Every time a new artist fell in love with watercolor, the first questions he asks himself is:

• Which are the best watercolor supplies for beginners like me?
• Which brushes will I need?
• What kind of paper will I use?
• Which colors are the best for me?

That’s why we’ve written a short guide to find out everything you’ll need to start your career as a watercolorist. We know you’re going to be one of them!

Watercolor supplies for novices: Which type fits best for you?

Watercolor supplies for novices: Types And Basic Set of Colors

Watercolors are divided into fine and extra-fine, in godet and half godet, or tubes. In this article, I will describe to you the difference between dry and tube watercolors. This explanation will allow you to choose the colors that you consider most appropriate for your artistic needs. These colors are great for beginners but also for those who already paint in watercolor. On the market, there are many pocket sets, useful both for painting at home and outdoors. A basic color set consists of the following colors: Pale Cadmium Yellow, Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Red, Crimson Red, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Veronese Green, Yellow Ochre, Natural Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Shadow Land, Chinese White. The difference between watercolors godet and tubes is essentially that the first are dry, the second are wet. In case you are a street watercolorist and you need to move around a lot, the first type would certainly be more suitable. Unlike godet, tube watercolors do not need to be dissolved and this can be an advantage, but not so decisive compared to the comfort of the godet.

Album VS Single Sheets

There are different watercolor papers. Especially for those who paint by diluting the color with water, it is recommended to use sheets of paper with a weight of 300 gsm or more. The watercolor paper also differs in grain, which is the effect we perceive when we caress the surface of a sheet. The type of grain is chosen according to the result we want to obtain. If our work needs more precise contours and details, the fine grain with a smoother surface will be more suitable. If you are oriented to paint larger subjects or large color backgrounds, you can choose a coarse-grained album.

“…having a good set of brushes is an investment that will last over time…”

Watercolor supplies for beginners: Brushes

Watercolor brushes must be particularly flexible. Having a good set of brushes is an investment that will last over time if you take care of it in the way we explain in our guide “Watercolor brushes: How to know if you clean them properly” The best watercolor paintbrushes are the Kolinsky marten hair ones; You can find this particular variety of different brands. This type of brush makes the application of color particularly full-bodied thanks to the softness of the bristles. Another type, less used but very valid to achieve both detail and full-bodied brush strokes at the same time is the Chinese calligraphy brush.

What Else Do We Need?

So, now! Here are the best watercolor supplies for beginners artists like you!

• A water container: There are some very comfortable accordion containers. They can be compressed when they need to be transported;
• A sponge: very useful both for paper preparation and for correcting mistakes, and fading;
• The masking liquid: available in two versions, marker pen or liquid. It can be applied with a brush on the areas that we want to preserve from the color;
• A brush holder: whether rigid or soft, the important thing is that it preserves the tips!
• A pencil,
• A rubber
• Yourself!

Take all you need and get ready for your first watercolor! If you like this article on the best watercolor supplies for beginners, I recommend you also his second part: “Watercolor Paper: Features To Choose The Right One For Your Needs”