Calico Art - Carol Vaage

In January 2023, I began a query or self-directed research project to find out which Daniel Smith granulating pigments created the most dramatic and impactful mixtures. Prior to that, it was always a surprise when that drama happened in my paintings. I wanted to be able to select the best colors and consciously mix them as part of my paintings, to know exactly what was possible. I wanted to eliminate the disappointments. 

Sorting out my paints according to the Daniel Smith Granulating Paints list and purchasing several more was the first step. So in all, I had 129 Daniel Smith granulating paints - which seemed overwhelming, to say the least. Daniel Smith paints, located in Seattle,  are known for their high-quality pigments and splendid color options.

I used Arteza multimedia books that were coil bound, 110 lb weight, and 60 pages of 9"x12" paper. Dividing each page into 12 and using a circle template, it gave a perfect template for mixing experiments. 

Each page was titled with the color I was using for the day, and each square labelled with the granulating color I was using to mix with it. So there were 12 experimental mixes for each color. Below you'll see the Arteza book used, a sample of the pigment solo sample, and an example of a 12 sample page of mixtures.

When I finished the last pigment, and page 129 in the third book, I tried to make sense and synthesize and summarize what I had learned from doing this research. The very best stunning, exciting and dramatic mixes for each page were entered into an Excel chart (sounds crazy, doesn't it?) because tallying by hand was impossible to imagine.

There are some limitations to my research. First of all, the colors I chose to mix were subjectively selected by using a swatch chart. Any color that intuitively seemed like it would work was chosen. The choices were also biased by my preference for blue tones. In addition, there are several Daniel Smith granulating pigments that I did not have, so they were not included in the research. 

There are some limitations to my research. First of all, the colors I chose to mix were subjectively selected by using a swatch chart. Any color that intuitively seemed like it would work was chosen. The choices were also biased by my preference for blue tones. In addition, there are several Daniel Smith granulating pigments that I did not have, so they were not included in the research. 

The results are in! Below are the 30 best pigments for your palette. They will create the most dramatic mixes when used with any other granulating pigment. The table below shows them in order of the best is first! Daniel Smith Lunar Blue by far outshone every other pigment! It is a MUST HAVE!