TOOLBOX: Watercolor Basic Supplies & Techniques

7/31/15, 5:17 PMTOOLBOX: Watercolor Basic Supplies & Techniques

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TOOLBOX: WATERCOLOR BASIC SUPPLIES & TECHNIQUESAPRIL 10, 2015 BY RACHEL 13 COMMENTS

Watercolor is one of my favorite mediums and since we are exploring this theme all month with our

DIY Challenge, I thought Id put together an introductory post for anyone interested in trying

watercolor for the Prst time.

PAPER

There are three different types of watercolor paper available: hot press, cold press and rough. Cold

press paper is what I use most often as it has a beautiful texture to it (whereas hot press paper is

smooth). Watercolor paper is much thicker than ordinary paper which is very important to prevent

buckling while painting. 140 lb is the typical weight of most watercolor paper. There are thicker options

out there if you are planning to use heavy washes, but 140 lb paper works just Pne for me.

Watercolor paper comes in single sheets, spiral pads and blocks. I use a Strathmore spiral pad for

experimenting and practicing. Then when Im ready, Ill switch to my Arches block to create my Pnal

painting. I do this because Arches is quite expensive. Plus I like to carry my Strathmore pad with me if

Im painting on the go.

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Block paper is just what it sounds like. An Arches block comes with 20 sheets of paper that are sealed

together into one big block. Use an x-acto knife to carefully slice a single piece of paper off the block.

Usually, Ill paint directly on the block and slice it off when Im Pnished. But you can also cut it off

beforehand. To prevent buckling while painting I recommend using artists masking tape to tape down

your paper onto a hard surface while painting.

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There are three different types of watercolor brushes: rounds, bats and mops. All are made in a variety

of sizes. The best brushes are made of natural Pber, most commonly sable. Kolinsky sable pointed

rounds are prized for their ability to keep a Pne point, which is very useful for detail work, but they are

also very expensive. Ill admit I tend to stick with synthetic brushes and usually will stock up on cheap

student brushes rather than investing in the professional quality options. Maybe some day soon Ill

treat myself to a fancy new brush but for now these cheap brushes suite me just Pne.

I use round brushes in a variety of sizes 90% of the time. If Im doing a big wash, Ill switch to a bat

brush, but otherwise I use round brushes for all my painting.

Tip #1: You will ruin your brushes if you leave the brush end sitting in a glass of water. Id recommendstoring them in a jar brush side up. If you want to store them in a closed container make sure they are

dry to avoid molding.

Tip #2: Rinse your brushes under running water after each painting session. If you Pnd any traces ofdried paint near the metal band, use a little soap to rinse them clean. Dry gently on a paper towel or

cloth and reshape with your Pngers.

Tip #3: Sponges, cotton balls and cotton swaps are extremely helpful tools in watercolor. They can beused to apply color or I like to use them to correct mistakes and clean up any extra watery areas.

Cotton swaps are especially helpful if you want to create small highlights.

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There are two different types of watercolor: liquid tubes and solid pans. One is not better than the

other, so it really comes down to your personal preference. I like to use a pan set as my base color

palette and then I buy tubes whenever I want to try out new colors. Winser & Newton is an excellent

brand that I use often (I love the Artists Watercolor Compact Set perfect for traveling). The paints

shown in the image above are Schmincke brand which are very pricey but worth it for their amazing

quality. Schmincke is my personal favorite because the pigment of their paints is so saturated and

vibrant. I was lucky enough to receive this set at a birthday gift. Professional quality watercolors (like

Winser & Newton and Schmincke) are expensive but think of it as a one-time investment. A basic pan

set will last you a lifetime!

Professional Brands we recommend: Winser & Newton Schmincke Holbein

If investing in a professional watercolor set is not an option for you never fear! Feel free to try out a

student brand. I recommend starting with Winser & Newton Cotman. Student brands differ from

professional brands in that they can have a lower concentration of pigment, have less expensive

formulas and smaller range of colors available. That said, they are still a great option for anyone just

starting out with watercolor.

PALETTESPalettes are great for mixing colors. If you have a paintbox set, then you can use the palette included

with the box. But if you are using tubes, youll need a separate palette or pan. Palettes come in all

shapes and sizes. I use a small plastic palette in addition to my paintbox.

COLORS



You can use as few or as many colors as you like. Some artists use only a handful of colors and mix

whatever shades they like. My Schmincke paintbox comes with 24 colors so thats what I use as my

base palette. I also have a few additional tubes I love and use in addition to my paintbox.

TECHNIQUESSo youve gathered your supplies and are ready to paint. Great! Here are some basic painting

techniques to try out.



