Quick answer: Use pans for travel, sketching and beginners — they’re dry, portable, mess-free and waste almost nothing. Use tubes for studio work and large paintings, where you need to mix big, intense washes quickly. Many artists own both. Every ArtMate travel kit uses pans for exactly these reasons.
Watercolor comes in two forms: solid pans (dry blocks you activate with a wet brush) and tubes (moist paint you squeeze out). Neither is “better” — they suit different ways of working. Here’s how to choose.
Pans vs tubes at a glance
| Pans | Tubes | |
|---|---|---|
| Portability | Excellent — dry, leak-proof | Poor — can leak in a bag |
| Best for | Travel, sketching, beginners | Studio, large works |
| Mixing big washes | Slower | Fast and intense |
| Waste | Almost none | Easy to squeeze too much |
| Setup | None — just add water | Squeeze out first |
When pans win
Pans are the obvious choice for travel and everyday painting. They’re dry, so nothing leaks; they’re ready instantly; and you only use what your brush picks up, so there’s almost no waste. For sketching, plein air and learning, pans are simply easier. This is why every Nomad, Voyager and walnut kit uses a pan palette.
When tubes win
Tubes shine in the studio. When you’re painting large and need a big pool of saturated color fast, squeezing fresh paint is quicker than lifting it from a pan. Tubes also make it easy to pre-mix custom colors. The trade-off is mess, potential leaks, and waste if you squeeze out more than you use.
Can you refill pans from tubes?
Yes — many artists squeeze tube paint into empty pans and let it dry, getting the best of both: studio-grade color in a portable format. It’s a popular way to customize a travel palette.
So which should you buy?
- Beginner or traveler: start with pans. Less mess, less waste, ready to go.
- Studio painter working large: tubes, or tubes plus a pan set for sketching.
- Want one setup for everything: a pan-based travel kit you can refill from tubes later.
Frequently asked questions
Are pans or tubes better for beginners?
Pans. They’re dry, mess-free, ready to use, and waste almost nothing — ideal while you learn. Tubes are better later for large studio work.
Are pans or tubes better for travel?
Pans, without question. They’re dry and leak-proof, so they survive a bag, and a pan palette is the heart of every good travel kit.
Do pans and tubes use the same paint?
Yes — it’s the same pigment, just dried into a pan or kept moist in a tube. Quality depends on the brand and grade, not the format.
Can I put tube paint into pans?
Yes. Squeeze tube paint into empty pans and let it dry for a few days. You get studio color in a portable, travel-friendly palette.
Do tubes last longer than pans?
It depends on use. Tubes can dry out or be over-squeezed; pans last a very long time because you only lift what you need. For most travelers, pans are more economical.
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