Da Vinci Watercolours complete range

Da Vinci (USA) is a third generation family owned company based in California. They make oils, acrylics, gouache, painting mediums and, of course, watercolour. What's great is that they make watercolours in a huge range of tube sizes from 5ml to 15ml to 37ml, as well as a couple of palettes of selected pan colours. You can see the full watercolour set and colour range here.

I have been using their 37ml tubes for many years to make up my students' palettes. Don't get me wrong - they are not student colours. My student palettes are made up entirely of artist quality colours, but I use a mix of Daniel Smith and Da Vinci to make them up. The 37ml DV tubes are so economical that I can price my palettes at a very reasonable rate and get my students started with artist quality watercolours. They are probably some of the most consistent watercolours available - thick and strong out of the tube, and they rewet well. They are now available in Sydney, Australia from Pigment Lab in Newtown, who will also do mail order.

June 2018 update: I have now tried their full current range of 104 colours, and will eventually add the last one - Lapis Lazuli - if it becomes available again. These swatches are all gradually being added to my website here.

As always, I've tried to colour match, but will mention it when the colour I see on my screen and the colour of the swatches is way out...

First are the cool yellows. Nickel titanate is usually a very weak pigment - this is one of the best example of this opaque and granulating yellow I've tried. Hansa Yellow Light is the coolest of these and a very clean yellow. I don't recommend PY40 as it will fade in washes and can discolour in mass-tone.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Nickel titanate yellow, Cadmium Yellow Lemon, Hansa Yellow Light, Da Vinci Yellow, Aureolin Mixture.

For some reason, I really struggle to show the true beauty of the orange-yellows on my computer - Gamboge Hue is definitely more orange than this swatch - it looks more like the Hansa Deep shown next.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Arylide Yellow, Cadmium Yellow Light, Hansa Yellow Medium, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Gamboge Hue.

 ...and these are all more on the orange side then they appear here. The Arylide Yellow Deep is the same pigment (and the same colour) as DS hansa yellow deep and Schmincke Chromium yellow hue deep.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Hansa Yellow Deep, Cadmium Yellow Deep, Arylide Yellow Deep, Indian Yellow,
Benzimida Orange.

These swatches should also be a little more on the red side. The DaVinci Cadmium orange is a lovely single pigment version - in many ranges this colour is a mix.   Benzimida Orange Deep is one of my favourite single pigment oranges - along with Schmincke's Transparent Orange. It's rich and powerful.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Cadmium Orange, Da Vinci Orange, Benzimida Orange Deep, Vermilion Hue, Bright Red.

These should be a little more red. Da Vinci Red is a rich fire engine red, just starting to move past the mid-red and into the blue-red range.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Cadmium Scarlet, Cadmium Red Light, Permanent Red, Cadmium Red Deep, Da Vinci Red.

Naphthol Red is described as 'mid tone' and it really does seem a perfect mid red. The tube I have of this was more runny than any others and took a long time to dry. Quinacridone Red is a coral colour - like the DS Quin Coral. The Alizarin Gold is more dull than it looks here, and the Alizarin Crimson (Quin) is more crimson - I think it's the closest I've seen to the genuine but fugitive Alizarin Crimson PR83 pigment.

Da Vinci Watercolours - rose Dore (Quinacridone), Naphthol Red, Quinacridone Red, Alizarin Gold, Alizarin Crimson (Quinacridone).

 Lots of variations using PV19 here - the Carmine is a little more dull than the Alizarin Quin shown above. Perylene Maroon is also a lovely version. It has a strong drying shift, but not the very neutral colour is often can be. The Rose Red Deep and Permanent Rose are so similar that you certainly wouldn't need both.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Carmine (Quinacridone), Perylene Maroon, Rose Red Deep (Quinacridone), Permanent Rose(quinacridone), Rose Madder (Quinacridone)

 I'm not a fan of Opus Pink and other flouro colours but they are popular. Cobalt Violet is always a very gentle granulating pigment.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Opus (Vivid Pink), Quinacridone Fuchsia, Thioindigo Violet, Cobalt Violet.

 I'm obviously missing a couple of purples - it's not a colour I buy much as I like to mix them. I'd like to rest the Manganese Violet as PV16 is such a lovely granulating red-violet usually. The Mauve is a convenient way to buy the common Ultramarine + Quin Violet or Quin Rose mix if you are painting a lot of purple items. The Ultramarine Violet is a fairly strong version of this gentle granulating pigment.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Cobalt Violet Deep, Lilac Permanent, Manganese Violet, Mauve, Ultramarine Violet.

