Discover How to Make The WORLD'S Best WaterColours

 Honey-based watercolours represent one of humanity's oldest paint-making traditions, spanning from ancient Egyptian tomb paintings to contemporary artisan studios. These premium paints offer unique properties that many artists find irresistible: superior rewetting capabilities, enhanced luminosity, and buttery-smooth application. However, they also present specific challenges around climate sensitivity and handling requirements that every artist should understand before investing.

The use of honey in watercolours demonstrates remarkable continuity across cultures and centuries, with archaeological evidence indicating that honey-based paints have remained stable for millennia. Today's manufacturers like Sennelier, M. Graham, and Italian artisan A. Gallo continue these ancient traditions while applying modern quality control and scientific understanding to create professional-grade paints that serve contemporary artists' needs.

Understanding honey's multifaceted role—as a humectant, plasticiser, and natural preservative—helps artists maximise the potential of these paints while avoiding common pitfalls that can frustrate even experienced watercolourists.

The history of honey in watercolour paints extends back over 100,000 years, when early humans first mixed earthen pigments with natural binders including honey, blood, and plant saps. Ancient Egyptians systematically incorporated honey into paint formulations around 4000 BCE, recognising both its practical benefits and symbolic significance as tears of Ra, the sun god.

Medieval manuscript illuminators refined honey-based recipes between the 8th and 15th centuries, combining honey with gum arabic, egg white, and precious pigments to create illuminated manuscripts that survive today with remarkable colour preservation. These craftsmen understood honey's role as a humectant, which prevented paint from cracking, and as a natural preservative with antibacterial properties that extended the paint's shelf life.

Different cultures developed distinctive approaches to honey-based paints. Persian miniature painters incorporated honey during the Safavid period (16th-17th centuries), whilst Islamic manuscript traditions used honey in scientific and religious texts. Traditional Japanese gansai watercolours historically combined honey with animal glue, starch, and beeswax, creating complex formulations suited to their artistic traditions.

The commercial production of honey-based watercolours began with Sennelier in 1887, serving Impressionist masters including Cézanne and Turner. This French company formalised honey-based manufacturing that continues today with enhanced formulations incorporating higher honey content for improved colour longevity and radiance.

Honey functions as a sophisticated, multifunctional additive that addresses several technical challenges simultaneously. Its primary chemical roles include humectant, plasticiser, and natural preservative, each contributing to the distinctive characteristics that set honey-based watercolours apart from conventional formulations.

As a humectant, honey's hygroscopic properties stem from hydrogen bonding between water molecules and its constituent sugars, primarily fructose and glucose. This creates strong intermolecular attractions that actively draw moisture from ambient air, keeping paints workable even after months of storage. The viscosity difference is dramatic: honey registers approximately 14,095 mPa·s at 20°C, compared to water's 1.0016 mPa·s, which significantly affects paint flow characteristics.

Honey's plasticising effect prevents the brittleness that can plague gum arabic-based paints. Pure gum arabic becomes brittle when dried, but honey maintains flexibility in the paint film, preventing cracking and allowing successful rewetting even after extended periods. This combination creates what conservators call "exceptional durability"—archaeological honey-based paints remain stable for centuries under proper conditions.

The interaction between honey and other watercolour ingredients reveals sophisticated chemistry at work. Honey works synergistically with Gum Arabic, both of which are naturally water-soluble substances that create superior wash quality. The honey facilitates better pigment dispersion, reducing light scattering and improving transparency whilst enabling higher pigment loads than conventional formulations.

Different types of honey use explicit production methods that produce varying effects based on their floral sources and processing methods. Raw honey retains antimicrobial enzymes and exhibits better preservation properties than pasteurised varieties. M. Graham specifically uses Northwest blackberry honey for consistency, whilst Italian artisan A. Gallo sources local Umbrian honey, emphasising terroir and traditional methods.

The advantages of honey-based watercolours consistently earn praise from professional artists. Superior rewetting capabilities top most artists' lists—paints activate easily with minimal water, earning descriptions like "champions at rewetting." The enhanced luminosity and colour intensity result from higher pigment loads enabled by honey's binding properties, creating what artists describe as "exceptional amounts of pigment"," producing vibrant, accurate colours.

Flow characteristics receive universal acclaim for creating smooth, controlled application that artists describe as "butter smooth." The extended working time, due to honey's moisture retention, allows for sophisticated wet-on-wet techniques and seamless colour blending that would be difficult with faster-drying conventional watercolours. Granulation effects are particularly notable in M. Graham formulations, creating beautiful textural variations highly prized by landscape painters.

However, significant disadvantages require careful consideration. Climate sensitivity presents the most serious challenge—in humid environments, honey-based paints may never fully dry and can develop mould. Many artists report persistent tackiness, especially with M. Graham paints, creating a sticky feel that interferes with specific techniques.

Travel and outdoor painting present practical problems, as honey can attract bees, ants, and flies, making plein air work problematic. The paints become runny during transport and can ooze around palettes. Lifting issues plague some artists when layering, as colours may lift too easily and disturb underlying paint. Tube maintenance becomes challenging as honey can ooze out and cause caps to stick permanently.

Cost considerations place honey-based watercolours in the premium category, typically priced at £ 8 -12 plus per tube or pan, compared to standard watercolours. This investment requires artists to evaluate whether the unique properties justify the additional expense for their specific techniques and working environment.

Modern manufacturers have elevated honey-based watercolour production through scientific understanding whilst maintaining traditional methods. Sennelier recently enhanced their L'Aquarelle formulation with increased honey content to reinforce colour longevity and luminosity, developing the improvements through blind testing with professional watercolourists worldwide.

