{"title":"Catalog","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"pure-yellow-beeswax-80-g","title":"Pure Yellow Beeswax, 80 g","description":"\u003cp\u003eOur 100% natural yellow beeswax is made exclusively in American beehives. We source the most refined, beautifully fragrant wax from artisanal producers, then pour it into a convenient hexagonal block for artist use.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBookbinders will especially appreciate Federal Pure Yellow Beeswax Blocks—the wide base sticks to your work surface with a little downward push, so it won't move around while you wax your thread.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHand-poured to approximately 80 grams (2.8 oz.) in weight. Precise weight may vary.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade in St. Louis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eAbout Federal Color:\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFederal Color is the manufacturing arm of St. Louis Art Supply. We started Federal in 2023 to solve problems for the artists \u0026amp; makers of today. We believe analog art is a vital part of humanity's future, and we're here to make sure that its essential tools are available for the long term.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44436760559839,"sku":"798237952444","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/beeswax80gpow2026.jpg?v=1773806670"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-000-black","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, #000 Black","description":"\u003cp\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eMore Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe offer this Optimist color in two formats: a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream, and a 45 mL Glass Inkwell, ideal for calligraphy and dip pen illustration work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"45 mL Glass Inkwell","offer_id":44443291746527,"sku":"785366200034","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":44443291779295,"sku":"785366200041","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimist-bottle-with-swatch-and-jar-000.jpg?v=1724554418"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-230-primary-cyan","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, #230 Primary Cyan","description":"\u003cp\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eMore Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe offer this Optimist color in two formats: a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream, and a 45 mL Glass Inkwell, ideal for calligraphy and dip pen illustration work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"45 mL Glass Inkwell","offer_id":44443686109407,"sku":"785366200188","price":9.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":44443686142175,"sku":"785366200089","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimist-bottle-with-swatch-and-jar-230.jpg?v=1724554374"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-360-white","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, #360 White","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\n\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eOur Opaque White\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\n\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor watercolorists and illustrators, a good opaque white is essential. You can correct mistakes and add highlights—if your white is strong enough to cover the layer beneath. Optimist White is as opaque as they come, packed with pigment to the point that it weighs twice as much as the other colors. It covers most colors and surfaces in one coat, and can be used to draw sharp white lines on dark surfaces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eMore Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWe offer this Optimist color in a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream, or a 45 mL glass inkwell for dipping pens and brushes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236.  Made in the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"45 mL Glass Inkwell","offer_id":46261536162015,"sku":"785366200379","price":12.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":46261536194783,"sku":"785366200058","price":13.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimist-360-pow-with-jar.jpg?v=1724554316"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-047-primary-yellow","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, #047 Primary Yellow","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eMore Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWe offer this Optimist color in a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"notranslate\" style=\"all: initial;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"45 mL Glass Inkwell","offer_id":46261536686303,"sku":"785366200355","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":46261536719071,"sku":"785366200072","price":12.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimist-047-pow-2024.jpg?v=1724554396"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-325-primary-magenta","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, #325 Primary Magenta","description":"\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eMore Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWe offer this Optimist color in two formats: a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream, or a 45 mL glass inkwell for easy access with a dip pen or brush.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"notranslate\" style=\"all: initial;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"45 mL Glass Inkwell","offer_id":46261536489695,"sku":"785366200362","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":46261536522463,"sku":"785366200096","price":12.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimist-325-pow-with-jar.jpg?v=1724554342"},{"product_id":"optimist-colorless-shellac-medium","title":"Optimist Colorless Shellac Medium","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe heart of Optimist Mixable Color is shellac medium. This magical amber liquid is the perfect binder for all kinds of pigments because it's strong, flexible, UV-resistant, and waterproof. Unlike acrylic mediums, our Colorless Shellac makes gorgeous transparent glazes when used in high proportions with color.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAdd Colorless Shellac Medium to Optimist inks to make them lighter, more transparent and glossier. Using shellac-thinned Optimist colors, you can make complex, multi-layered paintings. Paper and pigment textures are more noticeable, and the ink moves more freely. With high proportions of medium, you'll create thin, shiny layers that look almost like stained glass. With smaller proportions, you can achieve bright, high-chroma colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eWhat is Shellac?\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShellac is made by insects, much like beeswax or silk. It is a reddish, resinous substance that is deposited on tree branches by \u003cem\u003ekerria lacca, \u003c\/em\u003einformally known as a lac bug. These tiny insects are native to South Asia, which is why shellac-based inks are often called \"India ink,\" even when they are made nowhere near India.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShellac is a natural thermoplastic, predating all synthetic plastics and offering a much better environmental profile—since there are no fossil fuels involved in shellac's synthesis. The cultivation process is much lower-carbon than other forms of agriculture, because lac farmers use existing trees to host their colonies. Lac is an economic reason to protect the forests, rather than cut them down to cultivate other crops.