Daniel Smith Watercolors (Part 4) - Blues & Turquoise 

I enjoy coming back and re-watching this video to see which blues really appeal to me. Thank you very much.

Oh great..more blues I want to add to my wishlist ! I do have Phthalo (gs) , cobalt teal blue and phthalo turquoise.love them all. Thank you for your lovely video!

I love watching your swatching videos. Thanks for making them. I usually add a few colors to my wishlist after watching each one. ☺️

Love these videos, they are sooo helpful! Thank you.

The most beautiful blue is mayan blue genuine. This color looks incredible. Concerning Lapis Lazuli, A. Gallo's is still unmatched.

Thank you. Just wanted to note that Jane Blundell conducted lightfastness testing on the Primatek colours and Sleeping Beauty Genuine didn’t fair out very well. There are more that don’t seem to be lightfast. Check out her blog on October 2, 2013 lightfastness testing.

Can testify that the sodalite genuine is gorgeous! Thanks for another wonderful video :)

I can't live without DS Primatek Solalite. It turns almost any watercolor shade into a budget Schmincke supergranulating color lookalike. I just hope it doesn't fade over time.

Very helpful, thank you! ❤

many many options. Now blues are my favourite so I tend to have a lot XD I have a cobalt teal and a pthalo turquoise in every palette. Indanthrone blue is what I usually start with as a base, but I tend to use darker colours in general. For something brighter, these days I use more cobalt blue than ultramarine but love both. Sodalite genuine made me fall in love with granulation, the first year of using it I just used it in every painting. A nd of course Indigo is my workhorse. Always excited to try more blues. That Mayan blues look gorgeous.

Thanks 👍🏼 Really useful to see them side by side. I think I’m right in saying this version of PB60 is the most lightfast. I have this version and M Graham’s, which I prefer because it’s a richer, deeper blue imo. But in future, I’d probably stick with DS version and mix a little of my own French Ultramarine in.

DS Prussian Blue is listed as LF1.

That Phthalo Blue Red Shade is so blue, Eifel 65 is singing. Gorgeous color. Makes me think of Sapphires. Ultramarine is a gorgeous color as well, especially when compared to Lapis Lazuli, where the original Ultramarine color came from.

I have Sodalite gen. and the granulation is spectacular 😍. But I don’t reach out as often for it compared to indigo. We don’t always use the colors we thought we love 😂

Several years ago, I purchased a tube of DaVinci Lapis Lazuli blue, and was disappointed as well. I don't think there is any more of the rich blue stone left, though; all we're left with is pale blue denim colored stone. I remember thinking how heavy the tube was, how expensive it was, and how much I regretted purchasing it. But, you win some, you lose some.

Im always trying to limit the colours in my pallet but blue is the primary I have more than two of, Cobalt, French Ultramarine and Pthalo blue GS from Daniel Smith and lavender from Holbein have permanent places in my pallet.

Sodalite sounds like a carbonated drink 😂

I think Daniel Smith’s Lapis Lazuli is actually Ash of Ultramarine or something like that. Ash of Ultramarine is basically the lowest grade of Ultramarine and tends more towards grey. I think it contains more impurities than pigment. The Roman Szmal Lazurite also seems to be Ash of Ultramarine.

You should try Lapis Lazuli from Kremer pigments. It is a much better blue. 🤗

I have the cobalt teal blue in a couple of palettes. I really love it. I'm glad I didn't ever buy the Lapis Lazuli. It would be so easily overpowered by any other color you mixed with it. I like the Blue Apatite Genuine. Wonder how lightfast it is? The lavender is nice, but I don't think I'd have a use for it.

Hi, anybody now which of Daniel Smith’s would be a close match to W&N’s Aqua Green?

For those out there who love lunar blue and blue appetite genuine, would anyone let me know why they prefer one over the other? I want to purchase one of them, but am unsure which to purchase as they are so similar! Thanks.

I agree about the Lapis...not great. I have tried a lot of Daniel Smith's blues, but none have won my heart. Although they are great...

I do have the Lapis too, and I do agree that I am disappointed by it!!! I am somewhat annoyed with Daniel Smith on a whole, regarding their transparency with customers!!! I love their paint but I can't trust them! As a professional artist it's also my reputation on the line when I sell a piece to a collector stating that the pigments used are the best of the best, I need to be able to trust that!!!!!!!!!!!! So...YES! I'm in a tough situation!!!!!!!

I bought lapis lazuli as I practice medieval calligraphy and decorate initials, it's worse than a weakest denim wash in fact hand soak a brand new pair of levis and bottle the water and you'll still have a better hue than this and it's the most expensive paint I've ever bought, mug mug mug....

DS have a video on how they make the Lapis Lazuli. They leave out multiple refining steps, which is why it's so weak. I believe the Lapis paint is still made the "original" way from when Daniel himself was with the company. Apparently all the Primateks were terrible then!?! I've heard when the current CEO took over the Primatek line was revised and they suddenly became much "better," clearly by the addition of massive amounts of synthetic pigments. It's so clear in your swatches - rhodonite looks nearly identical to rose madder. Sleeping Beauty Turquoise looks nearly identical to Cobalt Teal Blue. Amazonite is just a greener version of the Ultramarine Turquoise. Blue Apatite looks practically identical to the Lunar Blue next to it. Ugh. This is why I don't really buy DS anymore even though I live next door to Seattle! Of these, I have the phthalo blues and the 2-pigment turquoise. I actually love how deep the turquoise goes in value. It makes such a great cym triad. I have the Cobalt Teal but I prefer DaVinci and M. Graham's hues. I have the Ultramarine, which can dry really weird in the pan, as you've heard. The Prussian is nice, and was pretty lightfast for Handprint back in the day, but I prefer Qor. The PB 60 is quite different to others I have, it's by far the reddest? Would love a comparison video. I also have the Mayan, which I think is pretty but questionable lightfastness. The Cerulean Chromium and Manganese Hue are...ok. I went back to the pan of Manganese hue the other day and it was very weird and hard to rewet, but may have been ok once I got the top layer off.

Great colours, but so many you can mix yourself. Why no pigment info or lightfastness ratings on those primatek colours? Ask yourself "why not?" before purchasing. What is DS not telling you? And the Lapis Lazuli is a waste of money.