Watercolour Materials: Everything You Need

Watercolour Materials: Everything You Need

What materials do I use?

I get this question often, so sharing some basics on what I use for most paintings. Surprisingly, you don’t need a lot.

Brushes: one large brush and one small round brush. I use a mop brush + number 4-6 round brush. If you have some other brushes like a fan brush/rigger/number 2 round, those are handy too when you’re painting smaller. Two mop brushes can also be handy so that you have more control in smaller areas. Just make sure they have a sharp point – this allows you to cut around objects.

Paints: Primary colours – red, yellow, blue (ultramarine or cobalt). Some cerulean blue, green and yellow ochre can be handy too. I also use a tube of white gouache for highlights at the end. You can mix most colours from just three primaries. Better to get three artist-grade ones than those cheaper palettes of 30 paints.

Paper: I use 100% cotton cold press (medium textured) paper. If you can get hold of this, it’ll make life easier in terms of layering/wet-in-wet techniques. Otherwise, some cellulose watercolour paper works too.

Watercolour Materials: Everything You Need

End of the day, use what you have! It’s more important you practice. Those materials above will just make life easier for you and give you better results.

Want to join my free watercolour workshop next week? Comment below and I’ll send you the link.

-Darren

P.S. Below is a landscape painting I created in an hour, using the recommended materials above.