Schmincke Super Granulating Watercolors: A Three-Color Sample Set Review

Introduction

Schmincke is a German paint maker with more than 140 years of experience, and its Super Granulating watercolor line is one of the most interesting ranges on the market right now. With 50 colors in the full line, the collection is built around a simple idea: every color combines two granulating pigments to produce the distinctive textured, mottled effect granulating paints are known for.

To get a feel for the line, we tested a three-color sample set: Galaxy Pink, Galaxy Violet, and Ivory Black. Here is how they performed on paper, in mixes, and in a couple of quick sketches.

First Impressions: Swatching on Hot Press Paper

The swatches were painted on 140 lb hot press watercolor paper, a smooth surface. Schmincke notes that granulation effects are enhanced on rougher papers such as cold press, but testing on smooth paper first shows how the paint behaves in everyday sketching conditions.

Even on the smooth surface, the granulation was clearly visible. The colors lay down beautifully, remain transparent as they are thinned out, and keep a pleasing texture despite the paper choice.

The pigment combinations are the secret here. Galaxy Pink pairs PV16 with PBr33, and Ivory Black pairs PB29 with PBk11. If you want to dig deeper into pigment information for any of your paints, an online pigment database such as Artist’s Creation is a handy resource.

Mixing a Bonus Color from a Limited Palette

With only three colors in the sample set, mixing becomes part of the fun. Combining Galaxy Violet with Galaxy Pink produces a lovely purplish tone, essentially a bonus color or two from a very small palette.

That is one of the genuine strengths of a limited set like this: it forces you to explore how you use each color and rewards a little experimentation with tonal values you might not have planned.

Sketching with a Limited Palette

To test the paints in real use, we sketched a barn, a subject common to rural Minnesota, combining the watercolor with a Cretacolor water-soluble pencil and finishing with a Pilot ink pen for enhanced detail.

The limited palette pushes you to make decisions early, which is creatively valuable. A three-color setup narrows your choices and pushes you outside your usual routine, and that is often where the learning happens.

It is also encouraging to see established brands like Schmincke, Daniel Smith, and Derwent expanding and experimenting with new product types. It gives consumers a chance to try new things and pushes artists out of their box, which is how art has always advanced.

Lightfastness and the Full Line

Schmincke rates these paints as very lightfast, and publishes lightfast ratings on its color charts. If you browse the company’s downloadable color charts, make sure to select the Super Granulating line rather than the standard watercolor chart so you see the correct ratings.

A Second Landscape Test

A final quick landscape, a road leading out past a tree line in the countryside, showed how these paints handle broader washes. The result had a slightly snowy, blustery feel reminiscent of a December or January day, thanks in part to the granulating texture in the sky.

It was not the intended mood, but the texture gave the scene character, and toning it back was easy. Even in a quick study, the paint behaves predictably and stays enjoyable to work with.

Buying Advice

The three-color sample set is a smart entry point. It is enough to experience the granulation effect, test mixes, and complete a few sketches before committing to more colors from the 50-color line. If you prefer stronger texture on textured paper, pair these with a cold press sheet to bring out the full effect.

Conclusion

The Schmincke Super Granulating watercolors earn an easy recommendation. They combine quality, consistency, and a beautiful color range with a genuinely distinctive granulation effect, and even a three-color set is enough to see why this line is worth exploring further.