Hey Artnerds! Today we're taking a look at the fairly new Winsor & Newton watercolor pencils.
I'm excited to give these a try since they're from an established watercolor company. I waited to see if they'd pop up open stock in one of my local shops so I could purchase a few to try- they haven't, so I caught them on sale at Michaels and used a 50% off coupon. To provide a fair and unbiased review, I have also not consumed existing reviews released before this recording. I paid around $24 for these watercolor pencils.
Note: This was recorded in December 2019, so some things may have changed.
The Paintbox, Art Discord Server: https://discord.gg/WB9XcH7
$42 at Michaels: https://tinyurl.com/yjelyulb
Listing on the Winsor and Newton Site: https://tinyurl.com/yg4azwen
Shownotes:
Made with cedarwood
No pigment info listed
Going to email them about it
48 total colors
Don’t seem to be available open-stock
Not available at Plaza, Jerry’s or Blick at time of recording
Full shownotes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wZRFjqxxUQF2HlStKgPqXzHZtJfUyaBqBuRPz3Cp0Qs/edit?usp=sharing
Packing:
Plastic wrapper
Shrink Wrapped
Metal Tin with Bellyband
Plastic Liners in tin
These are pigment color pencils, but the pencils don't list the actual pigment, just a color name-- since this is Winsor and Newton, and pigment info is available for their watercolors, I'd like it available for these color pencils
Already I wonder- how do these differ from other pro-grade watercolor pencils from Faber-Castell, Caran d'Ache, Derwent Inktense? What is Winsor & Newton bringing that's new to the market, other than brand recognition?
Because of this, I'm going to hold these pencils to a high standard- I expect them to perform on par with Supracolor. Will compare with other watercolor pencils in my collection
The Pencils:
Body screening is minimal- Winsor & Newton logo, color name, dipped pencil end to indicate color. No pigment information.
Round bodies- easier on my hands, but super prone to rolling.
Compared to other pencils:
All other watercolor pencils in this comparison also feature a color number- this often helps with color matching from product to product. This would be REALLY helpful with the Winsor & Newton watercolor pencils.
Swatching:
White crumbled, but otherwise, cores seem pretty solid
Decent pigment delivery, fairly buttery, good saturation
Two light skintones- both are ok, plus it's watercolor so you can blend out
So far color selection is pretty solid
No further breakages
Color has some opacity to it
Water Solubility
Colors reactivate quickly and without scrubbing
Fairly good pigment load upon activation
All colors activated fairly well
I like the color selection, usable for someone who likes watercolor pencils as a standalone medium, also usable for someone who wants them to use with their regular watercolors
Color Wheel:
Colors Used:
Sunflower
Yellow
Azure
True Blue
Carmine
Mandarin
Lot of dust
SURPRISINGLY clean, clear mixes from just six colors.
Colors layer well too
Good vibrancy even after activated- this is often lost with other watercolor pencils-- this makes me want to retest my other pencils and do a comparison.
Some granulation, which is nice to see with a watercolor pencil- Colors also seem a bit opaque, which could muddy over repeated layers
Liftability Test
SOME liftability- I may not have activated all the pigment though
Who are these for:
Pending Winsor and Newton's response, and available pigment and lightfast information:
Serious watercolor artists. Watercolor comic artists. Coloring book enthusiasts. Hobbyist artists. Student artists.
The Verdict:
I'm pretty impressed by these watercolor pencils! At the time of this recording, I feel like these are on par with Caran D'Ache Supracolor II and Faber-Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolor pencils- very pigmented, easily water-soluble, liftable and reworkable, somewhat opaque.
Music:
Kevin MacLeod- Clean Soul
Kevin MacLeod- Calmant
Kevin MacLeod- Meditation Impromptu 02
Kevin MacLeod- Meditation Impromptu 01
Kevin MacLeod- On the Passing of Time
Kevin MacLeod- Silver Blue Light
#watercolorpencils #watercolorpencilreview #winsor&newtonwatercolorpencils