I found some old watercolors at a yard sale; can I use them instead of buying the new stuff?
The chemistry of watercolor paint has changed (for the better!) so that today’s paints are more permanent and less likely to fade over time. Old tubes of paints – depending on how tightly capped – can be caked and dried or the gum Arabic binder may have separated. Finally, some colors are less toxic today than their counterparts from times past. It’s best to use high quality, fresh new paint. You can always start with just 3 colors and build your palette (and you color-mixing skills) over time.
