I know, I know. Watercolor is in the title of this newsletter. When will I be done talking about being a Pisces and living in Paris? GIVE US THE WATERCOLOR! This is PART 1 of a series with tips on how to know watercolor better and convince you to hopefully love it.
Watercolor doesn’t have the best reputation. It’s messy and unpredictable. It’s weak in color. It’s associated with drab Atlantic landscapes and the grey haired masses. Today I am going to break down the essentials which I use on the daily. Granted these aren’t cheap supplies; I am fully aware of that. But once I found what worked for me and my practice (ideals: super saturated colors, smooth paper to avoid Photoshop migraines after scanning), it was worth the investment because I wasn’t fighting against my materials. Once I could control the variables, I could just focus on putting my ideas to paper. If you want to get better at watercolor, or heck just get to know and like it, it’s best to set yourself up for success from the get.
These are my studio essentials, what you can find at my studio desk or kitchen table whenever an idea strikes.
WATER
This may seem painfully obvious, but there’s no watercolor without old-fashioned H20. I’m talking clean, transparent water. It’s the carrier that puts paint to paper. Young watercolorists can get into that unsavory brown zone simply by working with a tiny cup of dirty water. You don’t need to know too much about color theory to know that all the colors mixed together make brown. If you’re painting with brown water, your colors will look flat. My advice? I fill up a super clean vase or glass jar of water and change it as soon as it’s no longer transparent.
PAINT
I bought my son his first kit of supermarket watercolors when he was still a baby. Although the brush didn’t leave his mouth enough to paint much, I was not impressed with the assortment of weak monotones. When he grew up a little, I started giving him an old set of watercolors and the results were mindblowng. Nonetheless, go to an art store to purchase supplies. Even if you buy student quality materials, they are made for proper color mixing (it’s a science afterall) and art making. Look for a set with at least 12 colors, including pure-looking primary and secondary colors and black.
What do I use? I started with a Winsor Newton set like the one above. Now I exclusively use Kuretake watercolors because the colors are the most vibrant I’ve found. Also to avoid the dreaded brown zone, I also like to mix my colors on a clean dinner plate or on my marble tabletop. The cleaner (AKA not brown) your palette is, the better.
Also a word from the unwise, water and oil are longtime enemies. Always make sure your workspace and paints are as clean as can be before you start painting.
PAPER
Since I am an editorial illustrator using a traditional medium, I need to scan and digitize my work to send off as print ready-files. Through a lot of trial, error and Photoshop tutorials, I have found that hot pressed/satin finish watercolor was the best fit for my needs.
A few things to note when purchasing paper:
MATERIAL. Paper, cellulose, 100% cotton. The makeup of the paper can greatly impact how it absorbs your paints (or not). Think about the difference between using a paper towel versus a cotton kitchen towel to soak up a spilled glass of milk. You can tell the difference! I use the pricy 100% cotton but buy what you can afford.
WEIGHT. I use 300g/m2 / 140 lb watercolor paper because it’s almost as thick as cardstock which means I can paint it to death without it warping. If you’re new to watercolor, try painting on thicker paper.
TEXTURE. Cold pressed is textured. Hot pressed is smooth Texture can be nice for fine art pieces. I prefer a smooth, satin finish because I don’t have to remove the texture later on in Photoshop.
COLOR. Not all whites are the same! Even having a cream paper can greatly affect the final color intensity of a watercolor. I recently whipped out a watercolor that just didn’t look right. No matter how much color I added, it looked flat. It’s because it was cream colored paper which made the blue washes look dull. Nonetheless always confirm the color before purchasing.
WATERCOLOR vs MIXED MEDIA? Watercolor paper was formulated for watercolor. I feel like it can hold water and pigment much better than mixed media paper without pilling or warping. If you’re a new watercolorist and have water control issues (flooding, water marks etc), use watercolor paper. If you have a mixed media sketchbook, it’s ok for drawing from life with a touch of watercolor.
I use Clairefontaine Fontaine watercolor paper 300g/m2 / 140 lb. It ain’t cheap. I buy this in bulk in large sheets and have invested in a giant roll which I cut down to size as needed. I also stock up when it’s on sale.
BRUSHES
I only use 1 kind of brush, Raphael Pinceaux Raphael Petit-Gris série 835 pointe ronde. It’s a round natural-fiber watercolor brush that I can use for fine details but it also holds enough water where I can do a full coverage wash when needed. I have cups of brushes of all persuasions, but I do most everything with this one because it has range and I know it well. Nonetheless, find a watercolor brush that serves your needs and commit to using it almost exclusively. Synthetic versus natural brushes? Synthetic brushes keep their shape and point much better than natural brushes, but I like the softness of natural fiber brushes. I have a few of both.
NOTE: To preserve your precious brushes, always clean them with brush cleaner or a gentle shampoo after each watercolor session. And always store them bristle-up to avoid warping. And never let your paintbrush seep bristle-side down in your watercolor water; it’ll get deformed.
PENCIILS
I’m not trying to be art snobby but not all pencils are made the same. I recommend using a hard H pencil (2H, 4H, 6H) to create a soft line with a soft touch before you start painting. I find that once watercolor is applied to a pencil line, it can’t be erased completely afterwards.
PAPER TOWELS
Your watercolor insurance policy, meet paper towels. They can dab up a mess in a second.
Now get yourself set up properly. Next week, we will delve into a few pointers on how to start using all these supplies.
Take care, dear reader. And don’t drink the watercolor water. -jkw
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Beginner here - appreciate your tips! I’m having a hard time controlling water. I have too much or too little. Any advice?
Jessie...
Did I see you live in Paris? Me too. Can you tell me your very favorite shops in Paris for buying watercolor supplies please?
Merci!