BlendingBlending is my favorite part of watercolor. Id suggest experimenting with blending different colors

together. To do this, Prst paint a shape or squiggle line with plain water only. Then dip your brush into

the paint and add it to the watered area. Watch it spread, then clean your brush and choose a second

color. Apply this to the opposite end of your watered area and watch the colors blend together. You

can move your paper side to side to help the watercolor run together.

MarksNext I would try out all your different brushes. Experiment with different mark-making and see what

you come up with. Draw circles, dashes, lines, and dots. Try mixing lots of water with your paint and

then try the opposite by applying paint with a dry brush. Play with different textures, shades and

colors.



LayeringMy favorite part of watercolor is the process of creating different layers. Ive painted a simple bower to

give you a taste of what layering is like. First use a pencil to lightly draw a bower. I found a photo of a

bower for reference. Once your pencil drawing is Pnished, carefully cover the entire thing in water and

then apply a base layer. This will be the bottom layer that we will then build from. I blended two

different colors to create my base layer.

Its very important that you let each layer dry completely before moving onto the next. I use a hair

dryer to speed the drying process along.



Once your base layer is completely dry you can begin adding in more detail. Start with one petal at a

time, using your photo as reference for shading and color.



Toolbox: Drawing with Gouache and a Nib TOOLBOX: 8 Watercolor Techniques for Beginners

I hope this post demystiPes watercolor for any beginners out there and gives you a place to start.

Dont be afraid to experiment and play! I also recommend checking out a great watercolor series by

The Alison Show.

Be sure to share any painting experiments with us by entering our April DIY Challenge!

Update 4/16/15If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out: 8 Watercolor Techniques For Beginners

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ABOUT RACHELRachel is co-creator of Adventures In Making. When she's not blogging, she's

usually designing new products for her business, Camp Smartypants. Rachel also

loves cats, cooking, crafting, drawing, and hosting parties.

COMMENTS

katie smith saysApril 10, 2015 at 10:52 am

LOVED reading this post! I actually read the whole thing- no skimming!

Im just getting started in watercolors and have a pan set from Studio Calico. Its a cheap set, but itworks well for a beginner like me.

REPLY

Rachel saysApril 10, 2015 at 5:39 pm

Thanks Katie! Glad to hear your you enjoyed this post. Hope youll submit a watercolor projectto the DIY Challenge this month!

REPLY

Jennifer saysApril 11, 2015 at 4:38 pm

This post dePnitely made me feel less intimidated to try watercolors, which I have been inchingtowards

Thank you for the encouragement and the simple intro!

REPLY

Rachel saysApril 11, 2015 at 8:08 pm

Thats great to hear Jennifer! Thank you for visiting Adventures-In-Making!

REPLY

Andrea saysApril 12, 2015 at 6:10 am



Im not much of a commenter but I needed to say I feel inspired by your post.and thank you.

REPLY

Rachel saysApril 12, 2015 at 10:30 am

Awesome! Thanks Andrea

REPLY

Dee saysApril 13, 2015 at 3:20 pm

Thank you so much for this post! Like Jennifer, I feel much less intimidated to play withwatercolours now. Much appreciated!

REPLY

Rachel saysApril 14, 2015 at 9:18 am

Thats great to hear Dee! Thanks for visiting Adventures-In-Making

REPLY

Claire Armstrong saysApril 23, 2015 at 6:48 am

Thanks for this post Ive found it really useful, I normally paint with acrylics or gouache but havebeen thinking of giving water colours a go. I will dePnitely try them out now.

REPLY

Chris saysMay 7, 2015 at 10:13 pm

When I Prst starting using water colours I bought Cotman but my paintings were awful. I thought itwas me. A classmates work was great so I asked what she used and she said Winsor and Newtonprofessional. I bought a couple of tubes and guess what? my painting was as good as hers. I dontbelieve there is much for a student or beginner to achieve by using student grade water colour; Imsorry to disagree with you but there it is. I would recommend that beginners buy just 4 tubes orpans to get started although 7 is better. Michael Wilcox in Blue and Yellow Dont Make Greensays that a cool and a warm of each primary colour plus black is really all you need to mix any andevery colour. I agree but sometimes its nice to have a new pretty colour to play with.

REPLY



char saysMay 10, 2015 at 10:46 am

Thank you for a great summary. I last painted watercolors in high school (ahem, too many yearsago to count!) and have always thought about starting back again. Really helps to have updatedinformation on supplies also. Even the hair dryer was an eye opener!

REPLY

Mahsa saysMay 15, 2015 at 11:46 pm

I always loved watercolor paintings, but didnt know how to do it Now with this post, i can startand im so happy to Pnd your blog

REPLY

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