I just started watercolor painting about 2 months ago and it's difficult to put into words just how much your channel has helped me. I tried drawing and some painting when I was much younger and there was nothing like KZfaq around at the time. It's hard to imagine getting started with watercolors back then. Your videos have been so incredibly helpful and encouraging as I continue to learn. Thank you so much for these!!

Thanks so much. Your videos are so instructive. For some reason, quirky for sure, when you mention red iron oxide, I'm reminded of the Department of Redundancy Department. Blessings.

hello... here pedro from brazil... your video saved me, from throwing out some colors, blues, that I thought were bad... ultramarine, prussian blue... cobalt... and so the grays that I mixed, too they got granulated, sedimented on the paper, according to some situations...these are Japanese-made tubes that I had kept for a long time (30 years), and I added honey and gum arabic to reactivate them. Flew to pay more attention to the type of paper and also in relation to the washes. thank you so much....

Genuinly thought my paints were defective, thank you

Finally someone who explains this clearly and straight to the point 🖒🖒🖒🖒🖒

I was noticing this with a couple of my paints, and I did think there was something wrong. Whew!

Great video thank you, I love the scripture at the end

great series steve , god bless you for sharing.

I love the granulating colours and I really want to buy some more Daniel Smith (primatek) colours. I have moonglow and cascade green and both are fabuleus. I also got the granulation medium and am just experimenting with it on my other colours. Watercolour is just so much fun!

Thank you so much for this. I'd heard about granulation but didn't know what it was. When I'd seen it in my paints, I thought I just added too much water or did something wrong.

Great lessons here. Easy to understand and full of information.

I personally love the granulation effect it gives the watercolor even more character :)

Very cool. I love Prussian Blue and use it in most of my paintings, but didn't realize what I liked about it had a name "granulation". I had no idea there was a medium to do that artificially, thanks so much for the video.

Thank you for the instructions. I adore my granulating colors and appreciate you telling us the background story for them and about the medium. I always learn from you!

I think it's pretty important to know as much as possible about colours and pigments so i really appreciate this video! While watching it i was thinking about the fabulous Daniel Smith paints and voilà, at the end you presented the wonderful Primatek set. Needless to mention i'm a big fan of granulation...

I love the granulation! 🎨 The medium would be perfect for seascapes.

Had no idea what granulation was - I've been painting for 4 whole months - but I was trying your sky studies and it happened - I didn't like it! I thought something was wrong with the paint. I love your videos because you talk about things that I need to know as a beginner. And the ones geared toward more professional painters give me something to strive for. Thanks! Minder Linda

Thank you, Steve! This is so so helpful! Along with the cheap paper v. 100% cotton paper videos, you've helped a beginner learner unravel all the mysteries (frustrating ones so far) of watercolor learning! The granulation was driving me crazy and I didn't know how to stop it. I thought it was me. I can't thank you enough.

Great easy to understand video. Thank you

Hey Steve!!! This was probably my favorite episode of yours so far. I just wanted to come back and say I got the Daniel Smith set off amazon and I LOVE LOVE LOVE them!!! Also the granulating medium and have been having lots of fun experiments. Thanks again!

Just the best. Thank you Steve.

Thank you so muck for making these videos! I saw one of your videos about half a year ago and it ignited a new spark for watercolor in me and I really can't thank you enough for that. Your videos are very helpful and inspiring and your calm manner makes them a joy to watch. I hope you will create many more videos (with Reese's assistance, of course) and I just became a proud Minder Patreon to help you keep going. Thank you, Steve!

Thank you for this. I have never seen it explained so well.

Thank you for making these videos they are so informative!!!

I have painted in wc a very long time and I did know this but every time I watch your videos, I learn some important little thing of value. Thanks!

I love watching our videos so much. I always find something new to learn from what you show us, even if you're not actively trying to 'teach' anything in specific but just show us what watercolours can do. Thanks to watching your videos I've even had the courage to put a couple of my own (badly done so far lol) fumbling attempts on my Instagram, and intend to keep improving I hope. :) Thank you for all you put into these things, and letting an ole lady learn new tricks hehe. :D

Thanks for this informative video! I'm not a big fan of granulation, but I'm happy I know how it works now!

this was really informative and helpful. thanks!

Very useful information, thank you! I especially appreciate the test of the granulation medium. That stuff looks very effective and I know now that I'd like to try it out myself!

I love granulation, my favourite mix at the moment are, Daniel Smiths undersea green mixed with quin gold, great effect in landscapes. Thanks for all your great demo's Steve 🎨

Thanks for this video. Very helpful. In one of my first paintings I used ultramarine that granulated significantly and I thought I'd done something wrong. Then my teacher complimented me, as if I'd done it intentionally. Uh yeah, I totally did! lol

Thanks Steve, great info on granulation.

Very useful information, thanks very much

Thanks Steve, great information!

Thanks, Steve! Very helpful!

Thank you your videos are so helpful

Great info as always. Thanks Steve.

