Think in terms of a mixing palette rather than a big rainbow. Two yellows two reds two blues that lean warm and cool will cover almost everything, then add one earth color if you crave quick neutrals. With that setup you get clean mixes and fewer surprises, and you learn how your colors granulate or stain. Pans are compact and let you paint in short sessions by the window, tubes feel creamier and stronger out of the gate but they take a bit more surface and planning and suddenly you are juggling puddles. When the box arrives, swatch every color and note which ones lift easily and which make cauliflower blooms when dropped into a wet area. If a color rewets quickly and looks clear in a thin glaze, you are on the right track. Game changer.