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnce the farmers scrape the raw \"sticklac\" from the tree bark, they heat it over a fire to liquefy it, allowing them to filter out the bark and other impurities. Some shellac (like the premium material that we use) also undergoes dewaxing, in which the 10% wax content of raw shellac is removed. This leaves a nearly pure resin that can be turned into a food additive, a protective coating, an adhesive... or, a bottle of ink.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"50 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":44443735687391,"sku":"785366200065","price":8.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"200 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":44443735785695,"sku":"785366200126","price":19.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/2025-optimist-200mL-medium-pow_c24cd44d-dd8c-4308-a650-1fc4271894a3.jpg?v=1750219085"},{"product_id":"optimist-ink-solvent","title":"Optimist Ink Solvent","description":"\u003cp\u003eOptimist Mixable Color is waterproof, so it can be tricky to remove from surfaces and brushes if it dries. That's why we created Optimist Ink Solvent, a gentle solvent that breaks the chemical bonds in wet or dry shellac.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSqueeze Optimist Ink Solvent onto your palette and brushes after a painting session, and our shellac-based ink will quickly start to break up and peel away. Rinse brushes after using Ink Solvent for best results.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOptimist Ink Solvent is packaged in a 200 mL Precision Bottle. Squeeze the bottle to dispense a controlled flow.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44443797684447,"sku":"785366200171","price":7.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/2025-optimist-200mL-solvent-pow.jpg?v=1750218604"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-cmyk-set-of-6","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, CMYK+ Set of 6","description":"\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\" data-mce-style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eOptimist CMYK+ Set of 6\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCMYK+ is our complete mixing system, with a color range and intensity that go way beyond standard mixing sets from other brands. Unlike classic red-yellow-blue color mixing, CMYK allows for brighter secondary colors (especially purple and green) and an overall wider range of hues. Our Primary Cyan, Primary Magenta, Primary Yellow, and Black are designed to work perfectly together, with matching pigment loads and handling characteristics that enable clearer, cleaner mixed colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWhat's the \"plus\" in CMYK+? That would be our White and Colorless Shellac Medium, both included in this box. The white is incredibly opaque, thanks to its extremely high pigmentation, and allows you to make lovely pastel shades from each mixed color you create. The colorless medium allows perfect dilutions of each mixed color, increasing transparency and gloss while increasing the chroma of darker colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eThe CMYK+ Set of 6 includes our 50 mL Precision Bottles in Primary Cyan, Primary Magenta, Primary Yellow, White, Black, and Colorless Shellac Medium, all in a slide-out box with foil stamping. It's a great gift for any artist and an excellent starting point for anyone interested in working with inks.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eAbout Optimist: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eMore Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eEach color in this set is packaged in a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"notranslate\" style=\"all: initial;\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44443809120479,"sku":"785366200102","price":70.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimistCMYKset2026pow.jpg?v=1778014843"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-300-red-violet","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, #300 Red Violet","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eMore Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe offer this Optimist color in two formats: a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream, and a 45 mL Glass Inkwell, ideal for calligraphy and dip pen illustration work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"45 mL Glass Inkwell","offer_id":44695137353951,"sku":"785366200263","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":44695137386719,"sku":"785366200256","price":12.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimist-300-new-pow.jpg?v=1724554230"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-220-prussian-blue","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, #220 Prussian Blue","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eMore Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe offer this Optimist color in two formats: a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream, and a 45 mL Glass Inkwell, ideal for calligraphy and dip pen illustration work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"45 mL Glass Inkwell","offer_id":44695137583327,"sku":"785366200249","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":44695137616095,"sku":"785366200232","price":12.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimist-220-pow.jpg?v=1724554216"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-200-mediterranean","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, #200 Mediterranean","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eMore Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe offer this Optimist color in two formats: a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream, and a 45 mL Glass Inkwell, ideal for calligraphy and dip pen illustration work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"45 mL Glass Inkwell","offer_id":44695138140383,"sku":"785366200287","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":44695138173151,"sku":"785366200270","price":12.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimist200powcorr_1of3.jpg?v=1724554196"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-150-seaweed","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, #150 Seaweed","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eMore Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe offer this Optimist color in two formats: a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream, and a 45 mL Glass Inkwell, ideal for calligraphy and dip pen illustration work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"45 mL Glass Inkwell","offer_id":44695139516639,"sku":"785366200300","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":44695139549407,"sku":"785366200294","price":12.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimist-150-pow.jpg?v=1724554182"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-110-basil","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, #110 Basil","description":"\u003cp\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003eMore Info\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe offer this Optimist color in two formats: a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream, and a 45 mL Glass Inkwell, ideal for calligraphy and dip pen illustration work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"45 mL Glass Inkwell","offer_id":44695140401375,"sku":"785366200324","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":44695140434143,"sku":"785366200317","price":12.