Schmincke Vault: Horadam Watercolor, Red Opalite (2018)

Red opalite is a semi-precious stone, also called "common opal," a geological relative to opal without the iridescent effect of its precious sibling. This red opalite was mined in Arizona, and it definitely calls to mind the red rock landscape of the American West.

Highly granulating, with an earthy red-orange hue and a wide range of possible values, this red opalite watercolor is an incredible tool for nature painting on its own or in mixes. We like it with yellow ochre for a more muted, but still highly complex, earth tone, or with a warm red for blazing crimson sunsets.

Please note that the large, dense pigment particles in this type of watercolor tend to separate from the watercolor binder. Schmincke recommends mixing the color before use, by squeezing the paint from end to end in the tube, repeating this process for about 30 seconds. If you still notice separation, don't worry; it's normal. Simply mix the pigment into the medium with a brush or palette knife.

From the Schmincke Vault:
This special Horadam tube was produced in 2018 for a limited edition of watercolors made from stone ground, semi-precious gemstones. Earlier this year, a cache of vintage stock from this edition was found in the stock of a defunct retailer, and these rare tubes made their way back to Schmincke. The Schmincke laboratory performed tests to ensure that the colors were still in excellent condition. We purchased the entire supply at a discount, so we are able to offer these colors for a very special price, 40% off the original MSRP.

5 mL tube. Made in Germany.