2 - Yellow Watercolour Swatches 

There are literally hundreds of artist quality watercolours available from many brands and there are also sometimes different quality ranges within brands. I am concentrating on the Artist Quality ranges. I have tested many of them and created almost 700 swatches as seen on the right. The square box is painted into a damp wash at the top to show the colour mixed in water, with more pigment added towards the bottom. The rectangle is painted in a juicy wash to show the mass-tone. The small squares at the bottom of the swatch have the pigment number and characteristics - staining, lightfast rating, granulation and transparency. 

For more information on yellow pigments see the Artiscreation yellow database here. See the Handprint yellow pigment information here (but note that is it based on tests completed in 2004).
I'll be sorting these swatches into smaller galleries...
Picture
The size of my swatches

Single Pigment Yellow Watercolours 

Most yellow watercolours will be made with yellow pigment, denoted as PY for 'Pigment Yellow'. One commonly recommended colour to avoid is Aureolin PY40. This colour fades in a wash and goes dark in mass tone. See my lightfast test results here. There are better alternative mid yellows such as Azo and Hansa yellows. See also the Quinacridone colours made with PO48 & PO49 in the orange sections, and Green Gold colours made with PY129 in the single pigment greens section. I have put the Naples yellows in the yellows section though they may not be made with yellow pigments.
Click on any swatch to see the full details.

PY1

While Monoazo Yellow is not a recommended pigment, it is interesting to see what it looks like.
Hansa Yellow - White Nights 

Hansa Yellows/Lemon Yellows made with PY3

Also known as Monoazo Yellow, this pure chroma cool yellow pigment is available in many brands.

Shown here (alphabetically by manufacturer) are: 
  1. Sour Lemon (Hansa) - American Journey​; Hansa Yellow Light*​- Aquarius; ​​Lemon Yellow - Art Spectrum; Blockx Yellow - Blockx; Lemon Yellow - Daler Rowney
  2. ​Hansa Yellow Light* - Daniel Smith; Hansa Yellow Light - Da Vinci; Lemon Yellow - Jackson's; Lemon Yellow - Maries Masters watercolour; Hansa Yellow - M.Graham
  3. Lemon Yellow - Mission Gold; Lemon Yellow - Renesans Pan; Lemon Yellow - Renesans Intense; Lemon Yellow - Sennelier; Lemon Yellow - Schmincke
  4. Lemon - White Nights/St Petersburg
In addition to those shown here, it is available as Hansa Yellow Light: QoR; Hansa Yellow Light - Hydrus; Lemon Yellow (Primary) - Lukas; Scheveningen Yellow Lemon - Old Holland; Permanent Yellow Light - W.Seymour.

​If you see this pigment listed, it is very consistently a cool or lemon yellow which means it leans slightly towards green.

PBr24

This is also included in the covered earth pigments section, but is often used for Naples Yellow. Mixed pigment Naples yellows are shown below.
  1. ​​Naples Yellow Deep - Aquarius; Naples Yellow Deep Extra - Old Holland;  Titanium Gold Ochre - Schmincke; Naples Yellow Deep - Winsor & Newton; Yellow Titanate - Winsor & Newton 

Cadmium Yellow Light, Lemon and Pale made with PY35

Cadmium Yellow PY35 can be a cool, mid or warm yellow pigment. The name is the best guide - as pale, light, lemons or primrose will tend to denote a cool yellow. 