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimist-110-pow.jpg?v=1724554164"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-core-mixing-set-of-6","title":"Tonic Watercolor, Core Mixing Set of 6","description":"\u003cp\u003eTONIC CORE MIXING SET\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis essential set of Tonic Watercolors includes extra-large porcelain pans of specially selected mixing colors. We've included six different primary colors, two from each color family, as evenly spaced on the color wheel as possible. This \"split-primary\" arrangement includes warm and cool colors from each primary family (red, yellow, and blue.) It's a modern mixing system that allows for much more intense color than traditional three-primary mixing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe colors included are Quinacridone Magenta (cool red), Federal Red (warm red), Signal Yellow (warm yellow), Permanent Yellow (cool yellow), Phthalo Cyan (cool blue), and Ultramarine (warm blue.) Each Porcelain Pan contains 20 grams of dry paint — that's seven times as much as a standard half pan of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe've also included an empty Porcelain Pan. Use it as a mini palette for mixing, or fill it with water or Tonic Watercolor Medium.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eINTENSE COLOR, EFFORTLESS FLOW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46261531410655,"sku":"785366205169","price":95.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-core-mixing-set-pow.jpg?v=1724553755"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-medium-60-ml","title":"Tonic Watercolor Medium, 60 mL","description":"\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is Tonic Watercolor Medium, our carefully formulated colorless medium for watercolor painting. Designed to work with our Tonic Watercolors — but capable of mixing with any traditional watercolor paint — this transparent medium provides excellent handling and working properties for serious watercolorists.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpecially sourced \u003cem\u003eacacia senegal\u003c\/em\u003e gum (a specific type of tree sap) is the basis for Tonic Watercolor Medium. \u003cem\u003eAcacia senegal \u003c\/em\u003eis a variety of gum arabic, the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors. During our development process, we learned that some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFLEXIBLE AND STABLE\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn addition to gum arabic, Tonic Watercolor Medium contains a vegetable-based plasticizer and a non-toxic preservative. The plasticizer allows Tonic Medium to dry strong and flexible, never becoming too dry and brittle. The preservative (which is so gentle that it's approved for cosmetic use) keeps Tonic Medium fresh on the shelf for years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eADDS TRANSPARENCY AND GLOSS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDilute watercolor with plain water when you want thin washes, matte colors, and texture—that's the classic watercolor look, and it's lovely. But if you'd like the option of painting with glossier, thicker colors, Tonic Medium is a great addition to your watercolor arsenal.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith higher ratios of Tonic Medium to water, your watercolor will start to retain brushstrokes and dry to a high gloss. With moderate ratios of Tonic Medium to water, your watercolor will be more coherent, with a slightly thicker body that works well for sharp lines and high-impact shapes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46261531443423,"sku":"785366205176","price":12.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonicmedium60mlpow.jpg?v=1724553777"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-porcelain-pan-000-carbon-black","title":"Tonic Watercolor, Porcelain Pan, #000 Carbon Black","description":"\u003cp\u003eINTENSE COLOR, EFFORTLESS FLOW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46261531508959,"sku":"785366205282","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-000-composite.jpg?v=1724553799"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-porcelain-pan-325-quinacridone-magenta","title":"Tonic Watercolor, Porcelain Pan, #325 Quinacridone Magenta","description":"\u003cp\u003eINTENSE COLOR, EFFORTLESS FLOW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46261531574495,"sku":"785366205213","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-325-composite_b26a80df-297c-4a9c-a794-2488781c31dd.jpg?v=1724981229"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-porcelain-pan-245-ultramarine-blue","title":"Tonic Watercolor, Porcelain Pan, #245 Ultramarine Blue","description":"\u003cp\u003eINTENSE COLOR, EFFORTLESS FLOW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46261531607263,"sku":"785366205251","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-245-composite.jpg?v=1724553838"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-porcelain-pan-230-phthalo-cyan","title":"Tonic Watercolor, Porcelain Pan, #230 Phthalo Cyan","description":"\u003cp\u003eINTENSE COLOR, EFFORTLESS FLOW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46261531705567,"sku":"785366205220","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-230-composite.jpg?v=1724553862"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-porcelain-pan-220-prussian-blue","title":"Tonic Watercolor, Porcelain Pan, #220 Prussian Blue","description":"\u003cp\u003eINTENSE COLOR, EFFORTLESS FLOW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46261531836639,"sku":"785366205190","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-220-composite.jpg?v=1724553883"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-porcelain-pan-130-phthalo-evergreen","title":"Tonic Watercolor, Porcelain Pan, #130 Phthalo Evergreen","description":"\u003cp\u003eINTENSE COLOR, EFFORTLESS FLOW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46261531869407,"sku":"785366205244","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-130-composite.jpg?v=1724553909"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-porcelain-pan-047-permanent-yellow","title":"Tonic Watercolor, Porcelain Pan, #047 Permanent Yellow","description":"\u003cp\u003eINTENSE COLOR, EFFORTLESS FLOW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46261531967711,"sku":"785366205206","price":17.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-047-composite.jpg?v=1724553932"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-porcelain-pan-040-signal-yellow","title":"Tonic Watercolor, Porcelain Pan, #040 Signal Yellow","description":"\u003cp\u003eINTENSE COLOR, EFFORTLESS FLOW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46261532229855,"sku":"785366205237","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-040-composite.jpg?v=1724553959"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-porcelain-pan-002-federal-red","title":"Tonic Watercolor, Porcelain Pan, #002 Federal Red","description":"\u003cp\u003eINTENSE COLOR, EFFORTLESS FLOW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46261532950751,"sku":"785366205268","price":16.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-002-composite.jpg?v=1724553986"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-sketching-set-of-6","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, Sketching Set of 6","description":"\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003eOptimist Sketching Set of 6\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-style=\"color: #ffffff;\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist Mixable Color is an intensely-pigmented, quick-drying, waterproof ink—perfect for sketching and mixed media art. This box contains six of our most intense colors, ready to use right from the bottle. Feel free to drip Optimist straight from the Precision Bottle onto the page—or get a bit more specific by applying Optimist colors with your favorite brushes and dip pens.