Suggested Supplies List
Here are suggested supplies that you can't go wrong with.
Direct links for each item are provided below. You can also go directly to the entire Watercolors w/ Francis List at Blick, where all items are ready to be added to your cart.
As an affiliate of Amazon and Blick, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases when purchased through these links. Thank you for your support of Art By Francis.
At least two different sized brushes.
Affordable assortment at:
- Amazon: Princeton Snap White Synthetic Paint Brush Set for Acrylic and Watercolor, Includes 4 Paint Brushes
- Blick: Blick Essentials Value Brush Set - Assorted Brushes, Brown Nylon, Set of 12
More expensive but I really like these:
- Princeton Series 4050 Heritage Synthetic Sable Brush Set - Blick Exclusive, Set of 4 (Curated by Watercolor Artist Jenna Rainey). These are very springy brushes, which means they retain their shape during your brushstrokes.
Watercolor pan set
- Most will have the basic colors you need. Let me know if you have trouble picking one. Here are some suggestions:
- Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolors - Sketcher's Pocket Set of 12, Assorted Colors, Half Pans
- Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolors - Customizable Travel Set of 12, Assorted Colors, Half Pans
- Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolors - Field Travel Set of 12, Assorted Colors, Half Pans
- artPOP! Half-Pan Set of 12 colors
Mixing palette (usually included in a pan set)
- If you don’t have one attached to your pan set, a separate palette can be purchased. Heavier material is better, instead of light plastic.
- Porcelain Palette Dish Amazon / Blick
- Plastic: Blick
Watercolor paper
- For class, a watercolor ‘pad’ is preferred over a watercolor ‘block’ because you have to wait for a sheet to fully dry before you can take it out and move onto the next sheet. But feel free to use a Block if you wish.
- Choose Cold Press paper (rough), not Hot Press (smooth); and paper should be at least 140lb.
- 100% Cotton is higher quality and more durable; it also doesn't fade over time. They used to be more expensive, now there are a variety to meet your budget.
- Check out my videos where I've compared wood pulp vs. cotton papers, and have compared 11 different cotton papers (first 6 papers and additional 5)
- Wood pulp, student grade:
- 100% cotton, for all budgets:
- Leyton, block, 20 Sheets, 160lb, 10.6” x 7.7”
- Fuumuui Watercolor Paper Block 9x12 Inch (vegan)
- Flunbrato, Watercolor Paper Block, 9x12, 24 sheets (vegan)
- Meeden Watercolor Paper Block 9x12 inch (vegan)
- BAOHONG Artists' Watercolor Paper Block 7x10 inch
- Hahnemühle Collection Watercolor 300 pad, 9x12 Inches (vegan)
- Saunders Waterford, block, 9x12, 20 sheets
- Legion Stonehenge Aqua Watercolor Block 7x10 inch (vegan)
- Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolor Block, 9x12, 20 sheets
- Fabriano Artistico Watercolor Block 7x10 inch (vegan)
- Arches Watercolor Pad - 9" x 12", 140 lb, Cold Press, Fold-over, 12 Sheets
- Sketchbook for watercolor painting on-the-go:
- Hahnemuhle - 5.8" x 8.3", 60 Pages, Portrait
- Luchetti True Flat Sketchbook (very thick paper, luxurious vegan leather cover)
- Direct from Luchetti (California company)
- See my review here.
Hard surface for taping down paper (clipboard or 11"x 14" board recommended)
- Ampersand Art Supply Hardboard Wood Painting Panel: Museum Series Hardbord, 11" x 14", 1/8 Inch Flat Profile
Container/Cup for water
- Any plastic cup/soup container will do
- This collapsible cup is great for saving space:
Little spray bottle to wet your paint pans
Masking tape (or binder clips) to adhere paper to board
- Blick (the best one I've used)
Additional accessories
Watercolor Color Wheel: This is useful for dialing in colors produced by watercolor on paper, and gaining a better understanding of the relationships between various colors
Pencil (HB or 2B, for easy erasing)
Eraser (kneaded)
Eraser - (Tombow Mono Zero, for precision)
Couple of sheets of paper towels
A small, flat object to slightly elevate and tilt your work surface