Doodlewash Review: Kids’ Paints

The post gathers watercolor and art supplies for children in honor of World Watercolor Month and art education awareness. It begins with the Dreaming Zebra Foundation, then reviews several brands and notes that the supplies will be donated there, except for the Crayola pastels.

It also gives basic guidance on kid-safe materials, saying they should be non-toxic and that U.S. packaging may state ASTM D 4236 compliance. The reviews mention Pelikan, Artist’s Loft, Reeves, Faber-Castell, Yasutomo, and Crayola, along with price, packaging, and suitability for students, beginners, or small hands.

Reading notes

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• Gathers paints and art supplies for children in support of World Watercolor Month and art education.
• Opens with the Dreaming Zebra Foundation, which receives donations of reusable and new or unsold materials for art education.
• Says that the materials shown in the post will be donated to the Dreaming Zebra Foundation, with the exception of the Crayola pastels.
• Recommends that products for children indicate that they are non-toxic and notes the reference to ASTM D 4236 on packaging in the U.S.
• Presents Pelikan as a German company that makes paints for children and families, with a 24-color opaque watercolor set and removable pieces that require care with children under three years old.
• Describes the Pelikan set as two-tiered, with deep mixing wells and large trays that make use and sharing easier.
• Points to the Artist’s Loft Fundamentals Watercolor Pan Set 36 as a cheap set, found at Michael’s, useful for students, teachers, and adults who want to experiment.
• Shows an example of painting with Pelikan and Artist’s Loft and mentions a cherry blossom painting video with a splatter technique.
• Says that Reeves has made children’s and school products for a long time, and that the 24-tube gouache set is student-grade, non-toxic, and easy to dilute and clean.
• Informs that Reeves also exists in smaller sets of 12 and 18, and in a watercolor version of the same size.
• Explains that Faber-Castell has many premium materials for children, recognizable by the red packaging, and mentions watercolors with interlocking trays, watercolor pencils, and other products.
• Records the set of 36 Faber-Castell watercolor pencils, with a metal case, two metallic pencils, and a small brush, coming from Japan.
• Highlights a Faber-Castell brush set with larger angled handles for small hands and that do not roll.
• Says that the Yasutomo Niji Pearlescent Watercolor Paint Cakes 16 are cheap, have little paint and weak iridescence, but still allow playing with the material.
• Indicates that the Yasutomo set comes with a non-toxic description and is not for children under three years old.
• Presents the Crayola 24ct Oil Pastels Portfolio Series as water-soluble, with a soft texture, hexagonal shape that does not roll, and use for wet or dry work.
• Closes with useful links for choosing paints for children’s projects and for finding art supplies for small children.