Choosing the right art supplies can be confusing and overwhelming for beginner watercolor painters. This guide will help you figure out what you need to start painting with watercolors.

Art Supplies  for Beginner Watercolor Painting

1. Watercolor Paint colors:

Watercolor tubes of paint

Invest in a set of vibrant watercolor paints from reputable brands such as Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith, or Schmincke. Resist the temptation to buy all the colors.  You don't need a lot of colors to create beautiful watercolor artwork. Starting out with a limited number of colors helps you understand color mixing without feeling overwhelmed. Start with essential colors like:

• Cadmium red
• Alizarin crimson 
• Cerulean blue
• Ultramarine blue 
• Yellow ochre 
• Lemon yellow 
• burnt umber

You don't need black paint to make colors darker or to create shadows. Mixing your existing colors together will give you dark colors.

If you can only afford three paint colors, go for : 

• Alizarin Crimson
• Ultramarine Blue 
• Lemon Yellow

You'd be surprised at how many colors you can mix with just these!

2. Watercolor Brushes:

Three watercolor brushes: an angle brush, detail brush and medium round brush

You also don't need a cornucopia of brushes in different sizes and shapes. Just like with paints, limiting your brush collection initially is helpful. A size 8 round brush for general use, a liner brush for fine details, and a large flat brush like a 1" for filling in larger areas are a good starting point. 

Make sure your brushes they are designed for watercolor not oil paints or acrylic. 

In time you'll develop a preference for the size of brush and shape, as well as type of hair. But to start, synthetic brushes are ideal for watercolor painting beginners they hold a decent amount of water and don't lose their shape. 

If you're on a tight budget and can only afford one brush, go for a round size 8. It’s versatile and can handle most tasks. Many paintings are done with just one medium round brush like a size 8. You can create both thin lines and wide strokes with it, by simply adjusting how you hold the brush.

3. Watercolor Paper:

Watercolor paper

Watercolor paper is different from regular paper it's specially designed to handle the wetness of watercolor paints without buckling. 

Look for watercolor paper that is heavyweight (at least 140 lb/300gsm). For budget-friendly options, look for student-grade paper. Cold-pressed watercolor paper is a popular choice because it has a slight texture that handles water well.

For best results, choose 100% cotton artist-grade paper over student-grade paper. Arches and Fabriano are popular brands renown for their quality watercolor papers. 

However, you're not going to paint a masterpiece every time you pick up your brush. Sometimes student-grade paper is still needed for play and practice. Strathmore and Canson are popular brands for quality student-grade paper.

Another option to consider for paper is a watercolor sketch book. It's great for on-the-go practice but storage is less of a problem too. Look for a sketchbook with thick, watercolor paper. This will prevent the paper from warping when wet. 

4. Palette and Mixing Trays:

White plastic watercolor palette with wells by  Elena Mozhvilo

A palette is where you mix your colors before you apply them to paper. Having a palette with multiple wells allows you to mix a wide range of colors at once, without the colors accidentally touching and mixing, but don't stress if you don't have one.  An old ceramic plate works just fine, as a makeshift palette!

5. Water Containers:

Glass water container containing dirty water

• One for clean water for diluting your paint  
• One for rinsing your brushes.

You can buy all kinds of containers, including ones with holes along the edges for storing brushes but empty sauce jars will work just fine. If you're more of a Neville Longbottom, you might prefer using plastic containers that won't break if you drop them. 

6. Paper Towels or Rags:

Tissue for blotting

You'll need something for : 

• Wiping excess water off a brush
• Getting most of the paint out when you wash your brushes
• Lifting color and creating texture 
• Cleaning up messes. 

Optional but Useful Watercolor Supplies

7. Masking Fluid:

Masking fluid

It's a liquid rubber that you apply to areas you want to keep white or unpainted. Once it's dry, you can paint over it without worrying about the color getting onto the area. When you're done, just peel it off to reveal pristine white areas. It's perfect for creating highlights, details, or negative spaces.Consider using masking fluid to preserve areas of white paper to create intricate details in your watercolor paintings. 

8. Painting Board or Surface:

Use a sturdy drawing board or painting surface to support your watercolor paper while painting. Ensure that the board is larger than your paper to prevent any accidental paint spills or smudges on your work area.

9. Pencil:

HB pencil

To lightly sketch your painting composition beforehand, it's best to use a hard pencil like a 2H over an HB. Personally, I prefer mechanical pencils for light sketching, they don't require sharpening. 

10. Eraser:

Eraser

Remove dark pencil marks with an eraser. A kneadable eraser is versatile as it can be molded into different shapes.

11. Masking tape:

Masking tape

Use to secure your paper to a board, or any surface to prevent paper from buckling. Tape can also be used to mask areas you want to leave unpainted.

12. Ruler:

A ruler is useful for measuring, drawing straight lines, and outlining your paper.

Conclusion:

There you have it – a list of essential and optional supplies for watercolor painting. If you're still unsure what to buy, a children's watercolor set is a good starting point.

You don't need expensive supplies inorder to start. As you get a feel for the medium, you can always invest in higher-quality materials.