Maimeri Blu watercolours - full range updated 2017

I had previously tried a number of Maimeri Blu watercolours, but have recently had the opportunity to test out the whole range with thanks to Winifred. These are a popular range of watercolours from Italy. There are a large number of single pigment colours, including the more expensive but lovely cadmiums, cobalts and ceruleans. 

The Cadmiums are bright and clear and paint out nicely. While I only use cadmiums for special purposes, I do like to have them available and have heard that, while generally considered toxic, in fact the amount you would have to consume to have a toxic effect is enormous as the cadmium is so well bound in the pigment compound that it cannot do any harm.

When I first wrote this blog, they were set out in a fairly random way. Interestingly the colour chart also looks fairly random as they are arranged by number not by colour. 

January 2017 - Rephotographed and reloaded in my own more logical order. The lightfast ratings on the colour chart are not much help as they are all rated three stars ***, even though many of the pigments are not ASTM I or II. 

The pigment information chart includes staining, granulation and, unusually, diffusion, so I'll add those notes into the captions. If non granulating or non staining I'll omit a comment on that aspect.

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours - Chinese White (medium Diffusion) , Nickel Titanate Yellow (high diffusion), Permanent Yellow Lemon (medium diffusion), Cadmium Yellow Lemon (hight diffusion),
Cadmium Yellow Light (high diffusion).

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours - Primary Yellow (staining, high diffusion), Indian Yellow (staining, high diffusion), Permanent Yellow Deep (staining, high diffusion), Cadmium Yellow Deep (high diffusion),
Permanent Orange (high diffusion)

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours - Cadmium Orange (high diffusion), Orange Lake (staining , medium diffusion), Cadmium Red Light (high diffusion), Permanent Red Light (staining, high diffusion),
Cadmium Red Deep (granulating, low diffusion).

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours - Crimson Lake (staining, high diffusion), Sandal Red (staining, high diffusion), Permanent Red Deep (staining, high diffusion), Tiziano Red (staining, high diffusion), Rose Lake (staining, high diffusion).

These all painted out well, except the always tricky PV16 mineral violet pigment though this granulates nicely.

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours -Primary Red-Magenta (staining, high diffusion), Verzino Red (staining, high diffusion), Garnet Lake (staining, high diffusion), Permanent Violet Reddish (staining, high diffusion),
Mineral Violet (granulating, low dispersion).

 I prefer the Ultramarine Deep in this range.

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours - Permanent Violet Blueish (staining, high diffusion), Cobalt Violet (granulating, medium diffusion), Ultramarine Violet (granulating, low diffusion), Ultramarine Deep (granulating, medium diffusion), Ultramarine Light (high diffusion).

 Faience Blue is more commonly known as Indanthrone Blue. 

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours - Cobalt Blue Deep (granulating, high diffusion), Cobalt Blue Light (low diffusion), Faience Blue (staining, high diffusion. Made with PB60), Indigo (staining, high diffusion),
Prussian Blue (staining, high diffusion).

 PB16 is not that common - a very lovely colour. The Cerulean looks more like a phthalo blue.

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours - Cerulean Blue (low diffusion), Berlin Blue (staining, high diffusion), Primary Blue-Cyan (staining, high diffusion), Turquoise Green (staining, high diffusion), Green Blue (staining, high diffusion).

 Cupric Green Light is PG36 - usually known as Phthalo Green Yellow Shade. Viridian is not a strong pigment but this was very weak. Perhaps it is better fresh from the tube?

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours - Cupric Green Deep (staining, granulating, high diffusion), Viridian (granulating, low diffusion), Cupric Green Light (granulating, high diffusion), Cobalt Green Deep (staining, granulating, high diffusion), Hooker's Green staining, medium diffusion).

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours - Permanent Green Deep (staining, medium diffusion), Cobalt Green Light ((staining, high diffusion), Olive Green (low diffusion), Green Earth (low diffusion), Sap Green (staining, low diffusion).