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eThe Optimist Sketching Set includes six bold colors that aren't found in our standard \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/optimist-mixable-color\/products\/optimist-mixable-color-cmyk-set-of-6\" style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eCMYK+ Mixing Set\u003c\/a\u003e. Slide open the box to find six 50 mL Precision Bottles filled with Prussian Blue, Red Violet, Mediterranean, Basil, Federal Red, and Tangerine.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eAbout Optimist: \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eMore Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eEach color in this set is packaged in a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46261533081823,"sku":"785366200423","price":75.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimistsketchingset2026pow.jpg?v=1778014856"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-015-tangerine","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, #015 Tangerine","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eMore Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eWe offer this Optimist color in two formats: a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream, and a 45 mL Glass Inkwell, ideal for calligraphy and dip pen illustration work.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"45 mL Glass Inkwell","offer_id":46261533114591,"sku":"0785366200416","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":46261533147359,"sku":"0785366200409","price":12.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimist015powedit.jpg?v=1724554036"},{"product_id":"optimist-mixable-color-002-federal-red","title":"Optimist Pigment Ink, #002 Federal Red","description":"\u003cp\u003eIntroducing Optimist Mixable Color, our original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eUse \u0026amp; Care Tips\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUsing Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOptimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eOptimist Story\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe opened our art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things we learned was how to make india ink. Our original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but our customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, we've been researching and refining—not to mention, we added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse our pigments with total consistency. Finally, we're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (I think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, we also have the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We hope this elemental material improves your flow.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003e\u003cspan style=\"color: rgb(0, 0, 0);\"\u003eMore Info\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe offer this Optimist color in two formats: a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream, and a 45 mL Glass Inkwell, ideal for calligraphy and dip pen illustration work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"45 mL Glass Inkwell","offer_id":46261534818527,"sku":"785366200218","price":11.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"50 mL Precision Bottle","offer_id":46261534851295,"sku":"785366200201","price":12.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/optimist-002-pow-composite.jpg?v=1724554267"},{"product_id":"nichiban-251-artist-tape","title":"Nichiban #210 Artist Tape","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eFormerly known as Nichiban #251. None of the specifications have changed. The model number was changed in Japan in 2019, but American retailers have generally kept the old number to help artists find their favorite tape. Now that it's been five years since the model number was changed, we're finally updating our product listings to be consistent with the rest of the world—but please rest assured that the tape is identical.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOriginally designed for industrial masking, Nichiban #210 Artist Tape is a class above other artist tapes we've tried. It's designed to hold firm and peel off without damaging delicate surfaces, like watercolor paper. Paint doesn't seep under the edge, so you get a razor-sharp line when the tape is removed. It's also very flat and thin, so you won't see pooling at the edge when painting over Nichiban tape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach roll measures 18 meters (59 yd.) long. We stock several widths: 18 mm (0.7\"), 9 mm (0.35\"), and 30 mm (1.2\"). Made in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nichiban","offers":[{"title":"Standard - 18 mm (0.7\")","offer_id":46312260501727,"sku":"747989312839","price":3.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Thin - 9 mm (0.35\")","offer_id":46312260534495,"sku":"747989312822","price":2.29,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Thick - 30 mm (1.2\")","offer_id":46312260567263,"sku":"747989312846","price":4.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/nichiban210-18peel.jpg?v=1726335725"},{"product_id":"nichiban-241-masking-tape","title":"Nichiban #241 Masking Tape","description":"\u003cp\u003eStronger and slightly stickier than washi tape, but much more gentle and removable than cheap masking tape, Nichiban #241 Masking Tape has a huge number of uses in the studio or office. Designed for masking sensitive areas during the industrial painting process, Nichiban #241 holds strong and resists water. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThanks to Nichiban's extremely detailed product information, we can tell you that Nichiban #241 is 8.3% stickier than the ultra-gentle Nichiban #210 artist tape. That means it can cause damage to the most delicate surfaces, especially if it is left on for a long time. But it also gives the #241 tape broader general utility. For example, you can't wrap a gift with Nichiban artist tape, because it will eventually come unstuck in that kind of application. This masking tape will stick in tougher situations and stay put.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNichiban #241 can also be used as an artist tape in most situations, but you'll need to take more care than you would with #210. In our tests, #241 came off cleanly after being left overnight on watercolor paper, including the 100% cotton sheet we tested. However, we did notice some adhesive residue in tests where we rubbed the tape after applying it. This residue was easy to brush off and didn't damage the paper, but it may be a concern for some applications. When using Nichiban #241 for art masking, please apply it without excessive pressure, remove it as soon as you can, and peel slowly.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe offer so much guidance on this product because we hate tearing our paper. But if you haven't used Nichiban products before, please note that #241 is still much more gentle than most artist tapes and painter's tapes we have tested. It's just not as foolproof as #210 artist tape. However, we think some artists, especially those using less delicate paper, will appreciate the strength, additional width, and easily visible color of this tape for art masking purposes. (By the way, Nichiban calls this color \"tea,\" which is just delightful.