Daniel Smith : Water Soluble Oil Paint

Daniel Smith Water Soluble Oils and Mediums have been discontinued as of December 2023. 'Watercolor is our passion, so we are focusing our efforts on giving you a wide variety of watercolors and related media to enjoy on your creative journey.' - Daniel Smith

Daniel Smith Water Soluble Oil Paints have the buttery, creamy brush-feel and rich appearance of classic oil colour but without the toxic fumes of solvents and tedious clean up. They are made from the same vibrant, finely ground pigments as the Daniel Smith Classic Oil Colours; the only difference is the use of Water Soluble Linseed Oil to make the paints. This is a high-grade alkali-refined linseed oil selected for its uniformity, its low acidity and its non-yellowing qualities.

You can use the Water Soluble Linseed Oil or other Daniel Smith Water Soluble Mediums to thin these paints on your palette or use up to 20% water to thin the paints. If water is used they will dry more matt.

43 colours are available, of which 41 have a Lightfastness rating of I (colour stable for 100+ years). One colour (Hansa Yellow Light) has a Lightfastness rating II (colour stable for 100 years) and one colour (Alizarin Crimson) has a Lightfastness rating III (colour stable for 50 years; the range includes a replacement, Permanent Alizarin Crimson, which has excellent lightfastness). In addition to the pigment and the binder, each tube has less than 1% of additives, which are there to improve the handling and consistency of the paint, and to modify the drying time.

These paints are especially useful for painters who prefer to work in oils, but who don't have a ventilated studio space. They are perfect for use at home, in schools, en plein air, or on the move: because they can be used and cleaned with water, it is not necessary to transport flammable and toxic chemicals in order to paint. They can be used with traditional oil paints and mediums (although the water-solubility of the paints is lost in mixing). This means that if you are considering switching to Daniel Smith Water Soluble Oils, it is perfectly practical to replace your paints one tube at a time as they run out.

Daniel Smith’s products are not tested on animals. PBk 9 is found in the following Water Soluble Oil Colours only: Ivory Black.

Interested customers might like to read our blog post about Daniel Smith Water Soluble Oils on the Jackson’s Blog.