In a new video series I share free tutorials to get started painting flowers. This style of watercolor painting requires practice, but of course also some basic materials. That is a good combination for a beautiful end result. Are you toiling and not getting the end result? you would like? Then there is a good chance that you are not using good materials.

But what do you need now? In this video I explain it further. The most important items are: your paper, brushes and your paint. You have to get that right. Don't buy too much, but buy them well. 

Watercolor paper, cold pressed 100% cotton

In the video I use Arches Cold pressed 100% cotton paper . This block is glued on four sides. The paper is cold pressed and that means that there is a little bit of structure in the paper. Cotton paper is a bit more expensive, but this is certainly something that makes a difference in your end result. 

You can always use cheaper paper to try out your composition and use the nice paper for more of an end result.

These Arches blocks are available in blocks of 12 sheets or 20 sheets. The blocks with 12 sheets are glued on 1 side and those with 20 sheets are glued on four sides. There is an opening in which you can insert a knife to cut loose a leaf. The handy thing about such blocks is that the paper is already stretched on the block. Both editions are available in many different sizes.

Watercolor painting

I use the Winsor Professional 24-color palette, an ideal palette with basic colors. This paint is artist quality and has a nice strong color. This paint contains the best pigments and binders. It is better to buy fewer colors, because with these colors you can mix many shades. With such a set you actually limit yourself, and as a result you learn additional techniques.

Don't let yourself be stopped from starting with watercolor because you think: I have to buy such an expensive set. Are you going to start? Then a palette from the Cotman series is super nice. Then you won't immediately notice the difference between the paint. That paint is a lot cheaper, and that's not a problem. The price/quality ratio of this paint is extremely good. Do you find it really difficult to mix colors? Then it is also wonderful to use the Cotman set with 40 colors, because the best thing is to start painting and that the materials serve you and not the other way around.

For each palette you use, I recommend making a swatch chart of all the colors. This way you always see which colors are in your palette and you can easily keep the card next to the item you want to paint. 

View all Winsor & Newton palettes here.

As additional materials: 

• A clean cup with water, keep this water reasonably clean so that your colors do not become 'muddy'.
• A paper towel or small towel to dab your brush in.
• Possibly a mixing palette, I use this porcelain palette. The advantage of porcelain is that it does not absorb color. Plastic is of course nice to take with you.
• A brush holder
• A fineliner (pigmentliner 0.6) 
• A mono zero eraser
• A Blackwing pencil.

Brushes : I explain them in a video.

Please ask your questions below the video on YouTube!

Love,

Judith