My Essential Watercolor Kit
It seems like everyone has a unique approach to what supplies they use, I'm no different. Before going into all of that lets just make a few things clear.
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| Photo by Sarah Brown on Unsplash |
Moreover, use whatever you HAVE.
If that's a found pen or pencil and the back of a envelope just draw something. For the majority of art history people used pigments from the earth; rocks, minerals, charcoal etc with natural binders (often egg yoke) to make masterful works of art. One of my all time favorite painters Andrew Wyeth did just that up until his death in 2009
The point is, the abundance of cheap quality materials that we have today is unprecedented. Beyond that having fancy paints, brushes, pens or software does not mean one will make compelling art. So as artists and creatives, we need to make. Make a lot. Make any work. Make bad work. And eventually, over time skills will develop and your style will take shape and you'll Make better work. As another hero of mine said,
Anyway, here we go.
Brushes
Pentel Arts Aquash Water Brush Assorted Tips, Pack of 3 (FRHBFMBP3)
Water brushes are a fantastic tool for anyone who uses inks or watercolor. The handle or body of the brush fills with water or liquid ink and can be squeezed to dampen the brush. This makes it possible to paint without having to dip into a water cup. I use these in the studio but the place they shine is in the field, making quick studies and sketches easy as can be. As for other other brushes I'm cheap. mainly buying bulk packs from the big box art stores and finding ones that work well for me. A deep dive could be done into all the aspects of brushes but that's not this post.
Paint
Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colour Paint Sketchers' Pocket Box, Half Pans, 14-Pieces 
As stated in the opening even basic paint can make great work. This comes with some qualifiers though, paint with low pigment and poor binders have different performance than quality products. Think of them like junk food, cheep, tasty but with no nutritional value. This Winsor and Newton compact set is my go to for travel. It has a good range of colors, the paint is a decent quality and, it's small and affordable. So no worry about losing it. One thing of note there is no black in the pallet. This is not a problem as a 50/50 mix of Viridian Green and Alizarin Crimson will produce and deep black. I will say that I've made one change to the pallet, the removal of White and the addition of Phthalo Blue. As you'll see next I prefer a different kind of white pigment. However you very well may feel differently and that's how it should be. Use what works.
Dr. Ph. Martin's 400032-XXX Bleedproof White, 1.0 oz
Why white ink? Specifically bleed proof white? Well, I like it, the pigment lays on top of dried watercolor opaque. This allows for detail work such as highlights to be added making for more depth. All kinds of techniques exist for retaining whites from, pulling color out with sponge, dry brush or paper towel to masking fluid and so on. All of these have a place but, the secret sometimes when a paining needs to pop is this ink.
Paper
Canson XL Series Watercolor Pad, 9" x 12", Fold-over cover, 30 Sheets (100510941)
If that's a found pen or pencil and the back of a envelope just draw something. For the majority of art history people used pigments from the earth; rocks, minerals, charcoal etc with natural binders (often egg yoke) to make masterful works of art. One of my all time favorite painters Andrew Wyeth did just that up until his death in 2009
 |
| ‘Braids’ by Andrew Wyeth. Painted with Egg Tempera |
The point is, the abundance of cheap quality materials that we have today is unprecedented. Beyond that having fancy paints, brushes, pens or software does not mean one will make compelling art. So as artists and creatives, we need to make. Make a lot. Make any work. Make bad work. And eventually, over time skills will develop and your style will take shape and you'll Make better work. As another hero of mine said,
"I know of no genius but the genius of hard work." -J.M.W. TurnerSo with all that out of the way here are some of the basic tools I use all the time. They are not fancy. Some of the boutique pigment makers out there produce outstanding materials. Maybe I'll be able to afford them one day. For now the middle of the road basics will have to do. And no, I'm not getting payed by any of these brands. Yes these links are to Amazon and if you buy from them I'll get a tiny kickback. But, all of these are basic materials that should be readily available in local stores. So buy from the link or don't. Just go paint something.
Anyway, here we go.
Brushes
Pentel Arts Aquash Water Brush Assorted Tips, Pack of 3 (FRHBFMBP3)
Water brushes are a fantastic tool for anyone who uses inks or watercolor. The handle or body of the brush fills with water or liquid ink and can be squeezed to dampen the brush. This makes it possible to paint without having to dip into a water cup. I use these in the studio but the place they shine is in the field, making quick studies and sketches easy as can be. As for other other brushes I'm cheap. mainly buying bulk packs from the big box art stores and finding ones that work well for me. A deep dive could be done into all the aspects of brushes but that's not this post.Paint
Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colour Paint Sketchers' Pocket Box, Half Pans, 14-Pieces
As stated in the opening even basic paint can make great work. This comes with some qualifiers though, paint with low pigment and poor binders have different performance than quality products. Think of them like junk food, cheep, tasty but with no nutritional value. This Winsor and Newton compact set is my go to for travel. It has a good range of colors, the paint is a decent quality and, it's small and affordable. So no worry about losing it. One thing of note there is no black in the pallet. This is not a problem as a 50/50 mix of Viridian Green and Alizarin Crimson will produce and deep black. I will say that I've made one change to the pallet, the removal of White and the addition of Phthalo Blue. As you'll see next I prefer a different kind of white pigment. However you very well may feel differently and that's how it should be. Use what works.
White Ink
Dr. Ph. Martin's 400032-XXX Bleedproof White, 1.0 oz
Why white ink? Specifically bleed proof white? Well, I like it, the pigment lays on top of dried watercolor opaque. This allows for detail work such as highlights to be added making for more depth. All kinds of techniques exist for retaining whites from, pulling color out with sponge, dry brush or paper towel to masking fluid and so on. All of these have a place but, the secret sometimes when a paining needs to pop is this ink.
Paper
Canson XL Series Watercolor Pad, 9" x 12", Fold-over cover, 30 Sheets (100510941)
Paper is paper right? Eh, nope. Standard printer paper or even sketchbook paper will not hold up to paint, especially watercolor. This does not mean you need a $80 pad of paper (yes those are a thing). Basic Cold Press watercolor paper will work just fine. This is what I always have a back stock of and use most frequently. Sometimes for commissions or larger works I'll splurge on fancy paper. IMO quantity over quality.
More paper + Pigment + time/effort = more art.
More art = better art
...eventual.
So in conclusion, use what you have and use what works. These few things work for me, maybe they will for you. Love to know what some of your go to's are in the comments below.
Make Something.
Ryan
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