The best Chinese white watercolor depends on how much paint you need and how you use white: Winsor & Newton Professional offers two tube sizes, while DANIEL SMITH offers a 15ml tube and a smaller 5ml option. Choose a larger tube for more frequent use or a smaller one to try the color. The brush set is a companion tool, not a white paint. Chinese white can lighten colors and add opaque-looking details, but these products are described as semi-transparent or semi-opaque rather than fully opaque.
| Product | Best for | Key detail |
|---|---|---|
| DANIEL SMITH 15ml Chinese White | Frequent use and mixing | Semi-transparent; medium-high tinting strength |
| Winsor & Newton 5ml Chinese White | Trying a smaller tube | PW 4; semi-opaque |
| Winsor & Newton 14ml Chinese White | Regular use in a larger tube | PW 4; permanence AA |
| DANIEL SMITH 5ml Chinese White | Testing DANIEL SMITH white | Small tube; listing uses two opacity descriptions |
| Fuumuui 10-piece brush set | Applying paint with varied strokes | Brush accessory, not paint |
DANIEL SMITH Chinese White, 15ml
Best for: Artists who use Chinese white regularly for mixing, highlights, or small painted details and prefer a larger tube. The product is a 15ml tube, listed as 0.5 fluid ounces.
DANIEL SMITH describes this white as semi-transparent, with excellent permanence and medium-high tinting strength. The brand suggests using it to lighten other colors or add details and highlights. It is also described as having excellent lightfastness and as non-granulating and non-staining.
Why it stands out: The stated tinting strength makes it a relevant option for artists who want to blend white into other watercolor colors, rather than reserve it only for tiny corrections. The larger listed tube size may suit more regular use than the 5ml alternative.
Limitation: It is described as semi-transparent, so it may not provide the solid, fully opaque coverage some artists expect from white paint. Choose it for translucent effects and mixing only if that behavior suits your technique.
Winsor & Newton Chinese White, 5ml
Best for: Buyers who want a smaller tube of Winsor & Newton Professional Chinese White. Its 5ml size is the more compact option compared with the brand’s listed 14ml tube.
The product information identifies the pigment as PW 4, color code 150, and gives it a permanence rating of AA. Its opacity is listed as semi-opaque. Winsor & Newton describes its Professional Watercolor range as offering a wide choice of pigments and high permanence.
Why it stands out: The pigment and permanence details provide useful information for artists comparing whites by formulation. Its smaller size is a practical choice for someone who wants to try this particular paint or expects to use Chinese white sparingly.
Limitation: A 5ml tube contains less paint than the 14ml version, so it may be less suitable for frequent use. Its semi-opaque description also means it should not be assumed to behave like a fully opaque white.
Winsor & Newton Chinese White, 14ml
Best for: Artists who have chosen Winsor & Newton Chinese White and want the larger of the two listed tube sizes. The 14ml tube offers more paint than the brand’s 5ml option.
Like the smaller tube, this product is identified as PW 4, color code 150, with permanence AA and semi-opaque opacity. These shared specifications make the two Winsor & Newton options comparable by size rather than by the pigment details supplied in the listings.
Why it stands out: It is a straightforward choice for regular painting, mixing, or detail work when a small tube would be inconvenient. The stated pigment, permanence, and opacity details also help buyers match the paint to an existing palette.
Limitation: The listing describes the paint as semi-opaque, not fully opaque. Artists seeking a white that completely covers a dark wash may need to test how it performs with their own paper, dilution, and application method.
DANIEL SMITH Chinese White, 5ml
Best for: Artists who want a smaller DANIEL SMITH tube for testing the color or using Chinese white occasionally. The listing identifies it as a 5ml tube and notes that the brand offers this smaller size in a selection of popular colors.
The product description says the white has excellent permanence and medium-high tinting strength, and can be used to lighten colors or paint details and highlights. It also lists excellent lightfastness, non-granulating behavior, and non-staining behavior.
Why it stands out: It provides a smaller-size alternative to the brand’s 15ml Chinese White tube. That makes it the better fit when the buyer wants to try the paint without choosing the larger listed size.
Limitation: The product description calls the paint “semi-opaque” in one passage and “semi-transparent” in another. Because those terms differ, buyers who need a precise opacity level should verify the current product details or test a sample before relying on it for a specific effect.
Fuumuui 10-Piece Watercolor Brush Set
Best for: Painters who need a range of brush shapes for applying Chinese white in washes, fine details, or varied strokes. This is a brush set, not a Chinese white paint, so it is relevant as a companion purchase rather than a paint substitute.
