After a year of using Holbein Artists’ Watercolor paints I thought it might be cool to see which are my go-to Holbein Watercolor colors. This would be a great rainy day activity if you’re not feeling particularly inspired or want to check in on your supplies.
One small disclaimer is that just because these are my go-to colors does not mean that they have to be yours. I firmly believe that color choices are highly personal and what works and resonates with me may not with you. And that’s okay. I think it’s always interesting to see how other people use their paints and which colors we gravitate towards.
How I Created my Holbein Watercolor Palette
I first created my Holbein watercolor palette in November 2023. I bought a set of 48 tube paints and poured them into half pans. I knew that 48 colors was a bit much, but I also knew that I’m a bit lazy and didn’t want to spend too much time mixing. There were also a few special colors that were in the set of 48 that weren’t in the smaller sets. Naturally, I had to have them.
If you’re a complete beginner, I still recommend starting with a limited color palette and getting the hang of color theory first.
My 12 Go-To Holbein Watercolor Colors
Without further ado, here are my top 12 go-to Holbein watercolor colors! These are in no particular order. I started with the inner rows of my palette and then did the outer rows. I’ve also used quite a number of other colors, but I tried to show a variety as well as be honest about how often I’ve actually used it.
1. Quinacridone Scarlet – PR209
Quinacridone scarlet is my go-to warm toned red paint. I use this the most for mixing up bright colors for florals.
2. Carmine – PR83
Carmine is my go-to cool toned red paint. It has slight bluish undertones. I use this a lot for my florals as well but usually on its own and not necessarily mixed with other colors.
3. Brilliant Pink – PR209, PW6
Brilliant pink is a beautiful pastel pink color. I don’t normally go for watercolors that have white mixed into them. I’d probably opt for using gouache. But because I can use this at full opacity without having to squeeze out new gouache paint, I realized that I like the watercolor version more. I don’t typically use this color to mix, but rather on its own.
4. Bright Rose – AB83, BV11:1
Bright rose is a beautifully vivid color with a lot of character. The main disadvantage to this paint is that it has fluorescent pigments and therefore, is not lightfast/permanent. This means that a painting with this color will fade over time when exposed to sunlight. While I am aware of this fact, it hasn’t prevented me from using it because I usually digitize my paintings. If I were painting something for a client where I knew that it would be framed and hung, I would use Quinacridone Magenta.
I’ve used this color heavily in my latest Bows & Bowties Collection. That bright pink just can’t be beat!
5. Lemon Yellow – PY3, PW6
Between a cool and warm yellow, I tend to use this cool lemon yellow color more than anything. For the Bows & Bowties Collection, I did use Jaune Brilliant 2 quite a lot. But before that collection, I barely used it. So I didn’t count it towards this list of go-to colors.
I also didn’t realize that Holbein’s lemon yellow has PW6 (Titanium White) mixed in it. Perhaps that’s why I like it more. I love how bright but opaque it can be.
I use this yellow primarily to mix floral colors, greens, and for glazing.
6. Davy’s Gray – PW6, PBr7, PBk6
Davy’s Gray is not part of the original set of 48 colors. I actually came across this color when I was searching for the perfect green-gray color for my Christmas 2024 collection. I remember standing for quite a while in the aisle of Holbein watercolor tubes at Blick Art Materials. I wanted a color that would be both a staple in my Christmas collection but also be my signature green color. I’ve been leaning more towards a sage type green color lately, so I wanted a color that was similar to that.
Lo and behold – Davy’s Gray. I used it quite a lot in my Christmas 2024 Collection as well as my Valentine’s 2025 collection. For me, it’s the perfect green where it doesn’t compete with the bright floral colors. While I don’t use it as my main greenery color, I love to use it for accents and to fill in gaps in wreaths and floral arrangements.
7. Burnt Umber – PBr7
Out of all the earthy brown colors, burnt umber is my go-to for all things brown. I like to use it on its own. But sometimes I will mix it with my green or yellow to create warmer toned colors.
8. Terra Verte – PG23, PG17
This color reminded me of my favorite green from my LUKAS palette – the chromium oxide green. I love it when my green is opaque when it’s at its darkest value but fades to a muted color. I use this color the most often when it comes to adding greenery to my florals.
9. Sap Green – PR122, PG7, PY150
Sap green is my second go-to greens for floral paintings. I usually do a first layer of greenery with the terra verte, and then do a second layer of greenery with the sap green. I used this color heavily when it was part of my very first watercolor set from Winsor & Newton. When I outgrew that palette, I used sap green from other brands, too. Something was missing, however. Can’t quite place my finger on it. But it wasn’t until I came across sap green at Holbein that I fell in love with it all over again.
Due to the fact that I paint a lot of florals, I need my green paints to be ready to go. After all, that’s why they’re called convenience greens. I know many artists will urge you to mix your own green paint because that’ll be the purest form and you’ll get the cleanest colors. I don’t disagree with that statement. But I also want to emphasize that if you paint a particular type of subjects often, it would be a huge pain if you had to constantly mix that color. Or maybe I’m just lazy. Either way, I don’t push people away from purchasing convenient colors. Especially if it helps your painting process.
10. Prussian Blue – PB27
This is another color that may fade over time. But like I mentioned above with the Bright Rose, I often digitize my paintings. Therefore, unless I know that the painting will be displayed or done as a commission, I will choose this color. It’s such a deep blue color that I love it for mixing deeper greens, moody purples, and getting a rich black color when I mix with an earth color
11. Sepia – PBr7, PBk6
Sepia was a new color for me when I started painting with this set. But I quickly fell in love because it was the perfect cool-toned brown that I wanted. The previous earth colors that I used were burnt umber or raw sienna. And neither was as cool-toned as I wanted it to be.
12. Payne’s Gray – PBk7, PR122, PB15
Payne’s gray is another color that I started to use when I had my very first Winsor & Newton palette. I love to use this color instead of black, which I highly recommend!
How I Expand My Color Choices
These 12 colors are my go-to Holbein watercolor paints because I use these colors over and over again. Some of them are convenient mixture of colors and that’s why I gravitate towards them. And some are perfect for mixing.
A few of these colors are ideal for mixing such as Bright Rose, Prussian Blue, Lemon Yellow, and Burnt Umber. In the photo below you can see how I made several mixtures to show how you can maximize your color palette. Try this out with your watercolor set!
If some time has passed since you started watercolor and you start to notice some dents in your watercolor pans, it might be a good idea to do this exercise! See which colors you tend to reach for over and over again. Some you may not be surprised by. And others you just might be! It might even give you some clues to how you’re growing as an artist or developing your style.
Good luck, and I’d love to know if any of my choices are in your top go-to colors!