Portrait Set⁠ - Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Skyscape Set

Cadmium-free Orange is a recent innovation by Winsor & Newton.⁠ ⁠ It has a rich, vivid and opaque colour with deep red undertones, and is a compelling alternative to Cadmium Orange, replicating its valuable properties without the concerns about toxicity and sustainability. ⁠ ⁠ Winsor & Newton's Cadmium-free range is made up of new and sustainable colours that genuinely match the behaviours and properties of the metal-based original. Plus, they have a powerful archival lightfastness that enables artists to achieve a long-lasting, high-quality finish.

We explore the different textured effects you can achieve with Granulation Medium, Masking Fluid and a somewhat surprising ingredient: common table salt.⁠ ⁠ In this tutorial, we'll show you how to use Granulation Medium with Alizarin Crimson, a non-granulating watercolour, to create a textural quality that settles the pigment into the paper's surface (using naturally granulating paints will create even more striking effects).⁠ We'll also demonstrate how sprinkling common table salt on a wet watercolour surface creates beautifully speckled effects as the salt sucks in the water, leaving behind the pigment that has settled into the paper's surface. For a more extreme texture, we'll use rock salt in the same way.⁠ ⁠ Lastly, we'll show you how to flick Winsor & Newton Masking Fluid onto the surface. Once the Masking Fluid is dry, we’ll cover with a wash and sprinkle on more salt. After the paint dries, the salt is brushed off, and the masking fluid is rubbed away to reveal textured, starry effects left behind by the salt and sharper, distinct shapes revealed by the masking fluid. Which technique will you try your hand at next?⁠ ⁠ Click the link in our bio to watch the tutorial.

We've mixed the below colours together to create beautiful super granular secondary colours and chromatic greys.⁠ ⁠ Permanent Mauve, Lemon Yellow Deep, Cobalt Blue Deep, ⁠ Cobalt Turquoise, Cobalt Violet, Magnesium Brown, Potters Pink & Caput Mortem Violet

This lovely floral painting by @karanseerah was created using Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolours.⁠ ⁠ 🎨 Colours used:⁠ - Winsor Orange⁠ - Winsor Red ⁠ - Winsor Yellow⁠ - Permanent Sap Green⁠ - Permanent Alizarin Crimson⁠ ⁠ Share your watercolour artwork and creative process with us by tagging #WNWatercolour