Watercolor Lesson #2

As promised - What I've learned about brushes and paper

Brushes

It used to be the dream of every watercolor artist to acquire a set of “Kolinsky Sable” brushes, which are made from the back end of a Siberian weasel trapped for its fur, because the hair’s a bit longer there and more absorbent. These were considered the Gold Standard of watercolor brushes.  But since they’re made from cute little woodland creatures, they’re also very costly, inhumane and, with modern technology being what it is, today's synthetic brushes perform amazingly well.

If you’ve taken one of my classes, you know I’m a big fan of the Silver Brush Company’s “Black Velvet” brushes, especially their 1” oval wash. This is a big brush made of a blend of squirrel (yah...I know) and synthetic bristles. It holds a lot of paint/water. It also comes to an impressive point when wet, so you can quickly fill large areas with paint, then use the point to push it into those tight spots.

I also really like Princeton’s Aqua Elite brushes, which are 100% synthetic, hold a lot of water/paint and come to extra-fine points. These come in all shapes and sizes, and are great for large washes, tight spots, details and line work.

As for what sizes to get, unless you’re planning on only painting miniatures, my recommendation is to always use a bigger brushes – 12 and 16 rounds, the 1” oval wash, a 2” flat wash. Going bigger keeps you more 'loose' in your brush strokes and helps curb the beginner's tendency to keep going back into the wet paint – which will really ruin your work.

Paper

Personally, I believe paper is the most important item in  your kit to achieve the best results in watercolor painting. The better the paper, the better the results. Even when just playing around with watercolors, you’ll be much happier starting out on Arches, Fabriano or Kilimanjaro watercolor paper than a student grade paper. Hannemuhle and Fluid are also very good papers, although Hannemuhle is still tough to find in the U.S.

The best way to get paper is to buy a “full size” sheet (22”x30”) from your local fine art store and gently fold/tear it into smaller sizes. A “half size” sheet will be 15”x22”, a “quarter size” is 11”x15”, and so on. So when an exhibit prospectus tells you they accept only half size paintings or larger, now you know.

Weights: Watercolor papers come in many different weights: 90 lb., 140 lb., 300 lb. There are even some brands that sell 240 lb. The larger the "lb.," the stronger/thicker the paper will be and the less you'll have to worry about it warping when it dries. Each weight also results in differences to your paint once it dries, with 300 lb. allowing for really definitive granulation of color.

Textures: Paper also comes in different textures, known as Hot Press, Cold Press and Rough.

• Hot Press paper feels very smoooooth to the touch, dries slower, and is less absorbent, making it a great choice for painting very detailed works. I hate it.
• Cold Press has a nice bumpy surface, is more absorbent, and has a longer drying time, which allows colors to really play together as they dry. Dry brushing also works very well on Cold Press paper, but we'll get to textural techniques later. 
• And Rough Press is exactly that: A bumpier surface than Cold Press.

Cheap Joe's carries Watercolor Paper Sampler Packs. These are a great way to try out all the different manufacturers, weights and textures to see which ones really appeal to your artistic style!

Here’s a tip: If you stalk a local watercolor society or co-op art gallery, chances are they’ll hold a supplies sale about once a year, where members bring in things they didn't need after all (how's that possible?), and sell them cheaply. These are usually open to the general public, but check their website for dates, times, and contact info if you have questions.  You’re welcome!