If you have been pondering the real difference between professional and student grade watercolor paints… ponder no longer! We will be glad to clear that up for you. Basically, watercolors are composed of two things: pigment and binder. Binders for watercolour paints can be substances like glycerine, gum arabic, or even honey. Pigments are the substances that give the paint its color. Artists and paint makers have worked for centuries to find the purest colored substances that could be ground and mixed to be used as paint pigments. Artists have always craved the very best quality in their paints. For this reason, even semi-precious stones are ground for use as pigment. Raw earth, plant matter and other amazing things have also been used.

That’s just part of the answer though. Another factor that makes all the difference in the watercolor paints that your purchase is called “pigment loading”. Pigment load refers to the amount of pigment that is mixed with the binder to produce a given paint color. Each pigment has unique behavioral properties and will only tolerate a certain ratio of pigment to binder before it will clump or cause another undesirable effects. Paint manufacturers have centuries of experience with this specific science. This experience allows them to answer all kinds of technical questions. What is the maximum pigment load for a specific pigment? What is the ideal binder for a particular pigment? Which pigments are the most transparent and which produce the most brilliant color? These guys know it all!