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours - Permanent Green Light (staining, low diffusions), Permanent Green Yellowish (low diffusion), Naples Yellow Light (high diffusion), Naples Yellow Reddish (high diffusion), Yellow Ochre (staining, high diffusion).

Burnt Sienna, such an important colour, was disappointing. A nice hue and made with PBr7 but not so easy to paint out. I was working from a small sample of dried paint though - it may be better fresh from the tube. Transparent Mars Brown may be an interesting Burnt Sienna substitute for those who like a more burnt orange version.

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours - Golden Lake (possibly made with PR101? granulating, medium diffusion), Raw Sienna (medium diffusion), Transparent Mars Red (high diffusion), Burnt Sienna (low diffusion), Transparent Mars Brown (staining, low diffusion).

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours - Dragon's Blood (staining, high diffusion), Avignon Orange (staining, high diffusion), Venetian Red (staining, high diffusion), Stil de Grain Brown (staining, low diffusion), Burnt Umber (granulating).

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours - Raw Umber (granulating, low diffusion), Vandyke Brown (low diffusion), Sepia (granulating, low diffusion).

MaimeriBlu Superior Watercolours -Payne's Grey (granulating, low diffusion), Neutral Tint (medium diffusion), Carbon Black (staining, high diffusion), Ivory Black (staining, granulating, low diffusion).

It's fun to test out a whole range and these generally paint out nicely. While I will continue to use the Daniel Smith watercolours I have enjoyed for over 20 years now, it's nice to know there are plenty of other well made largely single pigment watercolours available from all over the world.

October 2018
Maimeri Blu has completely overhauled their range, removing all (but 1) mixes so it is almost a purely single pigment range. Wow! The only mix is a surprise - Mars Black has PR101 + PBk11. I wonder why? there is also a colour with two versions of PR206.

Many excellent pigments have been added - Potter's Pink PR233, Pyrrole Orange P071 and Pyrrole Red PR255 to name a few. The many unnecessary greens and purples have been removed.

Here is what the new range looks like. Where the colour number and pigment number has remained unchanged I have included the old swatch. Where the pigment has changed I have created a new one. And of course for the many new colours I've added a new swatch. 34 colours have been removed or changed so if one you love is no longer here, grab it while it may still be available!

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Chinese White, Titanium White (new colour), Nickel titanate Yellow, Permanent Yellow Lemon, Cadmium Yellow Lemon.

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Yellow Vanadium (new colour), Primary Yellow, Golden Yellow (new colour), Transparent Yellow (new colour), Cadmium Yellow Medium (new colour).

I really like PY65 as a pure warm yellow so the new Indian Yellow should be useful. See this colour at the bottom of this post.

Maimeri Blu , Watercolours new range - Permanent Yellow Deep (new pigment), Cadmium Yellow Deep, Indian Yellow (new pigment), Gamboge (Hue) (new colour), Permanent Yellow Orange (new name - see 110 Permanent Orange above)

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Permanent Orange (new colour using old name), Cadmium Orange, Orange Lake, Cadmium Red Orange (new colour), Cadmium Red Light.

Pyrrole Orange is made with the gorgeous PO71 - see bottom of post.

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range  - Permanent Red Light, Cadmium Red Medium (new colour), Pyrrole Orange (new colour), Sandal Red, Pyrrole Red (new colour).

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Quinacridone Red (new colour - replacing Tiziano red?), Permanent Red Deep, Permanent Carmine (new colour), Crimson Lake (new pigment), Rose (Alizarin) Madder (new colour).

Verzino Violet seems unchanged in the new range.

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Permanent Madder Deep (new colour), Rose Lake, Primary Red-Magenta, Versino Violet, Magenta Quinacridone (new colour).

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Quinacridone Lake (new colour), Quinacridone Violet (new colour), Manganese Violet (new colour), Permanent Violet Blueish, Ultramarine Violet.

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Ultramarine Violet (new colour), Ultramarine Deep, Ultramarine Light, Cobalt Blue Deep (new pigment), Cobalt Blue (new colour).

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Cobalt Blue Light, Faience Blue, Indigo (new pigment), Cerulean Sky Blue (new colour), Cerulean Blue.

