Most of these supplies are not sold in brick-and-mortar shops. (Michaels carries Winsor Newton in the small tubes but they are very expensive.) The best brick-and-mortar art store is Plaza Arts in Vienna. I recommend ordering your supplies online at these following websites: 1. BLICK 2. JERRY'S ARTARAMA (my personal go-to because of quick shipping) 3. CHEAP JOE'S ART STUFF
WATERCOLOR TUBE PAINTS These are the pigments I use in my palette. My choices are based on years of painting and significant study into pigment quality, permanence ratings and transparency qualities of several brands of Professional grade pigments. If you already have paints, as long as they are not Student grade, they will probably be fine.
Color and consistency can vary significantly between manufacturers. I’ve indicated the specific manufacturers I prefer for particular colors. Daniel Smith, Holbein, Schminke, Winsor Newton Professional, MGraham, Sennelier are all good options. Do NOT order Cheap Joe’s American Journey paints. They will not make you happy and do not lend themselves well to the transparency techniques I’ll be teaching.
****** Beginners: Colors with asterisk are needed for your first session; there are 14; others will be added later. If you are beginner on a tight budget, let me know; I can probably reduce this a bit further.******
15ml. Tubes Are The Most Cost Effective. Click BUY next to each to go directly to the online store:
*WINSOR YELLOW (Winsor Newton Brand) This is your Primary Yellow on the Color Wheel BUY
Azo Orange (M Graham)
*Raw Sienna (Winsor Newton or Schmincke)
*Quinacridone Gold (Daniel Smith, Winsor Newton, M Graham)
*Translucent Orange (Schminke),
*Burnt Sienna (Winsor Newton) or Quinacridone Sienna (Daniel Smith)
*Permanent Alizarin Crimson (Winsor Newton only, be sure it says “Permanent”; if it doesn’t, it will fade in light)
*Pyrrol Red (MGraham Brand) or Perylene Red (Daniel Smith)
*QUINACRIDONE ROSE OR PERMANENT ROSE (these are the same color). This is your Primary Red on the Color Wheel
*French Ultramarine
*PEACOCK BLUE (Holbein) (This is your Primary Blue on the Color Wheel)
*Winsor Blue (red Shade) (Winsor Newton) (a small 5ml size is enough)
*Cerulean Blue (Winsor Newton)
*Cobalt Blue
Permanent Green Light (M Graham)
*Ultramarine Violet (Only M Graham)
Winsor Violet Dioxazine (Winsor Newton)
Indanthrone Blue (sometimes it’s spelled Indanthrene) (Winsor Newton, Daniel Smith, M Graham, Sennelier)
BRUSHES All of my suggestions below are synthetic and inexpensive. I can’t stress enough the importance of good quality brushes. Watercolor painting is difficult enough to learn without having brushes with which you have to fight. Michael’s, Jo Ann Fabrics, Hobby Lobby and Total Crafts DO NOT have quality brushes. Please don’t purchase brushes from those stores.
Rounds: You need 1 round in each size
Size 12 Jack Richeson Series 9000; Steven Quiller Series 7000
Size 10 BUY Jack Richeson Series 9000; Steven Quiller Series 7000
Size 8 BUY Jack Richeson Series 9000; Steven Quiller Series 7000
My Favorite: Richeson Professional by Steven Quiller Series 7000
Rigger or Script Liner: You need 1
Size 2 Mimik Kolinsky Synthetic Signature Series Item #89914
Alternatively Rigger or Script Liner at Cheap Joes 3 choices:
If you can’t find these, let me know….I’ll give you some alternative suggestions.
PALETTES Several options: John Pike Palette: (NOT the Big Well version) or Quiller Palette, Tom Lynch Palette, Richeson Covered Palette. Please be sure to purchase one that gives you a large mixing area. Richeson Covered Pallete BUY Item #50532 Stephen Quiller Palette (#50531)
ADDITIONAL ITEMS
Small bottle Pebeo Drawing Gum (item #53175 at jerrysartarma.com)
Very inexpensive synthetic #2 round brush for applying the drawing gum you can pick something up at Michael’s) or choose an inexpensive one from Jerry’s.
Inexpensive mechanical pencil with .05 lead
Kneaded Eraser (essential: a regular eraser will tear watercolor paper)
Roll of paper towel
Small terrycloth towel/ or old washcloth for blotting your brush (essential!)
Handful of kleenex (no lotions)
Small spray bottle for misting paints (dollar store)
Watercolor backing Board (no larger than 12 x 16”; you can cut it in half for ease of use) to which you will stretch or tape your paper while you paint. Anything lightweight and waterproof will work UNLESS you’re using 140lb paper. Then you must stretch it to a gatorboard. I use Gatorboard
Watercolor Backing Board (it#GAB-1 at Cheap Joes; #43902 Lightweight; Watercolor Board on Jerry’s, #13201-1021; on DickBlick.com).
9x12 pad of Canson Foundation Transparent Tracing Paper (Jerry’s item 70622) (not needed immediately)
Painters tape or Artist Tape 1” wide (I use Duck Brand Painters tape (3/4” wide; (Staples or Amazon) ABSOLUTELY NO colored tape please; and regular masking tape will not stick to watercolor paper.
Watercolor Paper: I keep paper for purchase by the sheet in class. (the price is whatever I have to pay for it). You may use 300lb Cold Press Arches (though I don’t always have this one) or 140lb Cold Press Arches paper. One sheet will be broken down into smaller sizes for paintings. If you use 140lb you must stretch it (ask me how). Please do not buy your paper in a block or a pad. Paper prices: per sheet in my studio…140 lb $8 a sheet 300 lb $15 a sheet. (paper is 22” x 30”) Paper prices are always changing, so the cost will be whatever I have to pay for it.
Please feel free to call or email me if you have any questions when you are placing your order. I’m more than happy to help!! It can be overwhelming!