---
title: "Winsor & Newton Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Set: 12 Pans"
canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/winsor-newton-cotman-sketchers-pocket-set/"
description: "Winsor & Newton Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Set explained: its 12 half pans and colors, travel brush, 130 × 65 mm box, student-grade paint, and where it's made."
category: "Accessories"
type: "Watercolor set"
published: 2026-10-22
updated: 2026-10-22
author: "Ellis Penhale"
publisher: "Stationery Times"
sources: 6
products:
  - name: "Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Sketchers' Pocket Set, 12 half pans (0390640)"
    brand: "Winsor & Newton"
    brand_origin: "United Kingdom"
    made_in: "Not stated"
    material: "12 Cotman watercolor half pans in a plastic pocket box with an integral mixing palette in the lid; travel brush"
    price_band: "$$$ ($20–75 per item, typical US retail, October 2026)"
    manufacturer: "ColArt"
    model: "Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Set"
    mpn: "0390640"
    gtin: "5012572005784"
    url: "https://www.winsornewton.com/products/cotman-watercolours-sketchers-pocket-box"
---

# Winsor & Newton Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Set: 12 Pans

> The Winsor & Newton Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Set is a pocket watercolor kit: 12 half pans of Cotman student-grade paint and a travel brush in a black plastic box whose lid is a mixing palette. A UK art shop lists it at 130 × 65 × 20 mm (5.1 × 2.6 × 0.8 in).

- URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/winsor-newton-cotman-sketchers-pocket-set/
- Category: Accessories
- Author: Ellis Penhale
- Published: 2026-10-22
- Updated: 2026-10-22

![Winsor & Newton Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Set, closed and open with its palette lid, 12 half pans and brush](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/winsor-newton-cotman-sketchers-pocket-set-16x9.png)

*The pocket set closed and open, drawn to scale at 130 × 65 mm.* Original drawing (SVG): <https://stationerytimes.com/images/winsor-newton-cotman-sketchers-pocket-set-cover.svg>. Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

## Product facts

| Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Sketchers' Pocket Set, 12 half pans (0390640) | Winsor & Newton (by ColArt) | United Kingdom | Not stated | 12 Cotman watercolor half pans in a plastic pocket box with an integral mixing palette in the lid; travel brush | – | $$$: $20–75 per item |

- Made in (Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Sketchers' Pocket Set, 12 half pans (0390640)): Not stated. Winsor & Newton's US and UK product pages don't state a country of manufacture, and Amazon says only "Imported". Marketplace listings disagree (some say China, others France or the United Kingdom), so check the box.

### Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolour Sketchers' Pocket Set, 12 half pans (0390640) colors

- Ink colors (12 standard, 0 special edition): Lemon Yellow Hue; Cadmium Yellow Hue; Cadmium Red Pale Hue; Alizarin Crimson Hue; Ultramarine; Cerulean Blue Hue; Viridian Hue; Sap Green; Yellow Ochre; Burnt Sienna; Burnt Umber; Chinese White.
- Per Winsor & Newton (https://www.winsornewton.com/products/cotman-watercolours-sketchers-pocket-box), checked 2026-10-27. The 12 half-pan colors in the Set Contents line on Winsor & Newton's product page, which adds that actual contents may vary. Tints were hand-picked from the painted swatch image on each color's Cotman page at winsornewton.com, taking the saturated upper part of the wash (the swatches fade toward white). Shops stock different colors; check the listing.

## Key takeaways

- The set holds 12 Cotman half pans and 1 travel brush, from a Cotman range of 40 colors, per Winsor & Newton.
- Artsupplies.co.uk lists the closed box at 130 × 65 × 20 mm (5.1 × 2.6 × 0.8 in).
- Its Amazon US listing had 4.7 stars from 20,516 ratings and ranked #31 in Art Paints on October 22, 2026.
- Winsor & Newton's US page listed it at US$38.49 and its UK page at £28.40 (about US$37) on October 22, 2026.
- Winsor & Newton says Cotman keeps costs down by replacing some costly pigments with cheaper alternatives, which is why it's sold as a student line.

