For those who find inspiration in city streets, morning cafés, and fleeting moments of daily life, the sketchbook is a constant companion. The DANIEL SMITH Watercolor Half Pan Sketcher Set was designed with you in mind—portable, professional, and packed with versatile colors that meet the ever-changing demands of urban sketching.

Whether you’re capturing sunlight on brick facades, the play of shadows across a sidewalk, or the energy of a crowded train, this set offers the foundational hues you need to tell the story—quickly and expressively.

“With a primary triad for mixing bright colours and an earth triad for creating browns and muted colours, this set makes it all quick and easy. Limiting your palette to only six colours helps you master mixing and also allows for expansion down the road to suit your own preferences and favorite subjects”

– Liz Steel

The Sketcher Set includes six essential DANIEL SMITH Extra Fine Watercolors, each hand poured into half pans for maximum pigment load and effortless rewetting. These colors were selected for their flexibility and mixing power, enabling you to mix a full range of hues while keeping your palette light and compact.

Colors in the Set

Each half pan is hand poured in multiple layers, allowing for optimal pigment density and superior rewetting. Whether you’re sketching for minutes or hours, these pans deliver reliable performance and vibrant color payoff—every time.

The compact plastic storage case includes nine empty half pans in addition to the six filled ones, giving you the freedom to expand your palette with your favorite DANIEL SMITH tube colors.

The nine empty pans make it easy to tailor your setup to your favorite subjects and locations. Add a favorite green for trees or parks, a violet for architectural depth, or a granulating texture color for visual interest. Our 15ml tubes go a long way; you can fill a half pan several times from one tube!

Looking for ideas? Here are a few urban-sketching-friendly additions to consider:

• Undersea Green – for aged copper, trees, and weathered surfaces
• Transparent Pyrrol Orange – for vibrant rooftops, brickwork, or pops of accent
• Indigo – a deep, dramatic shadow color
• Buff Titanium – for sketchbook paper tones, skin, or stone
• Shadow Violet – perfect for atmospheric neutrals and subtle shadows
• Perylene Green – for foliage and deep, urban greenery

With DANIEL SMITH’s extensive range of 272 tube colors, the combinations are nearly endless—and uniquely yours.

One of the joys of a limited palette is discovering the depth and range hidden in just a few wells of color. With just six colors, the Sketcher Set offers an inspiring variety of mixes—perfect for capturing the shifting tones of real life with ease and immediacy.

Here’s a closer look at how these colors interact:

• Quinacridone Rose + Ultramarine Blue – A classic combination for mixing expressive violets, rich shadows, and deep twilight tones.

• Quinacridone Rose + Cerulean Blue Chromium – This mix creates soft, atmospheric purples that are ideal for misty skies or shadowed concrete.

• Cerulean Blue Chromium + Hansa Yellow Medium – A fresh, granulating green perfect for oxidized metals, rooftops, or foliage peeking through pavement cracks.

• Hansa Yellow Medium + Ultramarine Blue – A versatile pairing for creating a variety of spring greens and shadowy vegetation.

• Hansa Yellow Medium + Quinacridone Rose – Mixes into lively oranges and peachy skin tones—great for capturing warm details in light.

• Quinacridone Rose + Monte Amiata Natural Sienna – Produces earthy pinks and warm neutrals, excellent for brickwork, skin, and terra-cotta tones.

• Ultramarine Blue + Transparent Red Oxide – A go-to for urban neutrals, moody shadows, and the subtle blues of overcast skies.

• Cerulean Blue Chromium + Transparent Red Oxide – This mix offers a dramatic interplay of granulation and contrast—ideal for weathered textures and aged walls.

• Monte Amiata Natural Sienna + Cerulean Blue Chromium – Creates soft, atmospheric greys and gentle browns for subtle urban shadows or hazy distant buildings.

These mixes offer a glimpse into just how much range this compact set provides. It’s not just about portability—it’s about painting with confidence, knowing your colors will support your creative decisions on the spot.

Lightweight, portable, and thoughtfully designed, this set is made for artists who value spontaneity without compromising quality. Whether you’re working from a park bench or standing in a busy plaza, your colors are ready when inspiration strikes.

From first sketches to final touches, the DANIEL SMITH Half Pan Sketcher Set is your everyday companion—compact in size, expansive in possibility.