As well as those shown, PY35 is found in Cadmium Yellow Lemon, Cadmium Yellow Pale and Cadmium Yellow Light in Holbein; Cadmium Yellow Light in Lukas; Cadmium Yellow Light in M.Graham; Cadmium Yellow Lemon, Cadmium Yellow Light in Old Holland; Cadmium Yellow Primrose, Cadmium Yellow Light in QoR; Cadmium Yellow Lemon, Cadmium Yellow Light in Rembrandt; Cadmium Yellow Lemon in Sennelier; Cadmium Yellow Lemon and Cadmium Yellow Light in Isaro; Cadmium Lemon in Turner. These swatches are still to be added.
​
Shown here (alphabetically by manufacturer) are:
  1. Cadmium Yellow Light - American Journey watercolour; ​​Cadmium Lemon - Aquarius; Cadmium Yellow Pale - Aquarius; Cadmium Yellow Pale - Art Spectrum; Cadmium Yellow Pale - Blockx 
  2. ​Cadmium Yellow Pale - Daler Rowney; Cadmium Yellow Light - Daniel Smith (discontinued); Cadmium Yellow Lemon - Da Vinci; Cadmium Yellow Light - Da Vinci; Cadmium Yellow Pale - Holbein; 
  3. Cadmium Yellow Light - Holbein; Cadmium Yellow Lemon - Holbein; Cadmium Yellow Light - Jacksons Cadmium Yellow Lemon - Lukas; Cadmium Yellow Light - Maimeri Blu; 
  4. Cadmium Yellow Lemon - Maimeri Blu; Cadmium Yellow Light ​- Rembrandt; Cadmium Yellow Pale - Renesans Intense; Cadmium Yellow Pale - Renesans half pan; Cadmium Lemon - Rosa; 
  5. Cadmium Yellow Light - Rosa; Cadmium Yellow Lemon - Schmincke;​ Cadmium Yellow Light - Schmincke;  ​Cadmium Yellow Light - Sennelier; Cadmium Lemon - White Nights​; 
  6. Cadmium Lemon - Winsor & Newton; ​​Cadmium Yellow Pale - Winsor & Newton

Cadmium Yellow medium and mid yellows made with PY35.

As well as those shown, PY35 is found in Cadmium Yellow Medium in Daler Rowney; Cadmium Yellow Medium in Maimeri Blu (new); Cadmium Yellow in M.Graham; Cadmium Yellow Medium in Old Holland; Cadmium Yellow Medium and Cadmium Yellow Deep in QoR; Cadmium Yellow Medium in Rembrandt; Cadmium Yellow in Winsor & Newton; Cadmium Yellow in Wallace Seymour. These swatches are still to be added.

Shown here (alphabetically by manufacturer) are 
  1. Cadmium Yellow Medium - American Journey; Cadmium Yellow Medium - Blockx watercolour; Cadmium Yellow - Daler Rowney; Cadmium Yellow, Medium - Da Vinci;​ Cadmium Yellow - Rembrandt watercolours; 
  2. Cadmium Yellow Medium - Rosa; Cadmium Yellow Medium - Schmincke; Cadmium Yellow Medium, White Nights ​

Cadmium Yellow Deep yellows made with PY35

Cadmium Yellow Deep is usually a warm or range-leaning yellow. As well as those shown, PY35 is found in Cadmium Yellow Deep in M.Graham; Cadmium Yellow Deep in QoR; Cadmium Yellow Deep in Schmincke; Cadmium Yellow Deep in Sennelier; Cadmium Yellow Pale deep in Renesans in both their Intense and half pan ranges. These swatches are still to be added.

Shown here (alphabetically by manufacturer) are
  • Cadmium Yellow Deep - Jackson's; ​ Cadmium Yellow Deep - Maimeri Blue; Cadmium Yellow Deep - Renesans half pan;

PY37 cadmium yellow

PY37 is less common and used for the warm Cadmium Yellow. Aquarius Cadmium Yellow Deep (shown) and Art Spectrum Cadmium Yellow are the only available versions since the Daniel Smith version has been discontinued. 
Cadmium Yellow Deep* - Aquarius; Cadmium Yellow Deep* - Daniel Smith PY37 (discontinued); ​

PO20 yellows.

PO20 is a Cadmium Orange but it varies from an orange-yellow to a yellow orange so appears here.

Yellows made with PY40

I don't tend to use this pigment since it will fade on exposure to light, or turn grey in masstone.

​Shown here are Aureolin - Jackson's watercolour; Aureolin - Winsor & Newton; Aureolin* (genuine) - Daniel Smith and Aureolin (Mixture) - American Journey 

PY40 is also used in Aureolin - Daler Rowney; Aureolin - Art Spectrum; Cobalt (Aureolin) Yellow Lake - Old Holland; Aureoline - Sennelier and Aureoline - Rembrandt. 