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade from washi paper and natural rubber adhesive. Each roll measures 18 m (59') long by 24 mm (0.95\") wide. Made in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nichiban","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46312260927711,"sku":"747989312808","price":4.59,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/nichiban241peel_e2a5d2c4-8f94-4cab-a019-77d8bdd6d4af.jpg?v=1726335732"},{"product_id":"nichiban-252a-blue-artist-tape","title":"Nichiban #252A Blue Artist Tape","description":"\u003cp\u003eNichiban #252A is an advanced masking tape, introduced just this year by the leading tape manufacturer in Japan. It's made with washi paper and low-tack acrylic adhesive, using a similar formula to our best-selling \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/products\/nichiban-251-artist-tape\"\u003eNichiban #210\u003c\/a\u003e tape. We really like the pale blue color for visibility on the page, an advantage of this tape over classic #210.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNichiban #252A is designed for masking delicate surfaces for painting, so it's a great tool for artists who work on paper or canvas. You can remove it cleanly from almost any surface; just peel it off slowly to reveal a super-sharp painted line.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeasures 18 mm (0.7 in.) wide by 18 m (59 ft.) long. Made in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nichiban","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46312260960479,"sku":"747989312815","price":3.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/nichiban252a-18peel.jpg?v=1726335741"},{"product_id":"nichiban-2570-flexible-artist-tape","title":"Nichiban 2570 Flexible Artist Tape","description":"\u003cp\u003eThinner, more flexible, and even lower-tack than our bestselling Nichiban #210 Artist Tape, the new Nichiban 2570 will be a valuable tool in every artist's studio. Suitable for masking all kinds of paint on even your most expensive cotton papers, with a very easy release and sharp masked lines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCompared with Nichiban #210, this tape is a bit trickier to lay down because it is so thin and pliable. Additionally, because it's very low-tack, Nichiban 2570 loses much of its adhesion after the first use, so it's not as good for repositioning. However, our tests revealed that #2570 was superior on delicate and irregular surfaces, like rough cotton watercolor paper. It's also purple, which is easier to see against white paper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEach roll of #2570 is 18 meters long. That's plenty of tape for numerous projects, and much more than you get with a standard roll of washi tape. We offer 18 mm and 24 mm widths (18 mm is the size in the photos.)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nichiban","offers":[{"title":"Standard (18 mm)","offer_id":46312261026015,"sku":"747989312792","price":4.59,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Wide (24 mm)","offer_id":46312261058783,"sku":"798237951102","price":4.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/nichiban2570peel.jpg?v=1726335754"},{"product_id":"nichiban-222-ultra-low-tack-tape","title":"Nichiban #222 Ultra-Low-Tack Tape","description":"\u003cp\u003eMade from ultra-thin washi paper and an advanced, extraordinarily gentle adhesive, Nichiban #222 is the ultimate tape for masking sensitive surfaces. We tested it on several soft, cotton art papers, and we detected no damage whatsoever to their surfaces after removing Nichiban #222.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e#222 makes very sharp paint lines, as you can see in our test photos. It releases effortlessly from virtually all surfaces. And it's so thin that paint can't bead up next to the tape.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAvailable in 12 mm (0.47\"), 18 mm (0.7\"), and 50 mm (1.97\") sizes. All rolls of Nichiban #222 are 18 meters (285\") in length. Made in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nichiban","offers":[{"title":"12 mm (0.47\") x 18 m (285\")","offer_id":46312261910751,"sku":"785366209082","price":2.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"18 mm (0.7\") x 18 m (285\")","offer_id":46312261943519,"sku":"785366209099","price":3.79,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"50 mm (1.97\") x 18 m (285\")","offer_id":46312261976287,"sku":"785366209105","price":6.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/222-18peel.jpg?v=1726335769"},{"product_id":"nichiban-207-all-purpose-paper-tape","title":"Nichiban #207 All-Purpose Paper Tape","description":"\u003cp\u003eNichiban #207 Karitome™ is an extra-long roll of washi masking tape with a wide core. It's perfect for home, office, and studio use — try using it for packaging, gift wrapping, sticking things to studio walls, making quick collages, etc.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough #207 isn't specialized for masking paint projects, it works well on most surfaces and with most paints. We got sharp lines on watercolor paper with #207, but it wasn't as flat or as effortless to remove as the artist tapes in Nichiban's lineup.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMeasures 15 mm (0.59 in.) wide by 50 m (164 ft.) long. The wide core is compatible with standard masking tape dispensers. Made in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nichiban","offers":[{"title":"Red","offer_id":46312262074591,"sku":"785366209136","price":8.59,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Yellow","offer_id":46312262107359,"sku":"785366209143","price":8.59,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"White","offer_id":46312262140127,"sku":"785366209112","price":8.59,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"Blue","offer_id":46312262172895,"sku":"785366209129","price":8.59,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/207-rpeeled.jpg?v=1726335779"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-porcelain-pan-360-titanium-white","title":"Tonic Watercolor, Porcelain Pan, #360 Titanium White","description":"\u003cp\u003eINTENSE COLOR, EFFORTLESS FLOW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMORE ABOUT FEDERAL COLOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFederal Color is the manufacturing department at St. Louis Art Supply. Available in our own shop and from other great indie retailers, Federal Color products are artist-made, professional-quality, and designed with contemporary creatives in mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003eExplore the full Federal Color range.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46324177600735,"sku":"785366205275","price":14.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-360-composite_c2539581-b8df-4ef5-9e28-1740611af853.jpg?v=1726766135"},{"product_id":"uni-super-eraser-ek-100","title":"Uni Super Eraser EK-100","description":"\u003cp\u003eOne of our favorite discontinued products was the peel-off Magic Rub eraser. Many of you were very sad to see it go, because there's nothing else like it on the American market. So we went to Japan, where they make every obscure art supply you can imagine, and found an even better replacement!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eUni Super Eraser is a very high-quality, 3\/4 cm diameter eraser wrapped in paper that you peel off as you use it. It erases pencil marks much more cleanly than the old Magic Rub, and the eraser is thicker and more tightly wrapped. Pull the string to tear a little bit of the paper wrapping and unspool as much as you need. It's very satisfying!\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Mitsubishi Pencil Co.","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46380985942239,"sku":"4902778225264","price":2.