Donna, to get those rich, dark colors, I load my brush with plenty of pigment. I paint splashy, with lots of water, yes, but the pigment load is quite rich. When my pan paints are dry, I make sure to get plenty of water in each pan in order to hydrate the paint as much as possible. I also use Daniel Smith Fine Watercolors. The quinocridones are vibrant and give brilliance to colors. Quin Burnt Orange, when mixed with UBlue with a touch of Q Red or Q Coral, result in a deep dark value, almost black! Hope this helps!