## What is the Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Set?

**It's Winsor & Newton's smallest Cotman watercolor kit: 12 half pans and a travel brush in a plastic box that fits a pocket, with a mixing palette in the lid.** Winsor & Newton calls it one of its most popular sets and says it was previously named the Sketchers' Pocket Box.

Cotman is Winsor & Newton's lower-priced watercolor line, with 40 colors. On Amazon US the set had 4.7 stars from 20,516 ratings on October 22, 2026, and it's the budget travel pick in our [best watercolor sets](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/best-watercolor-sets/) roundup.

## Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Set specs

| Spec | Value |
|---|---|
| Maker | Winsor & Newton (ColArt) |
| Code | 0390640; barcode 5012572005784 |
| Contents | 12 Cotman half pans, 1 travel brush |
| Box | Black plastic, mixing palette in the lid |
| Size | 130 × 65 × 20 mm (5.1 × 2.6 × 0.8 in), per Artsupplies.co.uk |
| Paint grade | Student (Cotman) |
| Safety | ACMI AP seal, ASTM D-4236 (US page) |
| List price | US$38.49 (US) and £28.40 (about US$37) in the UK, October 22, 2026 |
| Made in | Not stated |
| Price band | $$$ ($20–75) |

The National Galleries of Scotland shop lists a similar size, 13.2 × 6.6 × 2.2 cm. Winsor & Newton itself doesn't publish the box size.

## Which 12 colors are in the set?

**Two yellows, two reds, two blues, two greens, three earths and a white, chosen so you can mix most other colors.** This is Winsor & Newton's list; it notes that actual contents may vary.

![Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Set opened flat with its 12 half pans and travel brush, colors listed](https://stationerytimes.com/images/winsor-newton-cotman-sketchers-pocket-set-layout.svg)

*The set opened flat at 1 mm = 2.3 px, with the 12 colors Winsor & Newton lists.*

| Family | Colors |
|---|---|
| Yellows | Lemon Yellow Hue, Cadmium Yellow Hue |
| Reds | Cadmium Red Pale Hue, Alizarin Crimson Hue |
| Blues | Ultramarine, Cerulean Blue Hue |
| Greens | Viridian Hue, Sap Green |
| Earths | Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber |
| White | Chinese White |

"Hue" in a name means the color is matched with a cheaper pigment than the traditional one. Amazon's copy of the older box lists Intense Blue and Emerald Green among the colors, so older stock may differ.


## Is Cotman paint good enough for beginners?

**Yes for learning and sketching; Winsor & Newton designed Cotman as an affordable line with good transparency and tinting strength.** Its manufacturer's copy on Amazon says costs are kept down by replacing some of the more costly pigments with cheaper alternatives.

The same copy says Cotman has a more uniform consistency than the Professional range, so there is less to learn about each pigment. Cotman colors share hues with Winsor & Newton's Professional Water Colour, so you can add artist-grade pans later and mix the two.

## What else do you need with the set?

**Watercolor paper and water; most sketchers also add a water brush.** The included travel brush is short, and a water brush such as the [Pentel Aquash](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/pentel-aquash-water-brush/) carries its own water.

Use paper of about 300 g/m² (140 lb), or it will buckle. The [Canson XL Watercolor pad](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/canson-xl-watercolor-pad/) is a cheap practice pad, and the [Arches watercolor block](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/arches-watercolor-block/) is a cotton paper for finished work.