Nickel titanate yellows - PY53

PY53 is not a strong pigment, and can be difficult to reactivate when dry. The best example I've found is the new (2017) Schmincke Rutile Yellow.

​Shown here (in alphabetical order by manufacturer) are
  1.  Nickel Titanate Yellow - Aquarius; Nickel Yellow -  Blockx; Nickel Titanate Yellow - Daler Rowney; Nickel Titanate Yellow* - Daniel Smith; Nickel Titanate Yellow - Maimeri Blu;
  2. Venetian Yellow - Renesans pan;   Titanium Yellow - Schmincke; Rutile Yellow, Schmincke; Lemon Yellow (Nickel Titanate) - Winsor & Newton
​
​It is also available in Da Vinci and Old Holland as Nickel Titanate Yellow; the new MaimeriBlu as Naples Yellow; from QoR and Sennelier as Nickel Yellow, from Renesans as Titanium Yellow in their Intense range, and from Pip Seymour Vintage as Lemon Titanate.

PY61

​Lemon Yellow* - Aquarius 

Yellows made with PY65 

Known as Hansa Yellow Deep, this monoazo pigment is a very pure chroma deep yellow. Recommended as a warm yellow in a palette. (A warm yellow leans towards orange.)

Shown here (in alphabetical order by manufacturer) are 
  1. ​Hansa Yellow Deep - Aquarius; Gamboge - Blockx; Hansa Yellow Deep - Daniel Smith; Hansa Yellow Deep - Da Vinci; Arylide Yellow - Da Vinci; ​
  2. Permanent Yellow Deep - Mission Gold; ​Chrome Yellow Deep - Schmincke;  Winsor Yellow Deep - Winsor & Newton; 

As well as those shown, it is available from MaimeriBlu new range as Indian Yellow and from Hydrus as Chrome Yellow.

​PY74

These tend to be mid or primary yellows.
Shown here: Hansa Yellow Medium* - Aquarius Watercolours; Scheveningen Yellow Light - Old Holland; Primary Yellow, Sennelier
​PY74 is also used in Da Vinci as Hansa Yellow Medium. ​

PO82

Chrome Orange (Hue) - Aquarius Watercolours

Yellows made with PY83

Diaylide Yellow - QoR watercolour; Azo Yellow Medium - Rembrandt; Indian Yellow - Renesans Pan Watercolour.

PY93

Yellow Sophie - Sennelier 

Yellows made with and PY97

These tend to be mid or primary yellows and this semi-transparent pigment is gorgeous.
Shown here are PY97 is used in 
  1. ​Bumblebee Yellow, American Journey; Hansa Yellow Medium - Daniel Smith; Arylide Yellow Medium - Da Vinci; Hansa Yellow Deep - M.Graham.
​
​PY97 is also used in MaimerBlu Primary Yellow. 

Yellows made with PY108

This pigment leans towards orange, making it a warm yellow option.
Shown here are
  1. ​Indian yellow (Hue)* - Aquarius Watercolours and Indian Yellow* - Daniel Smith (discontinued)

Yellows made with PY109

Isoindolinone Yellow Light* - Aquarius

Yellows made with PY110

This is a really warm orange-yellow. It is very difficult to capture it accurately in a scan or photo but the Daniel Smith, Rosa version and Aquarius versions are close.
It is also available from M.Graham as Indian Yellow, from Turner as Permanent Yellow Orange 

​Shown here are: 
Isoindolinone Yellow Deep - Aquarius; Permanent Yellow Deep - Daniel Smith; Isoindolinone Yellow Deep - Holbein; Golden Yellow - Rosa; Yellow Orange - Schmincke  

PY129

See more watercolours with this pigment in the greens section.

Yellows made with PY138

This is a mid or primary yellow option.​
Quinophthalone Yellow* - Aquarius; Permanent Yellow - Daler Rowney; Quinaphthalone Yellow* - Daniel Smith

PY139

This is alsmot an orange pigment. These swatches are fairly accurate.
Permanent Yellow - Aquarius; Isoindoline Yellow - Daniel Smith 

Yellows made with PY150

Known as Nickel Azo Yellow, this is a lovely transparent mid yellow, useful as a primary yellow. Also available from White Nights as Indian Yellow. The Yellow Shade of PY150 is used in Mission Gold Green Gold and the new MaimberiBlu Transparent Yellow. It is often used as the base colour for Quinacridone Gold hues.

