Materials list for Watercolour Class

Paper

Please get 100% cotton watercolour paper, cold pressed. Paper must be 300gsm (140lb). 10x14 inches is the ideal size, but a smaller size (eg. 9x12 inches) will also be useful so that you have options. (If working in metric, this means roughly A3 and A4). There are various brands to choose from. It is usually cheaper per page if you buy a larger size and cut it down. The best painting experience is if you buy a “block” that is glued on all sides. If using a block, it’s useful to have two, so that while one is drying, you can work on another one.

We will also do lots of warmups, so please also bring cheaper watercolour paper, this doesn’t have to be 100% cotton.

Brushes

1. Hake Brush. For painting skies and other large areas, you will need a Hake Brush. Mine is from Jacksons Art, 1.25 inches (30mm) wide:
   https://www.jacksonsart.com/jackson-s-artist-hake-white-goat-hair-brush-flat-1-25in-30mm. Please note that when you first open this brush, there is a strong smell, as the bristles are goats’ hair. Please open and take yours for a test drive before the first class, otherwise the smell will be terrible!

2. Large round. I recommend this one: https://www.jacksonsart.com/jackson-s-icon-sable-synthetic-watercolour-brush-quill-no-2

3. Small size 6 round - any synthetic brush is fine

4. A rigger brush, like this: https://www.jacksonsart.com/pro-arte-ms-prolon-series-64-synthetic-brush-half-rigger-size-2-0 is good for making very fine lines.

DRAWING BOARD/STRETCHER

Unless you are painting on watercolour blocks, you will need a board to tape your paper onto. It needs to be slightly bigger than your paper.

PAINTS

It’s up to you whether to use pans or tubes. I recommend:

• Winsor and Newton Cotman full pans or

• Kuretake Gansai Tambi as a good starting point. If getting Kuretake Gansai Tambi, please don’t get the pearlescent or pastel set.

• If getting tubes, Winsor and Newton Cotman set of 12, is good quality student grade paint. You can upgrade to professional quality later.

OTHER ITEMS

• A ceramic palette. I like a flat palette, but it’s fine to get one with sections if you prefer. The bigger the better. You could just start with a white plate, though.

• Two water jars

• Kitchen Towel

• Toilet paper

• Masking tape: low tack tape works best.

• A natural sponge can be useful instead of kitchen towel, but is not essential

• Some rags are useful (eg an old T-shirt cut up) and can save on wasting kitchen towel and toilet paper

• A hard pencil (something in the “H” range)

• A soft eraser

• Watercolour pencil crayons are not essential but nice to have

• Inktense pencil crayons are gorgeous but not essential

• A cutting mat, ruler and craft knife are useful.