Have you been curious about watercolor?
Have you painted before? It only takes a small list to start watercolor painting in a fun, vibrant and magical way!
When I started painting I didn't want to learn color theory and I avoided it like the plague. No wonder there was no cohesion or harmony in my work in the beginning, it was like a box of crayons with no relationship forming between the colors.
Primary Colors
A way to start is with the primaries: red, yellow and blue. The color wheel comes from these three colors so once you have these, you can mix them together to form other colors.
Secondary Colors
Red and yellow make orange, yellow and blue make green, blue and red make purple. These colors are called the secondaries.
Tertiary Colors
Then you have the tertiary colors that are the colors in between: red-orange, yellow-green, blue-red. The possibilities are endless and you can build a solid foundation for your painting practice while starting out with a small and portable set of supplies. So you can paint anywhere!
Red Paint - love this rich and saturated red!
Yellow Paint - beautiful warm yellow!
Blue Paint - absolute favorite blue and it has the best texture!
Watercolor Palette
I’ve used a plastic palette before and it has its limitations. Your mixes on the palette tend to bead up and you will need to do something to the surface to prevent this.
I think it’s better to invest in a metal palette because those beading up issues aren’t there, the metal rarely stains and it is just a better design for use over time.
A Great Metal Watercolor Palette - This one comes with watercolors in pans. You can also get your own empty pans, squeeze the primary color tube paints in and add them to this palette instead! Both ways are great ways to start painting now.
Watercolor Paper and a Starter Brush
A Mixed Media Sketchbook - great all around sketchbook
A Size 6 Cat’s Tongue Brush - versatile brush
Watercolor Books
Helpful for staying loose and and getting unstuck - by Charles Reid
Watercolor Must Have for Illustrators
If you draw or want to draw as part of your watercolor style, I highly recommend getting a mechanical pencil and a separate eraser. The eraser on your pencil will wear out before you know it!
Mechanical Pencil with 0.3 Lead - Thin lines for just the right amount of detail in your work.
A Standalone Eraser - pencil erasers don’t last long at all so this helps
Watercolor Must Have Accessories
On the Go Water Cup - a water cup that’s easy to store
Pencil Bag - keep your tools organized on the go
These are my top picks for books, paints, brushes, etc for anyone who wants to dive in.
This is the perfect beginner's watercolor kit!
Do you have anything you love? Let me know in the comments!
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My complete Amazon Store link with all of my favorites in one spot is here!
xo,
Erika
P.S. Get on the watercolor workshop waitlist so you are the first to know about the next one!