 Da Vinci Violet (also called Winsor Violet, Carbazole Violet, Dioxazine Violet etc) is a powerful and staining pigment. I love Indanthrone Blue. Cobalt Blue Deep is often made from PB74 so it is interesting to see it here made from PB28. It looks very similar to French Ultramarine, but not identical.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Da Vinci Violet, Lavender Permanent, Indanthrone Blue, Cobalt Blue Deep, Cobalt Blue.

Some gaps, and it's hard to see the difference between the red and green shades of phthalo blue, but they are quite different. I find the Green Shade (just called phthalo blue) more useful if you want it as a cool blue, but I like the Red Shade in a CYM palette as the greens are a little less unrealistic. Lapis Lazuli is not being made at the moment as they are sourcing new pigment. Prussian blue green shade will appear eventually :-)

Da Vinci Watercolours - Phthalo Blue (Red Shade), Lapis Lazuli Genuine (not shown - not currently available), Prussian Blue, Prussian Blue Green Shade), Phthalo Blue.

You can see that there is a difference between the Ultramarine and the French Ultramarine with  the French being warmer (more red). I prefer the regular. I always prefer genuine cerulean made with PB36 rather than a hue as I love the granulating character of PB36 or PB35.

Da Vinci Watercolours - French Ultramarine, Ultramarine Blue, Ultramarine Blue (Green Shade) (not shown), Cerulean Blue Genuine, Cerulean Blue (Hue)

It is becoming more difficult to find genuine Manganese blue PB33, with Old Holland perhaps no longer making it. The Da Vinci version also has PB15, but will granulate due to the PB33. Phthalo Turquoise is another lovely option instead of phthalo blue GS. I love Cobalt Turquoise Deep for copper effects and seascapes.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Manganese Blue (Permanent), Phthalo Turquoise, Cobalt Turquoise, Cobalt Turquoise Deep,
Cobalt Green Hue.

Phthalo Green for mixing and Perylene for deep shadow greens are two of my favourite palette greens. Viridian is a good choice if you want a less staining cool green option.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Phthalo Green, Viridian Green, Phthalo Green (Yellow Shade), Hooker's Green, Perylene Green.

Chromium Oxide Green is one of the most opaque pigments in watercolour, and it's a pigment I haven't explored much. The others here are convenience mixes, which can be useful if you find you tend to mix these hues a lot yourself.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Emerald Permanent (not shown), Chromium Oxide Green, Hooker's Green Light, Sap Green,
Olive Green.

 I love PY129 - it's a great colour for mixing and for the look of sunlight through trees. Nickel Azo Yellow is an interesting cool to mid dull yellow option. I don't tend to work with Naples Yellow but I like this one as it does'n have white pigments in it.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Green Gold, Leaf Green, Nickel Azo Yellow, Naples Yellow, Naples Yellow Deep.

Da Vinci make beautiful earth colours.

 Some lovely yellow earth options. I'd tend towards the single pigment colours every time.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna, Gold Ochre, Quinacridone Gold, Raw Sienna Deep.

I love the orange earth colours. DV Burnt sienna is a little more on the orange side than the DS one I use. Lovely granulation.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Raw Umber Natural, Quinacridone Burnt Orange, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Sienna Deep,
Terra Cotta (Light Red).

 PR101 has so many different personalities - here are a few more versions.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Venetian Red, Indian Red Deep, Indian Red, Brown Madder (Quinacridone), Violet Iron Oxide.

Burnt Umber and Raw Umber are colours I like to include in most palettes as it gives a deep warm and cool brown. I am not fond of black pigments in watercolour so I like the Indigo made with PB27+PV19 rather than the usual phthalo blue, indanthrone blue or ultramarine mixed with black.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Burnt Umber, Raw Umber, Sepia, Indigo, Payne's Gray.

 I draw a black line on white swatches so I can see how opaque they are. the titanium White is more white - brighter - but also more opaque.

Da Vinci Watercolours - Ivory Black, Lamp Black, Davy's Gray, Chinese White, Titanium White.

As always, let me know if you notice any mistakes. Many thanks to those who have sent samples to help complete these posts, including Da Vinci paints in California and Pigment Lab in Newtown, Sydney. :-)