Best Watercolours for Icelandic Light — A Painter's Guide
What makes Icelandic light special for painters
Artists who visit or live in Iceland quickly notice that the light here is different. The sun sits low on the horizon for much of the year, casting long shadows and creating a soft, diffused glow that makes colours appear deeper and more luminous. In summer, the midnight sun provides 20+ hours of gentle, warm light — perfect for extended painting sessions.
This unique light demands watercolours with strong transparency, good lifting ability and subtle granulation.
Professional grade: Daniel Smith Extra Fine
Daniel Smith is the gold standard for transparent watercolours. Several colours are perfect for Icelandic subjects:
- Lunar Blue — granulating blue-grey that mimics glacial ice
- Moonglow — shifts between blue, red and ochre; ideal for Icelandic twilight
- Buff Titanium — the warm off-white of Icelandic winter daylight
- Sleeping Beauty Turquoise (PrimaTek) — the exact colour of glacial rivers
- Shadow Violet — subtle purple-grey for volcanic rock shadows
We stock over 60 Daniel Smith watercolour shades at Föndurlist, including the complete PrimaTek mineral range.
Great value: Mont Marte & Nevskaya Palitra
- Mont Marte watercolour sets offer smooth pigments with good transparency — perfect for beginners.
- Nevskaya Palitra "White Nights" are Russian-made professional-grade pans with beautiful granulation.
Paper matters
In Iceland's damp climate, paper weight is critical:
- 300gsm cold-pressed for general landscape work
- Watercolour blocks (glued on all sides) — resist buckling in wind
- Khadi handmade paper — beautiful texture for expressive styles
Get everything you need at Föndurlist
Föndurlist is one of Iceland's largest art supply stores, with over 2,800 products in stock — no importing needed. Browse watercolours at fondurlist.is/en/vatnslitir, or visit us at Einhella 11-107, Hafnarfjörður.