Introduction
We collected a heap of different low cost 8/16/24 color watercolor paint palette pan sets, that appeared to be good fits for use with the WaterColorBot. We tested to see if they would fit in the standard spoilboard, checked color order (to see how well they integrate with our software), and also looked at the brush type and quality and the paint quality and characteristics.
All of these sets are "scholastic" quality paint sets, as opposed to "artist" quality paint sets, and are available from major retailers, at least in the USA. (If you would prefer to use artist grade paint, we generally recommend using tube-based watercolors in an empty paint palette, or using Winsor & Newton half-pans in the permanent paint pan accessory.)
The Paint Sets
Crayola
Crayola Washable Watercolors 8
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Crayola Washable Watercolors, 8-color set. This is the set included with the WaterColorBot kit.
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Perfect fit
|
|
| Color Order:
|
Standard
|
Black, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Brown
|
| Brush
|
Size 3*
|
They are shipping more than one type of brush in these. We've seen both very good (pictured) and poor (the same as pictured in Artista II set).
|
| Quality notes:
|
Washable, scholastic grade, non-toxic. Bright primary colors. Inexpensive. Some reviewers say that despite the 'washable' claim, they will still stain things.
|
| More Info:
|
Crayola Store Link
|
| Available From:
|
Amazon, Dick Blick, Office Depot, etc.
|
Crayola Artista II
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Crayola Artista II Watercolors, 8-color set
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Perfect fit
|
|
| Color Order:
|
Standard
|
Black, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Brown
|
| Brush
|
Size 3*
|
Natural hair, terrible shape. One of the worst brushes we've seen.
|
| Quality notes:
|
Scholastic grade. Slightly more intense than the Crayola washable sets. Good painting properties.
|
| More Info:
|
Inexpensive. Non-toxic.
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| Available From:
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Amazon, Dick Blick, Office Depot, etc.
|
Crayola Educational Watercolors
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Crayola Educational Watercolors, 8-color set
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Perfect fit
|
|
| Color Order:
|
Standard
|
Black, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Brown. Movable replaceable pans. Order can be changed.
|
| Brush
|
Size 7
|
Fine quality nylon bristle watercolor brush. Wide, but still our favorite, amongst brushes included with this kind of paint set.
|
| Quality notes:
|
Scholastic grade. Slightly more intense than the Crayola washable sets. Good painting properties. Did we mention that it comes with a great brush?
|
| More Info:
|
Non-toxic
|
| Available From:
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Dick Blick, Office Depot, and many others.
|
Crayola Washable Watercolors 24
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Crayola Washable Watercolors, 24-color set
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Perfect fit
|
|
| Color Order: (Primary Set)
|
Standard
|
Black, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Brown.
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| Color Order: (Secondary Set)
|
Crayola Secondary
|
Maroon, Red-Orange, Tangerine, Yellow Green, Teal, Sky Blue, Indigo, White.
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| Color Order: (Tertiary Set)
|
Crayola Tertiary
|
Grey, Pink, Salmon, Lemon, Lime, Turquoise, Fuchsia, Beige.
|
| Brush
|
Size 3*
|
Same cheap brush included with the Artista II set.
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| Quality notes:
|
Like the washable-8 set, but with more and varied colors. Some of the new colors are very, very nice.
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| More Info:
|
The "primary" set is the same as the Crayola Washable 8. These are also available in a 16 color set (not shown), containing only the primary and secondary color sets.
Crayola Store link
|
| Available From:
|
Amazon, Dick Blick, etc.
|
Prang
Prang Half Pan 8
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Prang Half Pan 8 Semi-Moist Watercolors, 8-color set
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Okay with editing
|
Has two tabs at the top and bottom of the paint tray that prevent this set from fitting as-is. Once removed, however, the tray fits nicely in the spoilboard.
|
| Color Order:
|
Movable to Standard
|
Default Order: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Brown, Black. Movable replaceable pans. Order can be changed. Nice!
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| Brush
|
Size 9
|
Natural hair, wooden handle. Looks nice. Mediocre performance; more of a mop than a brush.
|
Prang Oval 8
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Prang Oval 8 Semi-Moist Watercolors, 8-color set
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Okay with editing
|
Has two tabs at the top and bottom of the paint tray that prevent this set from fitting as-is. Once removed, however, the tray fits nicely in the spoilboard.
|
| Color Order:
|
Movable to Standard
|
Default Order: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Brown, Black. Movable replaceable pans. Order can be changed.
|
| Brush
|
Size 9
|
natural hair, wooden handle. Looks nice. Mediocre performance; more of a mop than a brush.
|
| Quality notes:
|
Just the same as the other Prang set. Recommended.
