Paper

For my finished paintings I prefer paper that is 100% cotton, 140 lbs., and either cold pressed or rough in surface. The following brands of paper meet these requirements:
NOTE – I recommend buying paper in full sheets and either cutting or tearing paper down to standard or required sizes. It is a much more cost effective way to start using good quality paper.

Basic Color Palette

This basic, 10 color, palette covers most of the situations I encounter in watercolor. With a little mixing, I can create most of the additional hues I would require at a desired level of brightness. All paints listed are by Daniel Smith.
  • Cool yellow – Hansa Yellow Medium
  • Warm yellow – New Gamboge
  • Warm red – Pyrrol Scarlet
  • Cool red – Quinacridone Red
  • Warm blue – Ultramarine Blue
  • Cool blue – Phthalo Blue (Green Shade)
  • Green – Phthalo Green (Blue Shade)
  • Earth yellow – Yellow Ochre
  • Earth orange – Burnt Sienna Light
  • Dark neutral – Neutral Tint

Intermediate Color Palette

This expanded, 17 color, palette builds on the basic color palette and allows me to work a little more quickly as it contains common hues that I would generally mix to with the basic palette as well as allowing the option to mix most other hues with a minimum of fuss.

  • Cool yellow – Hansa Yellow Medium
  • Warm yellow – New Gamboge
  • Orange – Permanent Orange
  • Warm red – Pyrrol Scarlet
  • Cool red – Quinacridone Red
  • Warm violet – Quinacridone Magenta
  • Cool violet – Imperial Purple
  • Warm blue – Ultramarine Blue
  • Mid-blue – Cobalt Blue
  • Cool blue – Phthalo Blue (Green Shade)
  • Warm green – Phthalo Yellow Green
  • Mid green – Permanent Green
  • Cool green – Phthalo Green (Blue Shade)
  • Earth yellow – Yellow Ochre
  • Earth orange – Burnt Sienna Light
  • Earth red/brown – Van Dyck Brown
  • Dark neutral – Neutral Tint

Brushes

The following 6 brushes brushes are the core of my workflow. For the beginner, I feel that only the first 2 brushes are “essential”. The rest are nice to have and certainly serve their purpose in the way I prefer to paint.

  • Round – No. 8 & 12 – Versatil by Escoda
  • Round – No. 2 – Anna Mason by Rosemary & Co.
  • Rigger – No. 4 – Versatil by Escoda
  • 1″ Fan – No. 2 – Classic Fan by Rosemary & Co.
  • 1″ Hake brush

Sketching

For me, sketching is a varied process and I will use many different materials when I am “playing” in a sketchbook. Here are some:

  • Pentel p205 mechanical pencil (loaded with 2B lead)
  • Kaweco Brass Sport Fountain Pen
  • Pentel Brush Pen
  • Walnut Brown watercolor pencil – Albrecht Dürer by Faber-Castell
  • Black and Burnt Umber pastel pencil – Conté á Paris
  • Milky Brush by Pentel
  • Dry Media sketchbook – Opus Essential Wirebound Sketchbook – 8.5×11″
  • Mixed Media sketchbook – Alpha, Beta and Nova Series by Stillman & Birn – various sizes

Miscellaneous

Handy things to have but entirely dependent on what your doing:

  • Watercolor palette – FW Studio Palette by Little Brass Box Company
  • Watercolor palette – small tin box by Medeen
  • Kitchen sponge or towel
  • Two containers for water
  • Kneaded eraser
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