You’ve mixed blacks that muddy your work. You’ve struggled with staining pigments. You’ve watched your glazes fail to achieve that luminous depth. But what if you’re using the wrong paint entirely? Professional watercolor artists have uncovered seven exceptional black options that transform how you layer, mix, and control your compositions—and the differences among them will surprise you.
Quick Overview
- Lunar Black reticulates radically with low staining, offering beautiful glazes without muddying other colors or paper.
- Lamp Black delivers unmatched intensity without granulation, providing crisp, clean applications with excellent lightfastness and staining.
- Ivory Black provides budget-friendly, professional-grade performance with AA permanence rating and ASTM I lightfastness for versatile layering.
- Transparent blacks granulate more than opaque varieties, adding visual depth while staining properties determine control and blending ease.
- Warm blacks create natural, earthy mixtures while cooler blacks produce cleaner, neutral grays for different color palettes.
| Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolor Paint Lunar Black |
| Best For Glazing | Lightfastness Rating: Excellent | Transparency/Opacity: Transparent | Tube Size: 5ml (0.17 fl oz) | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Handy Art Washable Liquid Watercolor 8 ounce Black |
| Most Versatile | Lightfastness Rating: Not specified | Transparency/Opacity: Not specified | Tube Size: 8 ounce liquid | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint 8ml (0.27-oz) Tube Ivory Black |
| Best Value | Lightfastness Rating: ASTM I – Excellent | Transparency/Opacity: Opaque | Tube Size: 8ml (0.27 fl oz) | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolor Paint Tube Lamp Black |
| Most Intense | Lightfastness Rating: Excellent | Transparency/Opacity: Opaque | Tube Size: 15ml (0.5 fl oz) | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint 21ml (0.71-oz) Tube Ivory Black |
| Most Popular | Lightfastness Rating: ASTM I – Excellent | Transparency/Opacity: Opaque | Tube Size: 21ml (0.71 fl oz) | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Grumbacher Academy Watercolor Paint 7.5ml/0.25 Ounce Lamp Black (A116) |
| Best For Beginners | Lightfastness Rating: Not specified | Transparency/Opacity: Cool Black (opaque) | Tube Size: 7.5ml (0.25 fl oz) | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
| Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolor Paint Ivory Black |
| Best For Mixing | Lightfastness Rating: Excellent | Transparency/Opacity: Semi-transparent | Tube Size: 15ml (0.5 fl oz) | VIEW LATEST PRICE | Read Our Analysis |
More Details on Our Top Picks
Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolor Paint Lunar Black
If you’re seeking a black watercolor that’ll transform your glazing technique, Lunar Black delivers with its transparency and expansive value range. This Daniel Smith exclusive features a unique inorganic pigment (PBk 11) that reticulates radically, creating mottled stony textures you won’t achieve with standard blacks. You’ll appreciate its granulating properties and low staining formula, which makes it an exceptional mixer. The paint glazes beautifully without muddying other colors, while adding distinctive black granulation to your work. With excellent lightfastness and ASTM D4236 conformity, this 5ml tube offers reliable, professional-grade performance for serious artists.
- Lightfastness Rating:Excellent
- Transparency/Opacity:Transparent
- Tube Size:5ml (0.17 fl oz)
- Staining Properties:Low staining
- Granulation:Granulating
- Form/Format:Tube watercolor paint
- Additional Feature:Radically reticulating mottled texture
- Additional Feature:Exclusive Daniel Smith pigment
- Additional Feature:Excellent glazing capability
Handy Art Washable Liquid Watercolor 8 ounce Black
Handy Art Washable Liquid Watercolor offers artists and educators an affordable, versatile option for watercolor work and craft projects. You’ll appreciate its non-toxic formula and U.S. manufacturing. Use it directly from the bottle for vivid, intense blacks, or dilute it with water for lighter shades. Beyond traditional painting, you can tint and dye various craft materials. The washable formula removes from most clothing, though it may stain porous surfaces. Free from latex, dairy, soy, egg, gluten, and nuts, it’s suitable for diverse users. At eight ounces, this liquid watercolor delivers excellent value for budget-conscious creators seeking reliable performance without compromising quality.
