The choice between pans and tubes is about workflow. Pans concentrate a palette into a portable box. Tubes make generous quantities of paint available quickly. Many painters use both because studio and travel work ask different things of the paint.
At a glance
Pans favour portability and quick setup. They suit sketchbooks, location work and painters who want a palette ready to open.
Tubes favour volume and brush access. They make it easier to prepare large pools of colour and to load larger brushes without repeatedly working a small pan.
Scale influences the decision without dictating it. Pans can support large work, but tubes usually reduce friction when broad washes consume more paint.
Refilling pans from tubes is a useful middle ground. Reactivation varies by formulation, so test the dried paint before converting a whole palette.
Format is not a quality grade. Compare the paint range and pigment information separately from the container.
How much paint is in a half pan?
A half pan holds a small volume of paint, measured in millilitres, and a full pan is nominally twice the size. No figure applies to every maker: Schmincke, for example, states a volume of 1.6 ml for a half pan and 3.2 ml for a full pan, while some makers publish no figure at all.
A quoted figure can describe several different things. It may be the space in the empty pan, the liquid paint poured in, the dried paint left once it has shrunk, or the amount of tube paint the pan replaces. These measures do not convert into one another, so a number from one maker cannot be set beside a number from another and give a reliable answer.
Size names vary too. Half pan and full pan are the usual terms, some makers say whole pan, and others say small and large. If capacity matters to your choice, check the maker’s own product information for the range in question, and measure the pan if the figure is not given.
| Half pan | Full pan | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | The smaller standard pan | Nominally twice a half pan, also sold as a whole pan |
| Published volume, one maker (Schmincke) | 1.6 ml | 3.2 ml |
| Brush access | Small and medium brushes load comfortably | Larger wells give broad brushes more room |
| Suits | Sketchbooks, travel and small studies | Larger washes and heavier use of a few colours |
What changes in practice
A pan stores dry paint in a compact well. It needs wetting before the brush can lift colour efficiently. A tube supplies moist paint that disperses into a mixing pool immediately.
Pan dimensions and capacities vary between makers, and the section above explains what a quoted figure measures. Tube-to-pan refill counts also depend on pan size, shrinkage and whether the pan is filled in layers. Compare actual sizes when capacity matters.
Value depends on how much paint you use. When comparing formats, check whether a stated volume refers to wet paint, dried paint or the pan itself, because the three are not the same.
Brush access and mixing volume
Small and medium brushes can load comfortably from most half pans. A large mop or wash brush has less room to move and may wear the surface unevenly. Whole pans, larger wells or tube paint placed on a palette give broad brushes better access.
The important distinction is the amount of prepared colour needed at once. Small studies require little. A large uninterrupted wash benefits from a pool mixed before the brush touches the paper. Tubes make that preparation faster, though a well-wetted pan palette can still work.
Portability and palette habits
Pans are the compact choice for travel. The colours stay together, the box contains the mixing surfaces, and there are no caps to lose. They also suit short sessions because the setup remains ready between uses. What else to carry is covered in the watercolour travel kit guide.
Tubes suit painters who prefer a spacious mixing surface, change palettes often, or use a few colours in substantial quantities. They require more deliberate setup and storage, but they make fresh, concentrated paint easy to access.
Refilling pans from tubes
Empty pans can be filled from tubes and allowed to dry, combining tube economy with a portable box. Fill gradually rather than creating one deep wet mass, and allow adequate drying time before closing the palette.
Not every formulation reactivates identically after drying. Some paints soften quickly; others need longer pre-wetting or remain firmer than a factory pan. Test one colour first and use the manufacturer’s guidance where available.
Waste and value
Pans make the remaining quantity visible and encourage controlled loading. Tubes reduce repeated brush scrubbing and allow exact quantities to be placed on a palette, but too much freshly squeezed paint can be left unused. Most watercolour can be allowed to dry and rewetted, provided the palette stays clean.
Value depends on use. A larger volume is not economical if it dries unused in a drawer, and a convenient pan is poor value if it repeatedly interrupts large washes. Choose around the colours and quantities you actually consume.
A practical decision
Choose pans when portability, minimal setup and compact working matter most. Choose tubes when large mixing pools, broad brushes or frequent refilling matter more. Use tubes to refill a pan box if both contexts are part of your practice.
Decide the colours separately. The core watercolour palette guide defines useful palette roles, while single-pigment watercolours explains why known ingredients make mixing easier to predict.