Pigment Project: Cochineal Carmine

Pigment Project Handmade Watercolors
Handmade • Artist-Grade • Small Batch

Pigment Project is our in-house line of handmade watercolors, crafted in small batches at Drawing Etc. with care, curiosity, and the artist’s hand in every cube.

Each color is made from high-load, pure pigment with no fillers or extenders. With the exception of a few rare earth colors that are fugitive in character, we use only artist-grade, lightfast pigments sourced from trusted pigment specialists around the world, including rare minerals and historical hues. Every pan is hand-mulled, poured in layers (up to 4 times), and cured slowly to minimise shrinkage and ensure rich, generous fills.

Our formula is processed entirely in-house, including our own gum arabic solution made from premium raw materials. Each batch is mixed using carefully measured proportions that honour the unique behaviour of each pigment. The result is a watercolour that activates easily, with vivid colour and a strong pigment load that stays true to its properties.

These paints are not mass-produced, so expect character, not polish. Many of the colours carry a rugged, granulating texture that reflects the nature of hand-mulled pigment. It's what gives them their depth and honesty.

Packaging is kept minimal and eco-conscious. Just a pan, brimming with colour. No frills, no fuss. Everything you need, and nothing you don’t. (Of course, if purchased online, your pan will be packed with utmost care for transportation)

Made right here in Singapore, Pigment Project is among the first artist-grade watercolor lines to be produced and made commercially available locally. This is a living palette and new colours will continue to be released in phases. Each batch is limited and every cube is a little piece of our studio.

About the colour: Cochineal Carmine

 Genuine • Good • Transparent (Granulating) • Series 4

One of the most prized natural dyes in history, Cochineal Carmine is derived from the dried bodies of cochineal insects native to Latin America. Used by the Aztecs and later coveted by European royalty, this vibrant crimson was once worth more than its weight in gold. With its brilliant transparency and delicate luminosity, this handmade watercolour captures the legacy of a pigment steeped in beauty, trade, and empire.