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| More Info:
|
The only difference between this set and the Half Pan 8 set is pan shape. The paints appear to be the same. Non-toxic.
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| Available From:
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Amazon, Dick Blick, Office Depot, etc.
|
Prang Metallic Washable 8
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Prang Metallic 8 Semi-Moist Watercolors, 8-color set
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Okay with editing
|
Has plastic flap around the edge of the paint tray that prevents this set from fitting as-is. Once removed, however, the tray will fit nicely in the spoilboard.
|
| Color Order:
|
Prang Metallic
|
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Copper, Silver, Gold. All colors are metallic
|
| Brush
|
Size 5
|
natural hair, wooden handle. Looks nice. Mediocre performance.
|
| Quality notes:
|
Colors look genuinely metallic in pan, moderately metallic once painted. The gold, silver, and copper colors are very nice. Note that the paints in this set never really dry. They stay gelatinous and sticky, even days (and judging by the consistency of the paints in the pans, even months) after painting. Non-toxic. Washable.
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| More Info:
|
|
| Available From:
|
Amazon, Dick Blick, Office Depot, etc.
|
Prang Glitter Washable 8
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Prang Glitter 8 Semi-Moist Watercolors, 8-color set
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Okay with editing
|
Has plastic flap around the edge of the paint tray that prevents this set from fitting as-is. Once removed, however, the tray will fit nicely in the spoilboard.
|
| Color Order:
|
Prang Glitter
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Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Purple, Silver, Gold. All colors are glittery.
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| Brush
|
Size 5
|
natural hair, wooden handle. Looks nice. Mediocre performance.
|
| Quality notes:
|
Colors look very glittery in pan, slightly glittery with thin background color once painted. Note that the paints in this set never really dry. They stay gelatinous and slightly sticky, even days (and judging by the consistency of the paints int the pans, even months) after painting. Non-toxic. Washable
|
| More Info:
|
|
| Available From:
|
Amazon, Dick Blick, Office Depot, etc.
|
Prang Washable 8
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Prang Washable 8 Semi-Moist Watercolors, 8-color set
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Okay with editing
|
Has plastic flap around the edge of the paint tray that prevents this set from fitting as-is. Once removed, however, the tray will fit nicely in the spoilboard.
|
| Color Order:
|
Prang Standard
|
Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Brown, Black.
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| Brush
|
Size 5
|
natural hair, wooden handle. Looks nice. Mediocre performance.
|
Prang Oval 16
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Prang Oval 16 Semi-Moist Watercolors, 16-color set
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Okay with editing
|
Has two tabs at the top and bottom of the paint tray that prevent this set from fitting as-is. Once removed, however, the tray will fit nicely in the spoilboard.
|
| Color Order: (Primary)
|
Movable to Standard
|
Default Order: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Brown, Black. Movable replaceable pans. Order can be changed.
|
| Color Order: (Secondary)
|
Movable
|
Default Order: White, Red Violet, Blue Violet, Turquoise Blue, Blue Green, Yellow Green, Yellow Orange, Red Orange. Movable replaceable pans. Order can be changed.
|
| Brush
|
Size 9
|
Natural hair, wooden handle. Looks nice. Mediocre performance; more of a mop than a brush.
|
| Quality notes:
|
Scholastic grade. Non-toxic. Decent quality basic paints. Secondary set has some very nice additional colors.
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| More Info:
|
The 16 color equivalent of the Oval 8; Primary set appears to be the same as the Prang 8 set.
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| Available From:
|
Amazon, Dick Blick, Office Depot, etc.
|
Sargent Art
Sargent Art-Time Premium Oval Watercolors (8 color Set)
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
8ct Oval Pan Semi-Moist Premium Watercolors & Brush
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Perfect Fit
|
|
| Color Order:
|
Movable to Standard
|
Default Order: Yellow, Orange, Red, Violet, Blue, Green, Black, Brown.
|
| Brush
|
Approx. Size 5
|
Nylon bristle, wooden handle. Medium quality. (Apparently missing from photo! Same as included with the 16-color set, shown below.)
|
| Quality notes:
|
A big surprise-- these are very nice paints, with high pigment density (the paint goes farther), and distinctly different from the "primary" color Crayola sets. (Also a little bit more "granular" in how the paint flows, as though it has solid pigments, not dyes.) Highly recommended. Non-toxic.
|
| More Info:
|
Sargent Art Website. Sargent also sells other (non-premium) watercolor paint sets.
|
| Available From:
|
Amazon, Dick Blick, etc.
