Watercolor Painting Supply List
One of the most common questions I am asked is “what supplies do you use?,” and so I decided to put together a comprehensive list of my watercolor supplies. I will write a post soon that covers my supplies for mixed-media/acrylic painting, but I figured that this would be a good place to start!
These are all linked from my Amazon account, since that was easiest for me to do, but I would also suggest checking out Blick (dickblick.com), Plaza (plazaart.com, or in-person if you live in the DMV area), and Jerry’s Artarama (jerrysartarama.com). Jerry’s ships very quickly, and all three sites offer competitive pricing, and a bigger variety than what you will find on Amazon!*
Materials
PENs
Paper
Brushes
Most brands work well- just double check that they’re meant for watercolor paints! I personally love Robert Simmons White Sable brushes- Winsor and Newton Cotman are also great. I would suggest RSWS only if you’re planning on using them a great deal, as they can be pricey! Otherwise, I would purchase this Winsor & Newton set.
Round- Size 5+ for shadows and larger textured areas of color (think: big leafy trees, clouds, sand on dunes, ripples in water)
Flat- Size 5+ for large, flat areas of color (skies)
Paints
Colors: Titanium White, Lamp Black*, Payne's Gray, Van Dyke Brown, Sepia, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Red, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow, Hooker's Green Dark, Sap Green, Indigo, Cerulean Blue, Permanent Rose, Lemon Yellow
Winsor and Newton Cotman Watercolor tubes- Series 1 (set of 12 colors- this should definitely cover you, but I would get Payne’s Gray, too.
Winsor and Newton Cotman Watercolor Pans (these sets are more like the watercolors you probably remember from elementary school)
Winsor and Newton Designers’ Gouache- Series 1 in Permanent White (since gouache is opaque, this is perfect for stars, fireworks, snow, and covering up tiny mistakes)
*I really only use black for objects that are actually black and for writing- in my experience, it can really “muddy” up your palette*
Palette
Any brand works, but if you can find a travel-sized one that closes, you can let your paints dry in-between uses/save pre-mixed colors (saving time and $)