Must-Haves (Essential Supplies)

1. 100% Cotton Watercolor Paper:
   • My Top Recommendation: MEEDEN 10″ x 7″ Cotton Watercolor Paper Block. It costs about $1 per sheet. Because it is in block form (glued on all four edges), it won’t warp, and you don’t need to tape it down. I suggest starting with at least one 10×7 block. If you like it, you can add other sizes later (e.g., 5×7 for exercises or 15×10 for full paintings).
   • The Premium Alternative: Arches Watercolor Paper. This costs about $2 per sheet. It is incredibly beginner-friendly and serves as the industry standard for high-quality watercolor paper. The pads are a bit more affordable than the blocks if you are on a budget.
2. Paint Set: Daniel Smith Extra Fine Essentials Introductory Watercolor Set. This excellent starter set features highly concentrated, professional-grade paints. It includes a warm and a cool tone for each primary color (6 tubes total, 5ml each). This set will last you a while, though you can also buy individual tubes of these colors later.
3. Brushes: You can start with any brushes you already have. I recommend a set of Round Watercolor Brushes. A basic set of various sizes (small, medium, large). These are decent quality and very affordable. As you gain more experience, you can expand your brush collection based on your personal style. 
4. Sketchbook: You can use any sketchbook you have that can take a bit of water; a mixed-media sketchbook is ok too. recommend the Canson XL Series Watercolor Pad (7″ x 10″). Please note that this is not 100% cotton, meaning you won’t be able to achieve advanced wet-on-wet watercolor effects on it. However, it is a fantastic, budget-friendly option for mixing colors if you need one, or for charts and making quick thumbnail studies.
5. Enclosed Watercolor Palette: Great for saving your leftover paint and preventing it from getting dusty between sessions. I recommend the Mijello Airtight Watercolor 18-Well Palette, but you can use any enclosed palette with some wells. You can also use a simple ceramic plate or small bowls if you need more mixing space. 
6. Small Spray Bottle: Used to mist your Palette and wet your paper when needed.
7. Water Container: Any sturdy cup, jar, or container to rinse your brushes.
8. Clean-Up Supplies: Paper towels, soft rags, or sponges to control water levels and dry your brushes.

Better-to-Have (Recommended Extras)

1. Scrubber Brush: A small, firm synthetic brush specifically used for lifting and scrubbing away watercolor mistakes. You can use any 1/8 inch -1/4 inch flat or bright brushes that are firm enough. They are sometimes marked as acrylic or oil brushes.
2. Wash Brush: A flat or large mop brush for quickly covering background areas.
3. Spoon Rest: Essential for resting your loaded brushes! This lets you set a brush down and keep using the exact color mix already in the bristles, rather than constantly rinsing it out and wasting paint.
4. Collapsible Water Bucket: Easy to pack and travel with for workshop settings.
5. 3 Recommended Expansion Colors:
   • Payne’s Gray: A beautiful dark blue-toned gray. It is incredible for value studies and monochrome paintings. It can deepen values and lean toward cooler tones. 
   • Burnt Sienna: A rich, muted red-orange. It helps to darken warmer tones. Mixed with Ultramarine Blue, it creates a gorgeous neutral gray that you can easily push warmer (more Burnt Sienna) or cooler (more Ultramarine).
   • Sap Green: A lively green that looks incredibly natural on its own, but is highly versatile and easy to modify by adding small amounts of your blue or yellow paints.

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