How to Set Up a Basic Watercolor Painting Set

For the beginning watercolor artist, having the right materials at your disposal can make painting a real pleasure. Here is a list of basic necessities. You can always add to these materials as you advance in your painting skills.

How to select the equipment Needed for a basic watercolor painting set:

Selecting Brushes

Watercolor brushes come in all shapes and sizes from natural or synthetic bristles to sable or squirrel ones. For the beginner, it is not necessary to purchase a large quantity of expensive brushes. A few, good quality brushes will do fine until you become more familiar with painting and want to choose special brushes for different techniques.

A basic selection should include brushes in a blend of natural sable or squirrel and synthetic hair. Here are the basic brushes a beginner will need:

Size 8 round

A flat wash brush 1/2" or larger (Synthetic fiber)

An Oval wash or 'mop' brush

A rigger or liner brush

Brushes need to be properly cared for and stored. Always wash them well when finished painting for the day. Gently massage the bristles into soapy water and rinse well. When the brush is clean use your fingers to gently reshape it to a point if necessary then lay flat to dry. When thoroughly dry, store brushes in a jar or other container with the brush end up, or in a canvas brush holder.

Choosing Watercolor Paper

There are many kinds of watercolor paper. Some types are: Individual sheets, pads of paper in various sizes and blocks of paper in various sizes. I think the easiest and most cost-effective method for beginners is to start with a multi-sheet pad. By buying a larger pad, such as the 22"x30" size (this is called a 'full sheet) you can cut or tear the paper into desired size sheets.

Make sure the paper you buy is acid-free archival paper. This will ensure that your painting will last through the years. When you frame and store your paintings, make sure that any material that comes in contact with the watercolor paper is also archival.

Watercolor paper has a specific surface ranging from very slick and smooth called hot press, to very textured and rough. For beginners, a surface between the two which is slightly textured is called cold press.

Water color paper also comes in weights from 90 lbs to 300 lbs. 140 lb. paper is recommended as a good all-around watercolor paper.

So what you will be looking for is 140 lb. cold press, archival paper in a pad approximately 22"x 30".

Choosing Watercolor Paints

There are several choices of watercolor paints. These include pan (semi-moist) watercolors in a metal or plastic container, tubes of paint (pigments), watercolor pencils, and a newer product called water soluble color wax pastels.

If you are truly serious about painting, begin with tubes of pigment, You only need eight colors to start with. Watercolor paints from Daniel Smith, Winsor & Newton and Grumbacher (a bit cheaper but still very good) are good quality paints. The eight colors you need are:

Ultramarine Blue

Phthalo Blue

Hansa Yellow Light

Hansa Yellow Medium

Quinacridone Red

Organic Vermilion

Chinese White

Ivory Black

Some optional colors you can gradually add are:

Cobalt Blue

Cerulean Blue

Phthalo Green

Quinacridone Violet

Burnt Sienna

Raw Sienna

Then add in other colors as you get more confident in your painting.

Choosing a Palette

You should get a large, covered palette. These come in square and round shapes and in a variety of sizes. The cover on the pallet keeps your paints from drying out between painting sessions. Spritzing a little water over the surface of the pallet about five minutes before you want to use the paints will soften up the surface enough for you to pick up color with your brush. I see no advantage in a round pallet over a square pallet. It is a personal choice.

Other needed Tools and Materials

The only other things you HAVE to have is some kind of water container and paper towels and maybe a synthetic sponge. Water containers can be recycled plastic containers, cups, glasses, jars, or specially- purchased water containers from the art store. Almost anything that will hold water will work. You will need at least two containers--one for clean water (for painting with, mixing paint etc.) and one to use for rinsing the brushes.

Optional Accessories:

X-acto knife

Spray bottle for water

An old toothbrush for spattering paint

A sketchbook

A drawing pencil

A large soft eraser

A box, bag or something to hold all your painting supplies

Congratulations! You are now ready to start painting. If desired, you can purchase a good instructional book on beginning watercolor painting or there are many excellent tutorial sites on the Internet. Also, look for watercolor art classes in your community. Have fun!