Kerrie Woodhouse
Watercolour Supplies
Quick Reference
Quick Reference
Everything you actually need to get started. No overwhelm, no overspending. For the full deep-dive, visit the free class.
Free Beginners' Guide to Supplies →
Some links below are affiliate links. If you purchase through them, Amazon may pay me a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for the support! Click the Shop buttons to visit any product page.
⬇ Printable PDF
01 — Paper
The most important supply of all
💎
The golden rule
Cheap paper will ruin your experience. Before upgrading anything else, upgrade your paper. Good paper makes every other supply perform better.
What to look for
300gsm
Weight
Also labelled 140lb. Won't buckle when wet.
Cold press
Texture
Slightly textured, best all-rounder for beginners
Block or pad
Format
Blocks stay flat without taping, great for beginners
Recommended picks
Meeden Watercolour Block 12" x 8" Kerrie uses this
Gummed block stays flat without taping. Affordable and reliable.
Shop on Amazon →Bockingford Pad 12" x 16" Top pick
Great quality, widely available, reliable results. A classic beginner choice.
Shop on Amazon →02 — Brushes
One good brush can be enough
Kerrie's tip
▼ click to read
Recommended picks
Black Tulip Mix Shapes Set (Zen Art Supplies) Starter set
5-piece set with 2 flats, 2 rounds and a rigger. Great variety to discover what you love.
Shop at Zen Art Supplies →Fuumui Synthetic Watercolour Brush Set Kerrie uses this
Mop-style brushes that hold beautiful amounts of water. Perfect for loose, expressive work.
Shop on Amazon →Princeton Neptune Round No. 12 Upgrade
Synthetic squirrel hair with an excellent point and great water-holding capacity. A wonderful single brush when you're ready to invest.
Shop on Amazon →03 — Paint
Choose your adventure
Kerrie's tip
▼ click to read
Two ways to set up your palette
Ready-made set
Choose your budget. A good affordable option or go straight for artist quality. Either way you'll have a full palette ready to paint with immediately.
04 — Drawing tools
Sketch before you paint
Essential drawing tools
Pilot Color Eno Erasable Mechanical Pencil Kerrie uses this
Erasable and won't show through watercolour. A lovely light sketching tool.
Shop on Amazon →Regular HB graphite pencil
I don't like graphite... but that's just me! It's a perfectly acceptable choice and typically used by watercolour painters.
Kneadable Eraser (Faber Castell)
Moulds to any shape and lifts graphite gently without damaging paper.
Shop on Amazon →05 — Nice to haves
Extras that make life easier
Useful extras
Uniball Eye Ultra Micro Pen (Mitsubishi) Nice to have
Waterproof and great for ink and wash work.
Shop on Amazon →Japan Aquash Water Brush Set of 3 Nice to have
Built-in water reservoir. Brilliant for painting on the go.
Shop on Amazon →Kitchen towel
For blotting brushes, lifting colour, and general mopping up.