So, anyone who knows me will know...I'm a little bit of a magpie. And since I heard Royal Talens were releasing their own set of metallic watercolours, well, lets just say, when I finally managed to get my hands on some, I couldn't wait to start playing!
What are they?
This is actually the Van Gogh Watercolour Pocket Box in Metallic & Interference Colours. It includes 12 pans and a seriously nifty little brush (I spent a good five minutes marvelling at it...although that may just be because I don't get out much) all in a robust feeling black plastic case. Check out the official specs here
Colours:
Metallic Colours: Silver, Light Gold, Deep Gold, Copper, Bronze, Light Gold & Graphite
Interference Colours: White, Yellow, Red, Blue, Violet & Green
I've tested them on the Rhodia Black Maya paper and Rhodia White paper below, and I have to say, so far I'm pretty impressed.
First Use:
What I loved about these immediately was how easy they were to mix up! I don't know if it's because they're smaller pans than the Coliro ones and I was just more careful, but literally, a couple of drops of water and a stir and you're ready to go. The colours move nicely from a highly pigmented solid to a gentle shimmery wash with a satisfying amount of sparkle!
First up on white paper - the metallics stand out great. All of them match pretty closely to Coliro colours (Sterling Silver, Silver, Gold Pearl, Tibet Gold, Golden Orange, Bronze, Silver Grey).
The interference colours were great! Love the selection of colours, and the subtlety on the white paper was great. Despite all my best efforts this photo does them NO justice. But I spent a good five minutes waving my paper back and forth just enjoying the transition as they catch the light.
Next up - black paper.
Again, love the metallics. Great shine, great pigment, just, totally happy.
When it comes to the intereference colours, I admit, they were a little too colourful for my preference. I think I'm in search of something that doesn't exist but I wish you had the same holographic contrast on black paper as you do with white, rather than a much more solid colour whatever angle you look at it!
For calligraphy I found they flowed so nicely almost immediately and kept a good consistency for a while - definitely long enough to finish a piece without having to mess about. I do tend to prefer my ink on the thicker side, but I'm sure it's the same for those who don't. I only wish I could actually draw because I've seen some amazing art work using these paints!
The Verdict:
Would I throw away all my Coliro palettes for these? Well, no, but then I won't throw anything away, especially if it's shiny. At £35 (ish) it definitely isn't cheap, but when you get 12 colours vs. Coliro's standard 6 (which set you back around £24), it's a really solid palette to cover your bases. Plus it transports way better (no more reattaching stray pans) with the brush and palette built in. I think I'm right in saying they promise a high level of lightfastness, plus in my experience there is no pigment or shimmer transfer once dry. I think if you're looking to invest in one set of metallics, I would go with this hands down in terms of value for money.
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