How To: Get the Most Out of Professional Water Colour Sticks

The debut of Winsor & Newton’s Professional Water Colour Sticks marked an innovative leap for the medium. Introducing a versatile, fresh new take on painting in water colour, the Sticks allow for fluid movement between drawing and painting, working wet and dry, and mixing with traditional forms of water colour.
Curious about experimenting with the Water Colour Sticks in your practice? Read on to learn about their phenomenal capabilities, impressive colour qualities, how to best use them, store them, and more.

How do the Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks work?

Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks are a versatile aid for any artist drawing and/or painting their composition. The colour can be applied to paper like a pencil before adding a small amount of water to create a wash.

Alternatively, it can be used directly with a brush like pan colour, or used to add detail to an existing water colour artwork.

Are the Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks the same quality as Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour tubes and pans? 

Yes! Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks are made of the same professional grade pigments as Professional Water Colour tubes and pans, as our Innovation and Development team know that pigment loading is optimum for the brightest colour performance.

Where can I use Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks?

You can use your Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks in the same way as water colour pans. Try painting outdoors, in a studio setting or even on-the-go. The Sticks have been specially formulated so that they can be used dry and then wet after any period of time.

How should I store Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks? 

Your Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks are soluble, so remember to store them in a dry place away from moisture and humidity.

What temperatures are best for using Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks?

The Sticks can be used in the same temperature as any other water colour range (between 0ºC and 40ºC).

What is the difference between a dye-based water colour stick and a pigment-based water colour stick?

Specially formulated using highly durable, lightfast pigments, Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks will provide excellent permanence, well above that of a dye-based equivalent colour.

 

Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks are intermixable with traditional water colour.

Winsor & Newton Water Colour Sticks: Intermixable with traditional water colour

Can I use Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks with other traditional water colour paint, such as tubes and/or pans)?

You can. Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks are fully intermixable with traditional water colour and make an excellent complement to many water colour techniques.

Can I use Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks with dry colours like Pastel Pencils, pencils and charcoal?

Yes, your Sticks can be used in conjunction with other forms of dry colour. Try incorporating them into your sketching and drawing practice to produce interesting results!

Can I sharpen the Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks? How?

Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks do not lend themselves to easy sharpening, but the shape has been developed to facilitate the drawing of fine lines.

Why is there a label on the Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks?

Like water colour pans, the Sticks are highly pigmented, which means colours look quite similar in their concentrated stick form. The label provides a useful colour reference. The handling of the water sensitive sticks is also made easier and less messy by having a label with added perforations for controlled removal.

On what surfaces can Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks be used?

Your Sticks can be used on the same surfaces as any traditional Winsor & Newton water colour paint. View our range of water colour paper to explore some of these surfaces.

How does a Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Stick compare to a pan / tube in terms of amount of paint?

A Stick provides a similar amount of colour and usage as an equivalent Professional Water Colour whole pan or 5ml Professional Water Colour tube.

Do I need to prepare my surface before using Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks?

You do not need to prepare your surface! Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks can either be used directly on dry paper and then washed, or applied onto pre-wetted water colour paper. It all depends upon your desired effect.

What is the finish of the Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour Sticks?

Your Sticks will give you the same matte finish as Winsor & Newton traditional water colour pans and tubes.

Can I varnish the finished work?

As with traditional water colours, due to the sensitivity to water, varnishes should not be used. Conventional advice for water colours is to display art work behind glass.