The set includes 10 synthetic squirrel hair brushes in seven shapes, including wide flat, round, dagger, cat’s tongue, flat, and detail brushes. The listing describes the bristles as soft and able to carry color, and says the short handles are designed for grip and precision.
Why it stands out: The mix of shapes can support different application approaches, from broad marks to detail work. It may be useful for artists who do not already have brushes suited to both washes and small highlights.
Limitation: Brush selection does not determine the paint’s opacity or permanence. Buyers looking specifically for Chinese white paint should choose one of the paint tubes above and treat this set as optional equipment.
Buying Guide: How to Choose Chinese White Watercolor
What is Chinese white watercolor used for?
Chinese white is a white watercolor paint that can be used for highlights, details, and lightening other colors. The DANIEL SMITH listings specifically describe using it to lighten colors and paint details. It can also be used for effects such as pale marks within a wash, but the result depends on how much paint and water the artist applies.
White watercolor behaves differently from simply leaving the paper unpainted. Adding it places pigment over the paper or an existing wash. If preserving bright paper white is important, plan highlights before painting; use Chinese white when adding white later is part of the intended technique.
Should you choose semi-transparent or semi-opaque white?
Check the opacity description before buying. The DANIEL SMITH 15ml listing calls its Chinese white semi-transparent, while the Winsor & Newton tubes are described as semi-opaque. The DANIEL SMITH 5ml listing uses both terms in different parts of its description, so its precise opacity is less clear from the supplied information.
These descriptions do not establish that any of the paints will fully cover a dark color in every application. Water amount, paint concentration, paper, and the underlying wash can affect the appearance. Make a small swatch over a dark passage if coverage is important to your project.
Which tube size makes sense?
Compare the listed sizes: DANIEL SMITH is offered here in 5ml and 15ml tubes, while Winsor & Newton is offered in 5ml and 14ml tubes. A smaller tube can suit occasional use or a first purchase. A larger tube is the more practical size to consider when you expect to use white frequently or mix it into colors regularly.
Tube size alone does not indicate pigment performance. For the two Winsor & Newton products, the supplied pigment and permanence descriptions are the same; the stated difference is the amount of paint. The DANIEL SMITH descriptions also distinguish the listed sizes, so compare the specific product details rather than assuming every listing is identical.
How should pigment and permanence influence the choice?
Winsor & Newton identifies its Chinese White as PW 4, color code 150, with permanence AA. The DANIEL SMITH listings emphasize excellent lightfastness and permanence, and describe the 15ml paint as non-granulating and non-staining. These specifications can help artists compare materials, especially when consistency across a palette matters.
Do not treat different wording as a direct, universal ranking. The listings use brand-specific descriptions and do not provide matching test details for every specification. If a particular pigment index or permanence notation is essential, confirm it in the current manufacturer information for the exact tube size.
What else should you consider before painting?
- Intended use: Choose a paint based on whether you plan to add highlights, mix white into colors, or use it for occasional corrections.
- Opacity: Compare the stated semi-transparent or semi-opaque descriptions, and test the paint if coverage is critical.
- Quantity: Select 5ml for a smaller amount or 14ml and 15ml for a larger tube among these options.
- Application tools: A fine brush can place small details, while a broader shape can make wider marks. The Fuumuui set offers multiple shapes but is not paint.
- Palette planning: Consider whether the white will be used on its own or mixed with other colors; the DANIEL SMITH descriptions specifically mention lightening colors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Chinese white watercolor fully opaque?
Not according to the descriptions provided for these options. Winsor & Newton lists its Chinese White as semi-opaque, and DANIEL SMITH describes its 15ml tube as semi-transparent. The 5ml DANIEL SMITH description uses both terms, so test that product if exact opacity matters.
Which Chinese white tube is best for frequent use?
Among these listed choices, the larger tubes are the DANIEL SMITH 15ml and Winsor & Newton 14ml options. Choose between them by considering the supplied opacity, pigment, and permanence details, as well as your preferred brand.
What is the difference between the Winsor & Newton 5ml and 14ml tubes?
The listed difference is tube size. Both products are described as PW 4, color code 150, permanence AA, and semi-opaque. The 14ml tube contains more paint than the 5ml tube.
Can Chinese white be mixed with other watercolor colors?
Yes. The DANIEL SMITH product descriptions say Chinese white can be used to lighten other colors and note its medium-high tinting strength. The exact mixture depends on the colors and proportions used.
Is the Fuumuui brush set a watercolor paint?
No. It is a 10-piece brush set with synthetic squirrel hair bristles and multiple shapes. It can be used as a painting accessory, but it does not include Chinese white watercolor paint.
