Mid-Century Palette FAQs

Why opaque watercolors?

Our opaque and semi-opaque watercolors were developed as an expansion of our range, offering a different approach to working with color while still preserving the qualities of traditional watercolor.

Opacity provides a unique advantage for artists, designers, and illustrators who enjoy a water-based medium but need more coverage and control. These colors allow you to create clean, solid, and well-defined areas, making them especially suitable for editorial work, illustration, comics, and graphic compositions.

Unlike fully transparent paints, opaque watercolors can be layered more quickly and confidently, helping you build shapes and forms without relying solely on glazing. They also dry relatively fast, making them a practical choice for both studio work and painting on the go, including urban sketching.

They can be used on their own or combined with transparent watercolors. Many artists begin with transparent washes to establish atmosphere and soft transitions, then apply opaque colors on top for highlights, details, lettering, or crisp edges—allowing for a versatile and expressive workflow.

Are these new colors gouache?

Our opaque watercolors are not gouache, although they may share some visual similarities at first glance.

They are formulated to offer a velvety balance of opacity and saturation while maintaining the luminosity, flow, and reworkability of watercolor. Unlike gouache, they do not have the same dense, matte finish or chalky texture, and they remain closer in behavior to traditional watercolor.

This makes them a unique medium in their own right—ideal for artists who want the clarity and layering flexibility of watercolor combined with the ability to achieve more solid and defined color areas.

Inspired by the bold and refined hues of mid-century design, these colors are designed to bring both structure and vibrancy to your work, offering a different painting experience with its own distinct character.

What is the purpose and design philosophy behind the Mid-Century palette?

Handcrafted in Italy, the Mid-Century palette draws inspiration from the bold colors and refined aesthetics of mid-20th century design—a time when creativity, clarity, and functionality were at the forefront of artistic expression.

This collection reflects a design philosophy rooted in simplicity, balance, and a deep respect for craftsmanship. The mid-century movement embraced clean lines, strong yet harmonious color combinations, and a seamless integration of beauty into everyday life. These principles are at the heart of this palette.

Each color has been carefully developed to stand on its own as a distinct, finished tone. Rather than relying solely on mixing, the palette encourages artists to work directly with ready-to-use hues, making it particularly well-suited for illustration, design, and compositions that rely on bold, intentional color choices.

Created with illustrators, designers, and modern artists in mind, the Mid-Century palette is ideal for building clean color fields, confident shapes, and visually striking compositions. It invites a more deliberate and graphic approach to painting, while still allowing the flexibility and expressiveness of watercolor.