Artistro Watercolors Review
The incredible marketing team at Artistro Art Supplies kindly gifted me their travel Watercolor Paint Set to review! It’s such an adorable collection of colors, and it’s perfect for painting on the go.
What’s Included
This portable Watercolor Paint Set measures approximately 3” x 8” and comes with the following items:
48 vibrant pigment colors, including four (04) fluorescent colors & four (04) metallic colors
A beautiful, mint green metal tin case - it also has the colors listed on the back
Ten (10) 3” x 7” sheets of 300g watercolor paper
An exclusive water brush pen
Yellow sponge
Drawing pencil
Metal pencil sharpener
Watercolor brush with tip cover
Eraser
One (01) swatch sheet to fill out, and one (01) that lists out all of the colors
First Impressions
When I first received the paint set, I was immediately impressed with the beautiful tin box that the watercolors came in. It has lovely floral gold accents, and is extremely sturdy yet lightweight (even with everything in it - which is great since it’s a travel set). The swatch sheet that lists all of the colors in order was also very helpful, as it lines up with the pigments nicely but still had a small cutout so it can be lifted up easily. It also rests on a lip just above the paint pans, so you can close the case with the sheet over it and not create a big mess!
I love that each item fits nicely in its own slot within the case. Everything is organized, so you can just grab the case and go on your next big painting adventure without worrying about forgetting anything! This set has all you need to create stunning masterpieces wherever you may be. It also may just be how I think, but seeing the fresh watercolors all together was just immensely satisfying to me. The set also came with a cute little sticker of a raccoon that said “I am creative. What’s your superpower?”
Using the Paint Set
The first thing I did after unpacking the set was to fill out the swatch sheet that was included in the tin. There are three marks for each color, so that you can show what the different shades of each color would look like based on how much water you use to dilute the paints. For this, I used the exclusive Artistro water brush pen, which was my first time using one! I was so excited, and it definitely did not disappoint. The pen is great for bringing water outside the studio; it can be used to activate the water-soluble paints, dilute the brilliant colors, and of course, as a paintbrush. As someone who enjoys plein air painting, bringing a water cup along was always just another thing to pack, but now my water supply fits nicely in this small pocket box!
I love that there are so many colors as well, and they were fairly easy to control. Considering it comes with 48 colors as a $30 USD set, it’s a pretty good deal in my opinion. I was also particularly impressed with the Chinese white pigment, since it was a little opaque. I used it like a gouache white-out in case I ever made a mistake! After layering a bit with some thicker coverage, it could hide almost anything.
After filling out the swatch sheet, I decided to paint a little nature scene to test the paints for an illustration using the included supplies. The watercolor paper was also nice & thick, so it didn’t warp as much as other papers I’ve used in the past. This acid-free heavyweight paper is textured, which can be a nice touch if that’s something you’re looking for. The texture can also help hold the paint too. The unique size of the paper also allows you to keep a sheet or two within the case itself, though be warned that if it’s not inserted properly it can be dented slightly.
I then sketched the design using the pencil, sharpener, and eraser. The pencil & sharpener were standard, and the eraser did a great job of removing the pencil marks before I started applying the paint. The colors are highly-pigmented, so if I liked I was able to cover the faint pencil, but they’re also extremely easy to water down to get a more range of tints, tones, and shades. I personally prefer to start light and layer up to the desired color, so I loved that these paints could be used in that manner.
One thing that I absolutely adore is how well the brush holds its shape. It can be used in such a way to make thin, delicate lines, or cover large pieces of paper. The brush picks up the paint well depending on how much water you use, but I am just blown away by how much I love the brush. Even after several uses, I haven’t seen it even begin to fray at all.
My first tattoo flash sheet
Final Thoughts
Overall, I found the Artistro Watercolor Paint Set in Portable Box to be a fantastic addition to any artist’s collection of supplies. Anyone who loves to paint outside or while traveling needs to get this compact, easy to use watercolor set. It’s a perfect match for beginners & professionals alike, with even the smallest detail thought out carefully. Please let me know what questions you have in the comments, and I’d be happy to answer them to the best of my abilities! Check out my unboxing/process video on Instagram here.
All of the opinions expressed in this article are my own. Be sure to use my coupon code ARTSTEPHANIE for 10% off your order on both their website & Amazon stores! Thank you so much again, Artistro!
