| Selecting your Brush | | | | Cadmium Red Medium Hooker's Green |
| Watercolor brushes are most often found to be | | | | Alizarin Crimson Burnt Sienna |
| made of the red sable hair that comes from the | | | | Ultramarine Blue Burnt Umber |
| same pelt as the sable coat. Many artists have | | | | Finding The Right Paper |
| tried many different brushes and it has been | | | | Use any watercolor pad or loose paper with a |
| determined that the finest watercolor brushes are | | | | weight of #140 or higher. The heavier the paper, |
| made of the hair found on the tips of the Russian | | | | the less likely you'll have to deal with warping of |
| male Kolinsky red sable's winter coat. This | | | | wet paper while painting. |
| particular hair has become renowned for the | | | | Cylinder mould made papers will always have two |
| ability to hold a lot of paint and keep a resilient, | | | | deckle edges. Hand-made papers will have deckle |
| sharp, and durable point, that always snaps back. | | | | edges on all four sides. You can cut or tear these |
| More recently, synthetic brushes have been | | | | full sheets into smaller size sheets for smaller |
| introduced to the art providing a more cost | | | | paintings. You can also buy larger sheets (up to |
| efficient product with little compromise compared | | | | 40" x 60") and even larger rolls of watercolor |
| to the sable hair. | | | | paper. |
| The trick is knowing what you want to | | | | The paper will have a specific surface, ranging |
| watercolor before selecting your brush. What is | | | | from smooth to textured. A surface in between, |
| your topic? Like most tools, you wouldn't want to | | | | and one I recommend for beginners, is heavy and |
| use a hammer to do the work of a screwdriver. | | | | slightly textured. |
| Know what you want your art to look like helps | | | | Watercolor paper can come in a variety of |
| to determine just which brush(es) you will select. | | | | weights as well as textures. Most range from 90 |
| Roundshave a round full body that holds just the | | | | lb. to 300 lb. Student grade is 90 lb. This paper is |
| right amount of paint and taper to a sharp (sable) | | | | too lightweight to do any scrubbing or surface |
| or near sharp (synthetic) point. | | | | rubbing without ruining the surface of the paper. |
| Flatshold a large amount of paint and are useful | | | | Try 140 lb. paper in blocks or sheets. |
| for coloring in large areas. | | | | Remember: The heavier the paper, the more it |
| Mopshave a large quantity of soft hair for moving | | | | will be resistant to damage while you learn the art |
| a large quantity of paint in a loose manner and | | | | of watercoloring! |
| blending wet areas. Mops are best used for | | | | Arranging your Palette |
| wetting paper and painting large, soft, fluid | | | | Cake and Pan watercolor sets can come with |
| passages such as skies. | | | | built-in fold out palettes that are helpful when you |
| Filbertslacking a sharp point, are great for foliage | | | | are creating your watercolor. |
| work due to their oblong blunt ends. | | | | Tube watercolors are easily mixable on any |
| Fansare flat pie-wedge shaped brushes used for | | | | smooth flat surface such as a dinner plate or you |
| blending in oil or acrylic painting. The bristle fan is | | | | may purchase inexpensive welled plastic palettes |
| good for scrubbing out linear strokes in | | | | commonly used for Easter egg decorating. |
| watercolors. | | | | A covered plastic palette is the most |
| Riggersare noted for their long pointed length that | | | | recommended for least waste and convenience if |
| holds a lot of paint. Used for fine details and | | | | you are using tube watercolors. Once you decide |
| expressive line work. This brush was first | | | | that watercoloring is for you, consider buying one. |
| designed to paint the rigging on boats in nautical | | | | Plenty of Water |
| paintings. | | | | Water is the main ingredient in watercolor! Use |
| Spottersare stubby brushes with a fine point. | | | | two clean glass jars while water coloring. One to |
| Used primarily for photo retouching, they are | | | | rinse between colors and one to set clean water |
| excellent for miniature and detail work. | | | | on the paper while you watercolor. |
| Choosing Paints | | | | Keeping your brushes can be as easy as you |
| Select a paint set of cake or moist pan | | | | make it. To preserve the life of your brushes, |
| watercolors if you prefer them. Most have a | | | | keep them clean and dry when not in use. |
| good selection of basic colors you'll need for | | | | Cleaning watercolor brushes is as easy as running |
| transparent watercolor painting. You will only need | | | | clear water through the bristles or hairs until all |
| 10 colors to start watercoloring, adding more | | | | traces of watercolor is removed. Try to keep the |
| colors to your palette as you learn. | | | | metal portion of the brush dry if you are able. |
| Select paint to practice with that isn't too | | | | Glue attaches the hair to the underside of the |
| expensive. Once you get your feet wet in | | | | metal band of the brush and too much water can |
| watercoloring, and get out of the 'kiddie pool', you | | | | disturb the glue. |
| can consider the more professional brands of | | | | Additional Watercolor 'Tools' |
| artists. | | | | Additional tools are helpful when rounding out your |
| The colors below can get you started with sky, | | | | kit. Pencils, erasers, tissues, towels and clips to |
| trees, water and so many other topics for your | | | | fasten your painting to a board will help you on |
| first art. Here is a list of palette colors for | | | | your way to watercolor masterpiece! |
| beginners: | | | | Remember, art is what you make it. Have fun, be |
| Cadmium Yellow Light Pthalocyanine Blue | | | | creative. Let your talent lead you. With these |
| Cadmium Yellow Medium Pthalocycnine Green | | | | simple steps, anyone can watercolor! |