Review and Swatches - Deserres' SCHMINCKE HORADAM 12X5ML TUBES SET (METAL SET - 74 765)
The Schmincke Horadam 12x5ml tubes set sold at Deserres is a fairly good beginner’s set for botanical painters with a warm and cool yellow, an orange, three red, three blues and three greens. This set’s strength is in its high chroma quality and its high degree of mix-ability: except for the Perylene Dark Red, every colour is transparent or semi-transparent, all are single pigment paints except for May Green, and even the Ultramarine Blue Finest barely granulates, making each wash much easier to get even for beginners.
Unfortunately, the set has no earth colours which would make it a more complete set for the average landscape or urban painter. To round out this set I would recommend getting a couple of earth tones, e.g. a burnt sienna to neutralize with Ultramarine Blue Finest, a Yellow Ochre or Raw Sienna for a natural yellow tone, and a darker deeper red to stand in for an Alizarin Crimson, as the Perylene Dark Red doesn’t mix with the Phthalo Green into a black but a dark grey.
The watercolour tin comes with 12x5ml tubes as well as 12 half pans. Schmincke Horadam watercolours are some of the best poured watercolours I’ve come across. They settle evenly and dry in a couple of days with little to no cracking. The quality of the tin is solid, in line with all the professional watercolour brands such as Kremer Pigment, Windsor & Newton or Sennelier, and of much better quality than some popular discounted or no name brands found online. The middle portion however has sharp edges and I would recommend putting tape on them for safer handling.
If you’re able to find this tin on special at Deserres for CAD$100, I would recommend giving it a look.
The watercolour tin comes with 12x5ml tubes as well as 12 half pans.
