Best Beginner Watercolor Paints: DALER ROWNEY Travel Watercolor Set If you are after the best watercolor set for beginners or students, then this option by Daler Rowney comes highly recommended. The German brand has a huge selection of 139 colors, with 112 tones achieving the highest possible lightfastness. The Top 5 Watercolor Paint Sets for Beginners: 5. Their 6-tube introductory watercolor set is a great first set if you are looking to transition into professional watercolor paints, as it allows you to mix a wide range of colors before investing in more tubes. Winsor Newton Cotman is the student range of Winsor & Newton. Nowadays most modern professional watercolor paints have very good lightfastness, so this criteria should be easy to fulfil. As the amount of pigment you can take each time is limited, it's a bit more difficult to paint largescale projects, but each pan will go a long way. When compared to pans and tubes, these colors are not very portable. You’ll inadvertently wind up with colors you won’t use which is a huge waste of money and paint. This set has some unusual shades like Phthalo Green, Permanent Green Olive, and Sepia Brown. Since gaining widespread popularity in the 18th century, watercolor painting has been a favorite of amateur and professional artists alike. This portable set is easy to travel with and as Sennelier also sells pans individually, you can refill or add new colors as needed. It is purer and brighter than colors with multiple pigment paints. When you are first learning how to watercolor paint, and want to keep the costs low, pick up a student set. Now apply a wash of paint on it. Its portability makes it the perfect medium to take on the road, allowing artists to sketch en plein air or rapidly work out ideas. The thing is that watercolor sounds so benign. 12 professional watercolors in 5ml metal tubes, Metal box with a special hinged flap for mixing, Integral mixing palette within the lid with 4 wells, Ivory Black and Chinese White are not very useful, 10 extra fine watercolor tubes of 5ml each, A special edition color – Burnt Sienna Light, No cool yellows, reds, and blues in the set, Metal box with integral mixing palette within the lid, Removable tray with 12 open spaces and 12 half pans, Environmentally friendly company and art supplies, Because they don’t dry easily, they not very portable, Integral palette within the lid with 4 deep wells, Slightly more opaque than other professional watercolors, The bold (almost glowing) shades may not work in all paintings. Rembrandt watercolors are vibrant, transparent, professional watercolors that are nice to paint with. How to choose the best watercolor paints for beginners: My advice is to start with a simple and affordable watercolor paint set as you experiment and see if you like it. If you prefer working with tubes and want something portable, Winsor & Newton's professional sketching case is a terrific option. When buying colors you have two options: individual tubes and pans or a set of colors. So, when the paint dries, it creates an uneven texture. All said and done, you’ll need to add practice to get your paints singing. #1. Some of the colors like Ultramarine granulate well and create interesting textures. They come in pans and tubes as well as a wide selection of sets. You can use this set to transition from beginner to intermediate colors without buying a lot of tubes. My limited palette with 5 DS tubes and 1 Mission Gold tube (Gamboge). The key is to buy the most reputed and best quality paints that you can afford. I find it tends to work best oh high-quality, watercolor paper. They provide greatest value for money. Please read our disclosure for more info. Watercolor tubes for beginners: I recommend beginners save tube paints until they’re ready to build a palette. Professional or Student Grade Paints? They come in pans and tubes as well as a wide selection of sets. Though you can thin opaque watercolors out, it will be important to note the transparency in order to create the layered effect of most watercolor paintings. The Daler-Rowney Aquafine Watercolor Set includes 24 colors that allow for easy mixing and delicate washes. It works with you to create the desired effect. They spread and move beautifully on paper and are great for wet on wet techniques. All the colors blend beautifully. The bright Pyroll Red is balanced by the neutral Deep Scarlet. With 12 half pans and a brush, you have just enough to paint on the go, with the lid of the box doubling as a mixing palette. You will not find another watercolor paint that is more finely grounded than this paint. M. Graham also uses minimal fillers or brighteners – so you get the natural intensity of pigments. Use single pigment colors for vibrant washes. Otherwise, it is best to use a small selection of professional paints that fit your