I love the granulation of ultramarine and I really love the un-granulate super-rich version from M.Graham. I suggest that it's just different prosperities and more options, as long as they're all artist paint. Less granulating and relatibely more staining ultramarine could be very useful in even wash and layering.

Such great info, thanks for sharing! Didn't know about the granulating medium--intriguing.

Important info. for us portrait artists!

This is a very helpful video! Thanks so much for posting it for us!!

Very informative video I didn't know fully what granulating meant but now I do! And very timely for me because I just ordered that same primatek set!

Awesome vid, very informative. thank you!

Another great video! Thank you Steve!

Wow.... Thank you for this.....I love granulation... But an art teacher told me it was a sign of cheap paints! Your videos are inspiring me to get back and play again after 5 years away from watercolours!

My first attempt on rough paper lead to a pretty boring result. Thx for the vid...I'll keep at it. Subbed.

I'm currently working in Brazil and have almost no internet access. This made me realize how much i miss your videos 😭

Wow thank you for solving this secret for me.

I was painting some simple flowers with the Prima tropical set on canson xl watercolor paper and it was granulating so much but it looked really cool to me

That's why I hate primatek in DS. It can completely change the composition of the painting. DS has so much granulation. My mom complimented me and thought I had done that on purpose because the background looked granulated in a postcard I made her. I was relieved, but I didn't like it. I like my cotmans because they don't granulate at all other than some blues and browns do. I love doing portraits without any granulation.

Thanks for the great explanation and demonstration Steve! I learned a lot, as always! Happy Thanksgiving!!

The granulation medium looks like something that would be fun to try.

Thank you for this informative video! I knew about granulation in some pigments, but didn't experiment on the different colors....just noticed that a couple of them did this and it was in the blues. I also noticed it in Paynes Grey, as I used to use it a lot for shadowing. The Daniel Smith product looks like something to check out...thanks for that. Good video!!

hey Steve~just watched this! Love granulation! And in fact just got some beautiful granulations out of the PH Martin's Hydra set I have that I was checking for the first time yesterday, so this was a timely video for me! Cheers and thanks!

Classes category. Thanks, as always. Gracias.

Finally I know what granulation in watercolors mens! Thank you :)

Granulating has been a frustration with me, for years. I always "thought" it was a reaction with the sizing in and on the paper and the pigments. Your tutorial has de-bunked a few myths I have taken as fact when it comes to pigments settling out to a granulation. Thank you, once again. Husband of profile photo, person.

Very helpful!! Thank you :)

I am obsessed with granulation. I collect them from Roman Szmal, yet to try Daniel Smith. esp after that Primatek scandal lol. great video. I think I'll try to experiment with my paints, see which ones granulate dramatically. can't seem to see any of that Granulation Medium in asia, might have to order through Jackson's. I love the brush you used here! very handsome

This video is so helpful! Thanks!

Thankyou very helpful

Whatta y' mean only 1000 thumbs?!This stuff should relieve some paint/draw anxiety- AND spur you to more learning/understanding.(!)Good arting,and good holidays to all.Thanks fr the vid's.

I love the effect of the backwash with the granulated paint; a hint of a landscape trying to emerge...

Thank you so much!

Thank you for the very well done video. Granulation would make a beach scenes or foreground rocks more interesting. Hugs!

great video Steve! perfectly explained... makes me winder just what is in granulation medium;) maybe a type of sodium....

Tku for your e EXplanation

a very lovely effect

Please do some demos using DS primateks and WN Gran. Medium.

Awesome, thanks!

I've gotten a few DS paints, since I'm just starting (got a set of reeves student colors in December and I've already filled a palettes wells with better ones...whoops). One of my favorites is the lunar black, precisely because of the granulation; i found out that if you avoid that, it still looks great as a plain black.

Dang, I didnt realize Daniel Smith colors had grounded up gemstones in them, no wonder its so expensive!

I know it’s been 2 years since you posted this but could you make a painting with these? I just got this set and it would be interesting to see these used in a painting. 🙂

Thanks again!

Thanks very much for such a quick response to my question and probably others. I find that when I mix Cobalt Blue and Burnt Sienna they start separating on the palette. Looking through the M Graham colour chart they either have granulating or staining so what if you don't want granulation say for a sky but want to be able to lift the colour?

thank you!

This video was very informative, thank you. Winsor & Newton should sponsor you, because you're totally making me buy this product! ;P As a possible idea for a future video, would love to hear your thoughts and opinions painting on supports like canvas primed with watercolor ground or absorbent ground. I recently delved into painting on this new surface and eager to hear what others may have experienced.

what an interesting medium, i love learning about new watercolor mediums and i wonder if the way this granulation happens is from this product being a diluted version of a watercolor ground--i'm not sure if I'm using the right name for it but it's the one that you can prime a surface with in order to be able to use watercolors on it, it's usually white but i think it even comes in black and probably has a bunch of fibers in it. i guess i think of it as a watercolor version of gesso; and i only learned of its existence because i was looking into creating some watercolor art on some non-traditional surfaces.

