Supply List:

Paper:

Paper is the one supply I would splurge on. And by splurge, I mean any of the products I linked will perform well. You don’t have to get the most expensive treat-yo-self paper (looking at you Arches) if you’re just starting out. Arches is the cream of the crop when it comes to watercolor paper and its price reflects that. Any of the papers I’ve included here will perform light-years better than the practice paper you’ll find at your favorite department store. I have used them all and feel that they perform well. I find Artbeek to be the cheapest option of decent quality and it’s what I use with my watercolor students.

I recommend 100% cotton, acid free, cold press, 140lb/300GSM paper in the form of blocks. Watercolor paper comes in the form of pads or blocks. Watercolor blocks are basically pads of watercolor paper but are glued on all four sides. You paint on the paper while it is still attached to the block. There is a small opening on one side of your block with no glue. When your painting is complete and dry, you slide a knife around the edge to remove your final piece of artwork from the block. I prefer blocks because I don’t have to tape my paper down to a backing board and my paper doesn’t warp as much as it would if I used a pad.

*Artbeek Watercolor Block

Stonehenge Aqua Watercolor Block

Fluid 100 Watercolor Block

Arches Watercolor Block

Brushes

I use Princeton Velvetouch rounds almost exclusively but there are plenty of cheaper options out there with decent reviews. Royal & Langnickel rounds are cheaper brushes that work well for the price.

Princeton Velvetouch Round - Size 6 is my most used brush but if you can find a set of rounds with multiple sizes it’s nice to have some smaller brushes for details and larger brushes for covering larger areas.

*Royal & Langnickel Rounds

Paints

It’s hard to pick a favorite paint brand because I love all of these listed below and have about five other brands on my wishlist to try! For student grade paints, Van Gogh tubes perform beautifully. Even though they’re student grade, their lightfastness is almost professional level. I started out using these tubes before upgrading to professional grade and I use these with my watercolor students. For my original paintings, I only use professional grade paints so my paintings will last for years and years. For professional grade paints, I’ve loved Daniel Smith tubes and Rosa Gallery pans.

*Van Gogh tubes (student grade)

*Van Gogh pans (student grade)

*Winsor & Newton tubes (student grade)

Windsor & Newton pans (student grade)

Daniel Smith tubes (professional grade)

Rosa Gallery pans (professional grade)

Rosa Studio pans (student grade)

Palettes

I love ceramic or porcelain palettes because the water doesn’t bead up like it can on a plastic palette. You can find old white porcelain dishes or egg trays at the thrift store or you can purchase a porcelain palette. For some reason porcelain palettes can be outrageously expensive. I am still trying to figure out why. In the meantime, Meeden makes some affordable porcelain palettes in a variety of sizes, with or without lids. A lid is super helpful so your paint doesn’t get contaminated with dust. If you can’t afford or find a lidded palette you like, just make sure to cover your palette with paper or a plastic storage bag when you’re done working to prevent dust from settling in your paint.

Meeden - I have and love this particular palette. This palette is porcelain and has a lid to keep dust out, lots of wells, and a large mixing area. It does have a large footprint so if your workspace is smaller, you may want to opt for a smaller palette.

*Royal & Langnickel - This plastic palette is very affordable if you can find one at Walmart and performs well for a plastic palette. It has no cover, so you’ll want to cover it when it’s not in use. Click here to learn how I prep plastic palettes to prevent paint and water from beading.

Extras

Micron Pens - Waterproof pens for outlining before or after your painting is complete.

*Ottlite desk lamp - A desk lamp is one of those items you don’t realize you need until you have one! I have this lamp but there are lots of other models out there now to choose from.

Canvas desk lamp - The Canvas desk lamps are beautiful but are definitely a splurge item. Amazon has a ton of less expensive options to choose from including a large variety of Ottlite brand lamps and many others if you do a search for desk lamps.

Scanner - If you plan to scan your work in order to make prints, I have the Epson V39 Scanner which works great and is relatively inexpensive.

Pliers - You don’t need this particular brand or style but a pair of pliers is essential if you have tube paint. The paint tends to dry in the threads of the cap which makes the tubes super hard to open by hand. I got a pair of Stanley pliers in college for my oil paint tubes and am still using them (many moons later!) which is why I’ve linked to a Stanley pair but use whatever you have in your toolbox!