​Shown here (in alphabetical order by manufacturer) are:
  1. Nickel Azo Yellow- Aquarius; Nickel Azo Yellow - Daniel Smith; ​Hot Mulled Cider - Daniel Smith; Nickel Azo Yellow - Da Vinci; Nickel Azo Yellow - M.Graham
  2. Nickel Azo Yellow - QoR; Aureoline - Rembrandt; Aureoline - Rosa; Yellow Lake - Sennelier; Transparent Yellow - Schmincke; ​
  3. Transparent Yellow - Winsor & Newton

Yellows made with PY151

This is another lovely primary yellow pigment. 
​Shown here are 
​Aureoline (hue)* - Aquarius​; Azo Yellow* - Daniel Smith; Azo Yellow - M. Graham; Azo Yellow (Aureolin) - M. Graham;  Aureolin (Hue) - Renesans Intense; Aureolin - White Nights. 
​Also found in  and Aureolin Hue - Schmincke. 

Yellows made with PY153

PY153 is a lovely warm transparent yellow pigment that is no longer available. It is sometimes found as a primary or mid yellow, but usually as a warm yellow. If you happen to find any watercolours made with this pigment you may like to give them a go. 

​Shown here are Indian Yellow - Daler Rowney; New Gamboge* - Daniel Smith (discontinued);  Indian Yellow - Dirty Blue; Sennelier Yellow Light - Sennelier; New Gamboge - Winsor & Newton

PY154

PY154 is a primary yellow option.
Shown here are 
  1. Royal Yellow - A Gallo; Joe's Yellow - American Journey watercolour; Benzymidazole Yellow* - Aquarius; Primary Yellow - Blockx; Da Vinci Yellow - Da Vinci; 
  2. Imidazolone Yellow* - Holbein; Jackson's Yellow Light - Jackson's watercolour; Azo Yellow Light - Rembrandt watercolours; Pure Yellow - Schmincke; Azo Yellow - Wichitrong Watercolours; 
  3. Winsor Yellow - Winsor & Newton 

PY159

A granulating yellow can be useful.
Intensive Yellow - Kremer; Lemon Yellow Deep - Winsor & Newton

PY168

Aquarius Yellow - Aquarius 

PY175

Another cool yellow pigment. Shown here are ​
  1. ​Lemon Yellow* - Daniel Smith; ​Imidazolone Lemon - Holbein; Aureolin Hue - Lukas and Winsor Lemon - Winsor & Newton.

PY181

Golden Yellow - Aquarius 

PY184 watercolours

Shown here are 
  1. Lemon Yellow Permanent - A Gallo; Bismuth Yellow - Aquarius; Lemon Yellow - Blockx; Bismuth Yellow - Daler Rowney; Bismuth Yellow - M. Graham; 
  2. Bismuth Vandate Yellow* - Daniel Smith; Bismuth Vandate Yellow - QoR; Transparent Yellow Medium - Rembrandt; Bismuth Yellow - Stephen Quiller; Bismuth Yellow - Winsor & Newton

PY216

This interesting slightly earthy granulating pigment isn't available from many companies. Strangely it creates yellows and oranges.
Shown here are
Hokkaido Orange - A Gallo; Turner's Yellow - Schmincke; Turner's Yellow - Winsor & Newton. 

