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Deep Dive into My Watercolor Supplies
by Anne Kostecki
Hello! It's been a while since I last posted. I've been so wrapped up in painting and prepping for shows, I genuinely forgot about my blog! But here I am, ready with a common question I am asked: what are my usual watercolor supplies? And honestly, that answer hasn't changed very much for the last 20 or so years.
So I seriously began watercolor way back when I was 14 years old, and I had art lessons from a teacher that I adored. She gave me her standard list of watercolor supplies, and I am struggling to remember what exactly what was on that list, but here is what I know:
Watercolor paint colors:
Payne's Gray
Burnt Sienna or Burnt Ochre
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium Red Light
Cadmium Yellow Light
Ultramarine Blue
Alizarin Crimson
Optional additional colors:
Sap Green
Viridian Green
Pthalo Blue
Dioxazine Violet
Magenta
Palette:
I went to Michael's, and I got these paint colors in the Winsor & Newton brand tubes (small ones). I also got a round plastic paint palette just like this one. My typical method was to put a single color or color family (like Cad Yellow Light and Yellow Ochre) in the same circle. I start with the reds, then the oranges next, and so on and so forth.
Brushes:
Here is where you will immediately notice a difference in quality. I find that brushes and paper matter even more than the paint itself. If you are a beginner, then I think the basic quality brushes will do fine. I think I bought the Winsor and Newton Cotman brushes (in the beginner section at Michael's, also available at Blick) and they worked well for years. Here are the five brushes I recommend:
Round brush size 2
Round brush size 6 or 8
Round brush size 10
Flat brush size 1/4" or 1/2"
Oval or flat wash brush 3/4'' or similar
Of course, these are just the types of brushes I usually work with, so this list is flexible. There are lots of beginner 5 pack watercolor brushes, I just find they often include a brush I very rarely use (a splatter brush, a liner brush, or an angled brush). It's up to you and your budget to obtain the brushes you think you need. Of my list above, I think only 3 brushes are the most necessary: a large sized round, a small sized round, and one flat brush. You'll be able to get a lot with those.
Masking Fluid:
This is not necessary for beginners, but if you find yourself getting frustrated by some of your highlighted areas getting paint into them, then masking fluid will help. I don't often remember to use masking fluid, to be honest. My natural inclination is usually just to paint around white or light areas. I don't have any brand loyalty to masking fluid, but I generally prefer the non-white ones. The bright orange pigment mixed into the masking fluids is MUCH easier to see as you are applying to make sure you have full coverage.
I just purchased this masking fluid fine line dispenser, and I can't wait to use it!
Other supplies:
Paper towels, or a sustainable alternative, are pretty necessary. I also have some extra jars as pencil, pen, and other brush storage. I also occasionally use washi tape or delicate surface painter's tape for edges on my paintings. When I'm painting right to the edge, sometimes I put a washable surface underneath my painting, so I don't have to scrub the paint off my table.
My favorite hack!
As you can see in the above photo, I use a large, square glass vase as a water cup! It prevents any accidental drinking from the paint cup. It's also so large and heavy, it's virtually impossible to spill. And it's easy to clean. I got mine from a Costco flower purchase!
So there you have it. These are the usual supplies that I use for watercolor, and hopefully this helps you on your watercolor journey!
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