Brusho Crystal Colour: the art material that surprises everyone who tries it
There is a small group of art materials that, once you have tried them, you cannot quite believe you did not know about before. Brusho Crystal Colour is firmly in that category. Made in Sheffield, sold in tiny pots, and described variously as watercolour crystals, powdered ink, and concentrated pigment — it is genuinely difficult to categorise, which is part of what makes it so interesting. What it does, in practice, is produce some of the most vivid, spontaneous, and immediately beautiful colour effects of any water-based medium available.
We stock Brusho Crystal Colour at Craft and Canvas in two formats — an 8-colour assorted pack at £22.99 and a 12-colour starter pack at £29.99 — alongside the Brusho Aquawax medium at £6.20 and the book Painting with Brusho at £15.99. This post covers what Brusho actually is, where it comes from, what makes it distinctive, and why it has built such a devoted following.
What Brusho actually is
Brusho Crystal Colour is a water-based, highly concentrated ink and dye in powdered crystal form. Made exclusively by Colourcraft Ltd in Sheffield — a British company that has been manufacturing art materials for decades — it comes in small sealed pots and activates when it comes into contact with water, either on paper or mixed on a palette.
Each colour is not a single pigment but a blend of several different dye crystals. This is one of the most important things to understand about Brusho — and one of the things that makes it so visually distinctive. When you apply Brusho to wet paper, the different crystal components separate and bloom independently, producing a multi-tonal effect where a single application of, say, green will reveal blues, yellows, and hints of darker tones emerging and separating as the colour spreads. This is not a defect or an inconsistency — it is the defining characteristic of the medium, and the reason Brusho produces results that no single-pigment watercolour can replicate.
The concentration is extraordinary. A pinch of Brusho powder activates into a vivid, intense colour with a small amount of water. A single pot goes considerably further than its modest size suggests — many artists report using the same pots for years. The 8-colour pack at £22.99 and the 12-colour starter pack at £29.99 both represent remarkable value given the volume of work they can produce.
A British product with a long history
Colourcraft was founded in Sheffield in 1946, originally producing textile dyes and colouring products. Brusho Crystal Colour emerged from that textile dye heritage — the product is based on the same concentrated dye technology used in fabric dyeing, reformulated for paper and fine art application. This explains both its extraordinary colour intensity and its somewhat different behaviour from conventional watercolours: Brusho is technically a dye rather than a pigment, which gives it its characteristic transparency and luminosity but also means it behaves with a spontaneity and unpredictability that can initially surprise painters used to conventional media.
The product has been used in UK art education for decades — it became a staple of school art rooms largely because of its non-toxicity, its ease of use, and its ability to produce striking results very quickly. More recently, it has built a much larger following among adult artists — particularly watercolourists, card makers, art journallers, and mixed media artists — who have discovered its possibilities well beyond the school art room context.
Why artists love it
The core appeal of Brusho can be described simply: it produces beautiful, complex, unpredictable colour effects with very little effort. Where conventional watercolour rewards careful, deliberate technique and can punish mistakes, Brusho rewards looseness and experimentation. The medium does a great deal of the visual work for you — the colour blooms, separates, and moves in ways that are genuinely exciting to watch and almost impossible to replicate exactly, even if you try.
This does not mean Brusho lacks subtlety or control — experienced artists use it with considerable precision, and there are many techniques for managing exactly where and how the colour goes. But the baseline experience of using Brusho is one of immediate reward and visual excitement, which makes it exceptionally well suited to anyone who finds conventional watercolour intimidating or who wants to explore a more expressive, loose approach to colour.
The multi-tonal quality of each colour is perhaps the most valued property among experienced users. A single wash of Brusho Black, for example, does not produce a flat grey — it blooms with blues, purples, and warm tones that emerge and recede as the water moves through the crystal. The effect is organic, complex, and far richer than the equivalent wash in conventional watercolour.
The product range we stock
Brusho 8-colour assorted pack — £22.99
An assorted selection of eight Brusho colours in individual pots. All colours in the range are fully intermixable, producing an effectively unlimited palette from a handful of individual colours. The 8-colour pack is the most accessible starting point — enough to explore the full range of what Brusho can do across multiple techniques without the commitment of the larger set.
