Many amateurs choose to paint with the highly sensitive medium of watercolour in preference to oils on canvas or board because the materials are relatively inexpensive and easy to carry. Watercolour paint dries quickly and it is odourless. On the downside, its apparent ease and speed of execution can be deceiving. Any first time head-on watercolour encounter with anything less than a first class brush scrubbed over paint box solid pigment colours, using unsuitable paper which refuses to lay flat when liquid paint mixture is applied, may deter one forever against further painting. The most important items are PAPERS, PAINTS and BRUSHES. From a fairly wide range, only a few of high quality are necessary, but first:

A 3 PLY OR SOFTWOOD BOARD is needed, slightly larger than the recommended 14"x10" watercolour sheets of paper. Buy the boards as cut-offs from a DIY or hardware store and sandpaper smooth any rough edges. Shiny non-porous boards are unsuitable and hardboard tends to warp.

GUMSTRIP PAPER SEALING TAPE - 1" wide or more, gummed on one side only. The tape to be used for attaching the four sides of the watercolour paper to the board. Sello and Scotch tapes are unsuitable.

MASKING TAPE - 1" wide as an alternative to gumstrip tape. Provided medium weight papers are not pre-wetted beforehand and not over-saturated whilst painting is in progress, as is often required, the paper will not cockle or lift from the board.

WATERCOLOUR PAPERS are specially prepared to accept liquid paint. The best are hand made from a starchy soup of pure linen or 100 per cent pure rag mixture, free from impurities and acid free which do not discolour over a long period of time. Each one is poured individually over a mesh screen to form a single moulded sheet. Large 22"x30" sheets, designated Imperial are easily recognisable by a slight waviness called deckling on the extreme edges of the four sides. These edges need to be trimmed off before painting. The maker's name is watermarked in one corner, readable when held towards the light. It also indicates the correct side of the sheet on which to paint. Larger sheets may be cut into quarters for more convenient use. Thick heavyweight papers, stiff like cardboard are expensive but well worth the investment for skilled artists because they are well able to accept liquid colour without buckling regardless of how saturated they become. Heavyweight papers may be bulldog clipped or stapled to a board without the need for stretching. Hand made papers are not recommended for beginners due to inevitable wastage during the learning process. Amateurs tend to buy machine-made cheaper papers despite a reduction of luminosity associated with watercolour application. Inexpensive machine-made papers manufactured from wood pulp, cut to standard sizes called "Bockingford" are available in large sheets or convenient smaller form as loose leaf books are recommended for beginners. . 

The main characteristics of paper are

WEIGHT, SURFACE TEXTURE AND ABSORBENCY.

WEIGHT is based on a ream (a printer's measure of approx. 500 sheets) of 22"x30" Imperial sized paper. Increasing weight relates to increasing thickness and it is not dependent on the actual size of the sheets supplied. Typical weights are 72, 90, 140, 200 and 300lbs per ream.

MEDIUM SURFACE TEXTURE OF PAPER (C.P.) signifies cold pressed in manufacture, also known as "not", that is "not" hot pressed in manufacture. This type of paper including 140lbs. weight BOCKINGFORD displays a fairly pronounced surface pattern. It has an all round capability of producing many desired visual effects when paint is laid on and it is ideal for beginners.

THE ABSORBENCY OF PAPER - under normal conditions the absorbency of moisture is surface action only. "Starchy sizing" during paper production limits and controls the absorbance of clear water or liquid paint into the paper fibres. By comparison, unsized blotting paper and facial tissue have an immediate spread and soak through action if water is applied. Thick hand made papers such as FABRIANO tend to resist watercolours like beads of water on plastic or glass and require a little preparation to make the surface workable. Apart from passing a water-saturated sponge or brush lightly over the surface to remove surface starch, the paper can be painted on without the need for taping to a board. Sponging removes starch and prevents the formation of minute air bubbles called speckling generated whilst the painting is in progress. Not a problem if the surface is thoroughly wetted beforehand. On this type of paper it is relatively easy to correct mistakes such as unplanned non-staining paint, removed by the use of a damp brush or natural sponge. Professional quality paper such as the French "Arches" has an off-white colour. Its surface is slightly soft and easy to work on but it will not stand a vigorous reworking for corrections. Italian "Fabriano" has a tougher surface and requires pre-wetting before use. English "Saunders" and "Whitman" are excellent.

Papers normally water-resistant are made reasonably absorbent by sponging first so that they can take and hold paint.

Thin lightweight papers and cartridge paper normally used for pencil drawing should be avoided because they absorb moisture quickly, becoming floppy and useless when wet, drying far too quickly. For practice, stout cartridge paper is acceptable only for initial trial brushstrokes and for filling in small painted areas. Suitable sizes are from postcard upwards, bearing in mind the larger the size the more buckling takes place and the more wasteful it becomes. Lightweight papers employed for full coverage create problems even for established painters. Preferably, choose heavy rough and medium papers.

WATERCOLOUR PALETTES - The word palette has two meanings. One is the range of colours chosen and the other is the area used to mix them. In the case of oil colours it is the more familiar oval shaped flat board with a finger hole to grip and hold the palette steady. The best watercolour palettes are deeply recessed to enable a brush to be quickly and fully recharged. White pot or plastic trays and odd white teacup saucers are adequate.

WATERCOLOUR PAINTS - There are two kinds of watercolour paint pigments, namely transparent and opaque. Opaque, non see-through body colours such as acrylics, poster paints and gouache etc. are unsuitable for pure traditional water-colouring. In the case of transparent pigments, more correctly called semi-transparent (passing light), the paper appears to breathe through the colour and it is this luminous effect that we aim to achieve. It is not in the nature of watercolour for it to be applied thickly.

