Watercolor Tubes or Pans? The Pros and Cons

When artists first come into contact with watercolors they may be surprised at the many different forms and types of watercolor available.

Whether you are buying for yourself or someone you love, our goal for this informational and how to article is to lay down a definitive list of differences between tubes and pans of watercolor with the pros and cons of each, so that you may discover the best choice for your needs.

By Mot Tuman, Article has a video and images

Should I Use Watercolor Tubes or Pans?

What is The Difference Between Watercolor Tubes and Pans?

The biggest difference between tubed and panned watercolor is the paint’s container. Watercolor in a tube stays wet and is immediately ready for use, whereas panned watercolor is dried in the form of a cake.

These ‘cakes’ of paint are created by pouring wet watercolor into what is known as a pan.

Pans come in a variety of sizes, but the most common are half pans and whole pans.

Half pans hold approximately 2.5 ml of paint, whereas whole pans hold about 5 ml of paint.

Dried pans of watercolor require little to no preparation for use. Most pans need to be sprayed lightly with water a couple of minutes before use to activate the paint properly.

Some panned watercolor, such as this set from SoHo, is known as “semi-moist.” Semi-moist watercolor does not need to be activated with water and can be used immediately out of the pan with a wet brush.

The Cons of Pans and The Pros of Tubes

The downside to panned watercolor that makes some artists prefer tubed paint is that once watercolor is dried, it can be harder to get the most color potential from the paint.

Tubed watercolor can easily be used to make large, potent washes of paint, but dried watercolor needs to be soaked and worked with a brush to get close to the same potency. This extra water can lower the color potential of the paint.

The other upside to buying tubes of watercolor is that they can easily be used to create customizable palettes of dried pans. Find the instructions for creating your own dried cakes of watercolor at the end of this article.
See Related Supplies: Artist Palettes & Mixing Trays, Watercolor Paints

The Pros of Pans and The Cons of Tubes

Unlike tubes of watercolor, panned watercolor is easier to travel with. There is no need to worry about potential messes that wet paint might cause if a tube leaks. Cakes of watercolor can also be placed in a large variety of customizable palettes.

They can be as simple as dots of paint dried on a piece of watercolor paper, such as these dot cards from Daniel Smith Watercolors, or as complex as this 48 set of half pans from Lukas 1862 Watercolors

Using panned watercolor can also save artists paint. It is easy to squeeze too much paint out of a tube accidentally, but panned watercolor helps prevent this by being a ready-made area for dried paint to live.

Tubed or panned watercolors depends entirely on personal preferences

Ultimately, whether an artist chooses to use tubed or panned watercolors depends entirely on personal preferences and practices. Whichever you prefer, we hope this article helps you understand the difference between some of the different types available.

How to Make Your Own Watercolor Pans

Here are the easy steps you can take to create your own pans of watercolor at home:

1. Select your desired size of pan and palette. This can be whole pans, half pans, or your selected palette of choice.
2. Using your preferred tube of paint, fill the pan about halfway to the top. Take a toothpick, needle, or pin to gently stir the paint. This will help work out any air bubbles. Tapping the pan lightly on a table will also help release air bubbles. Then allow your paint to cure in the pan. Curing may take up to a few days. As the paint cures it will shrink. Filling the pan in at least three layers will help prevent your paint from cracking and allow it to adhere to the walls of the pan or palette.
3. Once dry, fill the pan again, this time to the top of the pan. Using your toothpick, prod the wet paint into any air bubbles or cracks that might have formed in the previous layer. Let this layer cure.
4. Finally, do one last layer of paint to top off the pan and cover any areas of the last layer that might have shrunk as the paint cured. Let the paint cure one last time
5. Once cured, your pan is now complete. Place it in whichever palette is best suited to your needs and wants.

Video Tutorial: Creating & Using a Primary Watercolor Palette

Jerry’s LIVE Episode #JL283

Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A)

Are Watercolor Tubes or Pans Better?

A: Whether watercolor tubes or pans are better depends entirely on personal preference and what best suits your needs as an artist. Each form has its own pros and cons.

Are Watercolor Pans a Standard Size?

A: The most common types of watercolor pans are whole pans and half pans. Half pans can hold approximately 2.5 ml of paint, whereas whole pans can hold about 5 ml of paint.

Can You Make Watercolor Pans From Tubes?

A: Yes! Pans of watercolor are created from curing consecutive layers of tubed watercolor paint into what is known as a “cake” of paint.

Can Watercolor Pans or Tubes Go Bad?

A: While tubes of paint can dry and pans can crack over time, the paint can still be used almost indefinitely. While it may become more difficult to activate the older the paint is, the paint cannot go bad unless mold is somehow introduced.

Can You Save Dried Tubes of Watercolor?

A: While saving dried tubes can be difficult, there is a way you can preserve the paint. The easiest way is to cut into the tube to reveal the dried paint. A NIOSH approved respirator and gloves is recommended for this stage, particularly if you are working with a paint containing hazardous pigments. Scrape as much dried paint out of the tube. This paint can then be reactivated by adding drops of distilled water till the crumbs are covered. If after sitting in the water for several hours and mixing the paint is showing difficulty reconstituting, mix in a couple drops of a gum arabic binder. This should help the paint return to its liquid form. You can then follow the steps to pan your reconstituted watercolor.

More Resources

1. Different Types of Watercolor Paper and Their Unique Qualities
2. The Best Watercolor Brushes
3. 5 Pro Tips For Beginning Watercolors
4. Watercolor Terms You Should Know