The Blues – Serene to Dramatic Set by Daniel Smith includes a travel case with 6 colors selected by artist Julie Ann Karlsson plus nine empty half pans.
Sleeping Beauty Turquoise Genuine (PrimaTek) is a semi-transparent, granulating turquoise blue color.
Cerulean Blue (PB 35) is a semi-transparent true blue shade with granulating properties.
Lunar Blue (PBk 11, PB 15) is a semi-transparent inky blue hue with granulating and low staining properties.
Indigo (PB 60, PBk 6) is a mix of Indanthrone Blue and Lamp Black, creating a transparent dark blue color with a high tinting strength and medium staining properties.
Sodalite Genuine (PrimaTek) is a granular blue-black shade that is semi-transparent and low staining.
Payne’s Blue Gray (PB 60, PBk 6) is a semi-transparent inky blue-gray with low staining properties.
PRODUCT:
All of the paints selected for this set have a lightfast rating of I (Excellent) and re-wet easily with a damp brush.
VALUE:
At $35.95, each half pan is costing $5.99, which is not bad in comparison to other brands. (I bought this at $26.69 during a sale.)
To put this in perspective, Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolor Half Pans cost $6.47-8.70 each. Sennelier French Artists’ Watercolor Half Pans cost $5.61-8.12 each. Holbein Artists’ Watercolor Half Pans cost $9.07-13.81 each.
PACKAGING:
The travel case is lightweight, compact, and will fit nicely in your pocket, but it’s not well designed. You can read more about it in my previous review.
OVERALL:
I have no complaints with Daniel Smith watercolors as they are top notch, but the travel case is of poor quality and design.
I would recommend this set if you wish to add more blues to your collection. However, if you want to use this on the go, I would suggest transferring the pans into a metal box (or an Altoids tin). That’s what I did. 😉
Jen de Leon 
Leave a comment