I began dabbling in watercolor painting last January, having no idea what my favorite watercolor supplies were. I received some student supplies as a Christmas gift because I was so enthralled with reels on Facebook and Instagram of the various artwork watercolorists could produce. I began painting and fell in love. The student supplies were great. Until they weren’t…
Favorite Water Color Supplies: Paint
Even in the year since I’ve been painting, I can see that professional paints don’t fade the way student paints do. Admittedly, I’ve only used Winsor & Newton and Daniel Smith professional paints, so I don’t know how they compare with others. Personally, I usually prefer using tube paints but do use both tube and pan. Here’s what I’ve found to be the most important requirements for paint and colors that I buy/use:
- Ingredients of the paint (i.e., pigments, fillers, additives, etc.)
- Lightfastness, or the ability of paint to NOT fade.
- Using colors with only a single underlying pigment (this makes it much easier when mixing paints)
Here’s a quick look at some online resources; I urge you to do more research:
https://mymodernmet.com/best-watercolor-paint-sets/
https://www.jacksonsart.com/blog/2024/04/22/fugitive-pigments-why-do-they-fade-and-does-it-matter/
Favorite Water Color Supplies: Brushes
There is a HUGE difference in results based on the brush one uses. I’ve tried several brands and, so far, really like Princeton brushes. I received some Winsor & Newton professional Kolinsky Sable brushes as a Christmas gift this year–they’re natural hair brushes–and they’re wonderful. Personally, I buy synthetic sable and am very happy with them.
Keep in mind that each type of brush produces different results, and each brand/line of brushes holds different amounts of water. If I’m painting loose, I like a brush that holds a lot of water. For this I use Princeton’s Neptune brushes AND/OR quill or mop brushes. If I’m painting small or a lot of details, I prefer a stiffer brush with more snap that doesn’t hold as much water. I’ve found that I personally achieve finer details better when using small liner/rigger brushes than I do with smaller round brushes.
Each artist has his/her own preferences, though, so figure out what you like better–not just what other people like better. I found that buying a variety of cheap brushes first helped me identify what made me happiest.
Here are a few resources:
https://artignition.com/best-watercolor-brushes/
https://jennarainey.com/ultimate-guide-best-watercolor-brushes/
https://www.artchive.com/buying-guides/best-watercolor-brushes/
Favorite Watercolor Supplies: Paper
Paper is a game-changer. Until recently, I wasn’t aware that paper made all the difference in the world with respect to how the paint and water flow on the page.
Now, having said that, I want to share that I’m HAPPY I started down this road using student grade paper. It showed me, as nothing else could ever do, how poorly inexpensive paper performs in most conditions. True, when I used watercolor pencils and watercolor markers, some student paper did a great job. But when I wanted to use a lot of water and/or layer paint, it didn’t. Professional, 100% cotton paper is the way to go if you want to gift a piece of artwork; it’s essential if you’re going to sell art.
Here are some things to consider when buying/using paper:
- The thicker the paper (i.e., it’s weight), the more water it will hold.
- Do you prefer using smooth paper, or paper with texture? Again, whether paper is smooth, rough, or somewhere in between will have an effect on your results.
- Is the paper 100% cotton, cellulose (wood pulp), or a combination of both?
Here are some resources to help you understand and/or choose the best paper for you and your project of the day:
https://jennarainey.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-the-best-watercolor-paper/
Painting by Celenie McHenry
A Final Word
I’m in the process of experimenting with four different types of 100% cotton paper, and have already played around with some paper that is 25% cotton and 75% cellulose. I’ll be using one of these types when I gift one of my masterpieces, including homemade cards, gift tags, bookmarks, etc.
The mixed paper, or the higher grades of Strathmore (400 and 500 series), are now my go-to when practing for finished artwork. I’ll be using the better quality student watercolor paper (140lb, 300 gsm) for watercolor pencil and watercolor brush pen pieces.
What are your favorite watercolor supplies – paints, brushes, and paper?
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