Federal Color Optimist Mixable Color Sketching Set of 6

Federal Color SKU: 20042
Federal Color Optimist Mixable Color Sketching Set of 6
Federal Color Optimist Mixable Color Sketching Set of 6
Federal Color Optimist Mixable Color Sketching Set of 6
Federal Color Optimist Mixable Color Sketching Set of 6
Federal Color Optimist Mixable Color Sketching Set of 6
Federal Color Optimist Mixable Color Sketching Set of 6
Federal Color Optimist Mixable Color Sketching Set of 6
Federal Color Optimist Mixable Color Sketching Set of 6

Federal Color Optimist Mixable Color Sketching Set of 6

Federal Color SKU: 20042
Regular price $70.00 Sale price $63.00 Save 10%
/
  • Free Curbside Pickup
  • Fast Shipping
  • Phone Support Available
  • Low stock - 3 items left
  • Inventory on the way
Shipping calculated at checkout.

We are excited to be one of the first exclusive partners with our good friends at Federal Color in St Louis, MO! 

Optimist Sketching Set of 6

Optimist Mixable Color is an intensely-pigmented, quick-drying, waterproof ink—perfect for sketching and mixed media art. This box contains six intense colors, ready to use right from the bottle. Feel free to drip Optimist straight from the Precision Bottle onto the page—or get a bit more specific by applying Optimist colors with your favorite brushes and dip pens.

The Optimist Sketching Set includes six bold colors that aren't found in the standard CMYK+ Mixing Set. Slide open the box to find six 50 mL Precision Bottles filled with Prussian Blue, Red Violet, Mediterranean, Basil, Federal Red, and Tangerine.

About Optimist:

Introducing Optimist Mixable Color, Federal Color's original ink for art and design. Optimist is made with natural shellac, a beautiful organic resin that binds pigment to paper, resists UV radiation, and dries totally waterproof. Unlike many drawing inks, Optimist includes only lightfast pigments, so the colors mix perfectly, and your work can be displayed for many years without fading.

Use & Care Tips

Using Optimist Mixable Color is simple: grab a dip pen or brush and get some ink on it. You can use Optimist straight from the bottle; it's highly fluid and moves smoothly across paper. You can also dilute it with Optimist Colorless Medium, the purest form of our water-based shellac. (Dilution with water is possible, and produces some nice textures and effects, but please note that adding water will change the characteristics of the ink and make it less waterproof.)

Optimist dries quickly (within a few minutes for a normal application), so you can layer more inks or watercolors over it with no blending or bleeding. It's also an ideal choice for adding opaque highlights and shadows to your watercolor pieces.

Shake well before using. Keep brushes wet during use and wash promptly for best results. To clean up, try a bottle of Optimist Ink Solvent.

Optimist Story

Our good friends at St. Louis Art Supply opened their art supply business in 2015, and one of the first things they learned was how to make india ink. Their original formula was hand-mixed and much less consistent than Optimist, but their customers loved it because traditional shellac-based ink is just special, and it's not that easy to find anymore. Most manufacturers have replaced shellac with acrylic polymer, which has its advantages but is simply not as beautiful as shellac resin.

They stopped selling that early ink recipe a couple years later, but ever since, they've been researching and refining—not to mention, they added a powerful three-roll mill to disperse their pigments with total consistency. Finally, they're experiencing the magic of shellac ink again (we think it smells really nice, even if you remember that it's made by bugs). But now, St. Louis Art Supply's brand new color house, Federal Color, also has the technology and experience to make it a consistent option for serious artists. We are sure this elemental material will improve your flow.

More Info

Each color in this set is packaged in a 50 mL Precision Bottle, which is squeezable and can dispense a drop or a full stream.

Conforms to ASTM D-4236. Made in the United States.

If you’re looking to return or exchange your order, we can help! We offer free returns or exchanges within 30 days of receiving your order. You can return your product for store credit, a different product, or a refund to the original payment method.

Please note the following exceptions to our return and exchange policy:

  • No individual markers, pens or pencils can be returned
  • Discounted items are final and cannot be returned or exchanged
  • Returned items must be unopened and in original packaging
  • Returned items must have no visible signs of wear or use

To initiate a return or exchange, please email us at hello@mcartsupplies.com. Be sure to include the following in your email:

  • Customer name
  • Order number
  • List of item(s) you wish to return
  • Reason for return

Additional Information:

  • Refunds will not be processed until item(s) is/are returned
  • Customer will be responsible for paying return shipping
  • Proof of purchase or receipt is required to process returns and refunds
  • Customer is responsible for the safe return of products and is encouraged to obtain a tracking number and insurance if deemed necessary
  • If you have any additional questions, please email us at hello@mcartsupplies.com

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

More from BEST SELLING
Sale
Sakura Pigma Micron - Fine Tip Pens
Sakura
Sale price $2.99 Regular price $3.33 Save 10%
Sale
MTN Spray Caps
Montana Colors
Sale price $0.45 Regular price $0.50 Save 10%
Sale
Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Colors - 37 ml
Winsor & Newton
from $6.14 Regular price $8.19 Save 25%
1 review
Sale
Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Pads
Strathmore
from $3.05 Regular price $4.35 Save 30%
Hahnemuhle Watercolor Bookmark Pad
Hahnemuhle
$9.95
4 Reviews