Same Pigment, Different Feel: My Artist Thoughts on Watercolor Comparisons Across Brands

As a watercolor artist, I own over 200 tubes and pans from brands like M. Graham, Daniel Smith, Schmincke, Holbein, Winsor & Newton, QoR, Rockwell, and more. But here’s the truth: even when the color name or pigment number is the same, the paints behave so differently! This blog is a deep dive into my thoughts as I compared same-name or same-pigment colors across brands. These are my real artist reflections—which surprised me, which I loved, and which changed my mind.

Sap Green: Warmth, Richness, or Subtlety?

• Daniel Smith Sap Green — Warm, yellow-leaning, granulating, great when mixed with oranges or yellows.

• QoR Sap Green — Deep, rich, opaque, works beautifully for portraits.

• Serpentine Genuine (Daniel Smith) — Lighter, subtle, made from genuine stone, my favorite for delicate, granulated looks.

Viridian: Granulation vs. Creaminess

• M. Graham Viridian — PG18, thick, smooth, quick to rewet; I love the honey binder.

• Daniel Smith Viridian — PG7, granulates more; a classic feel.

Cobalt Green: Yellow or Blue Shift?

• Schmincke Cobalt Green Dark — More yellowish, rich and beautiful.

• Winsor & Newton Cobalt Green Deep — More blue-leaning, dreamy for cool mixes.

• Daniel Smith Cascade Green — My personal favorite, a magical blue-green granulated mix.

Aqua Greens & Turquoise

• Winsor & Newton Aqua Green — Blue-leaning.

• QoR Ultramarine Turquoise — More greenish, more natural in portraits.

Cobalt Turquoise & Sleeping Beauty Turquoise

• Schmincke Cobalt Turquoise — Bright, thick, almost gouache-like.

• Daniel Smith Cobalt Teal Blue — Highly granulated.

• Daniel Smith Sleeping Beauty Turquoise — Muted, subtle, but more opaque.

Desert Green & Wetlands

• Schmincke Desert Green — Fun, more blue-green.

• Rockwell Wetlands — Earthier, brownish, creates dusky mixes.

Cobalt Blue

• Daniel Smith Cobalt Blue vs. Winsor & Newton Cobalt Blue — WN feels more explosive and opaque; DS is subtle and classic.

Prussian Blue

• Schmincke Prussian Blue vs. Winsor & Newton Prussian Blue — Both can clump; I recommend buying these in tubes, not pans.

Ultramarine

• Daniel Smith French Ultramarine — Granulated, violet-leaning, I love it.

• Schmincke Ultramarine Finest — Finer particles, great for glazing.

Payne's Gray

• Winsor & Newton vs. QoR — Core is denser; WN is beautifully granulated.

• Daniel Smith Payne's Blue Gray — Uses a different blue (PB60), cool and elegant.

Yellows

• Core Nickel Azo Yellow — Heavy, staining, vibrant.

• Daniel Smith Nickel Azo Yellow — Lighter, subtler.

• Schmincke Quinacridone Gold Hue — Warm, orangey, glowing.

• Holbein Pampas Grass Yellow — Granulated, lovely in mixes.

Reds

• Daniel Smith Quinacridone Rose vs. Winsor & Newton Alizarin Crimson — I prefer QR for lightfastness; Alizarin is warmer but fades.

• Daniel Smith Pyrrol Red vs. Pyrrol Scarlet — Scarlet is warmer, more cadmium-like.

• Schmincke Volcano Red — Single pigment, granulated, gorgeous.

• Holbein Lunar Eclipse Red — Blood-orange warmth, complex.

Violets

• M. Graham Dioxazine Violet — Dense, rich.

• Schmincke Violet — More transparent, easier to mix with lighter colors.

• Daniel Smith Amethyst vs. Sugilite — I favor Sugilite for subtlety; Amethyst for stronger purples.

Neutrals & Browns

• Winsor & Newton Indian Red vs. Daniel Smith Indian Red — WN is warmer; DS is cooler, browner.

• Schmincke English Venetian Red vs. QoR Burnt Orange — QoR is denser, powerful.

• Schmincke Mahogany vs. Rockwell Maple Samaras — Mahogany leans pinkish; Maple has violet-brown tones.

• Neutral Tint — WN includes black, M. Graham mixes green + violet; both are great depending on the look.

Blacks

• Schmincke Mars Black vs. Daniel Smith Lunar Black — Mars is warmer, Lunar is punchier.

Oranges

• Daniel Smith Transparent Pyrrol Orange vs. Winsor & Newton Transparent Orange vs. QoR Pyrrol Orange — QoR is a different beast, super opaque; I might lean toward WN for classic glow.

Final Reflections As you can tell, I often lean toward granulation, subtlety, and the emotional feel of a pigment over just technical specs. What works best truly depends on your painting style: portraits, botanicals, abstracts, or landscapes all pull different strengths from these pigments.

If you want to see the full video where I created these, the video is here.

See you in my next color explorations;)