M. Graham & Co. represents the American revival of traditional honey-based watercolour making, using pure gum arabic and natural blackberry honey from the Pacific Northwest. Their 70+ colour range avoids artificial preservatives entirely, relying on honey's natural antimicrobial properties. The company emphasises exceptional pigment loads and smooth application, with colours remaining workable even after extended palette storage.

Italian artisan A. Gallo continues Old World traditions in Assisi, hand-mulling watercolours on glass slabs using raw pigments, gum arabic, local Umbrian honey, and rosemary essential oil. This small-batch production yields paints with unique aromatic qualities and premium artisanal positioning.

In contrast, Daniel Smith Watercolours demonstrates that exceptional performance can be achieved without the use of honey. This American manufacturer produces over 270 colours using pure gum arabic binders without animal byproducts including honey or ox gall. Despite lacking honey, Daniel Smith paints "dry well in the palette without cracking and falling out; rewet with ease; and are richly pigmented" according to professional watercolourist Jane Blundell. Their innovative PrimaTek line utilises genuine minerals and gemstones as pigments, creating unique granulation effects that rival those of honey-based formulations.

Contemporary artists increasingly appreciate honey-based formulations for specific applications. Professional artists, such as Mike Bailey (NWS/AWS member), use M. Graham exclusively for its concentrated pigment loads and actual colour mixing properties. Renowned watercolour educator Jane Blundell extensively reviews and demonstrates Sennelier honey-based watercolours, highlighting their exceptional rewetting and responsive characteristics, whilst also praising Daniel Smith's performance despite its honey-free formulation.

Modern innovations include the precision control of honey-to-binder ratios, the integration of natural preservatives such as rosemary and clove oils, and quality control through professional artist testing panels. Sustainable sourcing has become increasingly important, with manufacturers emphasising the procurement of local honey and traditional production methods.

Storage and shelf-life management require attention to environmental conditions. Professional honey-based watercolours typically last 2-5 years in tubes and much longer in pans when stored properly. Cool, dry conditions away from direct sunlight prevent degradation, whilst moisture-absorbing packets help in humid climates. Some artists report successful use after more than 10 years with proper storage.

Climate considerations significantly affect performance. Dry climates provide ideal conditions with minimal problems, whilst humid environments create higher mould risk, and paints may never fully dry. Many artists in humid areas avoid honey-based paints entirely or use dehumidifiers in their studios to mitigate the effects of humidity.

Technique recommendations favour a high moisture content, and detailed work might benefit from the more predictable behaviour of conventional watercolour humidity applications over others. Wet-on-wet techniques excel with honey-based paints due to extended working time and enhanced flow properties. Glazing applications benefit from superior transparency and luminosity, creating optical colour mixing effects more effectively than standard watercolours. Flat washes produce exceptionally smooth, even results with minimal streaking.

However, lifting techniques require careful handling as some colours lift too easily, disturbing underlying layers. Dry brush techniques may be compromised by honey's moisture content, and detailed work might benefit from conventional watercolours' more predictable behaviour.

Water management becomes crucial—purified or distilled water works best, especially with M. Graham paints. Thoroughly mixing the paint with water on the palette before application prevents uneven dispersion, and frequently changing the water prevents contamination. The brush technique should emphasise confident, smooth strokes to avoid disturbing the layers, with soft brushes preferred for glazing applications.

Skill level considerations should guide the selection of paint. Beginners benefit from starting with small sets of Sennelier or M. Graham in controlled studio environments, focusing initially on wet-on-wet and wash techniques to appreciate the advantages of honey without confronting all challenges simultaneously. Alternatively, beginners might consider Daniel Smith watercolours for reliable performance without honey-specific handling requirements.

Intermediate artists can fully develop glazing and atmospheric techniques whilst learning to handle honey-specific requirements. These paints excel for artists wanting to push colour intensity and develop mixed-media approaches. Advanced artists can fully exploit honey's unique properties whilst working around climate and handling challenges, integrating these paints effectively with other types.

Style-specific recommendations favour specific artistic approaches. Botanical artists appreciate Sennelier's smooth gradients and detail capabilities, whilst atmospheric landscape painters benefit from both honey-based brands' sky and weather effects. Loose, expressive styles particularly suit M. Graham's intense granulation, but plein air painters generally should avoid honey-based paints due to practical complications. Daniel Smith offers an excellent alternative for outdoor painting with reliable performance and no insect attraction.

Brand selection depends on specific priorities. Sennelier offers better control for precise techniques with less stickiness and excellent glazing properties. M. Graham provides more intense granulation effects but feels stickier, making it better suited for expressive work. Daniel Smith delivers exceptional granulation through mineral pigments without honey's challenges. All perform best in dry to moderate humidity environments, though Daniel Smith handles climate variations more predictably.

Honey-based watercolours bridge ancient wisdom with contemporary artistry, offering unique properties that can transform certain painting approaches whilst demanding specific handling considerations. These premium paints reward artists who understand their characteristics and work within appropriate environmental conditions, delivering superior rewetting, enhanced luminosity, and distinctive flow properties that conventional watercolours cannot match.

The decision to adopt honey-based watercolours should consider the working environment, preferred techniques, and tolerance for their specific requirements. Artists in humid climates or those prioritising travel convenience might prefer conventional alternatives like Daniel Smith, whilst those seeking maximum colour intensity and extended working time in controlled conditions will find honey-based formulations indispensable.

The renaissance of traditional honey-based watercolour manufacturing demonstrates that ancient techniques retain relevance in contemporary art practice, with modern quality control and scientific understanding enhancing rather than replacing traditional wisdom accumulated over millennia. Whether choosing honey-based or conventional formulations, today's artists benefit from unprecedented quality and choice in professional watercolour paints.