Watercolor Essentials: A Pro Artist's Top Picks for Novice & Professional Artists
- Sadie Pennell
- Sep 10, 2023
- 11 min read
Updated: Jan 26, 2024
High quality materials are a necessity for any professional artist. However, they are a great idea for beginners too! That sounds crazy right? "Why would I want to spend a ton of money on fancy materials when I (or my child) is just starting out?" High quality usually equals $$$$ after all...right? Not necessarily. Having great art materials can make a massive difference if you get them from the jump. I'm going to share with you everything I use and love that I would not hesitate to recommend to a beginner or a fellow professional.
The Miniature Muse by Sweet Pea Paintings Co
Let's start with paint.
Over the last 13 years, I have tried countless brands of watercolors. I've tried brands like Windsor & Newton, Artist's Loft, Koi, Reeves, Fine Touch, etc. With each brand, there was something I just didn't like, be it the pigmentation of the colors, a lack of spread-ability, near impossible or crude blending capability, and more. There was always something...until I found a set by a brand I had never heard of and gave them a shot. I have not gone back since.
This is the exact watercolor set I have been using exclusively for the last six years. In all six years of painting professionally, I have yet to have to buy another. This is in part due to the my pieces being tiny, but also due to the incredible quality of the paints contained in this palette. With these luxurious colors, a little goes a long way. Each color is rich and vibrant, spreads easily, mixes beautifully, and offers an incredible variety of colors making mixing new colors even more specific and exact.
More About the Brand
Kuretake was established in 1902 in Nara, Japan, the birthplace of Japanese calligraphy and famous for its ink brushes (fude). Its reputation for the highest quality of ink remains today. Craftsmanship is revered and deeply rooted in Nara's culture. Kuretake has explored and refined their knowledge of multi-colored pigment inks and has expanded into the Arts & Crafts industry with their highly-rated 5 star, affordable line of watercolors.
I have used this set for each and every one of my miniature paintings, requiring precision, strong pigmentation and the most delicate of blending. I have used this set in larger works requiring bleeds and flow of color ranging from transparent to opaque layers, and all of this is easily accomplished in minimal layers and the tiniest amount of paint.
Each color in the palette is in its own individual compartment that can be removed from the palette, allowing for the user to either take the already very portable full set on the go, or, a select number of colors! Add on top of this set a separate tube of white gouache paint for sharp highlights, and you have the dream set.
This set is offered in a variety of options:
Kuretake Gansai Tambi 24 Color Set $34.99 Kuretake Gansai Tambi 48 Color Set On sale (at time of publishing) for $37.00, regularly $80
Other products by Kuretake I want to try:
Take a look at the images below to see how these paints performed in a variety of my own paintings!
I recommend this palette to beginners and pros alike. However, please note that I do not recommend this to beginners under a certain age. I would recommend this set to a child no sooner than around middle school age, after they learn to mix colors outside of the palette, clean their brushes, and how to keep their materials in great condition. Learning to paint with great paints will result in your materials being far longer lasting, easier to work with, and paint you can grow with and not grow out of.
#2: Brushes
Brushes are something I am constantly getting asked about. Some ask in response to how tiny my pieces are and the size of brush that must be required, while others are simply seeking recommendations on the best brushes and brands. I always tell them that while I do have a few recommendations, brushes can be something deeply personal to your preferences as an artist/creator or depend entirely on what/how you are painting. Generally, I prefer a firm brush that doesn't bend or fan out easily - something geared toward detail as that is the entirety of my practice.
For my miniature pieces, I use the 0000 Windsor & Newton Round brush. This brush is great for small details or line work in larger pieces. I've been using this brush since exclusively as of 3 years ago (I have not had to replace it yet!). It allows for excellent precision, holds both paint and water well, and fits well in your hand. If you paint small or work with a lot of tiny details, this is the brush I recommend to you!
Now, outside of that very specific brush I use for a very specific artform, there are so many opinions out there as to the best brands and styles of brushes that it can be extremely overwhelming to try and choose the right brushes for you. I'm here to help! Every artist can benefit from having a variety of brushes in their arsenal. Think about it like having a great set of kitchen knives; each knife type serves a specific purpose and having a variety gives you the flexibility to do many things in the kitchen! I'll tell you about each type of brush, hair type, and my favorite brands to go to. From there, I hope you'll have a much better idea of where to start!
