Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Tubes (5ml)

One of Winsor & Newton’s range of Professional Water Colours, Winsor Blue (Green Shade) has an intense blue depth, which approaches black in mass tone, with a green undertone. Part of the Six Colour Mixing System, it mixes very well with other colours (although care should be taken not to let it overpower) and when thinned, can be used for glazing with great effect. It is stable, intense and insolvable except in sulphuric acids.

Video Series: Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colours

What is water colour?

Water colour is produced by the combination of a pigment with a binder, usually Gum Arabic. This is then applied, with water, to a support such as water colour paper. The pigment fixes to the support upon evaporation of the water. Click here for further product information on Winsor & Newton’s water colour range.

Water colours are water-based, so brushes used to apply the water colour paint need only mild soap and water to clean them after use. This video illustrates how simple it is to clean and care for water colour brushes.

Why use tube water colour?

Water colour paint is available in two different formats, tubes and pan. Water colour tubes are ideal for creating a strong wash quickly, and are popular with artists who are producing large scale work, and using a lot of colours. Tube water colour lends itself to many different techniques, in contrast to pan colours, which are better suited to creating more detailed artwork.

What is better, tube water colour or half pans?

There is no difference in quality between tube water colour and half pans, the difference is in the application. One of the main features of the tubes is controlled measurement of use, applying as little or as much as required by the artist. Big spaces are more easily covered using tube water colour than when using a half pan.

Designed for ease of travel, half pan colours are perfect to use on the go. Half pans are popular with artists who paint infrequently, as the paints may be left for a long periods of time between uses, without affecting their quality

What to do if your tube dries up?

Keeping the caps closed tightly on the tubes will help prevent the paint drying up. Once a tube has dried up, the water colour paint cannot be re-softened. However, the colour may still be used by cutting open the tube, and using in the same way as a pan of water colour.

This guide offers some Tips On Reusing Dried Water Colour.

What is pigment Phthalocyanine?

Winsor Blue is made of an organic synthetic pigment: copper phthalocyanine. The phthalocyanine family of colours were first chemically synthesized in the late 1920s. Having a high lightfastness rating, the paint will stay permanent and not fade or change over time, giving artists reassurance and confidence their work will remain as fresh as the day it was created.

What is the Six Colour Mixing System?

For artists wanting to explore the colour theory of painting, Winsor & Newton’s Six Colour Mixing System, recommends a primary colour selection of Winsor Lemon, Winsor Yellow, French Ultramarine, Winsor Blue (Green Shade), Permanent Rose and Scarlet Lake.

When only three colours are used, Winsor & Newton advise Winsor Lemon, Winsor Blue (Red Shade) and Permanent Rose as the best selection of primary colours.

Which surfaces best support Water Colour?

When choosing a Water Colour surface, it is important to consider the absorbency, colour and stability of the paper. Our range of Water Colour Paper & Pads offers an extensive choice of size and style, to meet artists’ every requirement.

Which brushes are best for Water Colour painting?

Water Colour painting requires the brush to hold large amounts of water and paint. Natural hair brushes, particularly Red Sable brushes, tend to be favoured by artists working with Water Colour. With a middle body able to hold a good reservoir of colour, Sable hair has excellent spring and resilience. The hairs are particularly strong at the brush’s fine tip, allowing the brush to be used both delicately and aggressively. Advancements in the production of synthetic hair have resulted in a rise in popularity of Synthetic Water Colour Brushes, especially if price and durability are an issue.

Which techniques work best with Water Colour?

The following links show some new techniques on how watercolours can be used:

Water Colour Revolution

Techniques For Contemporary Water Colour

Focus On Water Colour Illustration Techniques

Who are Winsor & Newton?

In 1832, William Winsor and Henry Newton introduced the first moist water colours to the world. Today, Winsor and Newton remain the premier choice for artists, offering a wide variety of fine art supplies including: oil, water colour, acrylic and alkyd paints, pastels, artists' brushes, canvases, papers and portfolios.