Create

Beginning of a new 4 by 6 watercolor. First drawn with pen. No pencil.
It's a good thing my son hasn't gotten around to pulling up those little trees next to the house. I was able to use one as a model. Plants sit still longer than people to model.

I wanted to show the "Opera" pink color. I think it was a secret color for a while. It will give you amazing oranges and pinks and purples. Today I am using Holbein Opera, Grumbacher Ultramarine Blue, and MaimeriBlu Green, Verde. I have not found any brand better than another. I have not tried cheaper brands (cheaper than Cotman). Except little pan sets when my boys were kids and those were actually fun and made fine pictures.  Although if you stick with one brand for a while you will not buy colors that are almost the same in another brand. You buy the better brands for lightfastness, intensity of color, and quality pigments.

I did buy a little Winsor Cotman set of pan watercolors to have when I travel. They are fun.

If you are worried about what is best to do you can always just buy Winsor & Newton Artist watercolors. They have a fine paint and a good assortment of colors or should I say colours. There are many sights that will list the top watercolor brands to buy.

Most watercolor classes start you off with only 3 to 6 colors anyway, you don't have to buy very many.

Last week I found my little Lanaquarelle pad in the cabinet, lost and neglected from use. I love this hot press version for watercolor pencils because if I decide not to use water on it the pencil looks smooth and good as a drawing. Pencil drawings do not look good on other watercolor paper without washing them with water.