Below is a list of materials and brands I recommend for my watercolor class. Do your best to look for deals on better quality supplies, and try to resist inexpensive but cheap quality materials.
For the best deals online I recommend shopping at www.jerrysartarama.com or www.jacksonsart.com. I have included links to make it easy to purchase each product. This is the easiest way to purchase materials.
An alternate paint option is a the St. Petersburg: White Nights 12 pan watercolor set
The watercolor brush I recommend is size 10 with a short handle, a round ferrule, and comes to a point. This brush will allow you to paint large areas quickly as well as fine detail.
For drawing, bring a regular #2 pencil, an eraser, a pencil sharpener, and I like to draw with a black Micron PN fine line waterproof pen. The PN pen has a roller tip that doesn’t wear out as fast as the regular felt tip Micron pen.
Students may bring removable masking fluid and/or permanent white gouache.
Students should also bring 1-2 quart sized plastic take out or yogurt containers for water and paper towels.
If you prefer to purchase products in person, here’s a guide for what to buy:
- For paper, look for pads of Arches, Fabriano Artistico, Blick Premier. Make sure the full name I listed is on the label. Don’t buy the cheaper student varieties by these companies! The three I listed are all in 140 lb. 100% cotton cold press, and these facts will be included on the label.
- Do NOT purchase Canson XL, Strathmore papers or any paper listed as “Multimedia.” These do not perform well.
- For paint I recommend either Cotman or Van Gogh brand paint. I recommend choosing a simple 12 pan set and adding more colors to you palette later, once you discover your preferences. These brands are better than most student sets, but are less expensive than professional paint.
- For brushes, choose a size #10 round watercolor brush by Princeton or comparable brand. Watercolor brushes have short handles and soft bristles that come to a point when wet. Avoid cheap brushes that shed hairs and don’t come to a fine point.
See you in class!