For its entire 140-year history, the Schmincke brand has meant the finest colors for artists, made to professional standards and used by the most demanding painters. On each package, the blue Schmincke owl holds a banner that reads "I strive for the best" in Latin. So you won't be surprised to hear that the company was hesitant to produce a more affordable watercolor for art students and beginners. It would have to appeal to artists on a budget but still adhere to the basic standards of the historic German color house.

Akademie Aquarell is Schmincke's answer to this challenge, and we recommend it strongly to any watercolorist who isn't ready to invest in a set of Horadam paints. It is the best student-grade watercolor we have ever carried; frankly, it outperforms many paints that call themselves artist grade. The colors are clear and vibrant, and it's easy to make mixed colors that are just as beautiful. A majority of Akademie colors are single-pigment, and the multi-pigment colors are carefully chosen to allow further mixing without muddiness. Intense, high-chroma colors are included alongside rich, organic earth colors, so you can make paintings in any style with Akademie.

This handsome set contains 12 classic colors of Akademie Aquarell in full pans, perfect for big, bold strokes. They're packed in a metal tin with plenty of smooth, enameled mixing space and a finger loop on the back. The colors included are Light Lemon Yellow #222, Indian Yellow #225, Cadmium Red Hue #332, Carmine #333, Ultramarine #443, Prussian Blue #445, Brilliant Green #551, Permanent Green #553, Yellow Ochre #660, English Red #666, Sepia #665, and Black #782.

Made in Germany.