Most Common Brush Shapes These are the brushes I recommend you start adding to your collection. Think about the size of work you create when choosing your brushes. If you work large, think about getting these types of brushes on a medium to larger scale with one or two smaller brushes in the mix for fine details. If you work small, focus your attention on the small to smaller medium sizes with one or two larger brushes. After all, you never know when you might want to try a new or different size!
Round
Round brushes are the most common brush you will find in any artist's set. They are extremely versatile and can help you achieve thickness and thinness in your work using more pressure to spread the brushes width (belly) and light pressure to create that thin line (using the tapered tip). They come in multiple sizes. I find it most useful to have one in the middle of the smaller sizes and one in the middle of the larger sizes, depending on the size of work you enjoy creating.
Flat
A flat brush can be described as a more geometric brush, It is perfect for stripes, lines, and linear marks. Larger flat brushes are also a wonderful tool for washes. Think of vacuuming or mowing. When you vacuum your house or mow the lawn, you tend to cover area very linearly - up and down in straight lines to ensure the entire area is covered evenly. Large flat brushes do this same thing in washes! Bright You may have noticed that Bright brushes look very similar to flat brushes. The main difference are the shorter bristles of the Bright brush meant for short and more controlled strokes. Filbert Filbert brushes have a similar shape to flat brushes, just with a curved or rounded tip. Filbert brushes are great for shading, creating soft edges, blending color, and even great for using dry brush techniques! This is definitely a versatile brush I highly recommend adding to your set! Fan Fan brushes are more of a specialty brush rather than a common brush in every artist's kit. However, I wanted to include them here anyway. Fan brushes have a wide range of uses, most commonly, adding textured grass, painting leaves, adding texture to rocks, and other foliage.
Angle (or Dagger)
These flat and slanted brushes have sharp edges great for precision, fine details, and getting in those corners. Get geometric!
Mop
Mop brushes do exactly what they sound like they do - cover a whole lot of area with a good amount of water and paint. These brushes are for the looser, water abundant watercolor artist (definitely not me).
Detail (Spotters & Riggers)
Detail brushes are my source of happiness in my practice. They're all I use. There are two types of detail brushes: spotters and riggers. Spotters hold very little water and pigment due to their short hairs. They are meant for the tiniest of details. Riggers hold a bit more paint and water due to their longer hairs. They are meant for slightly larger details and fine lines. I highly recommend having one of each if you work with very small to even medium sizes.
Common Hair Types & Brands
Synthetic vs Natural Hair Brushes
Like everything, there are both pros and cons to using synthetic brushes or natural hair brushes. Synthetic brushes are often more affordable than natural hair brushes and are, of course, not made from real animal hair. Natural hair brushes can come from an array of different animals, each one having different painting qualities. These brushes are also often sold at a much higher price point. I prefer synthetic brushes due in part to their price point, but also because of their springiness and ease in keeping their shape. There are plenty of synthetic brushes that are a great dupe for the effects certain natural hair brushes can give you. However, I will still go over some of the attributes of natural hair brushes!
Sable Hair
Sable is by far the most treasured of the hair types for watercolors. These brushes hold their original shape incredibly well, especially the round brushes. The natural hair sables will be quite pricey but of excellent quality across brands. The Escoda Kolinsky Sable Brushes are expert quality, made from male and female Kolinsky weasel winter coat hairs ranging from $11.98 - $897.05. If you are looking for something close in quality, but far more affordable, try a synthetic sable from Princeton Heritage Series 4050 brushes.
Goat Hair
Goat hair is most commonly used in Japanese calligraphy. They have great capacity (hold paint and water well), and are great for thick to thin bold strokes. However, these brushes tend not to offer its user a fine point. I have a few Japanese calligraphy brushes myself in a few different sizes. In my practice, I don't pull them out often, but when I am experimenting with larger pieces, they are a lot of fun to take out! You can find my personal favorites, the Yasutomo Bamboo Sumi Brushes here.
