12/14/23 Museum Aquarelles on Strathmore 100% cotton postcard. Only a few select spots were activated to retain the soft, fluffy texture of this mostly white pup (reference photo by Jeff Chin). |
I thought for sure this would be the year: finally an expansion
of the Museum Aquarelle line. In the 10 years that I have been using Caran d’Ache’s premium watercolor pencils, it has only ever had 76 colors, which is certainly
a respectable range – yet it has some significant holes that should be filled. When
the Swiss company expanded the color range of Luminance, its artist
quality, non-water-soluble line, from 76 to 100 colors in 2020, it seemed only
a matter of time before Museum’s turn would come.
Its 10th anniversary was the ideal occasion for the big release! I waited patiently all year . . . but Caran d’Ache’s fairly low-key birthday announcement in October didn’t bode well. And then came the “celebration”: partnering with artist Sophia Clara “to guide you through a step-by-step tutorial and learn how to create a fall-inspired collage using autumnal colors, all beautifully enhanced by the watercolor Museum Aquarelle pencils.”
That’s it? You call that a “celebration” of your premier product’s 10th birthday? We want more colors, and we want them now!
Sigh.
In lieu of an ecstatic reveal of the non-existent new colors, this post is an homage to Museum Aquarelle in observance (not “celebration” – I need new colors for that) of this milestone year. I decided to make a sketch in each of the ways I typically use these versatile pencils: with minimal activation in the portrait of Niko; with my slam-it-down-hard, on-location method; with a multi-layer, full-activation still life; with spot color in a “coloring book” style line drawing (more technique commentary in the cutlines).Since this is an anniversary homage, I also took a retrospective angle by digging up one of my earliest urban sketches that includes Museum Aquarelles (of Café Bambino in 2014), below.
Happy 10th birthday, Museum Aquarelles! You remain my favorite watercolor pencils, even if Caran d’Ache never expands your color range. But that does not stop the whining.
Ten years young and standing tall! |
Sorry there weren't any new colors to liven up the 10th anniversary celebration! I enjoyed seeing a bit of your recent sketches and sketches from the past.
ReplyDeleteWhine away! It's the only way to get companies off their duff sometimes. ;-) Just love the sketch of Niko. Makes me want to reach right through the screen and scratch that furry head between the ears.
ReplyDeleteAwww... thanks!
DeleteI just gotta ask :) What colours should they add?
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a couple more dark violets, a cool and a warm (these are more difficult pigments, I know, when the range must be lightfast), and I can always use more natural greens. And a magenta that's closer to Prismacolor's "process red" (probably also a lightfast issue). And ultramarine! No excuses there! These are just off the top of my head, but now that you've asked, I might think about a more thorough list. ;-)
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