This page contains a roundup of the watercolor supplies I currently use & recommend!
I’ve tried to be very detailed below because as a newbie, I sometimes felt lost by supplies guides that weren’t detailed or specific enough, leading me to buy not-quite the right thing, or that skipped certain items only to reveal mid-tutorial that you should have had them all along.
But rest assured, you don’t actually need a huge cart full of things to get started. To sum up, here is your brief checklist of must-have items for your first painting session or class:
- Paint
- Paper
- Brushes
- A mixing palette
- 1-2 water cups
- Washcloths and/or paper towels
- Tape and clipboard/backboard
- Pencil and eraser
Keep in mind that not all of these categories require you to buy something: you can probably find some of the items around the house. You may be able to rescue jars from your outgoing recycling for water; thrift a white ceramic plate* to use as a mixing palette; demote some old washcloths to brush wiping rags, or get started with paper towels; and dig up school pencils out of your junk drawer. The paint, paper, and brushes are where you should concentrate your shopping energy, with paper being the best area to splurge.
* Don’t use a dish that you will then eat off again; once it becomes art supplies, it should stay that way.
Also see these supplies guides:
- Gouache Supplies Guide
- Pen & Ink Supplies Guide
- Plein Air Watercolor Supplies Guide
- Watercolor Learning Resources
You can support the blog by shopping from my affiliate links on this page. This includes links to Da Vinci Paints, Rosemary Brushes, Jackson’s US, and Amazon.
Watercolor Paint
Brands
My favorite artist-grade watercolor paint brands:
- Da Vinci (DV)
- Holbein (HO)
- Winsor & Newton (WN)
- Daniel Smith (DS)
- Schmincke Horadam (SH)
Colors
What specific colors you need is so subjective, and my personal faves are always changing, but here’s my core six:
| Slot [Links to Color Slot] | My Favorite Option [Affiliate Links] |
|---|---|
| 3. Yellow – The next three paints are primary colors and give you a huge mixing range. |  DV Arylide Yellow FGL (PY97)  |
| 4. Magenta or rose |  DV Red Rose Deep (PV19) |
| 5. Cyan |  DV Phthalo Blue Red Shade (PB15) |
| Dark blue – If you only get one color, get a dark blue; you can use it to make monochrome paintings. In the context of a set, it becomes a crucial mixer. |  DS Indanthrone Blue (PB60) |
| Earth orange – When combined with your dark blue, make black and brown. With dark blue and earth orange, you can make great two-color landscapes. |  DS Transparent Red Oxide (PR101) |
| Earth yellow for mixing a wider range of browns and muted greens for landscapes. |  DS Monte Amiata Natural Sienna (PBr7) |
Relevant Posts
- Core Colors!
- How to Build a Watercolor Palette from the Ground Up
- Is “split primary” the best starter palette?
- What’s the best artist-grade paint brand for beginners?
- Guest Post: Watercolor Brand Differences
- Single-Brand Watercolor Palette Ideas
- My Favorite Watercolor Paints by Brand
- Color List
Some recent seasonal 14-color palettes:
Watercolor Paper
Pads
At home, I prefer to use loose paper taped to a backboard or clipboard, so I can have several going at once. I paint pretty small, so gluebound pads are handy because I don’t have to cut them too much.
Saunders is my favorite.
Saunders Waterford Cold Press, 9×12 in pad, 300gsm, 12 sheets: Jackson’s US | Amazon
Saunders Waterford Hot Press, 9×12 in pad, 300gsm, 12 sheets: Jackson’s US
Arches is also excellent and seems to be more widely available.
Arches Cold Press, 9×12 in pad, 300gsm, 12 sheets: Jackson’s US | Amazon
Arches Hot Press, 9×12 in pad, 300gsm, 12 sheets: Jackson’s US | Amazon
Wonder Forest is a good deal for Canadians.
Wonder Forest Cold Press, 9×12 in pad, 300gsm, 20 sheets: Amazon.com
Canson XL is my pick for affordable practice paper.
Canson XL Watercolor, 9×12 in pad, 30 sheets: Amazon.com
Sketchbooks
On the go, I use a small travel sketchbook; the smallest (pocket size) Moleskine Art Watercolor Album is a mere 3 1/2″ x 5 1/2″, and fits nicely in my Art Toolkit. For more about travel, see Plein Air Supplies Guide.
Moleskine Watercolor Album, Pocket, Landscape, 200gsm: Amazon.com
I rarely work in a studio sketchbook at home, but when I do, I enjoy the Etchr Perfect Sketchbook. It’s spendy but the paper is really nice. If you want multiples, it’s worth looking on the Etchr website for 3-packs.