The best "ARTISTS QUALITY" paints are made from water-based glue and extremely fine ground colour pigment giving maximum luminosity on quality papers. Correctly applied artists quality paints will appear to make watercolours glow. Always be aware of the conditions under which this effect is destroyed, it will become evident.

"STUDENTS" colours, adequate to start, give fair results. They are economical to buy. Supplied as soft paste in 5ml and 15ml tubes and/or cubic-shaped hard pans.

HARD PASTE WATERCOLOUR PANS (cubic-shaped) and their preparation for use. Hard paste colour pans are supplied either separately or as a selection in refillable boxes with opening recessed lids for use as palettes. Hard pan colours are employed for small cover areas or as an additive to change a tube colour slightly. Artists Quality and Students paints are available.

TO MIX A PAN COLOUR INTO WATER. Keep either a cheap round or a sturdy bristle brush for this purpose in order to preserve the points of your best brushes. Wet the surface of the hard paste cubic pans before painting takes place as an aid to free the hard pigment. Lift the pigment by firmly brushing over and across the top of the chosen cubic-shaped colour pan. Stir the brush into the palette as previously described for tube colours. Should the box of colours become messy, overrun and indistinguishable as separate colours, wash and clean off the surface by holding the box under running tap water until clean and then drain. The difference between pan and tube colours may be compared to a bar of hard soap and toothpaste. 

WATERCOLOUR BRUSHES are the most important items. Sable hairbrushes are the best, reflected in their high cost, a good investment to buy. With care they last a lifetime. Cheap ones and those that come with student's sets are a waste of money. Consideration should not be given to buy or use any brushes that are not first class for they never give good results. Expensive sables are the best but a mixture of sable and nylon is an excellent substitute at a fraction of the cost. Only buy pointed round brushes of quality, which retain their shape and springiness when wet, not splayed and split-haired. Provided they are well treated, control is maximum ensuring good results. The majority of brushes are round or chisel-shaped and made with soft hairs

MOP BRUSHES. There are many kinds, large and floppy, usually made with various animal hairs. They are employed for either pre-wetting or creating a pale coloured glaze, part or full covering a sheet of paper because they are able to carry larger amounts of water and liquid paint compared to round brushes.

ROUND BRUSHES are the most important. Measured in increasing sizes from 1 to 12. To begin, a No 8 or 10 is satisfactory for all painting purposes. Choose full-bellied rounds to hold lots of liquid paint. The bunched hairs, contained in a stainless steel tube is called a ferrule. The hairs act as a reservoir to feed the slender point or side of the brush as it glides over the surface of the paper. To test for and form an essential fine point, wet the brush thoroughly and give it a vigorous shake. If you are not too finicky, wash the hairs in clean water and then purse them through your lips. Reject any round brush that does not come to a fine point. 

FLAT OR CHISEL SHAPED BRUSHES. These are measured in fractions of an inch or more across the ferrule, the flattened end of the tube gripping the brush hairs. Whilst they hold less paint than round brushes of comparable size they have the advantage to quickly turn edgeways when required to make continuous broad and fine lines. The brush should not leave the paper during a stroke, be it short or long.

THE RIGGER. A very slim brush with long hairs. Riggers are employed mainly to create a variety of delicate long lines, arcs and curves of varying thickness depending on the gentle pressure put on the trailing hairs. Originally it was named for its use in the representation of fine rigging lines on sailing ships. Remarkable also for its capability to represent foreground grasses and the smaller branches of trees. Whilst holding the rigger at the top of the brush between thumb and forefinger, a flicking movement is required to produce these effects.

BRISTLE BRUSHES are chiefly used for painting with oil or acrylics. Relevant to watercolour painting they are applicable for corrections, specifically for the lifting off (removing) of any very small areas of over-run or unwanted paint. A 1/4" flat, on edge, is ideal. A 1/2" flat is optional. Either can be modified by trimming the bristles with a scalpel at an angle of 30 degrees to the horizontal or cutting them short and square to increase the bristle stiffness presented to the paper. It is a must for creating highlights and tiny corrections as a paint "lift off" technique.

THE CLEANING AND CARE OF BRUSHES. After use, wash brushes gently but thoroughly with a little liquid detergent or soap in warm water. Rinse with clean water and allow to dry. Store them upright, upturned in a jar and free from contact to preserve their body shapes and fine points.

PALETTE KNIFE. In a practiced hand, the rounded end of its slim and flexible blade is capable of producing several desired effects, in particular, the finest of fine lines which are not possible even with the point of a round brush. The new blade of a palette knife has a tough water repellent coating which can be removed by fine sandpapering, followed by immersion in slightly acid vinegar for several hours to remove the remaining water repellent. Discolouration of the blade is not harmful. Ready for use, a little watercolour transferred to the lower end of the blade by brush will stay put. Without treatment, normal consistency paint would bead and roll off the blade as it is tilted near vertical to the paper. Do not overload the blade and keep it moving edgeways without hesitating to prevent a blob of paint running to the paper. It can also be used without paint,on edge to effect extremely fine lines. Experiment first on scrap paper.

H.B PENCIL. In the context of watercolouring, a medium grade pencil is adequate for the purpose of fine outlining if required. Use a safety knife to sharpen and trim back the wood. Point to show about 1/4" of graphite. Rub on a sandpaper or emery block to create a fine point, finally dusting off with paper tissue. Holding the pencil well away from the point, it is relatively easy to draw long and short pale Grey lines, not varying in thickness or intensity.