Watercolor Supplies for Beginners
It’s interesting to see how everyone is adapting in these crazy times. While some of us are counting down the seconds until the kids have been exiled to their rooms, others are branching out and trying new hobbies.
Watercolor painting is definitely having a moment right now. Even celebs like Reese Witherspoon and Elizabeth Gilbert have been giving us a peek at their watercolor set-ups on instagram and I’m loving it.
So for those shiny, inspired, go-getters, I’m writing a list of my favorite watercolor supplies to help you decide where you should splurge and where you can stay on a budget. Let’s focus on the three essential supplies you will need to get started with watercoloring: Watercolor Paint, Watercolor Brushes and Watercolor Paper. Obvious…right? Keep reading.
Watercolor Paint
With so many options for watercolor paint such as pans, tubes, or liquids, how can you decide which kind is right for you?
Pans
Perfect for beginners and pros alike, pans can be purchased individually or as pre-made sets that provide a variety of colors to play with. You have to work a little harder to get those bright colors, but having everything organized and ready-to-go makes them a perfect option for traveling.
On a Budget: This set from Artist’s Loft
Splurge: I love the color options in this set from Kuretake
Liquid Watercolor Paint:
A little goes a long way with these. Since they’re liquid, you can use little to NO water and it’s easy to achieve strong, vibrant color. Just squeeze a couple drops of each color into a watercolor tray and you’re ready to paint.
However, because liquid watercolor is often dye based, they will eventually fade over time. That’s why many artists that use this medium will scan their original artwork to make art prints. They’re also not very travel friendly.
On a Budget: This set of 6 colors from Sargent Art is a great place to start experimenting.
Splurge: The pros love these bottles from Dr. PH. Martin’s
Paint Tubes:
These can be used straight from the tube or squeezed into an empty watercolor palette and left to dry.
With tubes, you have more control over the amount of water you add, so it’s easy to get a wide range of shades. It can also be used without water, similar to acrylic or oil paint.
On a Budget: Set of 24 from Reeves.
Splurge: I personally love Winsor & Newton
Watercolor Brushes
Investing in a high quality watercolor brush will make a a BIG difference in you work.
Using cheap watercolor brushes will quickly discourage and frustrate you. Their inability to keep their shape will make it almost impossible to re-create those perfect pinterest tutorials on how to make watercolor leaves and flowers. So if your brush is constantly having a bad hair day, it’s time to part ways.
Start off by getting three to four brushes in different sizes such as 16, 8, 2 and 00. The larger the number, the wider the diameter of the brush. There are also a variety of shapes, but I prefer round brushes for their versatility.
Three of my favorites are Princeton Select, Princeton Heritage and Grumbacher.
Watercolor Paper
Watercolor paper is specifically made to handle all the water you will be using.
All watercolor paper comes in what’s called “hot press” which is smooth or “cold press” which has texture.
Cold press is much better at handling large amounts of water and gives you better control over details. This really boils down to your preference or painting style, but I always work with cold press.
There are also watercolor “pads” or “blocks”. A watercolor pad comes with individual sheets that are glued on one side like a typical pad of paper. While with watercolor blocks, the sheets of paper are glued down on all four sides. The benefit of this is that you don’t need to tape the paper down to prevent warping from the water while you work (say that three times fast.)
On a budget: Canson Watercolor Paper
Splurge: When you’re ready to take your watercolor paintings to the next level, I LOVE Arches
I hope these tips have helped! Let me know in the comments if you have any questions. Happy Watercoloring :)