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Old Cotman vs new(ish) Artists'
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Message
Posted
No contest, really, I know.
But I have noticed, since resolving to get to grips with watercolour this year, what seems to be an enormous difference between ~30-year-old Cotman half-pans and ~10-year-old W&N Artists' half-pans. The former is wishy-washy weak, the latter blow-your-socks-off strong.
BLOG POST:
http://amanda-bates-artist.blogspot.com/2014/06/winsor-violet-on-kennet-and-avon.html
I don't remember any of the colours being truly strong, ever. I also have a ~10-year-old Daler Rowney student sketchers' box, and the paint in that is strong, so I'm wondering...
Does watercolour in open pans go "off"?
(The lid was shut on the metal sketch box, but the pans were all started.)
Or were student colours just not so good in the 80s?
Or is there another explanation?