Hi Steve, just been out to the desert.. Joshua Tree and trying to paint those rocks.. and thought these graduation colors would I thought be great for rocks.. do you have any videos on painting rocks in this way? great video thanks..

Amazing videos. Thanks for uploading. Was wondering if you have any recommendations for a versatile brush?

Hi Steve, I've been watching all of your videos and learn so much - thank you! My question is whether there is a way to stop the granulation. I've had trouble using some blues in sky sketches, not a place granulation is welcome unless there is a storm scene? Many thanks! Please keep the instructions coming.

This was awesome to watch. I really learnt a few things, thank you for that!

Nice one Steve. I tend to choose brands and colors that granulate more just personal preference. The best granulating pigments I have ever used were by Kremer pigments. If you ever get a chance, they have a great box of full pans for 80$. Teoh has reviewed them. I like that brush as well. I mostly use quills and saw those on Jerry's but wasn't sure about the quality. Most creative mark products I've used have always been pretty top notch though. Thanks as always my friend.

For those with a science background, inorganic pigments--usually metallic salts--are most likely to granulate because they have larger particles. These would be all cadmiums and cobalts, all of the iron oxides (ochre, sienna, umber etc), and anything with a metal in its name--for example aluminum silicates are ultramarines, manganese violet, nickel titanate, chromium oxide and so on. Of course some inorganic pigments have been ground so small they don't granulate--or they've even been micronized in some cases. Organic pigments (synthesized in a lab, not derived from flora and fauna or they won't be lightfast) have tiny particles and those particles are light enough to stay in solution until the water dries. These are very unlikely to granulate unless something has gone wrong, or someone has added a granulating solution to them. These pigments have organic names like quinacridone, dioxizine, carbazole, benzimidazolone, napthol, phthalo, indanthrene and so one. Of course this means very little to the average person, but for those who have studied chemistry at all, it will likely immediately leap out at you and change the way you look at your pigments.

I know this video is already a bit older, but I would very much appreciate your help with the following: My sennelier "vert turquoise" granulates heavily and I'd love to sometimes use it in a smoother way. Is there a way to undo the effect, say mixing in glycerin, (more) honey or something?

Hi! Which is the brand and type of brush are you using here?

Steve, could you provide a link to the exact brush you are using in this video? It looks to be a quill, but the link in the description goes to the general page for all the Black Velvet brushes and I couldn't find the quill, if indeed that is what you are using. Also what size is it? Thanks!

In this video you mentioned that you didn’t use the granulation medium straight out of the bottle. So did you add water to the little cup you poured it into? Or did you just mean that you poured it straight out of the bottle? I have been trying to achieve reliable granulation for a long time and am mostly frustrated…getting there a little more, but always appreciate your input. Thanks, Steve

Get the heck out!!! Granulation...who knew?!?!?! I'm new to watercoloring, and did my first wet-on-wet painting recently, and was getting so discouraged thinking that I was tearing up the paper somehow, or doing something wrong with my brushes that was causing this "coarseness" which I now know is GRANULATION! Well, well, well. Thank you for this video. I won't feel quite so discouraged.

Thanks for the video! Could you put that granulation medium in a mister bottle and then spray over still wet areas, or is it too toxic?

The DSW Hematite sample looks like a giraffe head to me. I love granulation!

You said you didn’t use the granulation fluid full strength. What were your proportions and I’m assuming (you know what they say about assumptions) 😜 you used water to dilute ???

Hi, I'm new to this channel so I'm not sure if this has been answered before but I just bought a set of cheap tube watercolours to try the technique before commiting myself to a bigger money investment. They blend well between each other and expand nicely as well whenever I want to fill a large area, they also can be easily revived with water on the paper for more blending; in general, they work fairly well as watercolours. But I've noticed that no matter how much pigment I use, the color goes opaque/chalky after drying and I'm kind of confused because what really got me into buying them was looking at the rich and colorful images that many people do. So I was wondering if you could enlighten me on why this effect might be going on with my paints.

Wow, the granulating medium created a gorgeous wash! Thanks for a great tutorial. Handprint also has an excellent article where Bruce MacEvoy lists all the granulating pigments, which he calls "textured". He also lists the most transparent pigments, , straining pigments, saturated pigments, etc. Very worthwhile checking out: www.handprint.com/HP/WCL/palette2.html

great face in the haematite

I mix the medium with my paint on my pallet, then apply. It often doesn't work. I don't use water. Am I doing it wrong?

anyone remember uranium (?)yellow in many stores decades ago?

I’m not a fan of granulation, esp in depicting skies and water. How do I avoid it? I like some of the quinacrine colors which don’t granulated as much. But all the blues do, an essential color for skies and for water. How do you avoid it?

So are all ultramarine and Payne’s grey etc granulating not matter what brand (assuming you are using artist quality)?

Does rough paper cause granulation? Thank you for the tutorial!