Substituting Anna's recommended paint colours
You don't need to have the exact same paints as Anna to complete the tutorials, but if you do, it makes it easier to follow along as Anna's always giving detailed explanations of which colours she's using in a mix.
Six paints are all you need to complete our foundation course Realistic Watercolour 101, and you can find more information on supplies here.
In time, we recommend collecting the 11 paints in Anna's 'Complete Palette', which can be used to complete most of the classes in Nature Studio.
But there might be circumstances where you need to substitute the paints with other colours, so here's the guide!
Daniel Smith substitutes
Anna's made it easy to substitute her colours with Daniel Smith brand paints and the list is on the Paint Information page plus you can find them listed with the entry for each paint colour here in the Help Centre. Just search for the paint you’re wanting to substitute.
Using other brands
If you plan to use another brand of paint here's a guide to substituting:
- Match to the pigment number rather than the name of the colour Even though two paints made by different brands may share the same name, the colours might not be the same. (And occasionally, even though the pigment numbers may match, the hue may still vary a little depending on the brand).
- Check your paints to ensure they are transparent (crucial for working in layers).
- Check they're Artists' quality as that means they contain a higher level of pigment which is also important for layering.
- Most importantly, do a visual check for yourself in your sketchbook, comparing your paint to the colours Anna's using to see if they look a good match.
For lots more info on what to look for in paints check out the Knowledge Base video here.
Check out Anna's guide to using a limited palette, which may help you with mixing colours and choosing which paints to substitute.