Ever since early Spring of this year I’ve been slowly acquiring and growing my watercolor collection. I’m finally at a point where I have plenty of colors, I’ve identified some that I reach for most often and I am happy with my collection. This doesn’t mean I won’t change things up in the future, I might, but right now I am as happy as they get.
My true watercolor journey started when I received a sample dot chart of Daniel Smith watercolors about 2 years ago. Prior to that moment I’ve been using Distress inks and Gansai Tambi watercolors which are both great products, but they are beginner products.
I am not aspiring to be the best watercolor artist in the world, but I would love to up my skill level and it’s always best to do so using high quality supplies. To me there is a night and day difference between these and while I still use my Distress inks for watercoloring on occasion (you can get great results using them), I reach more and more for my Daniel Smith paints.
MY TOP 10 & TOP 20 WATERCOLOR COLORS FOR CARDMAKING
If you’d like to start your own collection of professional quality watercolors getting a dot chart is a very good idea. I had my Daniel Smith chart for a little over a year – this gave me plenty of time to try out nearly all of the colors and decide which had to become must haves in my collection and which I could do without.
Also, if you are very new to watercolor – do take a watercoloring class. The only class I’ve taken (and have also contributed to) is Watercolors For Cardmakers Intermediate Techniques. It’s an exceptionally good class with loads of useful information; and the best part is – it is designer for cardmakers. Also, see this blog post by Debby Hughes – very inspirational and filled with useful information.
Another thing to note and keep in mind, you can mix many of the colors yourself by combining primary, secondary and tertiary colors together. So it might be a good idea to get just the basic colors and mix your own. I do not like mixing my own colors unless I have to (I do mix my own black), so instead of mixing colors I love, I purchased them.
So without further ado, my list of Top 10 and Top 20 watercolor colors for cardmaking.
MY TOP 10 COLORS
click image to enlarge
Quinacridone Gold | Quinacridone Coral | Quinacridone Rose | Quinacridone Magenta | Imperial Purple | Sap Green | Undersea Green | Cobalt Teal Blue | Indigo | Transparent Brown. All are Daniel Smith colors.
 Daniel Smith Quinacridone Gold 5ml Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Quinacridone Coral 5ml Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Quinacridone Rose 5ml Shop at: SSS | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Quinacridone Magenta 5ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Imperial Purple 5ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Sap Green 5ml Shop at: SSS | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Undersea Green 5ml Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Cobalt Teal Blue 5ml Shop at: SC | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Indigo 5ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Transparent Brown Oxide 15ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
MY TOP 20 COLORS
10 above plus: Alizarin Crimson | Pyrrol Red | Bordeaux | Olive Green | Duochrome Oceanic | Ultramarine Turquoise | Cascade Green | Lunar Blue | Phthalo Blue | Sodalite Genuine. All are Daniel Smith colors.
 Daniel Smith Alizarin Crimson Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Pyrrol Red Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Bordeaux 15ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Olive Green Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Duochrome Oceanic Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Ultramarine Turquoise Shop at: SSS | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Cascade Green Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Lunar Blue Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Phthalo Blue Shop at: AZ |
 Daniel Smith Sodalite Genuine Shop at: SC | AZ | BL |
All colors I currently have and love by row:
Schmincke Gold | DS Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue | DS Quinacridone Gold | DS Quinacridone Deep Gold | DS Buff Titanium | DS Quinacridone Coral | DS Quinacridone Rose | DS Opera Pink | DS Rhodonite Genuine | Schmincke Ruby Red | DS Alizarin Crimson | Schmincke Vermilion
DS Pyrrol Red | DS Pyrrol Crimson | DS Bordeaux | DS Naphthamide Maroon | DS Quinacridone Magenta | DS Quinacridone Violet | DS Sugilite Genuine | DS Amethyst Genuine | DS Imperial Purple | DS Moonglow | DS Phthalo Yellow Green
DS Sap Green | DS Serpentine Genuine | DS Olive Green | DS Green Apatite Genuine | DS Iridescent Topaz | DS Undersea Green | DS Duochrome Oceanic | DS Fuchsite Genuine | DS Amazonite Genuine | DS Cobalt Teal Blue | DS Sleeping Beauty Turquoise | DS Ultramarine Turquoise
DS Phthalo Turquoise | DS Cascade Green | DS Kyanite Genuine | DS Lunar Blue | DS Indigo | Schmincke Indigo | DS Phthalo Blue | DS Hematite Violet Genuine | DS Goethite Brown Ochre | DS Transparent Brown | DS Sodalite Genuine
VIDEO
I filmed a chatty video about my favorite colors and the dot chart. Watch it below or on my Youtube channel.