- Lightfastness Rating:Not specified
- Transparency/Opacity:Not specified
- Tube Size:8 ounce liquid
- Staining Properties:May stain porous surfaces
- Granulation:Not specified
- Form/Format:Liquid watercolor (bottle)
- Additional Feature:Washes out clothing easily
- Additional Feature:Use directly or diluted
- Additional Feature:Allergen-free formulation
Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint 8ml (0.27-oz) Tube Ivory Black
Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint in Ivory Black stands out as the ideal choice for budget-conscious artists who don’t want to compromise on quality. This 8ml tube delivers professional-grade performance at an accessible price point. You’ll appreciate its AA permanence rating, ensuring your artwork won’t fade over time. The paint’s excellent lightfastness (ASTM I) means your blacks remain vibrant for decades. Its opaque formulation gives you versatility—layer it for depth or use it straight for bold, rich blacks. Whether you’re sketching or creating detailed work, this Series 1 paint performs reliably. The compact tube size makes it perfect for traveling artists or those building their palette without breaking the bank.
- Lightfastness Rating:ASTM I – Excellent
- Transparency/Opacity:Opaque
- Tube Size:8ml (0.27 fl oz)
- Staining Properties:Not specified
- Granulation:Not specified
- Form/Format:Tube watercolor paint
- Additional Feature:Series 1 affordable line
- Additional Feature:Excellent tinting strength
- Additional Feature:AA permanence rating
Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolor Paint Tube Lamp Black
Daniel Smith’s Extra Fine Watercolor Lamp Black is your ideal choice if you’re seeking the most intense black pigment available. This opaque, cool-toned black delivers unmatched intensity without granulation, making it perfect for crisp, clean applications. You’ll appreciate its excellent lightfastness, ensuring your work remains vibrant over time. The pigment’s staining properties give you powerful coverage when you need it. Mix Lamp Black with Burnt Sienna to introduce subtle warmth, or use it to darken transparent pigments for nuanced shadows. Its 15ml tube conforms to safety standards, providing reliable quality that professionals trust consistently.
- Lightfastness Rating:Excellent
- Transparency/Opacity:Opaque
- Tube Size:15ml (0.5 fl oz)
- Staining Properties:Staining
- Granulation:Non-granulating
- Form/Format:Tube watercolor paint
- Additional Feature:Most intense black available
- Additional Feature:Non-granulating sooty pigment
- Additional Feature:Darkens transparent pigments
Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Paint 21ml (0.71-oz) Tube Ivory Black
For artists seeking professional-quality black watercolor at an accessible price point, the Cotman series delivers exceptional value. You’ll appreciate the Ivory Black’s AA permanence rating and ASTM I lightfastness, ensuring your work won’t fade over time. Its excellent tinting strength means you’ll need less pigment to achieve desired coverage, extending your tube’s lifespan. The 21ml size offers ample supply for most projects, and at an affordable price, it won’t strain your budget. While not water-resistant, this formulation works beautifully on paper for indoor and outdoor applications. With 4.8-star ratings, artists consistently praise its performance and reliability.
- Lightfastness Rating:ASTM I – Excellent
- Transparency/Opacity:Opaque
- Tube Size:21ml (0.71 fl oz)
- Staining Properties:Not specified
- Granulation:Not specified
- Form/Format:Tube watercolor paint
- Additional Feature:Best sellers rank #67
- Additional Feature:4.8 star rating
- Additional Feature:Indoor/outdoor surface use
Grumbacher Academy Watercolor Paint 7.5ml/0.25 Ounce Lamp Black (A116)
The Grumbacher Academy Lamp Black is your ideal choice if you’re seeking an affordable, student-grade black that excels at creating ink-like effects and crisp outlines. This cool black pigment produces luminescent washes straight from the tube or when diluted with water. You’ll appreciate its finely ground formulation, which delivers vibrant strokes suitable for overtoning other colors with black washes. While it’s not ideal for mixing with other pigments, it shines when you’re emulating ink effects or defining edges. At 7.5ml per tube, you’re getting excellent value as part of Grumbacher’s 60-paint collegiate line, all made in the USA with consistent quality.
- Lightfastness Rating:Not specified
- Transparency/Opacity:Cool Black (opaque)
- Tube Size:7.5ml (0.25 fl oz)
- Staining Properties:Not specified
- Granulation:Not specified
- Form/Format:Tube watercolor paint
- Additional Feature:Cool grays when mixed
- Additional Feature:Emulates ink effects
- Additional Feature:Affordable collegiate line
Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolor Paint Ivory Black
If you’re seeking a warm black with exceptional luminosity and control, this Extra Fine offering delivers a semi-transparent pigment that won’t overpower your compositions. You’ll appreciate its low staining properties and granulating characteristics, which create subtle texture in your washes. The pigment leans toward opacity while maintaining transparency, making it versatile for layering. Historically derived from burnt ivory, it’s now sustainably produced. When you mix Ivory Black with yellow, you’ll achieve a blackened green perfect for backlit foliage effects. Its excellent lightfastness guarantees your work endures. Daniel Smith’s commitment to quality means you’re investing in a professional-grade watercolor that conforms to rigorous standards.