|
Sargent Art-Time Premium Oval Watercolors (16 color Set)
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
16ct Oval Pan Semi-Moist Premium Watercolors & Brush
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Perfect Fit
|
|
| Color Order: (primary)
|
Movable to Standard
|
Default Order: Yellow, Orange, Red, Violet, Blue, Green, Black, Brown.
|
| Color Order: (secondary)
|
Movable
|
Default Order: Yellow Orange, Red Orange, Red Violet, Blue Violet, Yellow Green, Teal, Also Teal?, White
|
| Brush
|
Approx. Size 5
|
Nylon bristle, wooden handle. Medium quality.
|
| Quality notes:
|
A big surprise-- these are very nice paints, with high pigment density (the paint goes farther), and distinctly different from the "primary" color Crayola sets. (Also a little bit more "granular" in how the paint flows, as though it has solid pigments, not dyes.) Highly recommended. It appears that our secondary sets has two "teal" pans-- Not sure if that's intentional or not. Despite this, the secondary set is very nice, with intense colors.
|
| More Info: Non-toxic.
|
|
| Available From:
|
Amazon, Dick Blick, etc.
|
Up&up
Up&up washable watercolors (8 color Set)
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Up&up watercolors washable 8 colors
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Okay with editing
|
Has plastic flap around the edge of the paint tray that prevents this set from fitting as-is. Once removed, however, the tray will fit easily in the spoilboard. This tray has a shorter length than the other paint sets, so care should be taken to center the tray in the spoilboard to ensure that the brush reaches each paint.
|
| Color Order:
|
Standard
|
Black, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Brown
|
| Brush
|
Smaller than size 3
|
Nylon bristle, plastic handle. Decent quality. One of the nicer brushes of these sets. If only the paints were good, too!
|
| Quality notes:
|
Low-end scholastic Grade. Very weak colors-- much like the secondary pastel sets in some other paint brands. Not recommended.
|
| More Info:
|
Washable. Non-toxic.
|
| Available From:
|
Target (House brand)
|
Up&up washable watercolors (16 color Set)
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Up&up watercolors washable 16 colors
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Possible?
|
Unlike the other 16 color sets, there is only one paint tray in this set. While either half of the tray will fit in the spoilboard after being cut from the other half, this would require much more modification than the other sets to make the trays fit.
|
| Color Order: (Primary)
|
Standard
|
Black, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Violet, Brown
|
| Color Order: (Secondary)
|
Lighter Standard
|
Purple, Red, Red Orange, Yellow Orange, Yellow Green, Green Blue, Blue, Light Brown. This secondary set is very similar to the standard set, the primary difference being that the secondary set is lighter and slightly red-shifted in comparison, as though they are moving away from you very fast.
|
| Brush
|
Smaller than size 3
|
Nylon bristle, plastic handle. Decent quality. One of the nicer brushes of these sets
|
| Quality notes:
|
Low-end scholastic Grade. Very weak colors-- much like the secondary pastel sets in some other paint brands. Not recommended.
|
| More Info:
|
Washable. Non-toxic.
|
| Available From:
|
Target (House brand)
|
Reeves
Reeves Water Colour Pan Set
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Reeves water colour pan set
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Perfect Fit
|
|
| Color Order:
|
Not Standard
|
Yellow, Orange, Blue, Brown, Red, Black, Green, Burgundy.
|
| Brush
|
Size 14
|
Nylon bristle, wooden handle. Very nice.
|
| Quality notes:
|
Scholastic Grade. Different colors than Crayola "primary" sets. Tends to pool up unevenly. Does not dry well; remains sticky. Not really recommended.
|
| More Info:
|
Non-toxic. Reeves Website
|
| Available From:
|
Dick Blick
|
Creatology
Creatology Paint Set
Data:
| Paint Set Name:
|
Creatology Paint Set
|
| Spoilboard fit:
|
Does not fit
|
Even if the tab at the bottom were removed, the tray for this set is too wide to fit in the spoilboard.
|
| Color Order:
|
Movable to standard (unintentionally)
|
Default Order: Violet, Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Brown, Black. While the pans are not movable, the tray does not hold the paints securely. As a result, the paint order can be changed by turning the tray upside-down and rearranging the paints after they fall out.
|
| Brush
|
Approx size 3
|
Without question, the worst paintbrush we've seen. Coarse, plastic bristles. It looks like there was an accident in the toothbrush aisle.
|
| Quality notes:
|
Low-end scholastic Grade.
|
| More Info:
|
Washable Non-toxic.
|
| Available From:
|
Michaels (house brand)
|
