Beginner Watercolor Supplies

   If you're a beginner and want to get into watercolor, but don't know what supplies you'll need, where or how to begin, or if it's a medium that you'll want to stick with. Well, I've got something you might want to hear. 

   When I first started exploring watercolor, I wasn't sure if it was for me. I had heard all sorts of stories about it being one of the most difficult, unforgiving mediums to work with. And I'm here to tell you that it isn't!

   When it comes to basic beginner supplies, I have a saying that I live by. 

"Quality over quality."

   While I do buy quality supplies, I don't buy the most luxury options. If there's any chance you won't stick with watercolor, then it's best not to invest too deeply. 

   But before you get too overwhelmed let's go through a list of beginner watercolor supplies.   

Basic supplies: 

A mechanical pencil-

   I always use mechanical pencils to sketch my drawings because the graphite is soft, which makes the sketchy lines dark in appearance without having to press too hard, they also easily erase and are gone without a trace.  

Paper-

   Watercolor paper is special! It's in a league all it's own! But there are different grades or degrees of quality when it comes to paper, so this information is important. DON'T be tempted to buy the cheapest low quality paper you can find, nor the most expensive. Using a Canson 140 lb. cold pressed paper is a good, what I would call "beginner" paper. Canson binds their paper in spiral notebooks, or presses them into blocks, with lots of pages to practice on, and at a pretty affordable price. 

Paints-

   Watercolor paints come in several different forms, tubes, cakes/pans, and pencils, liquids, sticks, Gouache, markers, water-solubles, and metallics. But let's not get too carried away with all the options, tube or pan paints will work best for beginners. 

Bushes-

   At any art supply store, you can get a package of a variety of different sizes, just to get you started, no need to buy up all the pricey, natural hair brushes. 

Two containers of clean water- 

   One for rinsing the brush, the other for diluting paints.  

Paper towels-

   Towels are good for blotting excess water off your brush, or testing a color you've mixed before committing to use it.

   And that's it! These minimal supplies can quickly get you started with watercolor.