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/unisupereraserpeel-off_1of2.jpg?v=1728834146"},{"product_id":"dynalon-tuff-vial","title":"Tuff Vial with Cap","description":"\u003cp\u003eThese polycarbonate vials are made of virtually indestructible, hard, crystal-clear plastic. Available in 5 mL and 10 mL sizes, the Tuff Vial is ideal for holding small amounts of ink and fluid paint for use in the studio. We especially like it as an inexpensive, easily storable inkwell. A standard dip pen easily fits into the wide mouth of the bottle.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe 5 mL size measures 2.2\" x 0.75\". The 10 mL size measures 2.5\" x 0.75\". Both Tuff Vial sizes use the same cap. Made in Taiwan.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Dynalon","offers":[{"title":"5 mL","offer_id":46380986400991,"sku":"747989312075","price":3.29,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"10 mL","offer_id":46380986433759,"sku":"785366209754","price":3.79,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tuff-vial-5ml-pow.jpg?v=1728834180"},{"product_id":"blunt-tip-ink-syringe-5-ml","title":"Blunt-Tip Ink Syringe, 5 mL","description":"\u003cp\u003eFill cartridges, flush pens, and transfer inks between containers with our Blunt-Tip Ink Syringe. We make our ink samples with this model, a sturdy 5 mL syringe fitted with a 20 gauge dispensing needle. Dispensing needles aren't sharp—they're just narrow metal tubes, similar to the ones at the end of mechanical pencils.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePrinted with graduations from 1 mL to 5 mL. Although the syringe is printed \"discard after use,\" it's perfectly fine to re-use these for inks. We clean ours out with \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/products\/universal-pen-cleaner\"\u003eUniversal Pen Cleaner\u003c\/a\u003e between colors. (You can unscrew the tip to get all the ink out with pen cleaner.)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"St. Louis Art Supply","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46380986630367,"sku":"798237950334","price":2.79,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/inksyringe2023-1.jpg?v=1728834199"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-xl-dot-card","title":"Tonic Watercolor, XL Dot Card","description":"\u003cp\u003eXL DOTS FOR XTRA COLOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/tonic-watercolor\"\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans\u003c\/a\u003e are bigger than the competition, so why shouldn't our dot cards have the same oversized proportions? These \"dots\" are several times the size of samples provided by other watercolor makers, so you can really get into the flow with Tonic. Just use a wet brush to re-activate the paint; then, use it like any other watercolor.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe colors included on this 3\" x 4\" card are the same essential six that come in the \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/tonic-watercolor\/products\/tonic-watercolor-core-mixing-set-of-6\"\u003eTonic Core Mixing Set of 6\u003c\/a\u003e: Signal Yellow, Permanent Yellow, Phthalo Cyan, Ultramarine, Quinacridone Magenta, and Federal Red. All six colors are made with lightfast, single-pigment formulas.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eKeep reading to learn more about Tonic...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eINTENSE COLOR, EFFORTLESS FLOW\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMORE ABOUT FEDERAL COLOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFederal Color is the manufacturing department at St. Louis Art Supply. Available in our own shop and from other great indie retailers, Federal Color products are artist-made, professional-quality, and designed with contemporary creatives in mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003eExplore the full Federal Color range.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!----\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46390484074719,"sku":"785366205152","price":6.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/dot-card-pow-redo-3x2.jpg?v=1729101526"},{"product_id":"calligraphy-pencil-6b-iridescent-violet-pop-pack-of-60","title":"Calligraphy Pencil, 6B, Iridescent Violet (POP Pack of 60)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThe 6B Calligraphy Pencil from Eyeball Pencil Co. is so soft and dark that Japanese students use it to practice their lettering. The extra-wide 6B lead sharpens to a fine, strong point, so you can seamlessly transition between thick and thin marks.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlthough it's originally intended for writing, we love this style of pencil (called \u003cem\u003ekouhitsu shosha\u003c\/em\u003e in Japanese) as a sketching tool, because it combines the line variability of a stiff brush pen with the erasability and ease of use of a pencil.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIridescent purple finish with metallic foil stamping. Made in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSold in a shelf pack of 60 pencils. Includes plastic point-of-purchase cup with Japanese label. For individual pencils, please visit your local Federal Color retailer.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Eyeball Pencil","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46454648668383,"sku":"785366208955","price":78.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/eyeballA-944casepack.jpg?v=1731448765"},{"product_id":"no-smoking-pencil-pop-pack-of-60","title":"\"No Smoking\" Mini Pencil (POP Pack of 60)","description":"\u003cp\u003eSmoking is bad. This pencil offers a reminder of that fact (\"No Smoking\" is printed on the side) and also looks exactly like a cigarette. So maybe it's a bit of a mixed message, but in any case, this pencil is not hazardous to your health. It's a classic #2 in a bite-sized mini length, with quality wood and lead.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade by the jokesters at Eyeball Pencil, Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSold in a shelf pack of 60 pencils. Includes plastic point-of-purchase cup with English label. For individual pencils, please visit your local Federal Color retailer.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Eyeball Pencil","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46454744776927,"sku":"785366208924","price":64.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/eyeballA-111casepack.jpg?v=1731455625"},{"product_id":"clear-measuring-cup-300-ml","title":"Clear Measuring Cup, 300 mL","description":"\u003cp\u003eNearly unbreakable, this measuring cup can offer a lifetime of service in your art studio. It has a handle and spout, so it's easy to transfer liquid. It holds 300 mL, with metric markings from 50 mL to 300 mL in increments of 25 mL. One side is printed in red; the other side is molded with the same measurements.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eIMPORTED BY FEDERAL COLOR.  Federal Color imports are curated by artists like you. They're built to last. And they're ethically sourced. These are basics you can trust.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46462547984607,"sku":"4905596110385","price":4.29,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/300-ml-measuring-cup-pow.jpg?v=1731675160"},{"product_id":"clear-measuring-cup-500-ml","title":"Clear Measuring Cup, 500 mL","description":"\u003cp\u003eNearly unbreakable, this measuring cup can offer a lifetime of service in your art studio. It has a handle and spout, so it's easy to transfer liquid. It holds 500 mL, with metric markings from 50 mL to 500 mL in increments of 10 mL.