Pocket size meets creativity: My insider tip for watercolour enthusiasts
Paper, brushes and paints - that's all you need for a small watercolour set. The "Watercolour Happiness" is exactly that and delivers what it promises.
A friend gave me "Watercolour Happiness" for Christmas and it really hit the mark - or should I say colourful? A small, handy pad that fits in every handbag. But it's not just a pad, it's a compact watercolour set, including templates for bookmarks, paints and a brush. Together with my water bottle, which I always have with me, this gives me the opportunity to start painting at any time.
Always ready for use: The small block has it all
Practical things always inspire me. If they're also pretty and I can get creative with them, that's even better. The mini watercolour set fulfils all these criteria and has become my constant companion over the last month. I always have the "Watercolour Happiness" in my rucksack and have taken it out a few times when I've had a moment of peace and quiet and feel like getting creative. I don't need a lot of space or long preparations - wet the brush and off I go.
Source: Anna Sandner
The block (8 x 19 cm) consists of thick paper pages, one half is always the bookmark (in my case with flower patterns), the other half holds the colours. Once the work is complete, the colour palette can simply be detached. The result also makes a wonderful little gift or souvenir. Once you're finished, the brush can be quickly stowed away in a groove at the back of the block.
Source: Anna Sandner
Mini projects for in between
What I particularly like: The little flower bookmarks can be completed in less than half an hour. So I can simply paint something in between and have a finished picture straight away. Painting is relaxing and I don't end up sitting on lots of half-finished watercolour pictures because I've lost interest in the middle. And because I can simply take the pad with me, it's even worth waiting ten minutes to paint a little. Depending on how precise I am with the given structures, I need between five and 30 minutes for the pictures.
Source: Anna Sandner
Super idea with a little room for improvement
The idea of simply applying small blobs of colour right next to the picture to serve as a tiny watercolour box is definitely not a bad one. But it also has a catch: the colours supplied were not enough for every picture. This was partly because I was too generous with them at first. I used them more like watercolours and mixed intense shades instead of diluting them with enough water to create the typical watercolour gradients on the paper. If I use a lot of water and only a little colour, the blobs supplied are enough. Nevertheless, a little more reserve would certainly not hurt to prevent frustration.
Source: Anna Sandner
What I could no longer hide after the fifth or sixth image is the colour palette, which is always the same for the entire block. In my case, red, pink, yellow, light and dark green and gold. I can still mix different shades of orange from yellow and red, but then the variety of colours comes to an end. I'm definitely missing blue to get different shades of violet and turquoise. I also don't understand why I have two shades of green instead. I could have simply mixed light green with the yellow and dark green. Overall, of course, it would be best to have different colours in the block depending on the picture.
The golden splash of colour is particularly disappointing. Because it doesn't do anything for me. When I moisten it with water, only a little glitter comes off, which looks more like dirt on the paper without any other colour. The first time I tried to create a golden petal, I repeated this until I had rubbed the paper through. It still wasn't golden. Since then, I've avoided the gold tone for fear of ruining my pictures.
Source: Anna Sandner
In a nutshell
Nice mini set with small optimisation potential
Overall, the block has actually brought me a lot of watercolour happiness. Even if there is potential for improvement, such as more and more varied colours (which, unlike the gold tone, also work), I wouldn't want to be without my little companion. Because the mini portion of creative relaxation whenever I feel like it, combined with a quick and pretty result that I can also give as a gift, makes me really happy.
Pro
- practical, handy, small
- Colours, templates and brushes in one set
- Ready-made bookmarks are suitable as a small gift
- Fast results that are impressive
Contra
- Glitter colour does not produce a beautiful effect
- Limited variety and quantity of colours
Header image: Anna Sandner
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Science editor and biologist. I love animals and am fascinated by plants, their abilities and everything you can do with them. That's why my favourite place is always outside - somewhere in nature, preferably in my wild garden.
