Written for Artsavingsclub by artist, Candice Christie.
Testing Schmincke Horadam Naturals: A different kind of watercolour
I recently got my hands on 11 of the 16 shades of Schmincke’s Horadam Naturals range, and I thought I’d put some words down to describe my experience simply because they’re unlike any traditional watercolour you would use. So while I can appreciate a good swatch and scroll, this article will hopefully tell you why it is worth learning about this medium on its own terms rather than comparing against other watercolours you already know.
Schmincke Horadam Naturals is a vegan, water-based paint made entirely from natural earth pigments and plant resins and juice, bound with gum arabic. There is no watercolour range quite like this one.
The genuine sap of the Indigofera plant gives you a true plant-based indigo. Rare earths produce shades like Lalvarit Violet and Caucasus Earth that you simply cannot get from synthetic pigment. Fifteen of the sixteen colours in the range carry 3 to 5 star lightfastness ratings which is high for a medium sourced from natural earth and plant pigments. Your colours are not going to fade within a year and last for many years to come.
It is a matte watercolour medium that is mostly semi-transparent, and it glazes beautifully. You can use it neat, dilute it with water, and layer it over or under your traditional watercolour colours, even gouache. It remains water-soluble once dry.
So what’s the difference compared to traditional watercolours?
Whenever you’re introduced to a new medium, it’s good to get a sense of what they’re all about. The Schmincke “Naturals” range is not actually watercolour but rather its own medium which rewards a slightly different approach.
The pigments themselves are coarser than what you are used to because they do come straight from earth and plant sources. This can also impact colour accuracy between batches. Rather than being milled to a uniform synthetic particle, the paint has a slightly rougher, more granulating finish on the page. That texture is meant to be there so if you are after a smooth and even consistent flow of paint on the page, you may need to use an alternate watercolour medium. The whole point of this vegan, natural earth pigment range is to offer this beautiful granulation and texture.
Straight out of the tube the consistency is rather thick and closer to a gouache than watercolour. It means that if you were hoping for blooms working wet on wet, you will more likely end up with a bit of a gloopy and uneven finish. The fix is simple and non-negotiable! You need to work the paint and water together on your palette first in order to achieve a homogeneous paste and only then will it take to your paper. If you skip that step you may feel like you are fighting the medium.
The Schmincke Horadam Naturals colours unpacked:
A few colours, like Stil de Grain, have an unusually wide tonal range within a single pigment, shifting from yellow-green through to greenish brown, depending on how diluted it is. That kind of range is closer to how a true watercolour glaze behaves, so the medium is not entirely unfamiliar. It requires you slowing down a little to test each shade before committing to paper.
You may also notice a slight scent emanate from some of the tubes, and a very slight colour variation between batches of certain colours. Both are simply the result of using real plant and natural earth materials rather than lab-consistent pigment.
The unique colours in this experiment included:
Darks & Neutrals: Indigofera, Graphite Black and Vine Black. Earth & Warm tones: Yellow Ochre, Red Bolus, Stil de Grain and Lalvarit violet. Greens & Cool earth: Caucasus Earth, Celadonite, Dyers Green and Green Slate.
Each of them has their own personality and several behave nothing like their nearest watercolour equivalent.
My favourite ways to use the Horadam natural earth pigments:
What I enjoyed most is using the Schmincke Naturals watercolour range in light consistencies as foundation layers of textured washes. I keep the laydown quite thin and light, and enjoy strategically placing more saturated pigment in pockets where I would like a little more texture or granulation. These colours make lovely foundation layers and can be mixed with traditional watercolours and gouache. It’s a slightly different way of thinking than just straight watercolours, but rewarding nonetheless.
Visit the Artsavingsclub website product page to shop the 15ml tubes.
The Horadam Naturals are also available in assorted sets.
Shop the traditional Horadam Aquarell Watercolour Half Pans & Tubes.
Written by Candice Christie from Hey Sweet Art / Instagram: heysweet.art
