How to Choose Your Watercolor Supplies: A Buyer's Guide

Watercolor captivates with its light and transparency, but getting equipped for the first time can be overwhelming. Portable pans, creamy tubes, new-generation markers… it's easy to get lost. Our mission?? To help you make sense of it all. This guide breaks down the different options for watercolor supplies and offers a curated selection, whether you're a curious beginner, an art student, or a travelling artist.

How to Choose the Right Watercolor Supplies??

To make the right choice, several criteria should be considered based on your needs and artistic practice.

1. Pans or Tubes?: Which Paint Format Should You Choose??

The choice between pan watercolors and tube watercolors primarily depends on your habits?: do you paint more in a studio or outdoors??

• Pan watercolors come in small, dry, compact blocks of pigment. Tucked into a metal or plastic box, they form an ultra-practical travel watercolor palette. A simple damp brush is all it takes to activate the color. It's the top choice for its portability, cleanliness, and ease of use outdoors.
• Tube watercolors contain a thick, creamy paint. They are perfect for studio work, where you need to prepare larger quantities of color on a palette. Their pigments, often highly concentrated, offer unparalleled vibrancy. It's also a versatile format that allows you to fill empty pans yourself.

2. Watercolor Markers?: The Modern, Precise Alternative

For illustration, hand lettering, or bullet journaling, the watercolor brush pen (or watercolor marker) is an incredibly effective solution. These markers contain a water-based ink that dilutes and behaves like traditional watercolor when touched with a wet brush. They offer stunning control and precision, perfect for fine details, while also allowing for beautiful wash and gradient effects.

3. The Complete Set?: The Ideal Solution for Beginners

To get started without making a mistake, a watercolor set or a beginner's kit is the smartest choice. These kits are designed to provide a harmonious palette of basic colors, saving you the headache of selecting them shade by shade. They often include welcome accessories like a brush or an integrated palette. It's the perfect starting point?: economical, coherent, and hassle-free.

Recommended Watercolor Supplies

Here is a selection of products that meet different needs, from the portable kit to a set for illustrators.

1. Talens Art Creation Watercolour Pocket Box

What Makes It Great

This watercolor set from Talens Art Creation is the archetype of the all-in-one kit. Designed for artists on the go, this sturdy plastic case contains everything you need to paint on location. Its clever design makes it the ideal travel companion for those who love to capture the moment.

Highlights

• Complete and portable kit?: 12 watercolor pans, a travel brush, and a small sponge.
• Clever design?: The lid doubles as a large mixing palette.
• Reactivatable colors?: The pigments remain water-soluble even when dry, allowing you to easily rework your painting.
• Ultra-compact?: It slips into any bag for an outdoor painting session.

Who is it for?? Ideal for beginners looking for a hassle-free first set, as well as for travelling watercolorists and fans of urban sketching who need reliable and easy-to-carry supplies.

2. Talens Art Creation Watercolour Set – 12 × 12 ml

Why we love it

This set of watercolor paint in tubes from Talens Art Creation embodies all the richness and creaminess of this format. It brings together a palette of 12 essential colors, perfect for exploring an infinite number of mixes in the studio.

Highlights

• An essential assortment?: 12 tubes of 12?ml with the fundamental colors to get you started.
• Intense pigmentation?: The creamy texture delivers rich colors that can be diluted as desired to play with transparency.
• High versatility?: Ideal for painting on large surfaces or for filling your own pans.
• All techniques?: Perfect for "wet-on-dry" (sharp details) as well as "wet-on-wet" (soft blends) techniques.

Who is it for?? An excellent choice for art students and hobbyists who primarily paint in a studio and enjoy the freedom of creating their own color palettes.

3. STAEDTLER Double-Ended Watercolour Pen – 18 colours

The Standout Choice

The dual-tip Staedtler marker brings together the best of both worlds?: the precision of a fine liner and the flexibility of a brush tip. This ultra-versatile tool is designed for illustration, calligraphy, and all creative practices that require both clean lines and wash effects.

Highlights

• Smart dual tip?: A flexible brush tip for color washes and varied strokes, and a fine tip for outlines and details.
• Watercolor ink?: The water-based ink blends when touched with a wet brush to create beautiful gradients.
• 18 vibrant colors?: A rich and bright assortment so you're never short on inspiration.
• Ready to use?: Can be used as-is for a quick drawing, but reveals its full potential once blended with water.

Who is it for?? The perfect companion for illustrators, hand lettering enthusiasts, bullet journal creators, and mixed-media artists. In short, for anyone looking for a precise, clean, and versatile tool.

Looking for Other Options??

Our selection is just a glimpse, and the world of watercolor is full of hidden gems. If the precision and simplicity of markers have caught your eye, we have many other models for you to discover.

Explore our full range of watercolor pens to find the tool that matches your style.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What paper should I use for watercolor?? The choice of paper is as crucial as the choice of paint. For watercolor, opt for a heavy-weight paper (at least 300?gsm) to prevent it from buckling when wet. Fine grain ('cold press') paper is the most versatile?: its slight texture grips pigments well. Satin grain ('hot press') paper, on the other hand, is perfectly smooth and ideal for high-precision work.

2. Can I mix different brands of watercolor paint?? Yes, absolutely. It is perfectly fine to mix watercolors from different brands, especially if they are of equivalent quality (student or artist grade). However, for beginners, the easiest approach is to start with a watercolor set from a single brand. This ensures perfect consistency in the texture and behavior of the colors.

3. How do I maintain my watercolor supplies?? Proper maintenance is simple but essential for making your supplies last. After each session, rinse your brushes with clean water until it runs clear. Reshape the tip with your fingers and let them dry flat or bristle-down (never bristle-up in a jar?!). Also, remember to clean your palette to prevent colors from drying and mixing. As for the pans, simply let them air dry before closing their box.