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade in Japan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cmeta charset=\"utf-8\"\u003eIMPORTED BY FEDERAL COLOR.  Federal Color imports are curated by artists like you. They're built to last. And they're ethically sourced. These are basics you can trust.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46462548115679,"sku":"4955959115915","price":5.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/500-ml-measuring-cup-pow.jpg?v=1731675165"},{"product_id":"basic-ring-bound-notebook-a6","title":"Basic Ring-Bound Notebook, Pocket Size","description":"\u003cp\u003eMade in Japan and filled with 50 sheets of fountain pen friendly paper, our Basic Ring-Bound Notebook is an outstanding value for just a few dollars. The white, college-ruled paper features a very smooth surface and soft grey lines, making it a very pleasant paper for writing with all kinds of pens and pencils.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFlexible kraft cardstock covers and a durable double wire ring binding complete this simple, versatile notebook. The pocket size version measures 140 x 110 mm (5.5\" x 4.3\".) The sticker on the front cover is removable.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kyowa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46566817431775,"sku":"4969757159279","price":4.29,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/kyowa-a6-basic-notebook-pow.jpg?v=1733690052"},{"product_id":"basic-ring-bound-notebook-a5","title":"Basic Ring-Bound Notebook, A5","description":"\u003cp\u003eMade in Japan and filled with 40 sheets of fountain pen friendly paper, our Basic Ring-Bound Notebook is an outstanding value for just a few dollars. The white, college-ruled paper features a very smooth surface and soft grey lines, making it a very pleasant paper for writing with all kinds of pens and pencils.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFlexible kraft cardstock covers and a durable double wire ring binding complete this simple, versatile notebook. The A5 version measures 5.8\" x 8.3\". The sticker on the front cover is removable.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Kyowa","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46566817464543,"sku":"4969757108901","price":4.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/kyowa-a5-basic-notebook-pow.jpg?v=1733690060"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-half-pans-primary-trio","title":"Tonic Watercolor Half Pans, Primary Trio","description":"\u003cp\u003eTONIC WATERCOLOR HALF PANS, PRIMARY TRIO\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur original watercolors are now available in traditional half pans! This is the classic little 'chiclet' shape that you'll find in most modern watercolor sets. Ours are taller than most, and they're generally overfilled. We actually fill each one of these by hand, if you can believe it, so there are minor differences between each pan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur Primary Trio includes three great mixing colors: #325 Quinacridone Magenta, #047 Permanent Yellow, and #245 Ultramarine.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic half pans fit into any standard watercolor tin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade right here in St. Louis, MO.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eABOUT TONIC WATERCOLOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMORE ABOUT FEDERAL COLOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFederal Color is the manufacturing department at St. Louis Art Supply. Available in our own shop and from other great indie retailers, Federal Color products are artist-made, professional-quality, and designed with contemporary creatives in mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003eExplore the full Federal Color range.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46595732078815,"sku":"785366205428","price":20.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-blister-pack-trio_b51c8346-6ba1-4640-85a2-e13bb6c7d2eb.jpg?v=1737720278"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-half-pans-000-carbon-black","title":"Tonic Watercolor Half Pans, #000 Carbon Black","description":"\u003cp\u003eTONIC WATERCOLOR HALF PANS\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur original watercolors are now available in traditional half pans! This is the classic little 'chiclet' shape that you'll find in most modern watercolor sets. Ours are taller than most, and they're generally overfilled. We actually fill each one of these by hand, if you can believe it, so there are minor differences between each pan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic half pans fit into any standard watercolor tin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade right here in St. Louis, MO.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eABOUT TONIC WATERCOLOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMORE ABOUT FEDERAL COLOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFederal Color is the manufacturing department at St. Louis Art Supply. Available in our own shop and from other great indie retailers, Federal Color products are artist-made, professional-quality, and designed with contemporary creatives in mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003eExplore the full Federal Color range.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46595732275423,"sku":"785366205381","price":7.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-000-half-pan-pow_bf32ac96-0a0f-4d78-ab9b-f99c1ff82248.jpg?v=1737720298"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-half-pans-002-federal-red","title":"Tonic Watercolor Half Pans, #002 Federal Red","description":"\u003cp\u003eTONIC WATERCOLOR HALF PANS\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur original watercolors are now available in traditional half pans! This is the classic little 'chiclet' shape that you'll find in most modern watercolor sets. Ours are taller than most, and they're generally overfilled. We actually fill each one of these by hand, if you can believe it, so there are minor differences between each pan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic half pans fit into any standard watercolor tin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade right here in St. Louis, MO.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eABOUT TONIC WATERCOLOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMORE ABOUT FEDERAL COLOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFederal Color is the manufacturing department at St. Louis Art Supply. Available in our own shop and from other great indie retailers, Federal Color products are artist-made, professional-quality, and designed with contemporary creatives in mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003eExplore the full Federal Color range.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46595732406495,"sku":"785366205367","price":7.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-002-half-pan-pow_75292d7d-a817-435f-a12e-0b5bd0cdfdc9.jpg?v=1737720315"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-half-pans-012-oxide-red","title":"Tonic Watercolor Half Pans, #012 Oxide Red","description":"\u003cp\u003eTONIC WATERCOLOR HALF PANS\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur original watercolors are now available in traditional half pans! This is the classic little 'chiclet' shape that you'll find in most modern watercolor sets. Ours are taller than most, and they're generally overfilled. We actually fill each one of these by hand, if you can believe it, so there are minor differences between each pan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic half pans fit into any standard watercolor tin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade right here in St. Louis, MO.