Art Supplies Review: What I Learned Using Viviva Colors Colorsheets

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It all started when in mid 2021, Viviva Colors reached out to me to see if I would represent them on Instagram. I was a little wary at first because, I’ve never heard of them before, and I’d never done a brand collaboration before. Regardless, I’ve always been super careful who I represent, because I would never want to steer you in a weird direction just to make a buck. Not my style.

To give you a little bit of a backstory, one of the representatives from the Viviva Colors home office set up a zoom meeting where I got to meet her and she assured me that they would send me some paints so I could try them before I agreed to promote or take money for anything. She was very patient and kind while I sampled the colorsheets and the cotton sketchbook, which I also love.

I’ve had brands reach out to me that just weren’t my vibe at all, and I politely declined. It's really important to me that I'm representing something I truly believe in so I never promote any affiliate products that I wouldn't recommend, or use myself.

When I first received their package, inside was a water brush, one of their cotton sketchbooks, and a set of their original Viviva colors. Because I’m a typical artist who thinks getting art supplies in the mail is a lot like Christmas, I immediately started painting with them and experimented with different color combos and subject matters. But, the more I learned about Viviva colors, the more I wanted to use them.

I tried botanicals, fashion Illustration, landscapes, abstract art. I wanted to see what these paints could do, and what I liked using them for. Turns out, I loved using them for everything. 

If brands are reaching out to you, be careful that they're not pushing you, railroading you, or rushing you into a decision. Do your research, take your time, and let this opportunity go if it seems like it's not a good fit for you. There are a lot of other opportunities out there, and for me, the relationship is worth way more than any income. That’s when I know it’s a great collaboration!

Here are 10 things I learned about the Viviva Colors colorsheets after using them for over 2 years:

1 They Are 100% Sustainable

As I mentioned earlier, once I learned that these paints were 100% biodegradable I just felt so responsible using them. Knowing I’m not adding more harmful plastic or toxic materials to the environment, makes me feel really good about using these more and more.

2 They Are Handmade

I have been a maker since I can remember. I’ve had my own handmade jewelry brand which I still sell to private clients btw, I’ve made my own clothes, and I just loved crafting things. So I really appreciate that special feeling you get from a product that is made by a human. I respect the thought and the hard work that goes into that, as well as the care.

3 Family owned business 

This is also a family owned business, which adds another interesting element to this brand compared to the big mass produced brands. And this family comes with a story. When the founder was preparing to go abroad to university, he shared with his grandmother that he was going to miss his watercolor paints. His grandmother, knowing how important the creative process is, encouraged him to find a way to create a sort of travel kit. This was the beginning of Viviva Colors, and to honor her, the founder worked the name of his grandmother’s initials into the title of the company. Cool right?

4 Natural Ingredients 

When sourcing ingredients for these paints, they decided to go natural using dyes from the Earth. It’s a bit different from traditional watercolor paints which contain pigments instead of dyes, but again that’s what sets them apart. More recently they’ve even been able to make them vegan as well, adding another layer to that sustainability factor.

5 These Paints Are Vibrant

I don’t think I was prepared for how saturated and vibrant these paints would be. I really had to reduce the amount of paint I put on my brush at a time because I would just get too much on the paper. This makes the paints last way longer than others!

I have four sets of color sheets currently and there are 16 whopping colors in each, except for the metallic set which has 10 but there is so much coolness in there to make up for six extra colors, let me tell you. Plus because silver and gold are the most used metallic colors they give you two extra of each, which I love!

6 Long Lasting 

My first question when I received the colorsheets for the first time, was how long do these tiny squares of color last? Because they don’t look like much! But don’t underestimate these little flat squares, because each of them gives me a minimum of two years, and some of them three years, depending on how much painting I do with them. And in the last couple years, I have done a lot, so I’ve really had a chance to test this out.

Just to give you a comparison, the life of this little colorsheets booklet is almost equal to a half pan set of traditional watercolor paints.

7 Lightweight 

I had so many surprises about this paint set, and another one was how lightweight it was. I hardly notice when it’s with me because they only weigh a few ounces. I can fit them in my back jeans pocket or the inside pocket of my handbag. This feature was revolutionary for me as I love painting everywhere I go.

