I'm always impressed by how well Van Gogh holds up to the expensive brands. They also get massive bonus points for being straight up honest about how to get their "dusk" colors even going so far as to offer a palette so you can mix your own. The granulating blacks are primarily mixers. You can certainly use it alone but the magic is in the mixing. Many of Daniel Smiths so called primateks and other fancy convenience colors are just PBK11 mixes... anything with that dark separating granule...

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

I agree about the Van Gogh paints. Sometimes I think that, once my artist grade paints run out, I'll just use Van Gogh and spend the money I save on painting workshops 🤣

@everartokelli

2 жыл бұрын

That's sheer speculation and gossip about the Primateks on your part, not a bit of truth in it. If you look at the stones they use, they are not one pure color, there is variation and impurities in the stones and that's what gives the multilayered colors.

@waymire01

2 жыл бұрын

@@JayNathanWatercolor The other wonderful thing about Van Gogh is every single color is lightfast, even the shimmer shades. You can buy anything and be confident in it's performance without having to scrutinize every pigment.

@SarahNotSara

2 жыл бұрын

I agree with you about Van Gogh 100%. They knock some of the supposed 'professional' grade watercolour brands out of the field. Plus they're lightfast and transparent (no pun intended) about their pigments.

i use pbk11 for tree branches and animal fur. i paint a lot of birds and florals and pbk11 with a brown makes great bark textures and pbk11 used wet in wet makes great soft edged fluffy animals!

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much for the tips 🙏 I'll have to try some fluffy animals ☺️

I have the van gogh one, and I used it to paint horrors summoned by my dnd warlock, haha. It also gives a very creepy rotten flesh effect when mixed with reds

I love seeing unusual pigments like the PBk27! I like how much it granulates though it does look a little duller when dry compared to the PBk11. It would be fun to try - thanks for this!

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome ☺️ Yes compared to the Daniel Smith. I think the Mijello is nicer than the Van Gogh though.

I think it was Paint in hiding who said, comparing the granulation of Daniel Smith colours to others, that their granulation looks *rocky, or *spikey, something like that, compared to *rounder granules of other brands.. I`ve found that to be so funny and so true! )) I have Renesans, Schmincke and D.S. Pbk11`s, Lunar Black being the *rockiest and coolest one, which is why I prefer it to the other two, but honestly.. they all look great to me, together with the ones on your swatches, and incredibly similar, considering that I only ever used them for adding texture to another color.. Ahh, the curse of wanting too much pigment yet never having enough time to get to know them and use them more !! 😭😁

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Yes I definitely remember her calling the granulation 'spikey'. It's a good description. 😊

I like to mix a nice swampy green with lemon yellow and black.

i think royal talens hit home with the oxide black in the vangogh range. gives people an affordable way to try the pigment. quite interesting to see they all perform similarly. thanks for the comparison!

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome ☺️ I think so too. The Van Gogh does the job just fine.

@SarahNotSara

2 жыл бұрын

I agree. The van gogh was impressive for its price range. Van gogh is the best student grade watercolor around...dare I say even better than some that claim they're professional. Thanks for this in depth review!!!

Mijello's PBk27 looks more neutral black on my screen. Thank you for this sharing.

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome 🙏☺️

I have not ever seen the PBk27 in any paint before. But I might try it. I would definitely use granulating black for rocks and mountain sides.

I like them all! I have the last three. I use them for rocks and dirt and trees, occasionally soft backgrounds. Ive seen them used to great effect on animal skins like rhinos and elephants. Most effective when put down and left alone to do their thing.

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Ah yes I'm sure they would be great for elephant and rhino skin. I hadn't thought of that.

I own a Turner Bk11 and it does the trick when I’m playing with watercolors. I just enjoy the result/look of the painting

Thank you!