Etchr Perfect Sketchbook, 5.9″ x 8.9″, 300gsm : Jackson’s US | Amazon
Relevant Posts
Paper reviews/comparisons:
- Nine Watercolor Sketchbooks, Compared
- Every Paper in the Hahnemühle Selection Sampler
- Every Paper in Jackson’s Cold Press Paper Sampler
- Every Paper in the St. Cuthbert’s Paper Mill Sample Pack
- Legion Sample Size Paper Reviews
- Miscellaneous Watercolor Paper Reviews
Watercolor Palettes
- Storage (Home): Art Toolkit Folio Palette
- Storage (Travel & Plein Air): Art Toolkit Pocket Palette
- Mixing (Home): Sugarhouse Travel Palette with easy-to-clean glossy finish. I love how light these are. The thinner sizes (e.g. travel or 8-well) are easier to clean because I can fit them in my bathroom sink. I prefer having wells to mix in because it keeps my colors separate.
See also: Which watercolor palette should I choose?
Watercolor Brushes
My favorite watercolor brushes are from Rosemary Brushes.
I use Sable Blend 401 Series Rounds for most painting. A variety of sizes are useful, e.g. #4 for detail, #8 for most stuff, #12 for larger paintings.
I use Sienna Oval Wash 3/4″ for large sky washes.
Here’s a handy list of these favorite brushes that lets you can add them all to your cart in one click.
Jackson’s also offers Rosemary brushes, but only in sets, and none of my specific choices are available.
Note that Kolinsky sable cannot be purchased in the U.S. due to trade regulations.
Relevant Posts
Additional Watercolor Supplies
Water Cups
1-2 water cups for rinsing brushes and for adding water to your paints and paper. I like glass jars because they’re see-through (so you can see how dirty your water is) and hefty enough not to tip over. Small mason jars work, or washed jam jars. If you’re always on the move, the Faber Castell Clic & Go Water Cup is handy because it folds, but it’s stable when open, and has a curved lip you can use as a brush rest. Using two cups allows you to have one for dirty water, and one for clean water.
Faber-Castell Clic & Go Water Cup, Dark Green: Jackson’s US | Amazon
Faber-Castell Clic & Go Water Cup, Blue: Jackson’s US | Amazon
Cloths
Cloths for brush wiping. Old washcloths work fine. They’ll get pretty much gray with paint stains, so don’t bother with designer colors and patterns – the ones I use now are black. Paper towels will work, but you’ll go through a lot (though paper towels are also useful for lifting). You could consider reusable paper towel alternatives such as shop cloths or Swedish dishtowels.
AmazonBasics Washcloths, 12×12, 12 pack, Black: Amazon
Backboards
Backboards to work on multiple pieces at once. Any random office supply clipboard works if you work small (7×10 inches or smaller: remember you need space for the tape.) Masonite boards are useful for larger paintings.
Amazon Basics Clipboard, Letter Size, Pack of 6: Amazon
Tape
Tape to hold down loose paper onto the clipboard/backboard. Holbein Soft Tape (aka Nitto P-790) and Nichban #251 are the best, followed by ordinary hardware store masking tape (most cost-effective). I use 3/4″ or 20mm tape typically, but wide tape can also be used to cut out masking shapes.
Holbein Soft Tape: Amazon
See also What’s the best masking tape for watercolor?
Pencil & Eraser
Pencil for underdrawing. Basic HB #2 school pencils work fine. I also like to use the Pilot Eno Erasable Colored Pencil; the Soft Blue tends to fade into paintings, especially blue skies, while the pink is fun for warm-colored paintings.
Pilot Eno 0.7mm, Soft Blue: Amazon.com
Pilot Eno 0.7mm, Pink: Amazon.com
Pilot Eno 0.7mm 8-color Set: Amazon.com
Eraser: a soft kneadable or gummy eraser to lighten your pencil drawing and correct mistakes without damaging watercolor paper.
Lyra Kneadable Eraser with case (single): Jackson’s US
Faber-Castell Kneaded Eraser with case (single): Jackson’s US | Amazon
Masking fluid
Masking fluid may be more or less important to your practice depending on your subject and preferences. For me, it’s a sometimes tool. I’ve tried a lot of brands, and only the Schmincke ammonia-free kind is odorless enough to make me happy. I prefer the colorless (neutral) because the blue can leave behind dye.
Schmincke Ammonia-Free Liquid Frisket, Neutral, 20ml jar: Jackson’s US | Amazon
Same, but in a 25ml dispensing pen: Jackson’s US | Amazon
If you use a jar rather than a dispensing pen, you will also need something to apply your masking fluid with. Don’t use your fancy expensive brushes, as you can ruin them. Pick something easier to clean. One option is to use a color shaper (also known as a rubber brush, silicone brush, or clay sculpting tool). I like soft, round, pointed ones, like this Rosemary Brushes masking fluid applicator.
An embossing tool, or nail art stylus, is useful for making thin lines.
You can also get a combination silicone shaper/detail stylus.
I also find it important to use a rubber cement pickup to pull up the dried masking fluid without tearing the paper. It’s like an eraser, but it doesn’t make crumbs and for whatever reason it just works a lot better with masking fluid.
Relevant Posts
Not done shopping? Be sure to check out my other supplies guides (linked at the top of the page), especially Watercolor Learning Resources, which contains my book and class recommendations!