Phthalo Turquoise is a lovely turquoise version of PB15 - PB15:4. See bottom of post.

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Prussian Blue, Berlin Blue, Primary Blue-Cyan, Cobalt Blue Green (new colour), Phthalo Turquoise (new colour).

Turquoise Cobalt is a very popular colour. See bottom of post.

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Cobalt Green Bluish (new colour), Turquoise Cobalt (new colour), Turquoise Green, Copper Oxide Green Deep (new colour - but probably replacing 317 Cupric Green Deep), Viridian. 

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Copper Oxide Green Light (new colour but probably replacing 316 Cupric Green Light), Cobalt Green (new colour), Hooker's Green (new pigment replacing 331), Sap Green (new pigment replacing 358), Cobalt Green Deep.

Green Gold is made from the lovely PY129 - see bottom of post.

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Cobalt Green Light, Green Earth (new pigment), Green Gold (new colour, replacing 339 Permanent Green Light), Naples Yellow (new colour), Naples Yellow Medium (new colour).

The Raw Sienna seems unchanged.

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Yellow Ochre, Golden Ochre (new colour replacing 128 Golden Lake), Raw Sienna, Transparent Mars Red, Burnt Sienna.

Brown Madder (Alizarin) is one of only two mixed pigment colours in this new range as far as I can see, and it uses two versions of PR206.

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Venetian Red, Pozzuoli Earth (new colour), Dragon's Blood (new pigment), Brown Madder (Alizarin) (new colour replacing Avignon Orange), Mars Brown (new colour replacing Transparent Mars Brown).

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Potter's Pink (new colour), Burnt Umber, Raw Umber, Vandyke Brown (new pigment), Sepia (new pigment).

The only other two-pigment mix is Mars Black - PBk11 is a fabulous granulating magnetic black pigment. I wonder why PR101 was added?

Maimeri Blu Watercolours new range - Payne's Grey (new pigment), Neutral Tint (new pigment), Ivory Black, Carbon Black, Mars Black ((new colour).

I'll create a new post once I manage to try the new colours as it is a massive change.

Update - 6 of the new colours.

MaimeriBlu watercolours after overhaul - Indian Yellow (new pigment), Pyrrole Orange, Quinacridone Lake

MaimeriBlu watercolours after the overhaul - Turquoise Cobalt, Phthalo Turquoise, Green Gold.

I also tested the new versions of Ultramarine Deep, Raw Sienna and Verzino Violet and they appear unchanged.

Here is the website with the whole range of 90 colours.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - complete set

I had painted swatches of a few Mission Gold colours previously, is seen here, but have now had a chance to try the whole range. This is an interesting brand, made my Mijello of Korea. There are 105 colours but they are largely mixed hues created with very few pigments. There are no cadmiums or genuine ceruleans and the only genuine cobalt is Cobalt Blue. The paints are very predictable to work with, in the sense that they re-wet with the touch of a brush and brush out bright and strong, with very little granulation and very little drying shift.

If you love bright colours and are starting out in watercolours, this could be an interesting range to try, though I certainly wouldn't recommend getting the full range, just the single pigment colours. Personally, I miss the granulation that I love as only a couple granulate at all.

October 2018 - The swatches were originally painted out in a rather random order, but I have re-photographed them in a more useful order.  I'll add them all to my website soon. Here is the full colour chart, with the meanings of the symbols. 

If choosing a limited palette of largely single pigment colours, Lemon Yellow or Permanent Yellow Light would be possible cool to mid choices.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Chinese White, Titanium White, Lemon Yellow, Aureolin, Permanent Yellow Light.

I like PY65 as a warm yellow option. 

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Gamboge, Indian Yellow, Permanent Yellow Deep, Yellow Orange, Orange.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Red Orange, Autumn Red, Scarlet Lake, Vermilion, Permanent Red Light.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Permanent Red, Permenant Red Deep, Rose Madder, Rubine,
Permanent Alizarin Crimson.

