Watercolor Materials List
These are suggestions for basic beginner watercolor. They are aimed at giving you a good painting experience at a low price point. As you progress in your painting life, you will no doubt find additional materials to add to your kit.
Paper:
Use 140lb Cold Press water-color sheet pads for general work and practise.
https://www.dickblick.com/products/canson-xl-watercolor-pads/
As you progress, the 300lb is worth the investment.
Travel painting and Journaling - use paper blocks or watercolor journal books.
https://www.dickblick.com/products/arches-watercolor-blocks/
Brushes:
- Bright sz 10
- Bright sz 6
- Round sz 2, 6 & 8
Paints:
Buy paints in a kit or separately. Avoid store and student grade paint for a richer paint experience. Windsor and Newton are great as is Daniel Smith and M. Graham.
Colors we use are - Black, Thalo Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Cadmium or Azo Yellow, Cadmium or Pyrole Red, Crimson, Burnt Sienna, Umber, Dioxazine Purple.
Additional “pop” colors can include Opera Pink, Turquoise and Magenta.
We can mix greens and oranges as well as purples with the basic group.
https://www.dickblick.com/categories/painting/watercolor/paint-sets/
Watercolor Masking Fluid:
Miscellaneous - Palettes can be as simple as a ceramic plate, baking tray or used plastic food container. Watercolor can be reused after it dries, so you can buy tubes and an empty closing palette for use at home or on the road. Do not use paper plates as they absorb the water in the paint.
https://www.dickblick.com/products/masters-international-folding-watercolor-palette/
Use paper towels, cut up sock bands for wrist wipes or old towels cut up for wiping brushes. Water containers can be used plastic containers with lids (for travel - I fold my paper towels inside my water container for transporting to location) Spritz bottle can be found at discount stores, or I use empty purse size spray sanitizer bottles etc. Recycle or reuse if you can.
Pencils and eraser for sketching and Micron permanent ink pens for outlining are great to have.