I spoke earlier how easy watercolor is. The techniques are not easy, they come with much practice. The ease is in the simplicity of the materials needed, cleans-up with water, and easy to travel with. Here we will discuss the 3 supplies a beginner would need to start in watercolor.
Start with a set of paints. Watercolor comes in three styles; cakes, tubes, or concentrated liquids. I prefer the cakes. But I also love the jewel quality of liquids, though they should be diluted. While shopping, you will find that there’s a large variety of set sizes too. To start with the basic 8 is a good opportunity to learn how to custom mix the colors you’ll want. The range in prices also varies greatly. Crayola is a reasonable beginner set. Winsor&Newton or Grumbacher are always dependable brands.
Next, you’ll need paper. When shopping for watercolor paper, you’ll consider quality, weight, and texture. For quality, the best is handmade over machine. Weight should be at least 140lbs. It needs to be heavy enough to withstand the wet media. And texture comes in two styles, cold press and hot press. Most watercolor artists use cold press for the “tooth” texture that captures the paints. Hot press has a smoother surface and can be frustrating for a beginner. Strathmore has quality paper products.
Finally you’ll want several brushes. They should be made of natural hair. Sable is the best, and can be the most expensive. But they will last forever if well taken care of. A combination of Sable and Synthetic is an economic choice, while being a good performer. Camel hair brushes are low quality, but a decent starter for beginners. Have both “round” and “flat” brushes. The rounds are very versatile for small areas and detail. Flat brushes work great for washes. Brushes are numbered according to the size. Collect several, #2, #4, #6, #10 to start with. And with these 3 supplies, you are ready to begin the adventure into watercolor!