- Lightfastness Rating:Excellent
- Transparency/Opacity:Semi-transparent
- Tube Size:15ml (0.5 fl oz)
- Staining Properties:Low staining
- Granulation:Granulating
- Form/Format:Tube watercolor paint
- Additional Feature:Blackened green backlit foliage
- Additional Feature:Warm semi-transparent pigment
- Additional Feature:Historically derived ivory source
Factors to Consider When Choosing Black Watercolor Paint
When you’re selecting black watercolor paint, you’ll want to evaluate how transparent or opaque each option is, since this dramatically affects your layering and glazing techniques. You should also check the lightfastness rating and granulation properties, as these determine whether your blacks stay true over time and how they’ll texture your washes. Finally, consider how staining the pigment is and whether it blends smoothly with other colors, because these factors influence your mixing flexibility and overall control.
Transparency and Opacity
Choosing between transparent and opaque black watercolors fundamentally shapes your painting’s visual impact and technique options. Transparent blacks excel at creating atmospheric effects and subtle layering, allowing light to pass through and produce luminous glazes. Opaque blacks, conversely, deliver bold, solid applications and hard-edged shapes with intense coverage.
The pigment composition, particle size, and binder determine where your black watercolor falls on the transparency spectrum. Understanding these properties helps you select the ideal paint for your specific technique.
If you’re building atmospheric depth, you’ll want transparent blacks. For striking, graphic work requiring solid coverage, opaque blacks serve you better. Many artists maintain both varieties in their palettes, switching between them based on their immediate creative needs and desired visual outcomes.
Lightfastness and Permanence
Beyond selecting blacks based on their visual properties, you’ll want to examine how well these paints hold up over time. Lightfastness ratings indicate whether your artwork’ll fade when exposed to sunlight. Look for paints rated ASTM I or II—these won’t noticeably change over decades. Permanence relates to the paint’s stability and resistance to chemical breakdown. You’re investing in work you want to preserve, so checking manufacturer specifications matters. Quality black watercolors from reputable brands typically use lightfast pigments like carbon black or Mars black. Cheaper alternatives often contain fugitive pigments that deteriorate rapidly. Don’t compromise on longevity; your finished paintings deserve protection against fading and yellowing.
Granulation and Texture
Black watercolors don’t all behave the same way on paper—some create smooth, uniform washes while others produce distinctive mottled and stony textures. You’ll find that transparent black pigments generally granulate more than opaque varieties, creating interesting visual effects that add depth to your work.
Understanding granulation helps you choose blacks that match your artistic vision. If you want textured, dynamic passages, you’ll appreciate granulating blacks that settle unevenly on paper. You can also control the degree of granulation by diluting your paint with water—more water reduces the effect, while concentrated pigment intensifies it.
Experienced watercolor artists deliberately leverage granulation to achieve specific results. Whether you’re seeking subtle texture or bold mottling, selecting the right black based on its granulating properties gives you greater creative control and more expressive possibilities.
Staining Properties Matter
While granulation affects how your black paint settles visually, staining properties determine how permanently it bonds to paper—and this distinction can make or break your painting approach.
Highly staining blacks lock into your paper fibers, making them nearly impossible to lift or remove once applied. This limits your flexibility if you need to make corrections or adjust values. Conversely, less staining blacks offer you greater control, allowing easier blending with other colors and simpler adjustments.
The staining power comes down to specific pigments in each formulation. Understanding these differences helps you select the right black for your technique. If you frequently work with glazing and layering, opt for non-staining varieties. For bold, permanent applications, highly staining blacks deliver reliability.
Mixing and Blending Capability
Every black watercolor paint behaves differently when you combine it with other pigments, and these mixing properties can greatly impact your final results. You’ll notice that warmer blacks with brown or green undertones create natural, earthy mixtures, while cooler blacks produce cleaner, neutral grays. The paint’s transparency matters too—opaque blacks excel at bold contrast and outlining, whereas transparent blacks layer beautifully for deeper values. Granulation also plays a role, affecting visual texture and how the pigment interacts with other colors. By understanding these characteristics, you’ll select a black that complements your techniques and color palette. Test how your chosen black mixes with colors you frequently use to guarantee it delivers the effects you’re after.
