Pigment, gum arabic, distilled water, vegetable glycerin, and a tiny amount of clove essential oil. That's it!

I only use ethically-sourced micas. That means they come from mines that don't use child labor.

I make all of my watercolor paints in small batches, using a glass slab, palette knives, and a paint muller to mix and mull each color by hand. I fill each pan at least 3 times, allowing the layers to dry in between. One watercolor pan typically takes 3-5 weeks from start to finish!

The short answer: For the most part, yes.

The long answer: Different pigments have different lightfastness. Most of my shimmery/mica-based watercolors use highly lightfast pigments. There are two exceptions: Balsam Fir and Magnetic Midnight. These colors contain Prussian Blue, which is a pigment that tends to fade when exposed to UV light.

I list the pigments used and discuss lightfastness in each watercolor's product description. Please read those for more information, and contact me if you have further questions.

Yes. My watercolors only contain plant and mineral derived ingredients. I don't currently use honey or ox gall in my binder, and I don't use carmine or other animal-derived pigments.

Yes. As with all art supplies, you shouldn't eat watercolors. You also shouldn't apply watercolor paint to your skin.

Please keep watercolor pans away from very young children (and pets), as they are choking hazards. Paint should not be eaten or used on skin.

For older children, please use your best judgement. If you're unsure, please supervise or wait until they're old enough to safely use art supplies.

Yes! Plenty of beginners, hobbyists, and self-taught watercolorists use Antimadder watercolors!

Yes! A number of professional artists (in Maine and beyond) use Antimadder watercolors! Just know that mica-based watercolors look best in originals-- prints/reproductions will look textured, but not sparkly.

It's easy! Just use a paintbrush to put a drop of water on top of each dry watercolor dot. Let the water rehydrate the paint for 1-2 minutes. Then you can paint directly from the dot card!

When you're done painting, let the dot card dry out before putting it away. I usually store mine flat in a shallow drawer or container.

Dot cards are reusable until all the paint is gone!

Antimadder dots are very generously sized. An entire dot card contains more paint than one half pan! So it's hard to give an exact answer, but a dot card will give you more than enough for several paintings.

Dot cards don't expire. Just make sure you let them dry completely before you store them in a drawer or cabinet. Water in enclosed spaces can lead to mold!

Quarter pans are smaller and hold less paint (about 1 mL). They're an in-between size-- quarter pans contain more paint than a single dot and less than a half pan. Quarter pan dimensions: 0.74 x 0.59 x 0.2 in.

Half pans are a more standard size across different watercolor brands. They're the largest size I sell right now. Each one can hold about 2 mL of paint (double the volume of a quarter pan). Half pan dimensions: 0.74 x 0.62 x 0.35 in.

Just use your brush to add a drop of water to the top of each dry paint. Let the water rehydrate the paints for 1-2 minutes, then you're ready to paint!

If you find the pans are too close together, try moving some of them to the inside lid of the tin while you paint. I usually put 3 pans in the lid and leave the other 3 in the bottom half of the tin. Let them dry out when you're done painting, then you can put them all back in the bottom and close the tin.

Maybe. I'd highly recommend priming any non-paper surface with watercolor ground, first. Watercolor ground creates an absorbent, lightly textured surface, similar to cold press watercolor paper. Without using ground, watercolor paint may not adhere to the surface.

I recommend shopping by collection and choosing a dot card or set that aligns with their favorite subject(s) to paint. For example, if they love painting florals, they might like the New England Flora collection. Or if they paint a lot of beach scenes, the Atlantic Seacoast collection might be perfect.

Still not sure? You can always get them a gift card!