Schmincke Horadam Watercolors, Retro Sketchbox Set (Limited Edition)

Horadam Retro Sketchbox Set of 6

With special packaging, a unique format, and a very rare, historical color tucked inside, Schmincke's limited-edition Retro Sketchbox is an exciting new release for watercolorists everywhere.

We'll start with the outside of the box: it's a classic travel sketchbox with the original H. Schmincke & Co. logo and hand-drawn typography printed on the case. On the back, there's a finger loop to hold the box steady while you work. Open it up to find two generously-sized mixing palettes. The palette areas are enameled in bright white for smooth, effortless mixing.

Inside the box is an unusual configuration: a row of six Horadam Watercolor tubes (5 mL each) on the bottom, held in place by metal rails with rounded insets for each tube. Above the tubes are six empty half pans in a standard half-pan rail with flexible clips. You can fill the empty pans with colors from your studio, replace them with existing half pans, or fill them with the six colors in this box for easy access.

Finally, let's talk about the six gorgeous colors of the Retro Sketchbox. Most remarkable is a tube of genuine cochineal red, an insect-derived color that has not been popular since the 19th century and hasn't been produced at Schmincke for many years—until now. As part of the Schmincke Retro Line, this historical hue has been reproduced on a limited basis and is included in this set.

The other five tubes are colors that have existed throughout Schmincke's history. Notably, these are premium colors (a cadmium and two cobalts are included) in comparison to most pre-packaged sets with less expensive pigments. The specific colors are cadmium yellow deep, cobalt blue light, cobalt green pure, raw umber, sepia brown reddish, and the aforementioned cochineal red.

Presented in a Schmincke Retro box with the original owl logo and vintage detailing. A vintage message from the company is inside each box, along with a blank swatch card to try out your new colors. Made in Germany.

About Schmincke Retro Line:

Say hello to Schmincke Retro. As art-supply history buffs, we're delighted to offer Schmincke's collection of retro items with the original Schmincke branding. Retro Line products include vintage color selections and unique set designs that celebrate the distinguished, nearly 150-year history of H. Schmincke & Co.

Retro Line products are new for 2024, and they'll only be manufactured this year.