Watercolor Jumpstart Preclass

Welcome to the beginning of a wonderful watercolor journey! This class is taught in a sketchbook – and it’s a super-easy one to make, so don’t worry!

Supplies

In the following video is a discussion of class supplies that will be needed, and some optional items as well. The full supply list with links is at the end of this lesson page as well as in the PDF in the Resources section.

Create your sketchbook (one or the other of these)

This folding method is NOT my design for a sketchbook, but is certainly a dream for a class like this! See the downloadable pdf in the Resources section below if written instructions would help as well.

You may alternatively make one of Pearfleur’s sketchbooks from a 9×12 pad, see her gorgeous video below.

Resources

• Watercolor Jumpstart – Preclass Lesson PDF

Watercolor Jumpstart Supplies

Below are links to the supplies for this class. Compensated affiliate links may used, which means if you make a purchase, this site receives a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your support is much appreciated!

• Beginning Watercolor Supply Bundle (discounted group of items, not all needed for this course)
• Brushes: TIP – After filming class, I saw a genius tip to help with mixing: have 2 brushes to work with when mixing – so you aren’t rinsing away paint between dipping into pigments!
  • Silver Brush Black Velvet Watercolor Brushes: I recommend both sizes, but if only getting one, the 8:
    • Silver Brush Black Velvet Round #8 EH – BLICK – AMZ
    • Silver Brush Black Velvet Round #12 EH – BLICK – AMZ
• DaVinci Cosmotop Spin Brush:
  • Mottler Flat Wash 30
• Watercolor Paper:
  • Arches Cold Press full sheet
  • Saunders Waterford full sheet
  • You may wish to have pads but class lessons focus on the sketchbook.
    • Arches Cold Press Watercolor Paper Pad 9×12 EH – Blick
    • Arches Rough Watercolor Paper Pad 9×12 EH – Blick
• Watercolor Paints:
  • Daniel Smith, Essentials 5ml Set of 6 EH – Blick
    • Includes: Hansa Yellow Light, Quinacridone Rose, Phthalo Blue – Green Shade, New Gamboge, Pyrrol Scarlet, French Ultramarine.
    • You can use other brands of these colors; please get artist grade, not student grade (ie not Cotman).
    • Note that if your yellow is called “sunshine” and red is “candy apple,” your paints are likely not artist grade; please do get the Essentials set. For other experimenting in class you are welcome to use whatever paints and colors you wish.
  • Instructor’s Dot Chart includes her recommendations for paper crafters; the chart is dots of actual paint so you can try her colors. These were selected for crafty painters who do not really wish to mix colors, and on her YouTube videos they are often used straight from the pans for simplicity. In this class, many of these colors will be tested for more interesting mixing options; you do not need these but if you wish to set up an identical palette, these are the colors, all on one page: Instructor’s Palette at Ellen Hutson or use links below if you’d like my colors:
    • Nickel Azo EH | Blick
    • New Gamboge EH | Blick
    • Aussie Red Gold EH | Blick
    • Yellow Ochre EH | Blick
    • Burnt Sienna EH | Blick
    • Burnt Umber EH | Blick
    • Perylene Maroon EH | Blick
    • Anthraquinoid Scarlet EH | Blick
    • Pyrrol Scarlet EH | Blick
    • Quinacridone Rose EH | Blick
    • Imperial Purple EH | Blick
    • Moonglow EH | Blick
    • Cobalt Teal Blue EH | Blick
    • Iridescent Electric Blue EH | Blick
    • Cobalt Blue EH | Blick
    • French Ultramarine Blue EH | Blick
    • Phthalo Blue GS EH | Blick
    • Indanthrone Blue EH | Blick
    • Serpentine Genuine EH | Blick
    • Sap Green EH | Blick
    • Green Apatite Genuine EH | Blick
    • Perylene Green EH | Blick
    • Payne’s Blue Gray EH | Blick
    • Neutral Tint EH | Blick

• Palette is not required but recommended! Instructor uses this metal palette but a plastic one is okay too; be sure you have at least 3 decently sized mixing wells. (See a video on setting up a palette HERE)
  • Schmincke Watercolor Palette – EH – Blick
  • Watercolor Half Pans EH – Blick
• Spray bottles (or use an empty household spray bottle – make sure it’s clean!)
  • Tonic Nuvo Light Mist Spray Bottle, 2 pack
  • Ranger Distress Sprayer
  • Ranger Mini Mister
• Tools and more:
  • Compass and protractor set – imperative for creating the color wheels
  • Eraser – Factis or Kneaded eraser
  • Ruler – any kind.
  • Be Creative Tape — strong tape recommended for assembly of the sketchbook
  • Fingertip Fiskars Craft Knife or other xacto knife
  • Ampersand Hardbord – if you wish to do exercises outside of the sketchbook you may want this)
  • Sharpie marker
• Shown in the supply video but not used in class:
  • Artist Color Wheel
  • Pocket Mixing Guide

Important housekeeping stuff

You’re encouraged to share your work – however do NOT pass on the instruction handouts or materials to anyone else, as they are proprietary to this class. You may develop other art as jump-off ideas from lessons learned here, but you may not teach a class or produce a video reproducing content in this course, or in any other way make money on the content here.

Share

Please share your art! You can share homework and ask questions in our Student Facebook Group for all classes here at Art-Classes…please do join in and see the work of fellow students! Each month there’s a giveaway hosted in the group, so don’t miss out on your chance to win.

Linking back to this site or mentioning the class name so others can take the class is appreciated – if you enjoyed it, your friends probably will too!