Watercolor Painting for Beginners: What to Buy First

Walking into an art store as a beginner can feel overwhelming. There are mountains of supplies, and half the stuff looks the same. The trick is that you really don’t need much to get started with watercolor painting—a few good picks will save you loads of cash and frustration.

Start small. Don’t buy that giant 48-color paint set just because it looks cool. A basic palette with 8–12 solid watercolors is plenty for your first creative jumps. Quality matters more than quantity here—you’ll quickly notice the difference between student-grade and professional-grade paints, but you don’t have to splurge right away.

If you’re clueless about brushes, just know you don’t need ten of them. A medium round brush, a flat brush, and a detail brush get the job done for pretty much every beginner project. Resist the urge to grab every fancy shape. You’ll figure out what works for your style soon enough—and as you paint, you’ll see which ones actually touch the paper most often.

• Choosing Watercolor Paints: Tubes vs. Pans
• Brushes: Which Ones Do You Really Need?
• Paper: The Secret Sauce Nobody Talks About
• Palette, Jars, and Towels: The Useful Extras
• Starter Sets vs. Picking Items Separately
• Money-Saving Tips and Common Mistakes

Choosing Watercolor Paints: Tubes vs. Pans

This is where most beginners trip up—standing in the store, trying to decide between paint tubes and pans. Both have their fans, but the right choice depends on what fits your routine and vibe.

Watercolor painting starts with one big question: Do you want the paint ready in little cakes (pans), or do you prefer squeezing it fresh (tubes)? Here’s the quick breakdown:

• Pans: These are dried little blocks in a plastic tray. You grab a wet brush and swipe to get color. They’re tidy, last forever, and travel well. If you want something you can toss in a bag and paint anywhere, pans are the clear winner. Most beginner sets are half-pans, meaning they hold less paint but still go a long way.
• Tubes: These come in small squeezable tubes, just like toothpaste but a lot more colorful. You squeeze out what you need, mix with water, and you’re set. Tubes are better if you paint big areas or like juicy, saturated color from the start. Unused paint on your palette can be rehydrated and used again.

Here’s a simple side-by-side look at the main differences:

Most newbies start with pans simply because it’s less intimidating and there’s less room for mess-ups. An eight- or twelve-color pan set from a reliable brand (think Winsor & Newton Cotman, Sakura Koi, or Van Gogh) will cover you for most beginner projects.

If you lean towards tubes, buy the primaries (red, blue, yellow), plus a brown and a green. That’s more than enough to mix anything under the sun. Just don’t leave the caps off, or your tubes turn into rocks.

Short answer? If you want to keep things quick and simple, pick pans. If mixing colors and working bigger appeals to you, try tubes. You can always switch it up later—many watercolor artists end up using both after a while.

Brushes: Which Ones Do You Really Need?

If you think you need a giant set of fancy brushes for watercolor painting, think again. Most beginners do way better with just three basics. Here’s what you actually need—and why.

• Round Brush (Size 6–8): This is your workhorse. It handles most washes, details, and lines. The pointed tip lets you make thin or thick marks, so you don’t need a pile of different sizes right away.
• Flat Brush (around 1/2 inch): Perfect for big washes or covering backgrounds. It’s also good for sharp edges and for sweeping color across the paper without getting streaky.
• Detail/Liner Brush (size 0 or 1): When you want fine lines or little doodads, this tiny brush saves the day. Great for sharp outlines or tiny highlights.

Brushes are made from different stuff. The classic option is natural sable hair—amazing spring and water holding—but it’s expensive. Synthetic brushes today get really close in feel, don’t cost as much, and last longer if you’re rough with them.

One more thing: Don’t forget to rinse your brushes and never leave them sitting bristle-down in water. That wrecks the tip. Lay them flat to dry and they’ll stay in shape for ages.

If you’re tempted by brush sets, check if they mix weird sizes you’ll never use. Go for individual picks if you want to avoid wasting money. Bottom line: less is more, especially until you see what you actually love painting.

Paper: The Secret Sauce Nobody Talks About

You can buy the best paints and fanciest brushes, but if you cheap out on paper, your watercolor painting will probably turn into a soggy mess. Most beginners grab a sketchbook or regular printer paper, only to watch their colors bleed, buckle, or get swallowed up. Here’s the real deal: watercolor paper changes everything, and not all paper is created equal.

There are three main things to look for with watercolor paper:

• Weight – Paper weight is measured in grams per square meter (gsm) or pounds. The sweet spot for beginners is at least 300gsm (140lb). This thickness stands up to lots of water without warping or turning lumpy.
• Texture – You’ll see hot-pressed (smooth), cold-pressed (a bit bumpy), and rough (very textured). Cold-pressed is the go-to for most, because it’s grippy enough to move paint around without being hard to control.
• Material – The best watercolor papers are made of 100% cotton, but those can be pricey. Good student-grade papers often blend cotton with cellulose—nicer than regular wood pulp, but not quite pro level.

Here’s a snapshot of how the most common watercolor paper types compare:

If you want your art to stand out (and last), aim for paper labeled as “acid-free.” This prevents your paintings from turning yellow over time.

