Review of Sennelier Honey Based Watercolour Paints
A Little Context
History Of Sennelier Art Supplies
The Colours
How These Paints Feel To Use
Quality And Performance
Worth The Investment ?
Conclusion
A Little Context
I celebrated a birthday recently and was lucky enough to be given a beautiful gift of a Sennelier watercolour collection. This was presented in a lovely walnut box with twenty four half-pans of honey-based watercolours, a porcelain palette (I have never used a ceramic palette before!) and two small to medium size brushes. It is the first time I have got to own a collection of high-end watercolour paints. I do have a small number of Windsor and Newton beginner level paints which I adore using, so I was keen to get to swatching these straight away and have also painted a couple of illustrations. I’m happy to share an honest opinion on their quality and if I believe they are worth the investment.
History Of Sennelier Art Supplies
Sennelier is an historical French art supplies company founded nearly 150 years ago by Gustave Sennelier in 1887. It is pretty well known in the art community for creating high-quality artist materials including a range of oil paints, watercolours, and soft pastels. The reviews for this Sennelier products have tended to be very positive over the years. They appear to focus their attention on a customer-base of artists of all skill levels, from hobbyist to professional. This means that not only do they offer an eclectic range of art materials, but they have also made significant contributions to the art world through innovative products such as water-soluble oil paints and oil pastels, which have been very popular. Possibly due to their longevity and commitment Sennelier have a reputation as a respected and trustworthy brand.
The Colours
Ahh yes, probably the main reason I couldn’t wait to use these paints is of course the lovely shades! The 24 half-pan collection has a good range of colours (no white though). The collection looks like a box of precious gems, with each shade glistening and begging to be used. I particularly liked the range of each hue included in the collection. From the sunny yellows to fiery reds, cool blues, and rich browns, there are three to four variations of each colour, which provide good opportunity for layering and blending. The palette has several earthy tones that are perfect for creating natural landscapes or adding depth to portraits. And of course, the jewel-bright shades are perfect for adding a rich colour to any painting. Overall, I was happy with the range of colours offered.
How It Feels To Use The Watercolours - Quality and Performance.
As noted, these watercolours are honey based. This should give them several benefits when being used. According to a quick scan of the good old internet, the main benefit is that they retain moisture. It turns out that honey attracts and retains moisture. When used to make watercolour paints, the honey helps to keep the paint moist, which means it can be worked on the palette longer. This sounds pretty good for anyone who likes to work at a slower pace, as it allows the creative to work at their own time without worrying about the paint drying out too quickly. The paints are also described as being highly lightfast, which means that they will retain their colours for many years without fading.
So, what about personal experience? There is certainly much more vibrancy in the colour. The pigments seem to disperse smoothly. There is no clumpy or streaky marks on the paper, and overall the paint feels quite uniform and even to use. I would describe these paints as being a little more creamy than usual. The paint feels a little thicker to apply, like painting with a thin coat of velvet. This also makes it easier to control, although it may be frustrating for people who prefer a more loose and watery feel to work with.
While Sennelier honey-based watercolour paints feel quite luxurious to use there were a couple of negatives. I find the paints to be a little sticky. I’m not sure if this is to do with the honey; it is not a issue which would put me off from using these paints in the future. Living with a cat who likes to sleep next to me on my desk as I paint, there has unfortunately been several incidents of trying to dig her hair out of the palette as it had somehow worked its way in there. I realise this is likely not going to be a problem if you don’t have a cat, so ignore this as a drawback if so. The other issue is of course price; although I was very lucky to receive this as a present I am aware that Sennelier honey-based watercolour paints are more expensive than many other brands of watercolour paints, which may make them less accessible.
Value For Money ?
There are other brands of watercolour paints that are reportedly comparable to Sennelier in terms of quality and performance, for example Holbein or M. Graham & Co. However, having not used these I cannot offer an honest comparison. I have used Winsor & Newton watercolours (also popular for their high-quality pigments and lightfastness). Although I have to say I do prefer the rich pigment and smooth texture of Sennelier, I do think this is more down to my personal preference as to which feels most comfortable to work with.
It’s also worth noting that while other brands may not have the same quality as Sennelier, there are many good options for artists, and budget-friendly paints can also produce good results when used skillfully. Sennelier do also offer a more cost-effective range aimed for students and beginners.
I think this range could potentially be worth the investment for serious artists or those looking for professional-grade materials. However the decision on whether they are worth the price point will overall come down to the individual's personal preference and budget.
Conclusion
In summary, I have found the benefits of Sennelier honey-based watercolour to be their rich and vibrant pigment, the unique smooth texture and that the formula gives longevity due to preserving the colours. I also simply enjoy the experience of painting with this palette. If you would like to see more, I have made a YouTube video of swatching, I have included a link to this video below (you may wish to skip to 5.20 to get straight into the colour swatching). I would love to hear about your experience using Sennelier watercolours! Have you tried them before? What did you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below and let me know how you've used these paints in your own work."
