The Cotman Water Colour range has a more uniform consistency than the ProfessionalWater Colour range and this benefits beginners as there is less to learn about each individual pigment. The Cotman Water Colour range also relates to the Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour range, e.g. Burnt Sienna in both ranges has the same hue. This enables artists to use colours from both ranges with minimal adjustment to their technique.

Watercolour paint is made of pigment and binder. The amount of pigment controls the intensity of the colours. Binder holds the pigment (typically power) together. The more binder there are, the less intense or saturated the colour is. You can make a colour less intense by mixing or adding water, but you can't make a colour more intense than it is initially. So what you want is to start out with an intense colour. Cundall, Herbert Minton (1920). Holme, Geoffrey (ed.). The Norwich School. London: The Studio Ltd. OCLC 472125860. Winsor & Newton is a high-quality art and craft supplies company. Cotman is a lower-priced line of products made by the same company. The main difference between the two is the quality of materials used and the price. Winsor & Newton products are made with better quality materials and are more expensive. Cotman products are made with lower quality materials and are less expensive.Cotman and Crome were the two finest of the Norwich School of painters, who were both recognised by the public during their lives, with Cotman's Architectural Antiquities of Normandy bringing him wider praise. [40] The architect Augustus Pugin, in his Specimens of Gothic Architecture (1823), mixed praise and criticism There are two grades of paint. The artist grade is more expensive than the student grade. Just go for the artist grade straightaway because they are going to last quite long, even if they are only half pan. I would advise getting the 24-pan sets because using so many colour can get confusing. But I can't stop you of course. LOL. Availability However, if you’re looking for less time and less paint, a pan might be a better option. Because of the half-pan design, only a third of the amount of paint is required to achieve the same color as with a tube. Pans are also more affordable, with an added advantage of being longer-lasting. There is no absolute correct answer; it depends on the task at hand. If you want to paint delicate watercolors, you should go with a tube. If you want to make a more vibrant painting, a pan may be a better option. What Is The Difference Between Cotman And Professional?

Traditionally the white of the paper provides the brilliance to water colour and can be used as highlights. However, some artists utilise Chinese White for highlights at the end of their painting or in dulling some colour mixtures down. In 1800, Cotman exhibited at the Royal Academy for the first time. [3] He exhibited other Welsh scenes at the Royal Academy in 1801 and 1802. [10] In 1800, he was awarded an honorary palette by the Society of Arts. [3] He continued to exhibit at the Academy until 1806. [11] He was based during the early 1800s in London, but is known to have advertised in Norwich—in September 1802 he advertised his services as a drawing teacher in the Norwich Mercury. [12] Yorkshire visits (1803–1805) [ edit ] Stephen, Leslie, ed. (1887). "Cotman, John Sell". Dictionary of National Biography. Vol.12. London: Smith, Elder & Co. pp.285–287.In Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1834, as illustration to Letitia Elizabeth Landon's poem The Zenana - Kishen Kower.:

As a general statement the traditional pigments granulate, e.g. earths, ultramarine. The modern organic pigments do not, e.g. Cotman hue colours. If you wish to avoid granulation in your painting, the use of distilled water can reduce it, particularly in very hard water areas. Cotman watercolors are a high-quality, affordable option for artists of all levels. They offer excellent lightfastness and vibrancy, and their wide range of colors allows for endless creative possibilities. Whether you’re just starting out or are a seasoned professional, Cotman watercolors are a great choice for your next project. Are Cotman Watercolors Good? This Winsor & Newton set is great for beginners, as you don’t have to worry too much about blending and it’s easy to keep an eye on how much water you’re adding to the pigment, given these colors come in a solid form. (With liquid watercolors, there’s already so much water in the pigment, it can be easy to add too much fluid.) Winsor & Newton probably has more box sets than other manufacturers. The box can be made of metal or plastic. There are palette boxes that hold up to 48 colours (not recommended unless you're a professional but if you're a professional you'll probably know you won't need so many colours).You can always buy the watercolour in tubes to refill your used pans. Watercolour tubes are cheaper. A 5ml tube cost as much as a half pan but can probably refill it about 2-3 times. Comparatively cheaper! This is the Winsor & Newton Metal Sketchers' Box. The lid has four partition, in addition to another hinged flap, that can be used as a palette. There is a thumb ring beneath the box. Well, the Cotman colours are less intense then the Artists grade. I feel that they are slightly chalkier too. When the watercolour is dry, the result is still quite respectable as you can see in the colour chart further below, just that it takes more effort to use them. When you compare side by side with Artist grade watercolours, the difference is clearer. The Norwich Art Circle exhibited 100 of Cotman's works at Norwich in 1888, the first time his collected works had been shown in public. The exhibition led to a critical appraisal of his output and secured a second exhibition that year at the Burlington Fine Arts Club. [42] [43] The sketches were collected by Leeds architect Sydney D Kitson and bequeathed by him to Leeds. Kitson devoted his retirement to researching Cotman’s life and work and in 1937 published ‘The Life of John Sell Cotman’. Kitson also gave Leeds his archive of notebooks, correspondence and research materials. He called it ‘Cotmania’.