I have the first 3. They are primarily for mixing. The Van Gogh has smaller particles making it better for a more subtle effect. Especially for lighter colors. The Daniel Smith is for more dramatic effects. The Mission Gold I bought because of your review-& that wasn't easy! Knowing I am somewhat weird, I think it is the most beautiful black I've seen. It is so clean & pure. Halloween is my favorite holiday so I'm sure it will find a lot of use!😁

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Oh I'm very happy that you like the Mijello cobalt black. I'd be very sad if you'd bought it because of me and didn't like it ☺️

They are beautiful mixed with burnt sienna.

thank you that green is beautiful im just getting into granulating paints.im getting the mission gold 34 pure pigment set tomorrow.i found out about the pbk27 only after ordering the box set .i think the green with black will make an awsome river painting

Wow I love the phthalo mixes!

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks 🙏

Love lunar black! Love mixing bright colors with it! Gorgeous! Have you tried bloodstone genuine? It’s magnetic too like Lunar Black!

I like using granulating paints for animal noses, tongues, skin textures. As you were searching these I kept thinking how the blacks would work so well for elephant skin, and mixed with Pthalo that would be a beautiful reptile skin. I could also see it in botanical application. I had the DS hematite & used it up-but I would like to get the Lunar Black. I think it would be more impactful in mixes.

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

I think I prefer the Lunar Black too. The Hematite is very nice though.

@artonthecreek

2 жыл бұрын

@@JayNathanWatercolor thanks Jay. My husband and I joke that we enjoy watching paint dry -it’s funny but true! Your videos are so helpful. Thank you.

I recently bought DS LB and HG again, after a couple of years without. I enjoy the granulation, and flow using the LB on the body of large dragonflies, bled into the wings of iridescent pear and turquoise green, and dried with such interest, almost like veining. They look good with browns and buff titanium as bark on trees, and rocky sandy beaches, interesting landscapes, shadows, even portraits…just a few of many uses. Thanks for the comparison! #DanielSmithWatercolors

Those greens. Love the second one in particular. Yes, DS.

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks 🙏

One of my favourite pigments! I love PBk11! Tried the Mijello one and is fabulous and Van Gogh seems so pretty as well. Can’t say anything bad about Daniel Smith, I mean they are gorgeous nonetheless

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

I agree. All of these 4 are great ☺️

Best Daniel Smith granulating is Green Apatite Genuine! Also Aussie Red-Gold by Daniel Smith is fantastic. Please try.

not a black watercolor but i think it's worth looking into Schmincke Liquid Charcoal series... the grape seed black look like a single pigment payne's grey, the cherry pit black look like a single pigment sepia and the peach stone black look like a single pigment neutral tint... they also granulate... the best thing is, while not a being watercolor, they work just like watercolor. the only downside is, they only come in 35 ml tubes, so they might not worth it if you just want to test it out. but if you already using payne's grey or neutral tint, they might worth checking out because the tube probably will last you a few years which make it quite economical in the long run.

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Oh I've never seen this Liquid charcoal. Looks interesting. Thanks for the recommendation 🙏

I only own 2 blacks. Lunar black and Hemetite both by Daniel Smith. I don't use them much on their own, I use them as mixing colors for the granulation. Tfs.

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Both of them are great ☺️

They are cool to make own convenience mixes. Lovely with another earth color like Sienna. With purple you get something akin to 'Moonglow'. Your green section of the video made me wonder if one could mix something that would look like Daniel Smith's 'Green Apatite': Pbk11 with may green and van dyke ?

My favourite black is one you didn't include here. W&N's Chromium Black (PBr29) - it's a warm (but very dark) black with softer granulation than the more common Mars Black. It was a limited edition though, so I bought 5 tubes once I realised I liked it so much. I'd really recommend trying it if you can find a tube.

This is very interesting, my DS lunar black granulates a lot more. I wonder if it’s because I use it on larger areas. I use mine for mixes, to add interesting shadows, and for volcanoes in my vacation paintings. Also DS Hemitite Violet is lovely.

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

That probably does make a difference. Also the amount of water used.

PBk27 makes the most amazing versions of Van Goghs Dusk Colors. . . Mix that Cobalt Black with ANY other pigment, preferably high staining smooth laying ones like Phthalos and Quinacridones and so on but it’s worked with every pigment I have tested it with so far. . . Just gorgeous!!

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Yes it's best with powerful colors. 😊

Yes, shadows in rocks, unusual/imaginary landscapes, sometimes mixed with other colours.

