Horadam Naturals Watercolor, 5 mL Trios

Meet Horadam Naturals: the new vegan watercolor from Schmincke. It's made with all natural pigments, derived from sources like earth, roots, and leaves, and it has a unique look and feel unlike any other watercolor. It's stiffer and more textural than most watercolor, but without the opacity and flatness of gouache.

You might want to try this beautiful and intriguing medium for yourself! In that case, the new Naturals 5 mL Trios are an excellent buy. Each one has three themed colors from the full Naturals lineup, all in small 5 mL tubes.

The contents of the Trios are:
FIRE — Kamala, Curcuma, and Dragon's Blood
EARTH — Yellow Ochre, Red Bolus, and Lalvarit Violet
AIR — Rügen Chalk, Caucasus Earth, and Green Slate
WATER — Indigofera, Celadonite, and Vine Black

Each Trio is sold separately. Three 5 mL tubes in a printed box. Made in Germany.

About Horadam Naturals:

New for 2024, Schmincke Horadam Naturals are a unique range of vegan and naturally-derived watercolors. The colorants used in Naturals all come from plants, earth, and rocks, including a few classic colors (like the gorgeous Yellow Ochre included in this line) and several colors that are quite rare in professional paint.

The plant-based colors included in Naturals, like turmeric, indigo, and madder, have been known to artists and craftspeople for centuries. They are not often seen in artist colors today because they have been replaced by synthetic alternatives, like azo yellows, phthalo blues, and quinacridone reds. Natural colors are typically not as lightfast as modern synthetics, but they have a unique and subtle beauty that is irreplaceable. It's lovely to see them in such an artist-friendly format.

The mineral colors in Naturals are more familiar: yellow ochre, green earth, white chalk, vine black, etc. But these are actually not the same as the earth pigments typically found in artist colors. Normally, art materials manufacturers prefer to use highly processed and standardized earth pigments, so that there is complete uniformity between batches and more predictable application in the studio. For the Naturals line, Schmincke has selected less-processed, single-origin pigments that retain more of their original character. Subtle variations of color and texture are waiting inside each tube.

Unlike many traditional watercolors, Horadam Naturals do not contain any animal products (like oxgall and bone black, both frequently found in artist colors.) The binder is simple, time-tested gum arabic, which dilutes beautifully and re-activates easily with water after it dries.