## How does it compare with other pocket sets?

**It's the smallest and simplest of the popular pocket kits; the [Sakura Koi Pocket Field Sketch Box](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/sakura-koi-pocket-field-sketch-box/) gives you twice the colors and a water brush.**

| Set | Colors | Box | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Set | 12 half pans | 130 × 65 mm (5.1 × 2.6 in) | Travel brush, lid palette |
| Sakura Koi Pocket Field Sketch Box 24 | 24 half pans | 158 × 116 mm (6.2 × 4.6 in) | Water brush, sponges, palette |
| Kuretake Gansai Tambi 48 | 48 large pans | 235 × 295 mm (9.3 × 11.6 in) | Color chart, desk set |

For bright Japanese pans at a desk, see our [Kuretake Gansai Tambi](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/kuretake-gansai-tambi/) guide. For opaque paint from the same maker, see [Winsor & Newton Designers Gouache](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/winsor-newton-designers-gouache/).

## Where is the Cotman pocket set made?

**Winsor & Newton doesn't say on its US or UK pages, and Amazon lists the set only as "Imported".** Marketplace listings disagree, naming China, France or the United Kingdom.

Winsor & Newton is a British brand, sold by ColArt, which Amazon lists as the manufacturer (ColArt Americas). Check the box if origin matters to you.

## Frequently asked questions

### What colors come in the Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Set?

Winsor & Newton lists Lemon Yellow Hue, Cadmium Yellow Hue, Cadmium Red Pale Hue, Alizarin Crimson Hue, Ultramarine, Cerulean Blue Hue, Viridian Hue, Sap Green, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber and Chinese White, and notes that contents may vary.

### Is the Sketchers' Pocket Box the same as the Sketchers' Pocket Set?

Yes. Winsor & Newton says the Sketchers' Pocket Set was previously named the Sketchers' Pocket Box; the code 0390640 and barcode 5012572005784 are the same.

### Can you refill the Cotman pocket set?

Yes. Winsor & Newton sells Cotman colors individually on its own store; buy half pans, the size the box holds.

### Is Cotman artist-grade watercolor?

No. Winsor & Newton positions Cotman as its affordable line and its Professional Water Colour as the artist grade; Cotman colors share hues with the Professional range, so you can mix the two.

### Is Cotman watercolor non-toxic?

Winsor & Newton's US page says the set carries the ACMI AP seal and conforms to ASTM D-4236. Its UK page adds that the paint contains preservatives (MBIT, IPBC) that may cause an allergic skin reaction.

### Is the Cotman pocket set made in England?

Winsor & Newton doesn't say. It's a British brand, but its pages don't state a country of manufacture and Amazon lists the set only as imported.

### Cotman pocket set or Sakura Koi pocket box: which should a beginner buy?

The Koi box has 24 colors, a water brush and sponges, so it's more complete. The Cotman set is smaller, with 12 well-chosen mixing colors and a travel brush.

## Sources

- [Winsor & Newton (US): Cotman Watercolours Sketchers' Pocket Set (12 half pans and colors, travel brush, formerly Sketchers' Pocket Box, ACMI AP, price)](https://www.winsornewton.com/products/cotman-watercolours-sketchers-pocket-box)
- [Winsor & Newton (UK): Cotman Watercolours Sketchers' Pocket Box (£28.40, same contents, health and safety)](https://uk.winsornewton.com/products/cotman-watercolours-sketchers-pocket-box)
- [Artsupplies.co.uk: Winsor & Newton Cotman Sketchers' Pocket Box (box 130 × 65 × 20 mm)](https://www.artsupplies.co.uk/p/winsor-newton-cotman-sketchers-pocket-box)
- [National Galleries of Scotland shop: Cotman Watercolours Sketchers' Pocket Box (13.2 × 6.6 × 2.2 cm, search listing)](https://shop.nationalgalleries.org/all-products/cotman-watercolours-sketchers-pocket-box/)
- [DeSerres: Set of 12 Half Pan Cotman Sketchers Watercolour (integral mixing palette in the lid)](https://www.deserres.ca/products/set-of-12-half-pan-cotman-sketchers-watercolour)
- [Amazon US: Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Sketchers' Pocket Set (manufacturer's description, model 0390640, ColArt Americas, ratings, rank), read October 22, 2026](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00004THXI)