Aloha Watercolors where quality meets creativity
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So this is a review of the brand known as Aloha Watercolors. Just to start off, it's a brand that is honey based and is an independent brand. I happen to find them by accident while doom scrolling Etsy and all its glorious offers, when I came across Paintbox Letters. Which took me on a journey to Instagram and from here I found these beauties!
Aloha Watercolors is an independent brand specializing in handmade, honey-based watercolor. They are crafted by Hawaiian native and local artist Keiko Saile. According to their website they were established in 2018, with an emphasis on the use of high-quality pigments combined with organic Hawaiian honey.
As vibrant as their place of origin
After drying you can see how vibrant the colors are. I have done quite a few tests on their rewetting, their gradients and those swatches can be found in the Watercolors section of my site. Here the gallery is a bit more detailed with the tests. I will update there as I get anything new and add to the swatch gallery. Here you get a small sample of just how bright the colors are and how gorgeous they are. They paint smoothly, feel like butter and you get a lot of pigment load in the first go. There are some transparent colors, but even they have a beautiful color load that are very well balanced.
With great colors comes great mixing
Alot of people do mixing charts, but instead I broke the mixing down by the secondary colors. I create this by the number of red, yellow and blues that are in the pallette I have, but only by the number of the least. So if I have 5 red but 8 yellow, the chart will only go 5x5. I urge you to explore into the tertiaries and even the convenience colors. It's a brilliant brand and one I wouldn't pass up if you have the opportunity.
Let's start with the oranges. You can see the range of reds - Twilight, Helicona, Liko Lehu, 'Awa Puhni, Red Cinders, Flame Tree (These are listed top to bottom) Then the yellows - Mango, Ko'oku'alu, Pineapple, Plumeria, Paka Lana, O'ahu (Listed left to right at the bottom) These are all mixed in a tray and you can see that some pigments react with seperation and granulation. I don't find this to be a bad quality.
Then you have the green mixing chart. You can really see some cool layering possibilities with Plumeria!
Blue (going left to right) Blue Canoe, Kalani, Moon Forest, Storm, Night Dive, Moana
Yellow (going top to bottom) Mango, Ko'oko'alu, Pineapple, Plumeria, Paka Lana, O'ahu.
The final is the purple mixing chart Here there are some granulating after it dried and some seperation that created some neat effects. My favorite color mixes with Twilight and Kalani!
Red (going top to bottom) Helicona, Twilight, Liko Lehua, 'Awa Puhi, Flame Tree, Red Cinders:
Blue (going left to right) Blue Canoe, Moon Forest, Storm, Kalani, Night Dive, Moana
While Mixing is the major sell for most brands. You will enjoy the convenience colors as well. I am a convenience girl myself. Though having fun with mixing these primarily colors has been a highlight. This to me helps to explore the depths of the mixing. I learn and play with my mistakes. The basis of this color wheel is of Helicona, Mango, and Kalani in the color wheel. While the strip is Twilight, Mango, and Blue Canoe. They were the strongest targets of the primaries I found in the collection.
Then here are some good convenience colors, starting from left and going from top to bottom: Ohia, Orange Tree, 'Alani, then second column, Kupu Kupu, Sea Grass, Maluhia. Final column, 'Uki'uki, Aubergine and 'Awiki wiki
Pros and Cons
This is where I have to put my neutral hat on and not be a bit of a fan girl. This brand has a slow turn around sometimes, but with good reason. So you need patience. What do I mean by that? Shipping is super fast! The fastest I have experienced. But this is a one person business, you need to respect that and if you want something understand that they are one person. The humidity and the environment of Hawaii can have an effect on drying time. Keiko has never been anything but upfront of this issue. I still post this out there as it can be a deal breaker to some people. Overall Mixing can be difficult due to the pigments themselves. She has had 160 colors to choose from. The reds are a bit in the same tone area and some reds are not good for mixing, much like yellows and some blues as they will create a pastelly effect (which is good if that is what you are looking for) They are bright colors and the convenience color selection is wide. When mixing try to keep away from the more earthier pigments as with a strong pigment load you can get some that will wash out the other and might require more than a 50/50 blend to create that perfect color. Dry time: Varies on environment Pigment Load: High Rewetting: High Staining: Mid Mixing: Mid Storage: Honey - Suggest in a cool dry place, any humidity might cause an issue if they are not dried all the way. Lay flat if you have a tin like mine.
Final Day Dreams of Aloha
Before finding Aloha Watercolors, I stayed away from honey based binder watercolors. This was a remarkable remarkable brand that blends the artistry of hand mulling pigments with the vibrant essence of Hawaii.
Keiko’s dedication to creating honey based, high quality paints shines through in each pan that I have had the pleasure of using. She was a paint creator that I found later in my collection journey, but I have her in my favorites. On my scale of favorites, she's definitely in the top. For independently created, she's number one.
Whether you’re seasoned or just beginning to explore the chaos of watercolor, these paints offer a unique balance of vibrancy, buttery texture, and a high pigment load that’s hard to not take that dive.
While there are some minor challenges, such as the need for patience due to drying times and the nuances of mixing certain pigments, the pros far outweigh the cons. The handmade, independent nature of this brand, combined with its commitment to transparency and quality, make it a treasure.
If you value handcrafted artistry and enjoy experimenting with color, Aloha Watercolors is well worth adding to your collection.
That's it folks, make sure to keep an eye on the history of Aloha Watercolors coming soon!
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