Puzzled by the growing preference for single-pigment blacks in landscapes

Lately, I've seen many watercolor landscape artists specifically recommending single-pigment black paints over mixed blacks. I've always used ultramarine and burnt sienna for rich darks, so this shift towards premade blacks feels like it might sacrifice color harmony. Are there advantages to single-pigment blacks that I haven't considered, or is it just a matter of personal workflow?

3 comments

3 Comments

alice9001mo ago

Switched to single-pigment black last year... found it keeps my darks consistent without the muddiness of mixes. Glazing over it with my landscape colors brought back the harmony I was worried about.

the_william1mo agoMost Upvoted

Yeah, @alice900 nailed it with that single-pigment black approach. I've always struggled with muddy darks when mixing, and switching to a pure black changed everything for my work. Glazing over it lets you build up color without losing that deep, clean foundation. It's like having a solid anchor in your painting that everything else can relate to. The harmony comes back because you're not fighting against muddied tones from the start. Honestly, it's one of those simple shifts that just makes the whole process smoother...

the_daniel1mo ago

Disagree with the single-pigment black method. It can make shadows look DEAD compared to mixed darks. I've always found that blending colors keeps the painting dynamic.