budget. My favorite Instagrammer swears by this brand. It comes with 18 tubes of professional watercolors, 4 Utrecht brushes, one Utrecht flat knife, a Yasutomo fan-shaped plastic palette with 24 assorted wells, an artist sponge, and a kneaded eraser. TOP 5 WATERCOLOR PAINTS FOR BEGINNERS: Mozart Supplies Watercolor Paints for Beginning Artists The Mozart Supplies brand is a renowned one for producing apt watercolor painting kits for the beginners. Their paints are a traditional honey-based formula that is known for being easy to activate and use. The more transparent the paint the more layers you can add to your paintings. This is really the soul of aquarelle. Each of these paints is packaged in a super convenient travel tin. Of course, single pigment colors will be more vibrant than mixed colors, but some artists swear by using a limited number of single pigments and building from there. The use of honey ensures that the paints don’t dry out while painting. You may not even notice much difference to begin with, and it will be lighter on your wallet. Which makes it a perfect point of entry into one of the best watercolor paints sets. If you like working in layers and want to splurge on a wide range of colors, their 24 pan set is the perfect watercolor set for the serious watercolorist. Best for Beginners: Daler Rowney Watercolor Tubes at Amazon "Easy to blend and bind well with watercolor papers." In contrast, reputed brands have clear product information. Of course, you can always buy individuals tubes or pans for any of the brands mentioned below, filling an empty watercolor well palette or empty watercolor pan tin to make your own travel set. It's much easier to learn on nicer sets, which I hate saying, because I'm cheap. And yes we did use watercolors in our coloring in books. It is difficult to lift the colors once applied on paper. This article contains incorrect information. So don’t overthink it. With a wide selection of watercolor brands available in art stores, it can get quite confusing. Best for Professionals: Schmincke Horadam Metal Paint Set at Amazon "Stocked with 12 professional-grade colors that are deeply pigmented." The nice thing with watercolor paint is that mixing means you can extend your color palette greatly without investing in a wide range of colors. Liquid watercolors are pure watercolor pigments sold in bottles. The Raphaël Aquarelle Watercolor Travel Set makes it easy for artists to paint anywhere and anytime. This one provides a basic kit with 24 assorted watercolors. The professional watercolor will help you in making clean and bright mixes. This option includes all the necessary elements to start from the beginning to create wonders with imagination, hands and watercolor paints… Tip: Draw a black line in waterproof ink. These are great professional colors with interesting earth colors and many single pigment colors. A single pigment paint has only one pigment. Watercolor pigments have different characteristics. Some create smooth washes. It has that lovely balance between ‘having a mind of its own’ and ‘allowing for controlled washes.’. These are the closest to professional colors. Try testing out your colors on a white piece of paper to understanding which colors in your palette are non-staining, as it varies by brand. After much experimentation, I’ve realized it is best to start with a small set. A little bit goes a long way with these paints. Some artists are unhappy with the chemical smell of these paints. While it is fun to ‘gamble’ a bit in the art store – this is not the best way to pick paints! Tubes, by contrast, are filled with liquid paint. If you make a purchase, My Modern Met may earn an affiliate commission. Instead, build your watercolor collection slowly. Check the pigment charts of watercolor brands to buy specific, non-granulating colors. Much of this is dependent on the quality of the pigments and how much filler—if any—is in the paint to cut down on cost. But if you are looking for something ready to go or simply want to splurge on a professional watercolor set, here are some things to consider. Choosing the “best” watercolor paints for your needs is a whole subject in itself which I’ll talk about in another article. Staining describes the property of watercolor paint to anchor into the paper surface. Perfect for beginners and more experienced young people. I find that it is vibrant, mixes beautifully both on the palette and on paper, and creates gorgeous textures. Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, and Ultramarine Blue are usually granulating paints. In 2013, she authored the book '. Artists seem to either love or hate this texture. It is best to get quality watercolor paints and paper from reputed brands – right from the beginning. But, mixing greens, violets, and other shades, you’ll become a more resourceful artist. It includes 12 tubes of Winsor & Newton professional watercolor paints, which are known for their high pigment load. Watercolor sticks look like crayons but are packed with pure, watercolor pigments. A DS Extra Fine Essentials Introductory Watercolor set will give you the primary pigments – in cool and warm colors. However, it's easier to use more paint quickly with tubes, so it can mean buying paint more often. If there is a layer on the black line, it means the paint is not transparent. Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Sketchers Pocket Box Keep a few opaque colors for highlights. You’ll find that every pigment has a specific color index code. You’ll need to pick more color to create vibrant washes, Plastic box with a 3-well mixing palette in the lid, Plastic box with integral mixing palette in the lid, Excellent lightfastness (rated to last 100 years), Chinese White color creates small bubbles on application at times, Colors: Hansa Yellow Light, Quinacridone Rose, Phthalo Blue (GS), New Gamboge, Pyrrol Scarlet and French Ultramarine, You can mix almost any color with a limited palette, Soft, honey-based color that rewets instantly, Three opaque colors (Cadmium Lemon, Cadmium Yellow Medium and Cadmium Red), Colors are fairly transparent and vibrant. The colors blend well and can be used with a variety of watercolor techniques. More expensive than other brands, Winsor & Newton has remained popular for overall quality and smooth consistency. One reviewer calls them “Winsor & Newton on steroids!” and states that “the colors portray a delicate softness that I think is similar to WN watercolors, but Schmincke has a bit more boldness and flow, more variance in opaque and translucent colors, and much more granulation in certain colors.” If you prefer pans, they also have that option, as well as the student grade Akademie Aquarell line. These are great watercolors to start with. The Cotman line comes both in pans and tubes, but we love this sketchers pocket box for how portable it is. The set contains three warm and three cool primary colors from Daniel Smith's 240+ color collection. Choose a set with warm and cool primary colors. The Best Watercolor Sets for Beginners An Important Thing to Consider Before Your First Watercolor Set Purchase. Pick up the Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colour Sketchers’ Pocket Box – these are the closest you’ll get to professional paints within the student range. While others are genuine watercolors (such as Schmincke Aqua Drops). The ‘perfect warm yellow’ – Hansa Yellow Deep – is balanced by the neutral Yellow Ochre. In this basic set you’ll get split primary colors, 3 earth colors, 2 shades of green, black and white. Others make their palette with a mix of colors from different brands. Winsor & Newton Professional Water Colour, Most popular artist quality watercolor paints – an all-time favorite, The largest variety of colors  and arguably the best watercolor paint for artists, Bright and heavily pigmented – perfect for professional artists, Creamy, honey-based watercolor paints perfect for studio use, Incredibly brilliant professional watercolor paints. Excellent lightfastness for professional works. Paint separates in the tube. Because all the colors have the pigment information, I could easily transition to artist colors. As student watercolors usually have more synthetic binders and fillers, which keeps the cost down, but they tend to have less permanence. Jessica Stewart is a Contributing Writer and Digital Media Specialist for My Modern Met, as well as a curator and art historian. Best Paints. This set features 12 different paints in the most popular colors. Watercolor, the water-based and non-toxic paints you probably used in creating artworks in your childhood years. I love granulation as it adds a unique dimension to the painting. Watercolor can be intimidating for beginners, and even some experienced artists find it challenging. There is a selection of 12 colors: split primaries, greens, and earth colors. You’ll find a hole forms over time. If you are a beginner, or just want to test your hand a watercolor painting, student quality should be just fine. All watercolors have pigments – natural or synthetic. This set offers a unique selection. Artist dot cards are great fun to explore. If you plan to sell or frame your art, it is important to check the lightfastness of your water colour paints. They are ‘fugitive paints.’ This means the colors will tend to fade out, disappear, or turn grey, changing the feel of your paintings. This means when you apply a wash on paper, it allows light to pass through. Just like many other art supplies, such as acrylic paints, watercolors come in two grades: student and professional. While others dry into subtle, grainy textures. The information in this guide will help you to make an informed choice and pick the best watercolor paint brands. Try professional watercolor paints before buying them – with these watercolor samples. Winsor Newton Cotman is the student range of Winsor & Newton. For beginners, non-staining colors make it easy to correct mistakes. Reading about the pigment will give you a deeper understanding of your paint. Premixed or in that awful powder format. They might have a slightly different formulation than tube paints. The vibrant and delicate colors are easy to paint with. They distribute evenly on the paper surface, creating smooth washes. For the record, I am a firm believer that your talent and creativity will shine through despite the use of crappy art materials. Cotman is a great entry into Winsor & Newton, as synthetic fillers help keep the prices down, yet the quality is still high. Not familiar with watercolor transparency? This article does not have the information I am looking for. Oils, acrylics, watercolor, pastels, colored pencils or digital media such as ArtRage are all perfect for the Virtual Art Academy course. It was fun and easy. If you’re at this point, I highly recommend avoiding tube sets. The beauty of watercolor paint is its ability to have light pass through it and create a washed-out effect. With time, you can keep adding single colors to your set. Concentrating on these components of watercolor paint will steer you towards the best choices. You can use them directly in a palette. This means you won’t be able to squeeze out small amounts of paint. This essentials introductory watercolour set from Daniel Smith offers high-quality and reliability suitable for beginners and professionals. Start with low staining watercolor paint. You’ll also learn about paints along the way. 13 YouTube Channels to Teach You How to Paint for Free. Colart, the company which owns Reeves, also owns Winsor & Newton. BEGINNERS-PAPER: We recommend 2 types of paper for the beginner.One to practice on and become comfortable and one to move to when you are ready to start painting rather than just practicing. Compared to other professional watercolor brands, Rembrandt colors feel runnier to me. Creatives can stash this small set in their bag and use it for en plein air painting like the Impressionists. Non-staining colors are easier to remove. You are looking for an I (excellent) or II (good) here, and most brands like Winsor & Newton will also have this information online. True to its description – this set contains six essential primary colors in cool and warm tones. Known for its superior quality, Schmincke has been using the same, traditional formula since 1881. Pigments are what gives your paints their color. It can feel overwhelming with so many colors to choose from. I’ve prevented costly mistakes! The most common way to buy watercolors is either in small tubes or in trays of solid paint called pans. Bluprint has a great introductory method for testing your paint. They tend not to dry out in the tube and have a wide range of colors that are vibrant and intense according to reviewers. This watercolor paint set contains 3 primary colors, a green, and a brown. If you like to paint outdoors, you can also keep some paint in empty pans and build your own portable watercolor sets. And what to look for when selecting watercolor paint? It features a compact circular tin with an array of 10 half pans of student-grade colors, as well as a 12-compartment mixing palette on the top lid and a small brush. As a result, Schmincke is famous for making the best quality paint. It ranges from ‘very poor/fugitive’ to ‘excellent.’. It comes with 12 tubes of watercolor paint to get you comfortable with mixing color. Once you start painting more you will likely find yourself investing in more high quality products as … Cotman is the student line of watercolors by popular brand Winsor & Newton. Each of these paints is well-crafted and displays a greater opacity than European and American watercolors, according to traditional Japanese style. Daniel Smith watercolors offer an incredible range of 251 colors. The limited palette might seem like a drawback. Permanence is also called lightfastness and you'll want to check your label to see how each color rates on the ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) rating scale. The durable plastic case also features an inner lid designed for mixing paints. Build to add more colors individually. Some brands use their own classification, like Schmincke. Whether you're purchasing your first set of watercolor paints or looking to upgrade to professional quality pigments, selecting colors for even the most basic watercolor palette can easily become a daunting task when faced with the sheer number of colors and paint brands. These paints are meant for those people who will be shopping under tight budgets.