Ultimate Watercolor Kit
Ultimate Watercolor Kit
Greenleaf & Blueberry Artisanal Handmade Watercolors
This kit comes in a canvas zipper pouch and includes all items included in the Basic Kit + many more. This kit has been designed for:
- The watercolor beginner who is unsure which supplies to select
- To answer a question we frequently receive, which is, "Where do I begin?"
- The watercolorist who travels
- Anyone taking our forthcoming online watercolor course.
- Those who don't want to spend extra time tracking down specific supplies.
All supplies fit into the included pouch for easy travel, transport, and storage. These are the supplies I wish I would have had as a beginner that it has taken me years of painting and trial-and-error to distill.
The supplies in our kit were selected for their quality and purpose. These should last you a good long while, especially if cared for properly, and, more importantly, these supplies should afford you an enjoyable watercolor experience, putting quality basics at your fingertips.
Below, I'll list each included item that is NOT also in the Basic Kit and why it was selected in a nutshell (to read about the rest of the items in this kit that are also in the Basic Kit, click here). Also, for full demonstrations and details about what all each of these items can do, see our forthcoming online watercolor course:
2 Collapsible Water Cups, Hahnemühle
While you can use most anything for a water cup, finding one that can travel well can be more challenging. Deciding on a good packable set of water cups had me stumped for a while, until I found these. I use one to rinse my brush and one for clean water - for washes, color mixtures, etc. When fully expanded, these cups can be pretty top-heavy, so I leave the bottom two notches collapsed when I use them. You will see me demonstrate this in the course.
Brush Cloth
Another item that can be foraged from around the house. However, I really prefer to use these for my painting practice. They are re-useable where paper towels are not, and the waffle weave provides a nice absorbent texture and I think helps clean off the brush more efficiently. We pre-wash and dry the included cloths, so they are already "broken in" for you.
Pencil Sharpener & Replacement Blade
This particular item was something of an odyssey to finally find. For years I carried the brass M+R bullet sharpener in a plastic sandwich bag, but finally grew weary of having graphite dust all over my supplies, despite me care to avoid the situation. For me, it is essential for my travel sharpener to contain the sharpenings, have a replaceable blade, put a beautiful point on the pencil, be well made, and ideally not be plastic. This sharpener is the answer. Not inexpensive, but a wonderful investment that saves the continual headache.
8" Ruler
Transparent for you to see through for creating lines easily. It has both metric and English measures, and angled edge, and matches the page length of the included sketchbook. An invaluable tool for planning page layouts, plotting perspective, creating grids, and straight line guide.
Goniometer
While using the end of your pencil can be an easy way to transfer the correct perspective to your paper, a goniometer works much better. Not an essential, but a wonderfully useful tool that will crisp up your lines and help make your perspective more accurate. Don't be intimidated by it!
Greyscale Value Finder
You can of course make one of these, but this one is very well done. Another handy tool for accuracy and to guide your observations.
Empty Dropper Bottle for Alcohol
If you enjoy using alcohol in your work, this wee bottle provides a convenient way to store it.
Salt Pinch
Salt can add wonderful texture to your work. Traveling with salt can be quite messy and challenging. While these storage containers aren't perfect (none I have found so far are) they do a nice job. The only downside is they can be difficult to open if screwed closed too tightly - just give the side a tap on the table or wrap some grip tape around the cap.
Mini Pipette
For dropping water into your painting for different effects, adding water to a specific pan, etc. A really useful tool that takes up no space or weight.
Glue Stick
Especially if you enjoy creative travel journaling, sketch journaling, and also if you like to neatly cover over mistakes to try again, a glue stick is always nice to have on hand. These are non-toxic, archival, and blue when wet so you know where you have put glue and then dry clear.
Scissors
I have never been sorry to have scissors in my kit - from cutting clean edges on tape, trimming items I want to paste into a travel journal, and so many other random applications. I have carried a version of these scissors since I was a little girl - I use the very same pair! I have sourced the current version for this kit - though, alas, they are no longer made in the USA. I also like these because they do a good job but don't have the frighteningly pokey end that some small high-end scissors do, which can not only hurt you, but also tear up the inside of your supply bag.
Wax Crayon
Another wonderful resist tool to help preserve the color of the underneath layer and allow creative watercolor effects. This is a thick high quality wax crayon that shouldn't snap as easily as thinner versions.
Eraser Schnibbles Brush
Try to break the habit of brushing eraser bits - or schnibbles - off your paper with your hands. It can smear graphite and add unnecessary amounts of oils from your hands to your paper. Use this brush instead!
Mirror
You can use this to quickly light a still life subject, transform interesting reflections into your subject, or do self portraits, etc. Not an essential, but very useful.
Thumbnails Notebook
There are so many reasons why you should carry one of these - planning your composition and values, creating an initial sketch, saving all the pencil lines from your nice cotton watercolor paper, etc. I love using these.
Not Pictured:
Value Finder & Transfer Paper
Again, for full demonstrations and details about what all each of these items can do, see our forthcoming online watercolor course.
There is plenty of room left in the carrying bag to add your own personal favorites as well!
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