May Paletteful Packs Unboxing & Art Supplies Review
Inside May's Paletteful Packs Premium Box
Opening this month's Paletteful Packs box felt like uncovering buried treasure for artists. The distinctive dark packaging hinted at premium contents before revealing 10 vibrant Aqua watercolor inks in glass bottles. These professional-grade pigments included magenta, lemon, cyan, vermilion, carmine red, dark brown, black, and a standout mint shade. Unlike traditional inks, these maintain watercolor-like reactivity even after drying, meaning artists can rework sections days later—a game-changer for experimentation.
Accompanying the inks were two synthetic brushes: a #6 flat shader for broad strokes and #3 round brush for detailing. The set also included four precision pens (0.2, 0.4, 0.8 fineliners plus a brush pen) and Strathmore 400 Series mixed-media paper. This 118gsm heavyweight paper surprised with its resilience, buckling slightly during painting but flattening completely upon drying—validating its reputation among watercolor artists.
Watercolor Ink Testing & Techniques
Testing these inks revealed key performance characteristics every artist should know:
- Vibrant Pigmentation: Minimal pigment delivers intense color saturation. The cyan and carmine red proved exceptionally potent.
- Controlled Reactivation: Unlike traditional inks that set permanently, these dissolved predictably when rewet—ideal for gradient effects.
- Bacterial Prevention Tip: Transfer ink to a palette rather than dipping brushes directly into bottles to avoid contamination.
During the squid-maid illustration process, we discovered:
- Layering black ink with blue created depth in underwater scenes
- Adding water to mint ink produced ethereal bioluminescent effects
- Pink ink blended seamlessly into skin tones when applied sparingly
The flat brush excelled at background washes, while the round brush maintained sharp points for fine details like tentacle patterns. Surprisingly, the Strathmore paper handled multiple washes without pilling, though taping edges beforehand prevented minor warping.
Artist Insights & Practical Applications
Beyond what the video covered, these inks demonstrate unique advantages for specific techniques:
- Urban Sketching: Their quick-drying nature makes them ideal for location work. Add the fineliners for instant line-and-wash capability.
- Illustration Effects: Create "ink bleed" textures by dropping water onto semi-dry areas—perfect for supernatural hair or smoke effects.
- Color Mixing Potential: Blend vermilion and lemon to achieve sunrise hues impossible with standard watercolor pans.
For beginners, the included brush pen allows expressive line variation without mastering traditional dip pens. More experienced artists will appreciate the inks' transparency control—adding layers deepens tones without muddiness, as seen when building the squid-maid's translucent torso.
Important considerations:
- These require more planning than acrylics due to reactivation
- Works best with 140lb+ paper for heavy washes
- Not suitable for outdoor murals (non-lightfast)
Recommended Art Supply Pairings
Maximize your Paletteful Pack contents with these pairings:
- Beginner: Higgins Black Magic Ink ($6) for contrast linework
- Intermediate: Princeton Neptune Brushes ($25/set) for better water control
- Professional: Arches Cold Press Paper ($15/sheet) for gallery pieces
Artist Action Guide
- Swatch all inks on spare paper noting opacity and rewetting response
- Test ink mixing ratios in a dedicated journal
- Practice "blooming" effects by dropping water into wet ink washes
- Experiment with fineliners over dry ink layers for comic-style art
- Create custom color charts for repeat projects
The Paletteful Packs subscription delivers exceptional value with curated professional materials costing less than individual retail purchases. While the reactive inks demand some adaptation, their versatility across watercolor and ink techniques makes them worth mastering.
Which ink property excites your creative process most? Share your preferred technique below! The best art breakthroughs happen when experimenting with unfamiliar tools. Remember: As the creator demonstrated, even accidental ink spills can lead to stunning textures—sometimes the Titanic-level mistakes become happy accidents.
