Watercolor Materials and Supplies

Experimenting with watercolor materials and supplies is an ongoing adventure – there are many great brushes, paper, and paints, and every artist has their favorites. I encourage you to research and experiment until you find what works best for you. Over time, I’ve discovered supplies that work best for my needs, and hope this information will serve as a guide as you acquire what works best for you. 

I’m an affiliate of Blick Art Materials and receive a small commission when you click any of these links. I constantly research different art suppliers to find the best deals and encourage you to do the same.

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Palettes

I use two different palettes, both inexpensive, portable, and lightweight.

A hinged plastic palette contains 18 wells and is available in larger sizes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The first palette I ever purchased, and I still use it, is convenient and inexpensive, containing 12 wells.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I use Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour paints.

There are many quality watercolor paints and every artist has their favorites. I started with Winsor & Newton and continue to be happy with them. I often purchase small tubes – 5 ml lasts a long time. For colors that I use a lot (Burnt Sienna, French Ultramarine), I purchase the 14 ml tubes.

The five standard colors I use for animal portraits are:

• French Ultramarine Blue– mixed with Burnt Sienna creates greys and blacks
• Burnt Sienna
• Yellow Ochre
• Winsor Lemon – used underneath browns, especially in eyes
• Permanent Rose – Mixed with Yellow Ochre creates a pinkish hue for noses and around eyes

Additional colors used in some courses:

• Burnt Umber
• Winsor Blue (Green Shade)
• Cobalt Blue
• Indian Yellow
• New Gamboge
• Permanent Sap Green
• Titanium White for whiskers

If you don’t happen to have some of these colors, you could substitute others – it’s all about what you wish to achieve in your paintings and you can do a lot with the 5 standard colors.

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Brushes

When creating fur, it’s important to use sturdy brushes that maintain a fine, pointed tip. After experimenting with different brushes, I discovered these Raphael Kaerell Pointed Round Brushes that are perfect for creating realistic fur. These synthetic brushes are soft, yet strong enough to handle the roughness of Cold Press paper while retaining a nice, fine point. They are affordable, so I don’t mind purchasing more when the point does wear down.

I use sizes 0, 1, and 3.

Raphael Kaerell Pointed Round Brush Size 0

Raphael Kaerell Pointed Round Brush Size 1

Raphael Kaerell Pointed Round Brush Size 3

Mimik Synthetic Watercolor Brush Round #6

This synthetic squirrel hair watercolor brush handles rough work. I’ve had it for around 4 years and and still use it today for mixing colors and covering larger areas.

Princeton Neptune Synthetic Squirrel Brush Oval Size 1

I use this brush for covering large areas.

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Paper

I use Arches Natural White 140 lb. watercolor paper for all courses in the school. You can purchase the paper in blocks – there are about 20 sheets per block, in single large sheets that you can cut to size, and sometimes in packs of sheets.

• Cold Press paper has a slightly textured surface. – I use it for 8 x 10 inch and larger paintings.
• Hot Press paper has a smooth surface, great for smaller works or paintings that require much detail.

Each course in the school provides a materials list that indicates whether Cold Press or Hot Press is used.

Some Options – Additional sizes are available – use what best meets your needs.

• Arches 140 lb. Cold Press Natural White pack of 5 sheets, 22 x 30 inches
• Arches 140 l.b Cold Press block – 20 sheets, 9 x 12 inches
• Arches 140 lb. Hot Press Natural White One Sheet 22 x 30 inches
• Arches 140 lb. Hot Press block – 20 sheets, 9 x 12 inches

Mounting the Paper for Painting

For paintings 8 x 10 inches and larger, I have begun to staple the edges of the paper to Gatorfoam Board.

 

 

 

 

 

 

• Gatorfoam is a lightweight, rigid display board that has a dense, firm core and a water resistant surface.
• I use the 1/2 inch thickness.
• The board comes in different sizes. I have the 16″ x 23″ – my paintings are usually no larger than this.

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Additional Materials

Sturdy Container for Water

• Heavy drinking glass for smaller paintings
• I often use two glasses – one for rinsing the brush and the other for wetting the brush.
• For larger paintings, I use a large plastic container so the water doesn’t have to be changed often.

Paper Towels – for cleaning brushes, blotting, and cleaning up

Cleaning and Wiping Brushes

• I’ve seen artists wipe their brushes on a roll of paper towels
• I used to use folded paper towels
• Now I use a kitchen towel – sometimes called a tea towel. Folded to a convenient size, it absorbs water from the brush, dries quickly, and I don’t have to replace it as often as the paper towels. Use whatever is most convenient for your uses..

I lay the brushes on the towel so the tips hang over and won’t bend into weird shapes when drying.

I also use a tube from an old pen to pick up clean water and wake up color that has dried on the palette. You could add water with a brush, and I’ve seen artists use a squirt bottle – whatever works best for you, as long as the water is clean.

My setup looks like this:

Plastic container for water, brushes on the folded hand towel, paper towels nearby for blotting and cleaning up. I’m right handed, so these items are on the right, and my computer screen to view the reference photo is on the left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope this information is helpful to you as you choose materials that work best for your needs.

As always, feel free to comment or email me at rebrho@gmail.com if you need further information!

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