current favorite supplies

A trip to the art supply store can be so much fun…and so is online shopping - thinking of all the dreamy supplies we want to make our wonderful paintings with. But the great thing about watercolor is - we can start out with some pretty basic things! I find creative tools incredibly fun- to collect and use, and explore new ideas with. Over the years I’ve found the things that are worth the extra price you pay (and actually make the work much easier), what’s do-able and inexpensive…and other items that are to be avoided no matter what. Over time - I’ll add and subtract from this list as I fall in love with a new supply or am ready to let go of one that no longer serves my purpose.

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start with these essentials:

-Artist grade watercolors (pan or tube) (I like Daniel Smith paints in the tube that I use in a travel palette, but you can get a ready-made set from the VanGogh company that has some really great paint at a nice price point. Here are some of my favorites (the essentials I use every time I paint), I’ll add some optional ones below these.

Some wonderful optional colors I enjoy are below. Some of these were on my palette full time at one point (and something else has replaced them for a while), others are just hanging out to see if I want them on here permanently!

Brushes for Watercolor:

-artist grade paper (140 lb. cold press)

-an inexpensive pad of watercolor paper(for doodles or testing colors)

-sketchbook with either 100% cotton watercolor paper OR mixed media paper (suitable to use with watercolor paper).

-mechanical pencil 0.3mm OR 0.5 or 0.7mm & white vinyl eraser

-Pigma Micron pens made by the Sakura company, nib sizes 005, 02, 05 and others as you wish (black waterproof fineline pens)

-white ink marker (ie. POSCA pen, with pin-type nib 0.7mm)

-tube of artist grade traditional white gouache OR Daler Rowney PRO WHITE OR professional grade watercolor in Titanium white.

-mixing palette (white porcelain plate works fine) OR

-a plastic travel palette (like the ones made by Mijello)

-clear jar/clean water (2 if you have space for it on your work space)

-paper towels - I like Viva, they are soft/strong and don’t leave imprint marks on your paper

Now you can add some of these just for fun!!

-table salt

-Neocolor II Aquarelle crayons (watersoluble wax pastel/crayons) various colors

-Stabilo - CarbOthello pastel pencils

-Wax china markers in yellow and white (Listo makes a good, easy to use brand of this).