PY223

Mayan Yellow* - Daniel Smith 

 'Quinacridone Gold' Watercolours

A few years ago, genuine Quinacridone Gold made with PO49 was only available in Daniel Smith 15ml tubes. They bought all of the pigment that remained when manufacturing was discontinued. They ran out in September 2017, so all Quinacridone Gold paints are now mixed hues. I also found some old stock of W&N genuine Quinacridone Gold. The first two are genuine PO49 samples, the rest are mixed hues.
​Many of these will change again as PO48 is no longer available.
  1. ​Quinacridone Gold - A Gallo PY150 + PO48; Quinacridone Gold Deep - American Journey PY150 + PR206. Quin Gold (was called Harvest Wheat), American Journey PR206 + PY42; Quinacridone Gold* - Aquarius Watercolour. PY150+ PO48 (discontinued); Quinacridone Gold (Hue)* - Aquarius PR102 + PY150 (new 2021);
  2. Quinacridone Gold - Daniel Smith  PO49; ​Quinacridone Gold - Daniel Smith PY150 + PO48; Jane's Gold - Custom mix DS PY150 + W&N PR101; Quinacridone Gold - Da Vinci  PY150 + PR206; Quinacridoen Gold (Genuine) - Dirty Blue PO49
  3. Quinacridone Gold - Holbein PY150 + PO48; Quinacridone Gold - Jackson's PR101 + PR209 + PY150; Nickel Quinacridone Gold - M.Graham PY150 + PO48; Quinacridone Gold - QoR PY150 + PO48; Quinacridone Gold - Rosa PY151 + PY42 + PR264;  
  4. Quinacridone Gold Hue - Schmincke PY150 + PR101; ​Quinacridone Gold - Sennelier PY150 + PR101 + PR206; ​Quinacridone Gold - Turner PY150 + PR206 + PV19; ​Quinacridone Gold - Winsor & Newton PO49 (discontinued); ​​Quinacridone Gold - Winsor & Newton PR206 + PV19 + PY150. 
​ 

Mixed Pigment and single pigment 'Indian Yellow' Watercolours.

  1. Indian Yellow - A Gallo PY110 + PY154; Indian Yellow - American Journey PO62 + PY97; Indian Yellow - Blockx PY154 + PO73; Indian Yellow - Daler Rowney PY153 (Discontinued); ​
  2. Indian Yellow - Da Vinci PO62 + PY97; Indian Yellow Hue - Jackson's PY154 + PY97; Indian Yellow - MaimerBlu PY139 + PV49 (discontinued); Indian Yellow - QoR PY73 + PY15 + PR206; Indian Yellow - Renesans Pan PY83; 
  3. Indian Yellow - Schmincke PY110 + PY154; Indian Yellow - Sennelier PY154 + PY153; Indian Yellow - Winsor & Newton PY130 + PO62. 

Warm mixed and single pigment 'Gamboge' yellows

  1. Gamboge (Hue) / New Gamboge - American Journey PY3 + PY42; Permanent Gamboge - Art Spectrum PY97 + PY153; Gamboge Hue - Daler Rowney PY3 + PY153; New Gamboge* - Daniel Smith PY135 (discontinued); New Gamboge* - Daniel Smith PY97 + PY110;
  2. ​Gamboge Hue - Da Vinci PY3 + PY42; Gamboge Nova* - Holbein PY154 + PY150 + PY110; Gamboge - Rembrandt PY150 + PO48; Gamboge (was Gami Gutta), Renesans pan PY3 + PY83;  New Gamboge (Discontinued) Winsor & Newton PY153; 
  3. New Gamboge - Winsor & Newton PY150 + PR209

'Naples Yellow' watercolours

These are mostly a mixture of three pigments including white, though PBr24 shown above is a lovely option.
  1. Naples Yellow Reddish - Art Spectrum PW4 + PY42 + PO20; Naples Yellow - American Journey PY35 + PY43; Naples Yellow Light* - Aquarius PW4 + PY53 + PBr24; Naples Yellow Reddish* - Aquarius PW4 + PY53 + PBr24 + PR264; Naples Yellow - Blockx PY4 + PY35 + PY42; 
  2. Naples Yellow Red - Blockx PW4 + PY35 + PY42 + PO20; Naples Yellow - Daler Rowney PR108 + PY35 + PW6; Naples Yellow - Daniel Smith PW4 + PY35 + PR101; Naples Yellow - Da Vinci PY65 + PY43; ​Naples Yellow Hue - Jackson's PY35 + PW6 + PW4; 
  3. Naples Yellow - Holbein PY37 + PY42 + PW6; Naples Yellow Reddish - MaimeriBlu PW6 + PY42 + PR101 (discontinued); Naples Yellow - M.Graham PBr24 + PW6 + PY74; Naples Yellow - QoR PBr24 + PBk7 + PW4; Naples Yellow Deep Extra - Old Holland PBr24; 
  4. Flesh Tint (previously called Naples Yellow Reddish) - Renesans pan PW6 + PY254 + PBr6; Naples Yellow - Rosa PR101 + PW6Naples Yellow Light - Rosa PY42 + PW6; Naples Yellow Reddish - Schmincke PW6 + PW4 + PR242 + PY42; ​Naples Yellow - Schmincke PW6 + PY53 + PBr24; 
  5. Naples Yellow - Senneiler PY35+PW6 + PW4; Naples Yellow - Winsor & Newton PW6 + PBr24;​ Naples Yellow Deep - Winsor & Newton PBr24.  

