Watercolor Paint (Be sure to buy watercolor paint and not gouache paint.)

Students should have a “split primary” palette with at least one "cool" version and one "warm" version of yellow, red and blue. They may extend their palette with other colors of their choice. Here are the recommended cool and warm versions of the primary colors:

Yellows

• Cadmium Yellow Medium (warm yellow)

• Aureolin Yellow OR Lemon Yellow (cool yellow)

Reds

• Cadmium Red Medium OR Cadmium Red Light (warm red)

• Alizarin Crimson (cool red)

Blues

• French Ultramarine Blue (warm blue)

• Phthalo Blue Green Shade (cool blue)…Winsor & Newton sells this color as “Winsor Blue Green Shade”

Students may use either watercolor sets OR individual tubes of paint: 

• For watercolor sets, a set with 12 or more color should have cool and warm versions of yellow, red, blue and green. (Recommended brands: Winsor & Newton, Sennelier, Daniel Smith, Schmincke and Holbein.) 

• For watercolor tubes, 5ml. tubes are sufficient and PALETTES ARE NECESSARY for storing and mixing colors. (Recommended palettes: Mijello Fusion Airtight palette and John Pike Palette. Recommended brands of paint: Winsor & Newton, Grumbacher, Hobein, Sennelier, Schmincke, Old Holland or Utrecht Artists’ Watercolors.)

Watercolor Paper 

Students may use individual sheets of watercolor paper OR watercolor blocks. They don’t need to buy both. (Recommended brand: Arches.)

• IF using individual sheets, buy 2 sheets of 22” x 30” (140 lb.) cold press watercolor paper (natural white or bright white)

• IF using a watercolor block, buy 1 block of 9” x 12” or larger (140 lb.) cold press watercolor paper (natural white or bright white).

Watercolor Brushes 

Students should have at least 2 brushes but may use as many as they like:

• 1 flat watercolor brush (3/4” or 1” wide; sable or natural bristle are recommended, but nylon bristles are OK) 

• 1 round watercolor brush (size #8; sable or natural bristle are recommended, but nylon bristles are OK)

Tools for Masking and Texture

• 1 small bottle (e.g., 75 ml) of masking fluid

• 1 small, cheap brush for masking fluid—like the type of brush kids use for tempera painting [don’t need for the first class, when I can show you an example]

• 1 X-Acto knife or utility knife or jackknife

• 1 natural sponge

• 1 white candle, birthday candle or tea candle (but not beeswax candles)

Other Supplies

• 2 containers for water at least 1 pint or larger in volume (empty yogurt containers work well)

• 1 pencil (HB or #2)

• 1 sketchbook or scrap paper for planning compositions

• Paper towels

• IF USING INDIVIDUAL SHEETS OF PAPER INSTEAD OF A WATERCOLOR BLOCK

  • 1 roll of masking or blue painters tape (1” or wider)…available at art store or hardware store

  • 1 drawing board (at least 15” long in smallest dimension)