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah that's pretty much what I thought they would be used for.

I was so excited to see your video pop up today and was eager to see how you liked the Lunar Black! I love all of these, I think you got great results! Personally I use my Lunar Black for most all black in my paintings because I like the texture, but I can see where other people would choose another black. I agree that they would make some lovely rocks, but also the green mixes you made made me want to paint a lizard! Great video as always!

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Haha someone else said the green looks like dragon skin 🤣 I usually mix my own blacks when painting but maybe I'll try using one of these instead.

@currysues

Жыл бұрын

Dragon skin!

I use them to mix with other colours and also to paint houses

I love all granulating paints!!! Those black are amazing. I use them for some trees and stalks or playing with animal fur... I am trying to learn how to paint cats and failing miserably 5555 Going to Bkk this week.. CWArt, here we go :)

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Have a great trip 👍

I like the hematite most! I also have Lunar black but I don’t love anytime I’ve used it. I love it on its own, it’s really cool, but I haven’t enjoyed the effect within my paintings anytime I use it.

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Oh right. I've not really used any of them very much in paintings so I don't know which I would enjoy the most. We shall see in the future.

I'm not familiar with BPk27. I do have the DS Hematite, but I am using DS Lamp Black instead. It makes some interesting mixes. I do like the granulation of the ones you tested and they all mixed beautifully. Hard to pick a favorite though I'll say Hematite since I already have it. 😂

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Oh you like to use lamp black? What mixes do you make with it? The Hematite is very nice.

Nicholas Lopez works with blacks. He's amazing if you wanna check him out. ( maybe your the one who suggested him?? I dunno. Can't remember)

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

I'll take a look at his work. Thank you for the recommendation 🙏

I like the appearance of Pbk27, it gives a natural, light and not too bold. I have yet to see any actual picture from these colors, can you complete a picture from the colors you have compared? I am waiting for that.

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

I've not really used these blacks in any paintings. I tend to mix my own blacks from the colors I already have in my palette.

I only know, with DS lamp black one can paint soft cat's fer quite easily. not sure, how the other lamp blacks are doing, because I don't dear to try painting animals for now. Afert 3 years painting from time to time, I am still a beginner I have to admit

Damn, those mixes looks like snakeskin! Or something in that ballpark. Dragons maybe?

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Crazy aren't they? 🤣 It's fun playing with these granulating black pigments.

Hmm…. I haven’t commented on this video; I haven’t even stated that I wasn’t first! Strange. Nice video, though (as always 😊).

I use blk for cement in my paintings.

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Sounds good 👍

Try all of them. You chose a perfect 4. Each with a different temperature 👍🏼

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Haha. Yes all 4 are similar but different 🤣

The black Mars of Schminke also granulates

Silpakorn is the cheapest here and some of their colours are good like their Indigo. at 35 bht for a tube is a treat!!! great for studies...

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

I've seen them but never thought they would be any good. No pigment info etc. I'd rather just pick up a tube of Van Gogh.

After this, I don't think i need to increase my pallet beyond the bare minimal colors that I still lack. With these, and 12 to 24 watercolors - that include at least the primary colors - you can get amost any effect you wish for. Am definetly stocking them 😈

I use black watercolor when I do Chinese type painting. The Chinese use ink on their painting though. They do good textures in their Chinese painting.

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

I've seen some Chinese painting but never tried it myself. Looks very interesting.

@lanimar3417

2 жыл бұрын

@@JayNathanWatercolor Those doing Chinese painting nowadays aren't really Chinese. I am not Chinese. But it's a challenge to do their art. It's different. And they hold their brush differently.

I feel like, it might be, the discussion about the best granulating black is a bit overrated :-D

Daniel smith have gem color it granulating good but to expensive

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

Yes Daniel Smith is very expensive here too.

Thank you for the video! I love granulating paints. If you want to see some really interesting and beautiful paintings using mainly these pigments check out Nicolas Lopez. His work is amazing.

@JayNathanWatercolor

2 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome 🙏 Thank you for watching and commenting 😊 You're the second person to recommend his work in the comments today so I'll definitely go and check out his work. Thank you for the recommendation 🙏