GRANULATION
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Granulation
Granulation may be simply stated on the paint information as Y or N. Some paints granulate wildly, others just a bit, others not at all. Granulation is usually most noticeable in a wash on damp paper.
Ultramarine, a very popular and useful warm blue, granulates in a wash, so will not be a completely smooth colour when painted.
Phthalo Blue, a very popular cool blue, has tiny particles of colour and does not granulate at all. It can be used for very smooth washes.
Some of the most granulating paints are Daniel Smith Primateks and colours with Lunar Black PBk11. You will genuerally find that genuine Ultramarine, Cobalt, Manganese and Cerulean blues granulate but Prussian, Pththalo and Indanthrone blues do not.
Generally, earth pigments are likely to be granulating-JB
Several artists actually desire this quality in their paint because of the visual texture it provides.