Top Watercolor Brands: A Splash of Artistry

Watercolor painting is a beloved art form that requires high-quality materials to truly shine. Among the sea of options, a few brands consistently stand out for their vibrant pigments and reliable performance. Artists, both amateur and professional, often swear by brands such as Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith, and Schmincke for their superior quality and consistency. If you're curious to learn more about what makes these brands exceptional choices for watercolor artists, read on below for a detailed exploration of the best watercolor brands available today.

Illustration of watercolor

Best brands of watercolor in 2025

Winsor & Newton

Winsor & Newton, founded in 1832 by William Winsor and Henry Newton, is a renowned English brand celebrated for producing high-quality art materials, including their professional watercolor line, which offers a wide array of 108 luminous colors formulated with the purest pigments for exceptional performance and permanence, and is used by artists such as Turner and Sargent; they also created the first moist watercolors in 1835 and have held a Royal Warrant since 1841, demonstrating their long-standing commitment to excellence and innovation in art supplies. You can explore their range of products on their official website: Winsor & Newton.

Daniel Smith

Daniel Smith, established in 1976, is highly regarded by watercolor artists as a top producer of paints, offering an impressive 266 colors with unique pigments; their popularity is due in part to the fact that 80% of their paints are made with pigments that are exclusive to the brand, and many of these pigments have a lightfastness rating of I or II, meaning they are extremely resistant to fading over time; known for their innovative Granulating colors, Daniel Smith's watercolor paints are considered premium quality by artists around the world; discover their wide range of paints and mediums at Daniel Smith's official website.

Schmincke

Schmincke, established in 1881 by Josef Horadam and Hermann Schmincke in Germany, is a renowned producer of high-quality artist paints, including their popular Horadam Aquarell watercolors, which come in a wide range of 139 luminous colors, with 92 being single-pigment for vibrant mixing, and 50 super granulating colors, all boasting excellent lightfastness. Additionally, their unique production process of pouring the paints into pans four times over several weeks makes them highly concentrated and long-lasting.

Sennelier

Sennelier, established in 1887 and producing watercolors since 1893, is a renowned French brand, celebrated for its artist-grade L'Aquarelle watercolors which utilize a traditional honey-based formula, acting as both a preservative and brilliance enhancer. This results in smooth, luminous colors, and after a revamp in 2012, their 98 colors are known for excellent granulation and vibrant translucency, ideal for layering techniques. You can explore their full range of products.

Holbein

Holbein, established in 1900, is celebrated for producing professional-grade watercolors with an impressive 84% of their colors being single pigment, resulting in unparalleled vibrancy and lightfastness; their formulations, praised by artists globally, allow for smooth washes and intense layering; this Japanese brand offers a vast array of over 100 colors, demonstrating their commitment to quality and innovation; their dedication to producing highly concentrated paints with superior tinting strength makes them a popular choice for both studio and plein air painting; consistently rated amongst the top watercolor brands, Holbein allows artists to achieve exceptional results.

M. Graham

M. Graham, established in 1992, is a renowned producer of artist-grade watercolors, celebrated for using a high percentage, around 70%, of pure honey as a binder, resulting in unparalleled luminosity and smooth washes; their paints, known for their exceptional lightfastness, ensure the longevity of artworks. The brand offers a wide range of over 70 colors, each carefully milled to achieve rich pigment concentration. M. Graham watercolors are a favored choice among professional artists seeking vibrant and reliable paints. Discover more about M. Graham watercolors.

Rembrandt

Rembrandt, a brand established in 1899, is renowned as a top producer of professional-grade watercolors, boasting a 90% lightfastness rating across their extensive range of 80 colors, ensuring the longevity of artwork; their pigments, finely ground for exceptional brilliance and transparency, offer artists unparalleled control and layering capabilities, making them a favored choice for both seasoned professionals and dedicated hobbyists alike. Discover the rich quality of Rembrandt watercolors and their superior performance.

Daler-Rowney

Daler-Rowney, established in 1783, is a renowned British brand offering a variety of watercolor paints, with their Artist range boasting 80 colors, including a high percentage of single pigment paints, known for their vibrant and transparent washes, while the Aquafine line is a high-quality student grade, with many colors rated as 'normally permanent'; their commitment to quality and sustainability makes them a popular choice for artists of all levels.

White Nights

White Nights, established in 1934, is a renowned Russian brand, celebrated by artists globally for its highly pigmented watercolors, which boast a 90% lightfastness rating, and are produced by the St. Petersburg company using finely ground pigments that ensure vibrant, lasting colors in each of their 24-36 pan sets. You can explore their full range.

Van Gogh

Since 1880, Van Gogh has established itself as a premier watercolor brand, renowned for its 100% lightfast pigments, offering artists exceptional color brilliance and permanence; with a range of 72 vibrant colors, their watercolors, favored by both professionals and students alike, are crafted with high-quality finely ground pigments and gum arabic; consistently receiving over 90% positive ratings across various art communities, these paints offer smooth washes and intense hues, ideal for a variety of painting techniques; known for their reliable performance and excellent value, Van Gogh watercolors are an essential part of many artists' kits around the globe, offering consistently high performance since the brand's inception; you can explore their full range and purchase their products.