Permanent Rose is an excellent pigment choice for a primary or cool red.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Perylene Maroon, Cherry Red, Permaent Rose, Compose Opera, Bright Opera.

Most of the purples and violets contain PR122 so Permanent Magenta is a great mixing colour.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Bright Rose, Compose Rose, Permanent Magenta, Red Violet, Crimson Lake.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Bright Violet, Compose Violet, Violet Lake, Bright Clear Violet,
Ultramarine Violet.

Indanthrone Blue is a beautiful deep warm blue, however this sample didn't paint out very nicely.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Mijello Blue, Compose Violet Deep, Shadow Violet, Blue Violet, Indanthrone Blue.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Ultramarine Blue, Ultramarine Light, Cobal Blue #2, Coblat Blue #1,
Prussian Blue.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Manganese Blue, Cerulean Blue, Marine
Blue, Indigo, Peacock Blue

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Bamboo Green, Chromium Oxide Green, Hooker's Green, Permanent Green No 2, Permanent Green No 1

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Sap Green, Olive Green, Yellow Green, Leaf Green, Greenish Yellow.

 Yellow Ochre No 2 is the only single pigment earth yellow in this range.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Green Gold, Yellow Ochre No 1, Yellow Ochre No 2, Raw Sienna, Gold Brown.

Burnt Sienna is a real problem in this range - it is more like a Quinacridone Gold hue and not useful to mix with ultramarine and other blues to create interesting greys as one would normally do.

Red Brown PBr25 is used in a number of the Mission Gold mixes and is an interesting alternative to the more opaque Indian Red in the palette. 

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Naples Yellow Deep, Burnt Sienna, Light Red, Red Brown, Indian Red. 

Van Dyke Brown is a good rich chocolate brown.

Mission Gold Watercolours my Mijello - Burnt Umber, Raw Sienna No 2

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Payne's Grey, Neutral Tint, Ivorry Black, Bluish Pearl, Yellowish Pearl.

 The tints - all these tints have some white in them and have a bit of a feeling of gouache.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Naples Yellow, Jaune Brilliant No 1, Jaune Brilliant No 2, Shell Pink, Brilliant Pink

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Lilac, Violet Grey, Lavender, Verditer Blue, Blue Grey.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Horizon Blue, Compose Blue,  Cobalt Turquoise, Turquoise Blue, Cobalt Green.

Mission Gold Watercolours by Mijello - Green Grey, Emerald Green, Melon Green, Davy's Grey, Yellow Grey,
Grey of Grey.

 I enjoyed painting out these colours as they are very vibrant and 'well-behaved'. They disperse well in water and are easy to paint with, making them very consistent and predictable, as stated in the website. That will appeal to a lot of people. I admit they don't appeal to me - I enjoy playing with a whole range of characteristics in watercolour, not just the colour - but if colour alone is your goal, these are an excellent choice.

The pigments have been improved since the range was first introduced and are now more light-fast. I think they would suit those wishing to work with a full gamut palette, as the range of earth colours is limited. 

If you wanted to create a basic set I would consider Green Gold PY150 or Lemon Yellow PY3 as your cool yellow, Permanent Yellow Deep as your warm and Yellow Ochre as your earth yellow.

For reds look at Scarlet Lake for warm and Permanent Rose for cool (or Permanent Magenta PR122 if you love that pigment) I'd add Rose Madder for a crimson as well.

For blues look at Cerulean Blue (hue) PB15:3 as a cool phthalo blue and Ultramarine Light PB29 as the warm.  

For greens, only to be used for mixing, I'd suggest Viridian (hue) PG7, which is phthalo green BS and neutralises a crimson, and/or Bamboo Green PG36, which is Phthalo Green YS, and neutralises PR122 and PV19.

The earths are tricky, but I'd look at Yellow Ochre PY42 as mentioned, Red Brown PBr25 or Indian Red PR101 as an earth red. I'd probably add Van Dyke Brown as a deep brown and make my own custom version of a burnt sienna with the Yellow Ochre and Red Brown.

Happy painting and thank you to Winifred for the samples :-)