Basic Watercolor Setup
Basic watercolor setup that covers everything you’ll need to start painting: paints, brushes, paper, key supplies.
1. Watercolor Paint Colors
Start with a basic set of 12 colors (or fewer), ensuring you have the primary colors to mix a wide range of hues.
Essential Colors
Lemon Yellow
Cadmium Yellow Deep
Cadmium Orange
Alizarin Crimson
Yellow Ochre
Burnt Sienna
Raw Umber
Cerulean Blue
Ultramarine Blue
Viridian (Green)
Sap Green
Payne’s Gray
A few additional cool colors
Naples Yellow
Colbalt Blue
Cadmium Red
White (optional, Gouache, if needed)
Brand Suggestions: Winsor & Newton, Holbein, Daniel Smith, or student-grade options like Cotman or Koi.
Watercolor Sets
Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Set, 12 colors, great little set, https://amzn.to/3HOiwKA
Winsor & Newton individual tubes of watercolor
https://amzn.to/45AA7Pw
Danial Smith individual tubes of watercolor
https://amzn.to/4fTDpRn
2. Brushes
A variety of brush shapes and sizes is essential for different techniques.
Recommended Sizes:
Round Brushes: #2, #6, #10 (for details, medium work, and washes)
Flat Brushes: 1/2 inch and 1 inch (for washes and straight edges)
Detail Brush: #0 or #1 (for fine details)
Mop Brush: Small (for large, loose washes)
Rigger Brush: (for creating fine lines)
Type: Synthetic or natural hair (synthetic is more affordable and durable for beginners).
Princeton Aqua Elite Brush Set, 4 brushes, https://amzn.to/421cflE
Sable Watercolor Brushes, 9pcs, Kolinsky Watercolor Brushes, Oval
https://amzn.to/4oSxsbp
3. Pens for Details or Linework
Waterproof Fineliners: Micron Pens, https://amzn.to/49mtqCJ they come in a wide range of sizes, from .20mm to .50mm. I use the .45mm and the .50mm pens the most, or Uni-Ball Eye pens.
Optional: Brush pens for bold strokes or metallic pens for accents.
Uni-Ball Signo Broad White Pen, https://amzn.to/4lLJQai
4. Palettes
Plastic or Ceramic Palette: A mixing tray with wells for keeping your colors separate while mixing. There are as many palettes as there are colors. Try different ones. I like a large mixing area.
Aluminum Art Palette, 13 wells, 9.8 x 4.3, I use this one
https://amzn.to/463fR9f
20 Well Watercolor Paint Tray Palette Pallet
https://amzn.to/4fTMjy1
Alternative: Use a porcelain plate if you don’t have a palette.
5. Watercolor Paper
Weights: 140lb (300 gsm) or 300lb to prevent warping.
Texture: Cold-pressed (for moderate texture) or hot-pressed (for smooth surfaces) and rough for the most texture
Sizes: Start with 9×12 inches or smaller. Paper comes in all kinds of sizes. In block, pads, notebooks, and sheets. Paper is a personal decision and I recommend try different styles and brands.
Brands: Arches, Canson, Strathmore, or Fabriano.
Arches 7 x 10 watercolor Paper Block, cold press, top of the line paper, https://amzn.to/3HOWVBQ
Canson 7 x 10 Watercolor, 140lb, spiral pad, a nice affordable paper
https://amzn.to/4mZJGgr
6. Pencils
Sketching Pencils: Winsor & Newton Studio Collection Artist Pencil Set. https://amzn.to/3HQOpSQ
Other popular brands include Prismacolor, Faber-Castell
HB (for light sketching), 2B or 4B (for darker lines, but be careful not to smudge)
Pental Mechanical pencils for fine lines. Love this pencil
https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-Automatic-Drafting-Brushed-PG1015A/dp/B000GAU2RU/
Pental HB Mechanical Pencil Lead, other hardnesses available
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7. Erasers
Drawing Art Kneaded Eraser: Perfect for lifting graphite without damaging the paper. https://amzn.to/4mrCdHe
Mars Plastic White Vinyl Eraser: For clean, crisp erasing.
https://amzn.to/4mYbTo3
Mono Zero Eraser Pen, https://amzn.to/4fTR76z
8. Water Containers
Two Jars:
One for cleaning brushes.
One for fresh, clean water to mix paints.
Material: Glass or plastic jars work fine.
9. Optional Extras
General Purpose Masking Tape: To secure your paper to a surface and create clean edges. https://amzn.to/4mZpyLp
Artist Sketch Board: A flat surface (wood or plastic) to tape your paper to for stability. wc
Fine Mist Spray Bottle: To rehydrate paints or add texture https://amzn.to/468gLkI
Paper Tocss or Cloth: For blotting brushes or lifting excess paint. https://amzn.to/s4c5mBY
Pocket Color Wheel, https://amzn.to/3JxKACz