Like this video? Please give it a big thumbs up (you can do this on Youtube video page right under the video) and share with a crafty friend! Leave me a comment too, I love hearing from you!
SUMMARY
If you are new to watercolor be sure to check and see if you already own watercolor paints or if you have Distress inks. Many markers can be used for watercoloring and give great results. It took me good 2 years from first being introduced to Daniel Smith watercolors and having a full 47 color collection, so don’t rush. Get a dot chart and give yourself enough time to explore the paints and learn what colors you love best.
SUPPLIES
I’m listing the products I used below. Click on the link to go directly to the product. Where available I use compensated affiliate links which means if you make a purchase I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you so much for your support
 Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolor 238-Dot Color Chart Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Hero Arts Daniel Smith Watercolor Dot Palette Shop at: SSS | HA |
Daniel Smith Quinacridone Rose 5ml Shop at: SSS | AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Imperial Purple 5ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Sap Green 5ml Shop at: SSS | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Phthalo Turquoise 5ml Shop at: SC | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Goethite-Brown Ochre 15ml Shop at: SSS | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Quinacridone Deep Gold 5ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Cobalt Teal Blue 5ml Shop at: SC | AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Quinacridone Magenta 5ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Extra Fine Essential Watercolor Set Shop at: SSS | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Primary Extra Fine Watercolor Triad Set Shop at: SSS | AZ |
 Daniel Smith Secondary Extra Fine Watercolor Triad Set Shop at: SSS | AZ |
Daniel Smith Quinacridone Gold 5ml Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Quinacridone Coral 5ml Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Indigo 5ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Undersea Green 5ml Shop at: SSS | SC | AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Transparent Brown Oxide 15ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue 5ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Buff Titanium 5ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Opera Pink Shop at: SC | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Rhodonite Genuine Shop at: SC | AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Alizarin Crimson Shop at: AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Pyrrol Red Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Pyrrol Crimson 15ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Bordeaux 15ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Naphthamide Maroon 15ml Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Quinacridone Violet Shop at: SSS | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Sugilite Genuine Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Amethyst Genuine Shop at: SC | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Moonglow Shop at: SC | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Phthalo Yellow Green Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Serpentine Genuine Shop at: SC | AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Olive Green Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Green Apatite Genuine Shop at: SC | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Iridescent Topaz Shop at: AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Duochrome Oceanic Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Fuchsite Genuine Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Amazonite Genuine Shop at: SC | AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Shop at: AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Ultramarine Turquoise Shop at: SSS | AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Cascade Green Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Daniel Smith Kyanite Genuine Shop at: AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Lunar Blue Shop at: AZ | BL |
Daniel Smith Phthalo Blue Shop at: AZ |
 Daniel Smith Hematite Violet Genuine Shop at: AZ |
Daniel Smith Sodalite Genuine Shop at: SC | AZ | BL |
 Schmincke Indigo Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Schmincke Ruby Red Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Schmincke Gold Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Schmincke Vermilion Shop at: AZ | BL |
 Meeden Empty Watercolor Tins Palette Paint Case Shop at: AZ |
Thanks for the video, Yana. My journey with watercolor has been similar to yours. I’ve been playing with distress inks (using them to watercolor) and heard about the Daniel Smith “dot chart” (probably from you!). I mentioned it to a watercolor artist friend who happened to have some charts she wasn’t going to use and she gave them to me. I just began playing with them just a little bit!!! Am looking forward to challenging myself to use them more and see how I like them. It was helpful in your video to see some of the colors closer up and after water is added! A very timely video for me!!!! Thanks, again!
yay! so happy, Debbie!
Love it!! Thank you for sharing with us. Where did you get your swatch sheets?
thank you, Casey! It was a download from a class – Watercolors For Cardmakers Intermediate Techniques from Online Card Classes.
Thank you for the very informative video. The colors are very vibrant and beautiful!
Yana, thank you so much for the video on watercolor. Very interesting. As to your pronouncing you did very well, am sure there are many of us would have trouble of them as well.
Yana, thank you…this is encouraging. I’m a timid beginner. I’ve also tried everything from distress inks to watercolor pencils. It’s time to put on my big girls pants and buy professional watercolors. BTW…your enunciation is lovely.
An absolutely amazing intro video to Daniel Smith’s wc’s. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for sharing, I am looking forwards to learning more about water coloring.
I love the video, very inormative.
I have a question?
Where did you purchase or how did you made the sample swatch for your watercolours?
I watched your two latest videos at Simon Say Stamp and I am glad they are selling your favourite color set.