Ox Hair
If you like using a good ol' dry brush technique, then this hair type is for you. Ox hair is incredibly stiff and course, great for overlaying some dry strokes over blends. I personally have not used many Ox hair brushes, so I cannot speak to brands for them. However, if you go to any art store and see a selection, I recommend choosing the stiffest, most rigid brush you can find. Extra scratchy.
Squirrel Hair
Squirrel hair is very soft and fluffy and holds large volumes of water and paint. This type of brush is best for covering large areas with a more loose approach. As a miniature artist, this brush is my worst nightmare. But if you love a loose look, this brush is definitely one to add to your list. For synthetic squirrel hair dupes, I highly recommend the Princeton Neptune Synthetic Squirrel Hair Brushes.
My Suggestion When Buying Brushes
Brushes can be expensive. If you have less experience with certain types of brushes, try some cheaper ones out before committing to buying a full set of really nice brushes. I bought a couple nice brushes in sizes or shapes that I now NEVER use because younger me thought it would be a great idea to have all the kinds for all the things. I now have my style, my niche, and no longer use over half of my brushes! Not every artist needs all of these brushes by any means. See what you like and which brushes work best for your style and practice, then when you're sure of what you love, start upgrading little by little to some of those nicer brushes and brands.
#3: Watercolor Paper
Paper is HUGE. I can't tell you how many times I've used a sheet of watercolor paper that LET ME DOWN, whether from bubbling, expanding, or pilling, it sucks. Now, these issues can happen even with the best paper if you are not careful. Too much water can cause bubbling and expansion (wavy paper) and going over one spot on a painting too hard can cause pilling and leave a painfully obvious splotch that just cannot be remedied in the middle of your work. With that being said, paper should not do these things if you are painting properly. If they are happening with proper painting, I've got some great paper recommendations you should definitely try!
Canson Watercolor Paper Pad (12x18 Pad | $25.46 | 30 Sheets) My favorite brand of watercolor paper is none other than Canson Watercolor Paper from Michaels. I like to get the 12"x18" pad of 30 sheets. For me, it goes a long way as I simply cut down the sheets to my tiny sizes and use any excess strips as test paper for mixed colors. However, they sell these pads in a variety of sizes if you'd like something smaller or larger!
The Canson Watercolor Paper has a beautiful texture, giving your paintings a lavish, high-quality look. Note the paper's texture below
CON: Because of its texture, when framing pieces painted on this paper, you will find it a bit more challenging to clear away any dust or specks as that texture really grabs on to it. However, with the gorgeous look of it, I do not mind taking the extra time to make it spotless. Note that this might not be as big of an issue for you if your entire paper is painted and you cannot see the tiny specks. In my line of work, there's a lot of paper still visible and EVERYTHING shows - so that con may not apply to you!
Artist's Loft Watercolor Paper Pad (12x18 Pad | $19.99 | 30 Sheets)
Another pad I absolutely love is the Artist's Loft Level 2 pad. This paper behaves just like the Canson sheets but without that strong texture of the Canson. It frames easily as dust and specks are far more easily brushed off! There is a Level 3 pad I have not yet used. I find nothing wrong with the Level 2, but if you'd like to try it out, I'm sure it's lovely! (Just let me know how you like it please!) Note the softness of the paper below.
Saunders Waterford Watercolor Paper Pads (12x16 Pad | $49.47 | 20 Sheets) Saunders Waterford is a VERY nice pad of paper. It is firm yet light with a soft texture. The color is slightly off white - something I love, as stark white is a bit harsh on the eyes. Colors pop on this paper, it is highly absorbent, and does not crinkle easily. I paint professionally but still use my Canson Watercolor Paper Pad. I am perfectly happy with it. If you want to try some paper on the fancier side, this is the pad I recommend.
Takeaways
Everyone has different preferences to materials based on their process, techniques, and many other factors. These are the materials I use as a professional watercolor artist. Being a professional artist doesn't always have to mean having the most expensive or highest rated materials. It is all about what makes sense for you, your practice, and of course, your budget. Many times, it is how you use your materials that makes a huge difference - be it good or bad. Try some things out, take notes on what you liked or didn't like, so you know what to look for in your next purchase, and try different methods and techniques with different products. Experiment, play, have fun and see what products YOU love. If you find something you love and want to share, comment it below! I am always open to trying new brands or materials!
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