I’ve spent an awful lot on watercolor supplies (and art supplies in general) over time, and I’ve decided on some favorites. So I’m sharing! With so many styles and brands out there, it can be touch to decide on what’s worth it and what’s not. I’ve compiled a list of my favorite paper, paints, brushes, and drawing supplies, and I’ve used all of them. If you’re wanting to start painting, or hoping to upgrade your supplies, keep reading!
A little key for the different levels of “skill” noted after each product…
Beginner- Self explanatory. Go this route if you’re just starting out and want to make a smaller investment! These supplies are still great, and will have no impact on the quality of your work.
Intermediate- You know what you’re doing, but you aren’t painting super consistently. If you are a hobby artist, this is a great route that is right in the middle financially!
Professional- I’d put myself in this category not because I’m some world renowned artist, but because I do this every single day and have years of experience. Think of this as “advanced” as well! If you’ve been doing this for a while, or are really devoted to improving your craft, go this route. The supplies are more expensive, but well worth it. I only ever restock on paper, because everything else I use lasts forever!
*** The following blog contains a few affiliate links in which I could receive a commission for sales placed within 24 hours. Any pale gray text will send you to the Blick Art Supplies website, my personal favorite spot to purchase my supplies! While these are favorites that I have experience with, you can find more watercolor supplies here with plenty of reviews and notes.
WATERCOLOR PAPER
Canson Artist Series Watercolor Books (All Levels, $)
These are great for all levels… It’s much more affordable than Arches, but still a great quality paper! These are cold pressed pages, so they have a nice texture, but not quite as rough as the Arches or Saunders. Canson makes a lot of other paper products as well, including watercolor pads if you have an issue with spiral bound sketchbooks (like me).
Fabriano Watercolor Pad (Beginner, $)
I used these for my watercolor class, and I really like them! Lots of sizes, great durable, and a great price point for beginners. And it’s made in Italy! That’s where I bought my first pack of this brand’s paper.
Arches Watercolor Paper (Professional, $$)
This is the nicest, most luxurious paper that I indulge in for special projects, and it is worth EVERY penny. The texture alone just makes everything look more…. professional. The packs are typically 12 sheets, in a lot of sizes. I purchase my supplies using Blick any chance I get, because they have everything and are always stocked SO well. I remember my art teacher in high school (Hi Ms. Apgar!) placing her orders through there and so I obviously had to copy.
Saunders Waterford Watercolor Sheets (Professional, $$)
This paper is another really nice option for anyone wanting to paint LARGE. The sheets are 22x30, which is about as big as you can get, and they are such a good quality that they don’t buckle and warp nearly as much as other brands. If you’ve ever worked on a larger scale with watercolor, you know how hard it is to keep it from getting waves in it. I used this brand in college for a watercolor class, and we would soak the paper, get the excess water off, and then while it’s still pretty wet we stapled it to a door that was cut in half, with a handle attached. By stretching it while it’s wet, you allow it to dry super tight and flat, giving you an optimal painting surface. It has deckled edges too (those fluffy, rough cut edges you see on fancy paper) which is SO pretty.
WATERCOLOR PAINTS
Derwent Academy Watercolor Pencils (All Levels, $-$$)
So these are paints, but they are the source of the color… watercolor pencils! You essentially use them like regular colored pencils, and then go in with a wet brush to blend, add texture, and activate the colors that you laid down. I still have my set of these from high school (8 years later) and I need to get back into it. They’re a fun take on watercolors if you’re looking to try something a little different, and can also be used for detailing work or a “dry on dry” look over top of traditional watercolor.
Art Advantage Watercolor Tubes (Beginner, $)
These are perfect for beginners that prefer a tube watercolor! They are a great quality with a much lower investment.
Niki Aquarelle Watercolor Pan Set (Beginner, $)
I used these for my most recent paint class, and it’s a great option for beginners. It has 36 colors so if you’re just learning, you won’t have to do as much mixing!
Winsor and Newton Field Watercolors (Intermediate-Professional, $-$$)
This is my favorite brand for pans, and is the set that I took to Italy when I studied abroad 4 years ago. I dragged it around in my purse EVERYWHERE, and I still use them. Great set for travel or even just easy storage. It’s also MAJORLY on sale right now, so GO GET IT. ($77 instead of $154)
Windsor and Newton Professional Watercolors (Professional, $$)
So here’s a cool thing about watercolor… you can re-use it. When your paint dries, just leave it, and the next time you go to paint you can just add some water (using your brush, don’t actually put water on your palette because it’ll all run). This is true for all kinds of watercolors- pans, cakes, concentrated liquid, or tubes. You get way more out of your watercolor paint investment, and mixing specific hues isn’t a waste of time! When I go to use tubes, this brand is all I have. They have sets as well as singles, and there are guides out there about what essential colors you want to start with if you’re building your own set of tubes (Think Yellow Ochre, Vermillion Red, Hooker’s Green, Burnt Umber, Phthalo Blue… there are about 12 core colors). They also have TONS of in between colors that you can get, and that’s especially beneficial if you find yourself using a specific orange or peach over and over. These come out looking like acrylic, but function just like other watercolors. A little goes a LONG way!
Dr. Ph Martins Liquid Watercolor Pigments (Professional, $$)
To give you an idea of how long this set lasts, I got them for Christmas in 2015 and I’m still using it. The colors are AMAZING and vibrant, and just like all other watercolors, you can let it dry and then re-wet it over and over. It’s a bigger investment, but well worth it if you like to use saturated colors.
WATERCOLOR BRUSHES
Blick Scholastic Golden Taklon Brushes and Sets (Beginner, $)
For beginners, or even if you want a less expensive set to travel with, these brushes are awesome! Blick’s own brand of supplies are really nice and much more budget friendly, and they come in pre-set packs and individuals. I’m getting these in bulk for my next in-person paint class!
Grumbacher Academy Watercolor Brushes (Intermediate, $$)
Lots of shapes, lots of sizes, and these hold up great! The one thing I’d say is that if you’re using a super concentrated liquid watercolor like Dr. PH Martin’s, these might get stained since they’re white.
Grumbacher Academy Goldenedge Brushes (Intermediate, $$)
Same as above, but the bristles are gold! I prefer gold brushes simply because they don’t hold onto pigment after washing as often.
Princeton Watercolor Brushes (Intermediate/Professional, $$)
This specific link above is for a set of brushes well suited for floral watercolor painting, BUT it’s actually just a great set of nice essential brushes! Anything Princeton is really nice. Click on the underlined “Princeton” under the title toward the top and it’ll take you to all of their items.
DRAWING SUPPLIES
Faber-Castell Sketching Pencils (All Levels, $)
It’s really important to use the right kind of pencil when you’re doing a base drawing for watercolor; you don’t want it to be too soft, because it’ll be dark and smudgy, but you also don’t want it to be too hard because it could leave lines in the paper. I recommend drawing lightly with a 2H or HB. Snag a sharpener while you’re at it, they’re super nice and keep your pencils pretty!
Sakura Pigma Micron Pens (All Levels, $)
I LOVE THESE PENS. I used these all through college, and have been through probably three dozen. If you take care of them (and keep the caps on, unlike me), they’ll last a really long time. The best part about these pens is that they don’t run if you paint watercolor over them! Truly the best. I’d recommend a 3 pack with varied sizes, and my personal go-to size is the 0.2 black. They run about $2.50 per, which can add up fast, but you won’t need many. This is what I use to do any outlining or detailing.