Spring 2022 *finally!*

What a wild winter that was. 🥶

It seems to have been rather crazy absolutely everywhere, but maybe that's just how it feels now that we've escaped it... Here in Nova Scotia, we haven't had a season like that for,... well, I certainly don't remember anything like it! We had 3 Nor'Easters in January alone, and every one on a Saturday, thank you very much. If you're new to the term Nor'Easter, just know that they are the most powerful and crazy winter storms we get here (short of some freak hurricane or the like). We topped that off with our incredibly wild, two-day ice storm in February... I've lost track of the number of power outages we had! So, needless to say (but I'll say it anyway), I'm extremely happy to see SPRING!!! (I'm also quite thankful for our generator!)

Don't worry, this newsletter will actually contain news, not just me grumbling about storms :) lol

Don't tell the other seasons (especially fall...), but spring is my favourite.... shhhh 🤫

There is something so very wonderful about seeing the garden come to life. New plants pushing up through the ground after a long sleep, and returning garden friends enjoying the sunshine. The buzz of a bumbling bee and the whizz of a hummingbird zipping past while deliciously scented breezes swirl about, and it's been a whole long year since you did this the last time... I've missed you, sweet spring!

Let's get into these new colours! :)

#1 Green Parrot - brand new green baby

To get things headed firmly in a springy direction, 🌱 I'd like to introduce you to this bright, fresh green! This beauty is another single-pigment green, and as such will play well with others :) It activates in no time at all and is creamy and highly pigmented.

Some birds and animals are so brightly coloured, it's almost incredible to see. This colour is named after that intense and brilliant green that makes some parrots positively stand out from the pack. After having it here in my studio for a bit, I've started spotting this pretty green all over the place! It's on hummingbirds, ducks, fish and froggos, for starters. What will you paint with it?

Green Parrot (PG50)
Granulating
Semi-Transparent
Non-Staining

#2 Terra Rosa- previously released as a dot sample

This blushing iron oxide is a red wine, earthy colour. More rose than Caput Mortuum, and less granulating as well. I wouldn't say you need both Terra Rosa and Caput Mortuum on your palette, but depending on what you often paint as a subject, you will most likely prefer one or the other. 

For example, Caput Mortuum excels where you want a heavily granulating, warm brick earth colour, which is found often in landscapes, urban sketching or animal fur. Whereas Terra Rosa, with its gentle blush, works much better for skin tones and soft effects in portraits. It goes down in beautiful, smooth washes and looks great when applied in watery washes or with more pigment. Easy to activate and a very creamy paint.

Terra Rosa (PR101)
Non-Granulating
Semi-Transparent

#3 Indanthrone Blue 

I have been wanting to work on this GORGEOUS blue pigment for ages! I've had it sitting patiently in my drawer of pigments for far too long. (To clarify, it's been patient. Me, not so much.) I only have so much time available to work on and release new pigments, so some have to wait, sadly!

A deep, rich PB60 is difficult to do without as a watercolour artist. This colour has an incredible range in values that I just love. It creates the most beautiful dark night skies that you can imagine. It's extremely pigmented, a little will go a long way! As a staining colour, it works well for under layers that you want to stay put. I'm glad I didn't give up on it, it was a tricky one to get just right. But now, it's finally ready, hurray! :)

Indanthrone Blue (PB60)
Non-Granulating
Transparent
Staining

The new dot sample that will go out with the first 25 orders is a deep, rich, dark roast coffee colour. Another beauty I've had waving from the pigment stash for ages! I am so in love with this Burnt Umber, I can't wait to work with it some more!!

Returning Colours Available in April:

I have several returning colours available this month in addition to the three new release colours. They are:

• Lemon Yellow
• Valley Apple
• Quinacridone Magenta
• Ultramarine Violet
• Gray Jay
• Cobalt Teal
• Black Bear
• Gold Coin
• Denarius

I have restocked several returning customer favourites this round as well! These beauties haven't been available for quite a while, so now is your chance to get them again! (Many thanks for all of your patient requests for these colours!) They are:

• Pyrrol Red
• Van Dyke Brown
• Buff Titanium
• Raw Sienna

So, When is the big day, anyway? :) 

Wednesday, April 20th, 2:00 PM Atlantic Daylight Time

See you SOON! In the meantime:

Don't forget to sign up for Humbug's Club on the website! 

It's a free membership that allows you to collect points, in our case, Humbug Dots ;) to redeem for coupons or free shipping, etc. You get 200 points (I mean Dots!) just for signing up, and you can earn Humbug Dots with any purchase on the website. 

The most exciting part of this system is the refer-a-friend coupons:

If you have a friend that you'd like to introduce to our watercolours, you can send them a $10 off coupon to my shopify store. When they redeem their coupon (on anything in our store) - guess what? You get $10 off too! Now I like that!

Just a little way for me (and Humbug!🐞) to say thank you! 

You do need to have an account, but all it takes is your email address and name so it can send you your coupons and such. I have ZERO desire to share your email address with anyone, so I'm not collecting them for some nefarious purpose, I promise! :) You'll have a faster checkout once you set up your account, so I'd suggest popping in sometime soon and just setting that up so you'll be ready to roll on Watercolour Release day!! You'll get those 200 points right off the bat!

Hop over to the website to sign up with a free account: humbeckstudios.ca