8 Portability 

These sets are small and flat, which means I can hold my paints in one hand while I use a brush in the other, and I usually don’t even need a table. I can use this set in the car, while I’m standing up, or siting on a camp stool in a remote location. This makes painting much more accessible for me than it ever has been before in my entire life. I’ve gotten so much additional practice, because I have no more excuses that I’m not in the studio!

9 Colorsheet Replacement

I don’t know about you, but when these paints run out, I would have been happy just to toss them and buy another one. They are 100% biodegradable after all. But these colorsheets are replaceable! When I run out of color, all I have to do is purchase a refill set, which comes in groups of 4 colors, peel off the back, and stick it on in place of the old one. Then I’m good to go for another couple of years. So now they’re not only sustainable, they are also repurposed!

10 Price

So far, I have talked about a lot of value packed into this little tiny product, but there’s still another benefit. The price! The reason I say this is because I’ve priced many travel kits over the years and they want more for convenience, which is a standard we’re all used to. But as I’m writing this post, their colorsheets only cost $22 USD, and the refill sets are only $3 USD. Sometimes there’s even free shipping available.

When you purchase through my affiliate link, you can get an extra 10% off when you use code: CHRISVABRE. Please note that I do get a commission when you do this, but, you get your entire purchase at 10% off!

That was a lot of good stuff right? But I wouldn’t be completely transparent if I didn’t talk about some of the downsides of the colorsheets. Let’s face it, there is no perfect product out there. 

Downside #1

The dyes in these paints can stain. Because of this you’ll want to wash them off your hands immediately after getting them on or they can tend to stain for a day or so. And please be careful of your clothes. Lots of artists wear aprons, but if you don’t, please wear something that you don't mind getting dirty. After you get the paint on your hand or fabric, make sure to go and wash it with some mild soap immediately. I keep a wet paper towel at my workspace and wipe my hands off immediately after getting paint on them, and that works just fine. 

If you’re painting with kids, you’ll just want to keep an eye on them, and have something around to clean them up with right away.

Downside #2

The colorsheets are not lightfast. Since I do most of my watercolor painting in a sketchbook that is kept closed most of the time, that’s not really an issue for me. 

When I do want to hang a painting, or gift a watercolor greeting card, I use their cork pan sets, which are lightfast! They are almost as lightweight and easy to hold as the colorsheets, and last just as long, if not longer.

When I ask anyone on Instagram how they like using Viviva Colors, I get only good vibes, despite the downsides.

I’ve kept in touch with my art friends on Instagram who have purchased Viviva Colors using my link to see what their experiences were, because I wanted to be able to speak to the usage, according to someone else. So far I’ve had rave reviews from everyone in my circle and believe me I pre-warn them about these very same things. 

Honestly, the clean up aspect is mostly common sense, and the lightfast issue can be fixed by purchasing a cork pan set. If you decide to purchase some Viviva Colors of your own, I really hope that you enjoy your experience as much as they have, but everyone is different so please keep an open mind. I can't guarantee that you're going to love them, but I hope that my experiences have helped you to make some choices for yourself.

Bonus Feature-

But I’m not done yet! I have a bonus feature that in my opinion, is a Viviva Colors superpower tying all of these features together and making these paint sets incredibly usable on the go. The attached fly out painting palette! This glossy cardboard palette is surprisingly durable and means I don’t need to pack a painting palette when I travel with these paints. After use it I can easily wipe it down and start again next time, but I just generally don’t, saving me time and paint.

I hope you enjoyed learning about this pretty fabulous product, and I hope it expanded your horizons towards painting, and staying consistent with your art practice. It may not be for you, but if it is, it can’t really up your painting game and give you so many new options.

If you enjoyed this review of Viviva Colors and if you decide to give them a try, click the button below and use code: CHRISVABRE to get 10% off.

When you get them, I would love to hear from you in the comments about how they worked for you. If you have any questions, you can drop in the comments as well and I'll be happy to answer them. 

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