One of the highlights from Thursday LIVE a few weeks ago was an exploration of the DANIEL SMITH Cadmium Hue Series. Joined by our Brand Ambassadors, Owner & CEO John Cogley shared what makes these colors unique and why they stand out in the DANIEL SMITH watercolor range. Along the way, our Brand Ambassadors demonstrated their favorite techniques and shared creative discoveries, highlighting the versatility and vibrant mixing possibilities of the Cadmium Hue Series.

Whether you’re discovering the Cadmium Hue Series for the first time or looking to expand your palette, these colors offer artists a fresh way to achieve vibrant, expressive paintings.

Cadmium paint colors were first developed in the early 19th & 20th centuries to give artists more range of color and replace the impermanent (fugitive) yellows, oranges and reds. DANIEL SMITH Cadmium Hues, which began production in 2000, are better and safer than the old Cadmiums – with increased opacity, greater vibrancy (brighter chroma) and none of the potential toxicity. They’re called “hues” because they are made with alternative pigments instead of Cadmium metal compounds. These pigments are manufactured with a process called co-precipitation, which means they are essentially single pigments, even though they’re labeled with what looks like more than one pigment.

One of John’s demonstrations focused on allowing each Cadmium Hue color to shine individually.

Applied straight from the tube, the colors create confident washes full of warmth and energy. From glowing yellows to brilliant oranges and vibrant reds, each color delivers impressive saturation while maintaining excellent control during painting.

Their clean, luminous appearance makes them especially effective as focal colors that naturally draw the viewer’s eye.

Because of their carefully balanced formulations, these colors mix cleanly with many other DANIEL SMITH watercolors, opening the door to an extensive range of secondary and tertiary colors.

During the demonstration, artists saw how the Cadmium Hues could:

Create vibrant oranges and glowing greens

Warm neutral mixtures

Increase the intensity of floral palettes

Produce luminous sunset skies and expressive landscape passages

Instead of overpowering mixtures, the Cadmium Hues contribute warmth and vibrancy while allowing other pigments to retain their own unique character.

One of the biggest takeaways from the livestream was that the Cadmium Hue Series is more than simply another set of bright colors—they’re versatile mixing partners.

Whether used as the dominant color in a painting or blended into an existing palette, they offer artists additional flexibility for creating expressive color relationships, subtle transitions, and energetic compositions.

The Thursday LIVE session was a wonderful reminder that every new color offers another opportunity to experiment, discover, and grow as an artist.

If you haven’t explored the DANIEL SMITH Cadmium Hue Series yet, try painting simple color swatches first. Then begin mixing them with your favorite blues, earth colors, and greens. You may be surprised by the range of luminous new combinations waiting to be discovered.

Creativity begins with curiosity and every color is a starting point for exploration—a chance to experiment, discover new combinations, and grow as an artist. Continue the journey with John Cogley’s Thursday LIVE sessions, where you’ll find fresh inspiration, product insights, and creative techniques to help you make the most of every color.