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.

Downloadable supply list

• Download to take to your local art store (includes directions to fold the sketchbook)

Watercolor Jumpstart Supplies

• Brushes:
  • Silver Brush Black Velvet Brushes: I recommend both sizes, but if only getting one, the 8:
    • Silver Brush Black Velvet Round #8 BLICK – AMZ
    • Silver Brush Black Velvet Round #12 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
    • Arches 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 palette is NOT necessary for this course! Use the colors you have; many students have completed this course just mixing from the 6 essentials. Colors on her palette at the time of shooting this course:
    • Nickel Azo
    • New Gamboge
    • Aussie Red Gold
    • Yellow Ochre
    • Burnt Sienna
    • Burnt Umber
    • Perylene Maroon
    • Anthraquinoid Scarlet
    • Pyrrol Scarlet
    • Quinacridone Rose
    • Imperial Purple
    • Moonglow
    • Cobalt Teal Blue
    • Iridescent Electric Blue
    • Cobalt Blue
    • French Ultramarine Blue
    • Phthalo Blue GS
    • Indanthrone Blue
    • Serpentine Genuine
    • Sap Green
    • Green Apatite Genuine
    • Perylene Green
    • Payne’s Blue Gray
    • Neutral Tint

• Palette is not required (you can squeeze blobs of paint on a plate or tile). Instructor uses metal palettes 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!)
  • Spray bottle
• Tools and more:
  • Compass and protractor set – imperative for creating the color wheels
  • Erasers – Factis or Kneaded eraser
  • Ruler – any kind.
  • ScorTape — or any doublestick strong tape for assembly of the sketchbook
  • xacto knife
  • Ampersand Hardbord – optional (if painting outside of the sketchbook this is a good surface to tape your papr onto)
  • 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!