The Cotman Pocket PLUS

Having already mentioned the shortcomings of the Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Box (limited mixing palette space and the risk of losing the pans), the slightly more expensive Pocket PLUS appeared to have addressed these issues -- so I thought I had better investigate for myself. The packaging of my example probably dates from around the time that Winsor & Newton were acquired by ColArt, as the half pans were wrapped in cellophane only.

Upon opening the box, it is clear it is different from the more compact Sketchers' Pocket Box. For starters, it is made out of a thinner plastic and does not fit together as snugly as the Sketchers' Pocket Box. The white case resembles a clam shell and is hinged with a section of blue plastic, and thus does not open flat like the Pocket Box. Inside the lid are two separate mixing palettes, one of which will clip on to the base of the box. There are three cassettes made up of four half pans that snap into the base of the box. A short-handled Cotman No. 5 brush is also supplied.

The cassettes will take either four half pans or two whole pans -- but only Cotman, Winsor & Newton or Daler-Rowney pans appear to fit. (Other brands are too big.) This may be an issue if you like to fill empty pans with tube paint. There are lugs in the base that the cassettes snap into to hold them securely, but of course there is still the problem that the watercolour cakes may not be well-attached to their pans!

The Cotman half pans mine was supplied with were Cadmium Yellow Pale Hue, Cadmium Yellow Hue, Cadmium Red Pale Hue, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine, Cobalt Blue [sic], Sap Green, Viridian Hue, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, and Chinese White. The inclusion of Cobalt Blue is a little strange as this colour should be a mix of Ultramarine and white, rather than the more expensive pure pigment. (I would replace it with Cotman's Intense Blue, which seems to be a well-regarded paint.) Also, there is not much of a difference between Cadmium Yellow Pale Hue and Cadmium Yellow Hue...

There is certainly more mixing area available: up to three times that of Sketchers' Pocket Box in fact, as the lid can be used if you can manage to get it flat. I find the blue plastic hinge annoying, as it prevents the Pocket PLUS from lying flat on a table -- but this is just me, as it is designed to be held in the hand and the hinge is supposed to be a finger hold!

This is a better choice of watercolour paint box for plein air painting, notwithstanding the comment about loose pigment cakes in pans.