Brusho 12-colour starter pack — £29.99
The original set of twelve colours that most Brusho artists begin with, including black, which deserves a special mention. Brusho Black is one of the most extraordinary colours in the range — a complex, multi-tonal black that separates into blues, purples, and warm undertones when applied to wet paper, producing effects that experienced watercolourists find genuinely startling. The 12-colour pack gives you a full working palette and is the natural choice for anyone who wants to develop a serious Brusho practice.
Brusho Aquawax — £6.20
Aquawax is a ready-to-use liquid wax resist medium designed for use alongside Brusho colours. Applied to paper before the Brusho, it acts as a barrier — the Brusho colour moves around the waxed areas, leaving them as white or pale accents within the coloured wash. This technique — essentially a cold wax resist version of the traditional batik process — produces effects that are striking and distinctive. It is non-toxic, requires no heat, and is suitable for use with children. It also works on card, plaster, and unglazed terracotta as well as paper.
Painting with Brusho — £15.99
This book by Joanne Boon Thomas is the most widely recommended introduction to the medium. Across ten step-by-step projects, it covers techniques from using a single colour through to blending primaries, discovering the hidden qualities of black Brusho, and developing a full expressive painting practice in the medium. Joanne was instrumental in bringing Brusho to wider adult audiences in the UK through her painting classes, and the book reflects both her technical knowledge and her enthusiasm for what the medium can do. An excellent companion to either of the colour packs.
What Brusho is not
A few things worth being clear about, particularly for artists coming from a conventional watercolour background.
Brusho is a dye-based product rather than a pigment-based product. This means it has different lightfastness characteristics from conventional watercolour paints — all Brusho colours are rated between 4 and 6 for lightfastness, which is good but not equivalent to the highest-rated artist quality watercolour pigments. For display work that will be exposed to strong light over long periods, sealing with a UV-resistant spray is recommended. For most card making, journalling, mixed media, and art for normal indoor display, this is not a significant practical concern.
Brusho is not highly controllable in the way that conventional watercolour is once you become technically proficient. The spontaneity and unpredictability that make it so exciting are inseparable from its character — you can guide Brusho but you cannot fully control it. Artists who require precise, reproducible results from their medium may find this frustrating. Artists who find the unexpected beautiful will find it liberating.
Frequently asked questions about Brusho
How do I open the Brusho pots safely?
Do not remove the sealed lid entirely — the powder is extremely fine and very concentrated. Instead, use a pin, cocktail stick, or small nail to poke one or two small holes in the sealed lid, turning it into a controlled shaker. A colour-coded push pin acts as both a dispensing tool and a plug to keep the hole clear between sessions.
How much Brusho do I need to use?
Much less than you think. Start with the smallest possible amount — a few crystals are often sufficient for a significant area of colour. The concentration is such that over-application is the most common beginner mistake. You can always add more.
Can Brusho be used on fabric?
Yes, on natural fibres such as cotton. Note that Brusho is not a permanent fabric dye and is intended for decorative use rather than garments that will be regularly washed.
Is Brusho non-toxic and safe for children?
Yes — Brusho is non-toxic and has been used in school art rooms for decades. The powder should not be inhaled, which is a practical consideration for very young children, but the product is entirely safe for supervised use.
Can Brusho be used with other media?
Yes — it combines well with watercolour, acrylic, inks, and coloured pencils. The Aquawax resist adds another dimension. It can also be used through stencils, mixed with modelling paste, and applied to wood and card as well as paper.
Does dried Brusho on a palette keep?
Yes — any Brusho that has dried on a palette can be reactivated with water, exactly as with a conventional watercolour paint. There is no waste.
Shop Brusho at Craft and Canvas
We stock the Brusho 8-colour assorted pack at £22.99, the Brusho 12-colour starter pack at £29.99, Brusho Aquawax at £6.20, and Painting with Brusho at £15.99, at Craft and Canvas in Hebden Bridge and online at craftandcanvas.co.uk.
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