You don’t need a giant pad to get started, either. Pick up a small block or a few sheets to practice. Some folks even buy larger sheets and cut them down to save money. And if you see “student” on the label, that’s code for good bang for your buck—perfect until you find your groove and want to try the high-end stuff.

Bottom line—start with decent watercolor paper, and you’ll actually enjoy painting instead of fighting your supplies. It’s usually the first thing beginners upgrade when they see how much it helps their work.

Palette, Jars, and Towels: The Useful Extras

After you’ve picked your paints, brushes, and paper, don’t skip out on the humble extras—these make watercolor painting way easier, even if they sound basic. Let’s keep it simple and only grab what actually helps.

Your palette is more than just a plastic dish. For watercolors, a white ceramic or plastic palette works best because you can see true colors when you’re mixing them. Avoid colored palettes—they mess with how your colors look. A palette with several deep wells is handy for mixing washes. Some folks use a plain white dinner plate and never look back—that’s how flexible you can be.

Water jars are another must. Always keep at least two jars or cups: one for rinsing dirty brushes, one for clean water. This stops muddy colors dead in their tracks. Even a couple of old jam jars do the trick. Want an easy hack for less mess? Wide jars tip over less, and you spend less time scrambling for paper towels after a spill.

Towels or rags are the unsung heroes of watercolor painting. Paper towels, an old cotton T-shirt, or those microfiber cleaning cloths all work. You’ll use these constantly to dab brushes, soak up extra water on your paper, or fix an “oops” moment. They also help you control how much water is on your brush, which is a game-changer when you want crisp lines or dry texture effects.

• Palette: White ceramic or plastic, lots of wells.
• Water jars: Two wide-mouth jars or cups, one for dirty water, one for clean.
• Towels/rags: Something absorbent and reusable. Paper towels, old T-shirt, or microfiber.

Here’s a quick glance at how extras impact your workflow:

Stick to these basics and you won’t waste cash on useless gadgets. Instead, you’ll be able to spend more time actually painting and less time fighting with your tools.

Starter Sets vs. Picking Items Separately

Every beginner faces the same question: should you start with a premade set or hand-pick each item for your watercolor toolkit? Both paths have their perks, but here's what actually matters when you're just getting started.

Starter sets make life a lot simpler. You get a handful of paints, two or three brushes, maybe even a mixing palette, and some paper—all designed to work together. These kits are great if you’re not yet sure what you like or if you just want to get painting right away. According to a 2024 survey by The Art Gear Guide, over 62% of beginners who tried a starter set painted their first picture within the week, compared to 38% who built their kit piece by piece.

"Starter sets take the guesswork out of shopping—no need to worry if your brush matches your paints or if your paper is the right weight. You can always upgrade when you know what suits you best." – The Art Gear Guide

But there’s a catch: not all sets are equal. Cheaper sets at big box stores sometimes come with scratchy brushes or chalky paints that make painting a struggle. If possible, check the brand before you buy. Reliable starter sets from brands like Winsor & Newton Cotman, Sakura Koi, and Van Gogh are well-known for balancing price with decent quality. Here's a basic comparison of typical starter set options versus picking out items separately:

If you’d rather choose each item yourself, go with single pans or tubes of a few basic colors (like ultramarine blue, lemon yellow, and alizarin crimson). Add a couple of nylon brushes and a pad of real watercolor paper. This route costs a bit more but means each tool is exactly what you want. Pro tip: buying open stock materials is how many serious painters do it once they know their favorites.

The bottom line? If you want to start watercolor painting fast and easy, starter sets are the way to go. If you’re picky or want higher quality from the start, consider building your own set piece by piece. Either way, don’t stress too much—the best supplies are the ones you’ll actually use.

Money-Saving Tips and Common Mistakes

Getting started with watercolor painting usually tempts people into buying the biggest kits or expensive gear right away. That’s a trap—most beginners use less than half of what’s in those sets. Here’s how you can skip the waste and steer clear of rookie errors.

Target what matters. Spend your money on decent paper instead of stacking up on colors. Student-grade paints might look okay in the pan, but they rarely mix or layer as well as you’d hope. A small selection of high-quality paints does way more than a jar full of cheap ones. Same goes for brushes—nabbing a couple of reliable synthetic rounds beats a bargain bin of odd shapes that shed hairs everywhere.

Paper is the big budget-eater if you’re not careful. Cheap paper bleeds, warps, or pills, ruining your art before you start. Grab a pad of cold-pressed, 300gsm watercolor paper. One practical trick: buy large sheets and cut them down. It works out cheaper per page and lets you experiment without sweating over each stroke.

• Don’t buy every color—learn to mix primaries instead. It teaches you about color and saves cash.
• Reuse sturdy jars for water, and old plates as palettes. No need for pricey branded stuff.
• Test supplies before committing. Open-stock paints and brushes let you try before you buy big sets.
• Watch for sales at art supply stores. Off-season deals can cut costs by half.

Check out some realistic numbers to keep expectations grounded:

Last thing: don’t let YouTube haul videos fool you into thinking you need a mountain of supplies. Watercolor is about practice, not product hoarding. Buy smart, experiment, and upgrade only when you really need to—it keeps the hobby fun instead of feeling like another expensive project.