Monday 12 August 2013

Mijello watercolours arrive!

As I predicted - I'm not always wrong - Mijello are now available in Europe and the UK from Great Art www.greatart.co.uk/ In the latest special offers booklet, which arrived today, a full page is devoted to them. The heading is `Save up to 50% on Quality Watercolour'. Prices are extraordinary cheap but at least they don't say `artist quality'. Read the following though:-

.....to further improve the properties of their paints classical music is played for the water during the mixing and dispersion process as the unique sound wave patterns stimulate the water and paint molecules and enhances their complexity and beauty. And once the initial production is complete they allow the colours to mature in traditional Korean pots which create natural germanium and help ensure the best quality paint.....

Oh and by the way these are claimed to be the first watercolour paints than don't utilize the hardening agent silicium dioxide. Almost lost for words after that lot I don't quite know what to say - at least when I get my voice back!.

See my piece in March about these paints and what others on Wetcanvas had to say about them, including an analysis of the pigments used and lightfastness tests by the artist Chris Beck. To summarize there are 90 (it says 89 in another place) colours and Great Art prices, in 5 series, start at £2.10 up to £4.35. I doubt I'll buy them but I'm sure many will attracted by the prices and marketing blurb, and we know a great many artists, not just amateurs, don't have a clue what paints are made of  accepting what it says on the tin. Am I being cynical?

What other offers are there for watercolour artists from Great Art. Apart from this incredible offering - and I don't mean incredibly good - we have Schminke watercolours at up to 50% off, Clarefontaine and Canson Montval paper, DaVinci squirrel brushes all at reduced prices plus other bits and pieces. Free delivery if you spend over £39.95p..

4 comments:

John Softly said...

Peter,
Great Art will not post to Australia which is somewhat strange as Bromley's and Jackson's antipodean orders are substantial. Had they taken Austraian orders I would have resisted the Mijello pigments as I am of the firm belief that playing Jazz to the water, rather than classical music, results in non fugitive pigments and brighter colours.
It could have been worse - they could have choosen Country and Western music which would have been a disaster.
Cheers
John

Peter Ward said...

Great Art are German John and now supply everything from Germany, although they have a UK telephone ordering office and website. They did open a warehouse in Hampshire but soon closed it. I have heard it said they are inflexible - for example they won't keep anything on back order - but I have found them to be pretty efficient. I did ask them if they would stock the Czech Moldau paper but got nowhere.

As for Mijello's music tastes mine are more Motown, and whisper it I'm an old rock and roller.

LuAnn K. said...

Hello Mr. Ward,
I discovered your blog quite by accident and enjoy it very much. I was intrigued by Yvonne Harry's floral paintings but I don't see any recent entries from her. Is she still participating?

LuAnn KLick, USA

Peter Ward said...

Thanks for comment. Yvonne left the AVA group earlier this year and I've had no contact with her since. I believe she is still active so if you 'google' her name you'll probably find her.