Watercolor Class

-- Sketch pad. A nice size is 7" by 10". The paper should be index stock weight. Most stationary stores and office discounters carry these books.

-- Pencils. Number 2 pencils will work.

-- Paint. A beginner's palette includes the basic colors and is portable.

-- Brushes. A beginner's set of brushes includes a fine, medium, and broad brush.

Anne said, "If a beginner doesn't get a couple of sable brushes, they will hate watercolor and never come back."

Linda said, "I think that everyone should start out with low end equipment. It's cheaper, and when you step up to the next product level, the tools seem luxurious. I love my sable brushes because I used the synthetic ones before."

-- Paper. Watercolor paper varies widely. Some sheets absorb color like crazy; others seem waterproof. Sample packets of paper let you experiment. Art supply stores should stock these.

-- Pencils. Softer, #1, pencils create more striking images and score the paper less. Automatic pencils with Pentel 9mm, 2B lead produce very nice lines. (Those trained in professional drafting environments swear by the harder leads even though they are hard to see and cut up the paper. Whatever works best for you.)

-- Paint. Pre-mixed tubes of watercolor paint are a joy to use. They are so much better than trying to mix your own from the base pigments. (Purists call me a wimp on this one.)

-- Brushes. Sable brushes really hold paint and water. Get a fine and medium. Pick up a couple of inexpensive 1" brushes for washes and background effects. Be flexible, i.e., try using an old toothbrush for splatter and spray effects.

-- Paper. Spend the money. Get rid of all the old paper leftovers. Each time you use less than the ideal paper, you spend your time coping with the paper effects and not your creative vision.

-- Pencils. Soft pencils are still the best for quick sketches.

-- Colored Pencils. When you're moved to the final painting, use colored watercolor pencils for planning and sketching the design. You don't have to clear up the black lines, and they eliminate gray spots in the wrong places.

-- Paint. Experiment with the new colors.

-- Brushes. If you need a new brush, buy it.

-- Images. Get an inexpensive digital camera. Because you don't need to worry about film, you capture more images. Even if you erase most of them, you increase your chance of catching that special scene.

-- Better images. Look into getting a good 35mm camera. You'll want to move your paintings to slides for competitions and as a record after they've sold.