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eABOUT TONIC WATERCOLOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMORE ABOUT FEDERAL COLOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFederal Color is the manufacturing department at St. Louis Art Supply. Available in our own shop and from other great indie retailers, Federal Color products are artist-made, professional-quality, and designed with contemporary creatives in mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003eExplore the full Federal Color range.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46595732504799,"sku":"785366205411","price":7.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-012-half-pan-pow_6e9bd6a3-e726-4df8-b0b8-1ee4a87dae64.jpg?v=1737720332"},{"product_id":"tonic-watercolor-half-pans-040-signal-yellow","title":"Tonic Watercolor Half Pans, #040 Signal Yellow","description":"\u003cp\u003eTONIC WATERCOLOR HALF PANS\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur original watercolors are now available in traditional half pans! This is the classic little 'chiclet' shape that you'll find in most modern watercolor sets. Ours are taller than most, and they're generally overfilled. We actually fill each one of these by hand, if you can believe it, so there are minor differences between each pan.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic half pans fit into any standard watercolor tin.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMade right here in St. Louis, MO.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eABOUT TONIC WATERCOLOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Watercolor is made right here in our St. Louis HQ, with a unique formula that we developed over two years of experimentation and research. We designed Tonic for maximum pigmentation, and you'll notice that a pan of Tonic is more concentrated than many other artist-grade watercolors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith just a few drops of water, you can make bold, saturated marks on wet or dry paper. To make typical, translucent watercolor washes, you'll need to add more water than you might expect. Most Tonic colors start out semi-opaque because of their high pigment load, but they open up with water, becoming light and subtle as they're diluted.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt any concentration, Tonic is free-flowing. It's easy to load onto a wet brush, easy to lift from its pan or from paper, and easy to move the brush across watercolor paper. Some brands of watercolor are too sticky or slow-moving to allow painting on dry paper, but with Tonic, you don't need to pre-wet the page for most techniques.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOUR EXTRA-LARGE PORCELAIN PAN\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is our signature package for Tonic Watercolor — a large, hand-poured porcelain pan containing 20 grams of solid watercolor. That's approximately seven times the net weight of a typical half pan of watercolor paint! With its huge size and affordable price, Tonic is one of the absolute best-value products in fine art materials today.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlus, when you're done using a Tonic pan, you can easily wash out the porcelain dish for use as a palette — or, to refill with your favorite large tube of watercolor.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTonic Porcelain Pans measure 45 mm (1.8\") in diameter and 19 mm (0.75\") in height.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMADE WITH FINE ACACIA GUM\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOne element of our recipe is highly traditional: we use specially sourced and carefully tested gum arabic as the binder for Tonic watercolors. Gum arabic, which is the plant-based medium of virtually all watercolors, varies wildly in quality and consistency. As we learned over dozens of materials tests, some grades and species of gum arabic are totally unsuitable for watercolor. Some are merely acceptable. The best-quality gum arabic (which is what we use in Tonic) offers incredible transparency, flexibility, and handling. That's why our Tonic Watercolor Medium is noticeably clearer than many of the other brands on the market.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLIGHTFAST, MODERN PIGMENTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAll Tonic colors are lightfast, with ratings of 7 or 8 on the eight-point Blue Wool Scale. Paintings made with Tonic colors are suitable for commissioned work and for long-term display under appropriate gallery conditions.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTRIPLE-MILLED FOR PERFECT DISPERSION\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe put each Tonic color through extensive testing to ensure that the consistency of each dispersion is perfect. That means that each tiny particle of pigment is surrounded by the watercolor medium. Tonic Watercolor is completely free of clumps and inconsistent pigment dispersion—unlike handmade watercolors, which can't achieve the same consistency, and even some cheaper factory-made colors.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOur process for achieving these professional-grade results involves several stages of mixing, milling, and quality checking. First, we use a dispersing blade to pre-mix each color with medium. The pre-mix can take quite some time, because we use such high concentrations of pigment. But when it's done, the paint is a smooth paste without major clumps.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAfter the pre-mix, we use a three-roll mill to fully disperse the pigment and break up any clumps that are invisible to the naked eye. Each time the paint passes through the mill, it is pushed with incredible force through a tiny gap, generally measuring less than 50 microns (0.05 mm). The shearing force breaks the bonds between nearby pigment particles and turns the paste into a luxuriously smooth, free-flowing watercolor paint.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThree passes through the mill are required to make Tonic silky smooth. This labor-intensive process requires considerable skill from our mill operators, who ensure that each batch meets our exacting standards.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eNO ANIMAL PRODUCTS\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe're pleased to let you know that Tonic contains no animal-derived products. Unlike many watercolors, Tonic does not contain ox gall — instead, we use modern surfactants to achieve the same effects as the traditional animal-derived recipe.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMORE ABOUT FEDERAL COLOR\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFederal Color is the manufacturing department at St. Louis Art Supply. Available in our own shop and from other great indie retailers, Federal Color products are artist-made, professional-quality, and designed with contemporary creatives in mind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/shop.stlartsupply.com\/collections\/federal-color\"\u003eExplore the full Federal Color range.\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Federal Color","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46595732570335,"sku":"785366205336","price":7.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/files\/tonic-040-half-pan-pow_f4380b8b-a614-4e67-9266-a961fb8d7f72.jpg?v=1737720348"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0671\/3720\/8543\/collections\/more_tonic_beauty_aug_2024-3.jpg?v=1724557748","url":"https:\/\/federalcolor.com\/collections\/catalog.oembed?page=18","provider":"Federal Color","version":"1.0","type":"link"}