What do you do when you have the flu?
Sick, fuzzy-brained, I was seduced by the new line of Daniel Smith watercolors!
I say seduced because I did not do what I should have, which is check the
the Munsell numbering System to see how close they might be to what I already own.
I don’t have unlimited funds so this is important…  Ah well.
I am going to talk about the colors I have and the ones I am glad I bought…

(If you don’t understand the Munsell system see the bottom of the article.)

The colors I bought:

I tested them all over Noodler’s grey ink, to see the color shift over grisaille.
Reading the sides allows you to mix the paints if you prefer.
Also, you can get most of the info here by reading the paint tubes of artist grade paint.
In fact, one way to know that they are not artist grade is by the info on the tube.

Verona Gold Ochre is made from Yellow Ochre PY43.
I like how transparent it is for an ocher!  I own a sample of Ochre from QoR, above,
and it is very thick and muddy, as is raw ocher.   I rarely use it because I love transparency in watercolors.  Monte Amiata (a Primatek, Sienna PBr7) is quite close
(it is the long strip above the Verona Gold), and I think I like the Primatek a
bit more, but the test with this paint will be using it.
Note that Monte Amiata and Verona are different pigments : PBr7 versus PY43,

UPDATE: It is a color I won’t buy again.  Just too *meh* for me, but for someone who paints golden fields far far away… Maybe.

Burnt Sienna Light is a keeper!
Made of Transparent Red Oxide PR101 + Quinacridone Gold PO48,
I love how it is both a deep hue and yet transparent.
BTW, Transparent Red Oxide; PR101 (the tiny vertical rust to the left)
is NOT transparent as far as I am concerned!
Some comparisons: Pompeii Red (made from Burnt Sienna PBr7) is an excellent comparison, but it is quite opaque, and so I like the Burnt Sienna Light better.
Terre Ercolano (Primatek, Raw Sienna PBr7) does not granulate quite as shown —
the scan was wonky — but I rarely use it because it is such a pale paint.
I may mix it with the Burnt Sienna Light.

Aussie Red Gold is a lovely color, made from Diarylide Yellow PY83 +
Transparent Red Oxide; PR101 + Quinacridone Red PV19.
(I have shown M.Grahams which is PR209.)
M.Graham Nickel Quinacridone is the best comparison (Nickel Azo PO48 + Quinacridone Orange PY150), then DS Quinacridone Burnt Orange (Quinacridone Gold PO48).
M.Graham Indian Yellow (Isoindoline PY110) is a bit yellow.
If I were inclined to buy this color again
(I’m not as I use Holbein and DS Quin Gold all the time)
I’d replace M.Graham’s, only because of the drying time in the field.
Not a good buy… I bought it for the NAME!

UPDATE:   I love this color!!!!  It has an underlying brilliance none of the others have — I take it all back!

Paynes Blue Grey is a keeper!  Made with Indanthrone PB60 + Lamp Black PBk6, it is unnecessary — I mean, you cn add a bit of blue to Paynes Grey — BUT,
I will not bother to buy DS Paynes Grey again (Ultramarine Blue PB29 +
Ivory Black PBk9) because I like the smokey blue shadow color.
This will end up in two of my travel palettes.

Okay, Quinacridone Lilac is just a sales snow job!  It is Quinacridone Magenta PR122.  Compare it to QoR’s Quinacridone Magenta PR122… same dang color!

Rose Madder Permanent is a lovely color (Quinacridone Coral PR209 +
Quinacridone Red PV19 + Quinacridone Magenta PR202).  These pinks are totally frivolous, but so pretty.  To my eye this is not really a Rose Madder, as it is a bit bright — but on the plus side it is permanent, and true Rose Madder, like Opera Pink, is fugitive.
In my palette it is not close to any other color, and I am not inclined to mix pinks.
I admit to owning a dozen pink-coral colors and enjoy them all.

I enjoy painting Victorian homes, or “Painted Ladies.”  I have mixed quite a few of the Victorian paint colors in pans to carry with me, and this is one that I would keep.  Lavender (made from Titanium White PW6 + Ultramarine Violet PV15 + Ultramarine Blue PB29) is close to Greenleaf & Blueberry’s Mayan Blue PB82.  I love their paints, but they fill them to overflowing in the pan, and so I rarely use them — they are not convenient to my way of painting.  I would probably buy this once every five years!

Finally, Wisteria, made of Titanium White PW6 + Quinacridone Magenta PR122.  Again, an excellent color for Painted Ladies and orchids and…
Not necessary, but quite pretty.
I do not think Daniel Smith is telling the truth about the pigments, however, because Quinacridone Magenta and White do not make this color…
There must be a blue in there! Just saying.

Keepers?  Yes, a few… 
But I would not have bought half of them
had I not been feverish!

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Note: To understand the initials after the colors you may need to read my post about learning not to buy unnecessary paints and how you can duplicate paints easily (different names for the same color), and eventually, you should visit and become familiar with handprint.  I printed quite a bit of it so I can read in bed late at night… More info than you will ever need BUT dip into it and soon you will be amazed at how differently you look at your paints and make your choices.  NOT while delirious in bed…
Here is another good article on palette, not color of paints!

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©D. Katie Powell.
My images/blog posts may be reposted; please link back  to dkatiepowellart.