In Praise of Natural Pigments

photo from www.naturalpigments.com

  I made a 2020 resolution to choose quality above all and it starts with companies like Natural Pigments.  It's easy to think that great materials will automatically make you a great painter, but it obviously requires dedication and years of practice; what's also true is that the materiality of painting is very important to the final result.
  Within the last few years, I've been becoming more and more of a purist when it comes to my materials.  I've long been a fan of 19th century paintings, which is why I was so happy to discover Natural Pigments.  I had the opportunity to meet the founders of Natural Pigments back in 2013 at a portrait painting conference in Philadelphia and they were some of the nicest, most knowledgeable and generous people I've met.  
  If you're interested in techniques and materials of the past (like me), then you'll be very happy to read through Natural Pigment's website.  And if you've ever had questions like: Do I need to wait six months for a painting to dry before I varnish it? then check out their resources page which has a link to technical articles to answer a bunch of painterly questions.
  Another reason I like their paint is because their pigments and paints are hand ground which results in larger particle sizes of pigment and ultimately a more luminous paint (this is especially important for watercolor painting).  Another important process is the way their watercolor pans are made, As it says on their website: "Unlike pan watercolors made with the extrusion process, Rublev Colours Watercolors are poured—a process preserving the integrity of each color and resulting in semi-moist cakes that respond instantly to a wet brush."
  I just purchased a set of watercolors which I'm eager to try out and write a review of.  Go check them out yourself and enjoy their amazing paint!!