Half Pan Calculator — How Long Will It Last?

A standard half pan holds approximately 1.5 ml of dried watercolour paint. A full pan holds 3 ml. The actual amount varies slightly between manufacturers. Winsor & Newton, Schmincke and Daniel Smith all use standard pan sizes.

It depends entirely on how thickly you work. Light transparent washes can cover dozens of A4 sheets, so a half pan lasts around 6-12 months at a couple of paintings a week. Heavy, saturated application drops that dramatically — thick layers can use up a half pan in just one or two sheets. Heavily mixed colours like Ultramarine and Burnt Sienna run out fastest; whites and pale earths last longest. (Durability ranges from artist reports on WetCanvas and Artist Forum.)

Tubes are significantly better value per ml of paint. A 5 ml tube costs similar to a half pan but contains 3.3x more paint. Tubes also let you squeeze out fresh, creamy paint for strong washes. Pans are more portable.

Yes — squeeze tube paint into empty or depleted pans and let it dry between layers. Build up 3-4 thin layers over a few days for a smooth, crack-free pan. This is the most economical way to maintain a palette.

Frequently used mixing colours run out first: primary blue (Ultramarine/Cobalt), primary red (Alizarin/Quinacridone) and earth colours (Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber). Consider buying these in tubes and less-used colours in pans.