Watercolor supply list for beginners

Hey there!

Either if you're enrolling in my upcoming watercolor class or want to give painting a try on your own, I prepared a list of watercolor supplies for beginners.

These are similar to the supplies I bought when I started taking watercolor classes in 2018. 

However, if you have any supplies already at home, by any means, I recommend you using them, even if they are not exactly the same as the ones listed here.

Once you build your skills and refine your style, you can consider invest in more expensive ones. My goal is to get you started painting spending the least amount of money.

I included some links to make it easy for you. I AM NOT AFFILIATED with the businesses, and I don't earn any commission from them.

If you find a better deal in another store, please feel free to buy what you like the most and share in comments so other students can learn about it.

I chose Michael's Art store because it's widely available in the North America, both online and in brick and mortar stores, and it is being my go-to-place for supplies for a while so I know well their materials. Also I chose Amazon as mostly everyone has an account these days and it's convenient.

These are for the US mainly. If you live in another country or continent, you may have to do a bit more of research.

Ready for the shopping?

PALETTE

This is an easy one. I would recommend getting a big size, because you'll run out of space fast. There are several suppliers for this palette on Amazon I think I found the cheapest one. 

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09MM18V2H/

PAINT

You have 2 options: liquid or solid. With liquid paint you can control better the water and it's less messy. I tried both options and I strongly prefer liquid paint, but you may think differently.

Option A: Liquid

I have a similar pack for 12. These are 24 tubes for less than $11.

https://www.michaels.com/24-color-watercolor-paint-valuepk-by-artists-loft-necessities/10622007.html

Option B: Solid

I own this one from Windsor & Newton as well. It's a good brand, but a bit more expensive. It's $30, however, it's compact and great for traveling. The lid makes a small palette and it comes with a tiny brush inside.

https://www.michaels.com/winsor-and-newton-cotman-watercolor-sketchers-pocket-box/D240485S.html

PAPER

This is pretty decent and only 6$. I will be using this same paper in class. It's a 9 x 12in 300lb watercolor paper.

https://www.michaels.com/watercolor-pad-by-artists-loft-9in-by-12in/10189610.html

BRUSHES

I had a hard time finding something decent and not very expensive. I found this kit of brushes that seem to have good reviews and it's just $10 on Amazon, but I haven't tried myself. If someone does, please, let me know how they are. If you find something better and affordable, please share in comments.

Note: I recommend you to stay away from brushes that claim to be good for acrylic or oil as well. Only watercolor brushes for watercolor.

MASKING TAPE

We will use this stick the paper to our table to avoid it curling too much. This is a special tape, that shouldn't damage the paper. I recommend at least 1in (2.5cm) wide. We will use a lot, so a set of a few rolls will be a good idea. Here a colorful set, but obviously, any color works.

https://www.amazon.com/Colored-Masking-Painters-Crafts-Labeling/dp/B07G5TRF4R/

OTHERS

- A roll of kitchen towels.

- A glass or plastic cup (glass of water size, 12oz or 250ml more less)

- Some clothes you may not mind getting dirty or an apron.

Watercolor is not that messy, but you may want to cover the table or floor with an old sheet or a canvas/plastics sheet in case there are some spills. Better safe than sorry.

...And we should be ready to start!!

If have questions, let me know in the comment area below. 

What's your favorite art supply store??? Share in comments.