Watercolour for Beginners: Paint, Paper, Brushes and First Steps
To start watercolour you need only a small set of paints, one or two round brushes, a pad of 300 gsm (140 lb) watercolour paper and two jars of clean water. Student-quality paint is perfectly good for learning; the paper matters more than the paint, so put your money there first. This guide explains what the labels mean and gives you four exercises for your first week.
Student vs artist quality paint
Watercolour is sold in two broad grades. Student ranges contain less pigment and are cheaper, while artist (or professional) ranges pack in as much pigment as possible and usually offer more single-pigment colours. Winsor & Newton, for example, describes its student Cotman range as using fine art pigments with a reduced pigment load compared with its Professional range.
| Feature | Student quality | Artist quality |
|---|---|---|
| Pigment load | Lower, so colours are a little less intense | Higher, giving stronger colour from less paint |
| Colour range | Smaller; some colours are blends of several pigments | Wider; more single-pigment colours that mix cleanly |
| Price | Usually one flat price per colour | Priced in "series", with costly pigments in higher series |
| Who it suits | Beginners, sketching, practice | Finished work, glazing, painters who know their palette |
A sensible route is to start with a student set and later replace the colours you use most with artist-quality versions. You do not need to change everything at once.
Pans or tubes?
Pans are small blocks of dried paint that you wet with a brush. Half pans are the common size in compact sets; whole pans are twice the size and easier to use with a larger brush. Tubes hold moist paint (student tubes are often sold in 8 ml and 21 ml sizes) and suit larger washes because you can squeeze out a generous amount.
- Choose pans if you want a tidy, portable box for the kitchen table or for painting outdoors.
- Choose tubes if you paint big washes or want to mix a lot of one colour quickly.
- Combine them: many painters squeeze tube paint into empty pans and let it dry, which gives the convenience of a pan box with refillable colour.
A limited palette teaches mixing faster than a large set. A warm and a cool version of each primary (two yellows, two reds, two blues) plus a brown such as burnt sienna is enough to mix most colours you will need.
Watercolour paper: gsm, cotton and surface
Paper is where beginners most often struggle without realising it. Thin paper soaks up water unevenly, buckles and pills when you work back into it, and that is easily mistaken for a lack of skill.
Weight (gsm)
Paper weight is given in grams per square metre (gsm) and, on older or imported pads, in pounds. 300 gsm is the same paper as 140 lb and is the usual starting weight for watercolour. Lighter papers tend to cockle (ripple) when wet unless they are stretched first; heavier papers such as 640 gsm (300 lb) stay flatter still but cost more per sheet.
Cotton content
Student papers are mostly wood cellulose, sometimes with a proportion of cotton. Artist papers are often 100% cotton: Winsor & Newton describes its professional 300 gsm paper as 100% cotton, acid-free and sized inside and out. Cotton holds water longer, so washes blend more smoothly and the surface survives lifting and scrubbing. If you buy one "better" item early on, make it a cotton pad.
Surface
| Surface | Also called | Texture | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot pressed | HP | Smooth | Fine detail, botanical work, pen and wash |
| Cold pressed | NOT (not hot pressed) | Medium grain | All-round use; the usual beginner choice |
| Rough | R | Heavy grain | Loose landscapes, sparkle and granulation |
Pads that are gummed on all four sides (blocks) hold the paper flat while you paint, which helps if you use a lot of water.
Brushes you actually need
Three brushes will cover nearly everything at the start:
- A medium round (around size 8) with a good point, for most of your painting.
- A small round (around size 2 to 4) for details and lettering.
- A flat or wash brush (about 2.5 cm / 1 inch) for skies and laying even backgrounds.
Synthetic brushes are affordable, hard-wearing and well suited to beginners. Rinse them in clean water after each session, reshape the tip with your fingers and store them flat or upright with the head in the air so the bristles do not bend. Brush sizes are not standardised between makers, so compare the actual head length rather than the number alone.
You will also need two water jars (one to rinse, one kept clean for mixing), a white palette or plate, kitchen roll and a pencil. You can find paints, paper and brushes in our Painting & Drawing department, and a lidded box from Craft Storage keeps a small kit together.
First exercises for your first week
Short, repeatable exercises build control faster than attempting a full picture straight away. Use a cheap 300 gsm pad and do each one several times.
- Flat wash: tilt your board slightly, load the flat brush and paint horizontal bands across a 10 cm square, picking up the bead of paint at the bottom of each stroke. Aim for even colour with no stripes.
- Graded wash: repeat the flat wash, adding a little more water with each band so the colour fades from strong to pale. This is the basis of most skies.
- Colour chart: paint a small swatch of every colour you own, then a grid mixing each colour with every other. Label them in pencil; this becomes your reference sheet.
- Wet-on-wet vs wet-on-dry: drop paint onto damp paper and watch it bloom, then paint the same colour onto dry paper for a crisp edge. Knowing when to use each is most of watercolour technique.
Let each layer dry fully before painting over it, otherwise colours lift and turn muddy. A hairdryer on a cool, low setting can speed things up, held well away from the paper.
Safety and tidying up
Watercolour is water-based and needs no solvents, which makes it a practical choice for a shared kitchen table. Some pigments carry hazard warnings, so read the label, avoid licking or "pointing" brushes with your lips, keep paint away from food and wash your hands afterwards. With children, supervise and choose paints labelled as suitable for their age. Avoid pouring rinse water containing lots of pigment straight down the sink: let it settle, then wipe the sludge out with kitchen roll and put it in the bin. If you are wondering how watercolour compares with other paints, see our guide to acrylic vs oil vs watercolour.
Beginner checklist
- Student-quality set of 8 to 12 colours, pans or tubes
- 300 gsm (140 lb) cold-pressed (NOT) paper, ideally a cotton pad or block
- Round brushes around sizes 8 and 2 to 4, plus a 2.5 cm flat
- Two water jars, a white palette, kitchen roll and a pencil
- Week one: flat wash, graded wash, colour chart and wet-on-wet tests
Frequently asked questions
Is student-quality watercolour good enough for beginners?
Yes. Student ranges contain less pigment than artist ranges, but they handle well and are ideal for learning washes and mixing. Many painters later upgrade only the colours they use most.
What weight of watercolour paper should a beginner use?
Start with 300 gsm (140 lb) paper. Lighter papers tend to ripple when wet unless they are stretched first, which makes even washes harder.
What is the difference between 300 gsm and 140 lb watercolour paper?
They describe the same weight. Grams per square metre (gsm) is the metric measure and pounds (lb) is the older imperial one.
Should I choose pans or tubes?
Pans are compact and tidy, which suits small paintings and travel. Tubes make it easier to mix large washes; you can also squeeze tube paint into empty pans to dry.
Why is 100% cotton watercolour paper recommended?
Cotton paper holds water for longer, so washes blend more evenly, and the surface copes better with lifting and reworking. Cellulose papers are cheaper and fine for practice.