There are watercolours, and then there is Sennelier L'Aquarelle. Made in Paris since 1887, refined continuously over more than a century, and used by some of the most significant watercolourists of the modern era, L'Aquarelle occupies a place at the very top of the professional watercolour market that very few ranges can credibly challenge.
We stock the full range of 98 colours as individual 10ml tubes — allowing complete freedom to build, replace, and expand a palette precisely as needed. The formulation is the story. Sennelier's distinctive addition of honey to the gum arabic binder is not a marketing conceit — it is a substantive quality decision with measurable effects on the paint's performance. Honey is hygroscopic, meaning it attracts and retains moisture, which keeps the paint flowing smoothly and prevents it from drying hard and brittle in the tube or on the palette. It also acts as a natural preservative.
Most significantly, it contributes directly to the luminosity and brilliance of the dried wash — the characteristic quality of L'Aquarelle that watercolourists consistently identify as unlike any other paint.
The formula has recently been refined with an increased honey content to further reinforce this quality. The pigments are soaked in purified mineral-free water for 24 hours before grinding — a process that helps the pigment and binder integrate more fully, producing a smoother, more consistent paint that flows more readily and lifts more evenly. They are then ground on slowly rotating stone mills, without heat, in the traditional manner that Sennelier has maintained from the beginning. The result is an exceptionally fine, smooth paste of the highest possible pigment concentration.
The palette of 98 colours is inspired by the French Impressionists and has been developed and extended over decades to include colours that are unique to Sennelier and found nowhere else in the watercolour market. Over 50 colours in the range are single-pigment, giving the cleanest, most vibrant mixing results. 36 colours in the range are granulating — identified with a G on the tube — producing the characteristic settling and texture effects that many watercolourists specifically seek for landscape, atmospheric, and botanical work. The range spans warm and cool yellows, the full range of reds and pinks, an extensive blue and blue-green selection, a broad green palette, earthy naturals and ochres, and a range of neutrals, greys, and blacks.
What makes Sennelier L'Aquarelle different from other professional watercolours?
The honey and Kordofan gum arabic binder is the most distinctive quality — it gives the paint exceptional luminosity, brilliance, and flow that is unlike any other professional watercolour. The traditional stone-milling process, 24-hour pigment soaking, and mineral-free water all contribute to a paint of exceptional fineness and consistency. Some colours in the range are also unique to Sennelier and unavailable elsewhere.
What are granulating colours?
Granulating colours contain heavy pigments — cobalts, cadmiums, genuine earth colours — that settle unevenly as they dry, pooling in the hollows of textured paper and creating a characteristic grainy, atmospheric texture. 36 colours in the L'Aquarelle range granulate and are identified with a G on the tube. For painters who want this effect, Sennelier's granulating palette is one of the most extensive available.
Are the colours sold individually?
Yes — we stock all 98 colours as individual 10ml tubes, allowing complete freedom to buy exactly the colours needed, replace colours that run out, and build a custom palette without purchasing colours you will never use. How many single-pigment colours are in the range? Over 50 of the 98 colours are single-pigment, giving the cleanest, most predictable mixing results. Single-pigment colours are generally preferred by painters who mix extensively, as they produce brighter, cleaner secondaries and tertiaries than multi-pigment convenience colours.
Is L'Aquarelle suitable for beginners?
The paint is professional grade and priced accordingly. For beginners, Sennelier's La Petite Aquarelle range offers the same honey-based formula at a more accessible price point. L'Aquarelle is the natural progression for watercolourists who want the best available paint for serious work.
