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. If you can’t see the video below, click HERE.

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. If you can’t see the video below, click HERE.

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:
    • Short Round 8
    • Short Round 12
  • 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.
    • Canson Arches French Bound Cold Press Watercolor Paper Pad 9×12
    • Canson Arches French Bound Rough Watercolor Paper Pad 9×12
• Watercolor Paints:
  • Daniel Smith, Essentials 5ml Set of 6
    • 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:
  • • Lemon Yellow
    • Quinacridone Gold
    • Permanent Yellow Deep
    • Quinacridone Burnt Orange
    • Transparent Pyrrol Orange
    • Quinacridone Coral
    • Quinacridone Pink
    • Green Apatite Genuine
    • Sap Green
    • Phthalo Green – Blue Shade
    • Ultramarine Turquoise
    • Indanthrone Blue
    • Phthalo Blue – Red Shade
    • Manganese Blue Hue
    • Carbazole Violet
    • Pearlescent Shimmer
    • Sepia
    • Lunar Black
• 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
  • Watercolor Half Pans
• 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

For those who love to swatch, you may desire these; if you want to stamp these instead of drawing the boxes as shown in class videos you are welcome to do so, but figuring out the box counts etc is up to you.

• Waffle Flower swatching stamps and dies:
  • Color Wheel, Stamp and die combo | Stamps Only | Dies Only
  • Swatch Tag, Stamp and die combo | Stamps Only | Dies Only
  • Color Swatch boxes, Stamp and die combo | Stamps Only | Dies Onlys
• Stamping Tools:
  • My Sweet Petunia MISTI Stamping Tool(use if stamping on flat paper)
  • Fiskars Easy Stamp Press (use if you wish to stamp in your sketchbook)
• Waterproof black inks:
  • Lawn Fawn Ink Pad, Jet Black
  • VersaFine Ink Pad, Onyx Black

VERY 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 do let your friends know about the class – post images from your sketchbook if desired on your social media, linking to this class so your friends can come join in the fun! You can also join our Student Facebook Group, filled with students from all classes here, and share your work and ask questions there. If sharing otherwise on Facebook or Instagram, use our #watercolorjumpstart hashtag and follow your fellow students —and instructor— sharing there as well!

Once you’ve purchased the class, click “Mark Complete” and the learning adventure can begin!