Mixed Pigment cool to mid-Yellow Watercolours including cadmium light and medium hues

May be a mixture of two or more yellow pigments or a yellow and an orange or a couple of pigments and white. Where possible, I prefer the real pigment to a mixed hue. 
  1. ​Azo Yellow Gold - A Gallo PY151 + PY43; Aureolin Mixture - American Journey PY40 + PY3;  Permanent Gamboge - Art Spectrum PY97 + PY153; ​Carr Yellow - American Journey PY10 + PY154; ​Carr Yellow; Cadmium Yellow Light Hue - Daniel Smith PY138 + PY3 + PY53. 
  2. ​Cadmium Yellow Medium Hue - Daniel Smith PY53 + PY151 + PY83; ​Aureolin Mixture - Da Vinci PY40 + PY3; Lemon Yellow - Holbien PY3 + PW6; Permanent Yellow Lemon (old) Holbein​ PY3 + PY174​; Permanent Yellow Lemon - Holbein PY35 + PY74 + PY111; 
  3. Permanent Yellow Light - Holbein PY74 + PY83; Aureoline - Holbein PY154 + PY175 + PY150; Gamboge - Rembrandt PY150 + PO48; Gamboge (was Gami Gutta) - Renesans pan PY3 + PY83; ​Persian Yellow - Renesans pan PY74 + PBr6;
  4. Green Yellow - Schmincke PY150 + PBk 7. (Discontinued); ​Transparent Green Gold - Schmincke PY154 + PBr7

Mixed pigment warm yellows including cadmium hues

  1. Cadmium Yellow Deep Hue - Daler Rowney PY65 + PY3; Cadmium Yellow Deep - Daler Rowney PY35 + PO20; Aussie Red Gold* - Daniel Smith PY83 + PR101 + PV19; Cadmium Yellow Deep - Da Vinci PO20 + PY35; Permanent Yellow Deep - Holbein PY53 + PY55; 
  2. Cadmium Yellow Deep - Holbein PO20 + PY35; Permanent Yellow Deep - Holbein PY74 + PY83; Permanent Yellow Orange (old) - Holbein PY53 + PY55; Permanent Yellow Orange - Holbein PY74 + PY83 + PO73; Cadmium Yellow Orange - Jackson's PY35 + PO20; 
  3. Cadmium Yellow Deep - Rose PY35 + PO20; ​Sennelier Yellow Deep - Sennelier PY83 + PY153; Golden - White Nights PY3 + PO13; ​Cadmium Yellow - Winsor & Newton PY35 + PO20; ​Cadmium Yellow Deep - Winsor & Newton PY35 + PR108
These swatches are painted and added as a guide. The intention is show the characteristics of each colour when painted. The colour reproduction is not perfect but hopefully will still be helpful used in conjunction with the manufacturer's website.  Thank you to those of you, from Canada, Sweden, Australia and the USA, who have helped me with this section by sharing your favourite colours. If you notice errors please let me know so I can correct them. If you have artist quality watercolour that are not shown here and want to help me build up this resource, also please let me know :-)
If you find these pages helpful, please consider a one-of or a regular donation to help me keep them up to date :-)
This page was last edited December 2022. I am in the process up updating the galleries with more information. I'll then be re-scanning many to make the colours more accurate.