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Your Equipment list Level 2

SOME NOTES: If you are just starting with Jenny, please read.

  • Jenny prefers her students to paint with Artist Quality equipment....that is paint, paper and brushes.  She believes that 'student grade' equipment will yield 'student grade' results and will often be disappointing.  While it costs more initially, it is vastly more economical and results are far superior. 

  • Please keep store receipts.  

  • If you are considering Winsor & Newton Professional grade paint, you can buy it EXTREMELY cheaply from my PAINT SHOP links. You will save hundreds of $s over the course.

  • there are many options for brushes and paint.  Please consider carefully.   The 'good' brushes can cost just a little more then the 'mediocre ones'. Read the list carefully, and just choose one brush, you don't need lots.

  • PLEASE!!!  iF IT ISN'T ON THE LIST don't buy it.   

  • Please don't be talked into alternative substitutes or buy something 'near enough'. 

  • Of course, You can paint with whatever you want. (except for the paper, which is compulsory). However, you will find that many cheaper paints and brushes etc, will NOT behave the way it should when you go to paint in a professional watercolour technique.

Best watercolour equipment for beginners

Level 2 

If you are JUST starting with Jenny and Northern Beaches Watercolour, or Welcome to Watercolour for the first time, you will need the equipment from Level 1 as well, please see the Level 1 list.

 

Paint brands:
You can choose

  • Recommended: Winsor & Newton from UK (buy extremely cheaply on the PAINT SHOP PAGE.)

  • Recommended: Art Spectrum from Australia (cheapest to buy in Australia, from Australian stores.)

  • Daniel Smith, Schmincke, Holbein and other artist quality brands. 
     

Colours for Stage 2
 

  • 1 x  tube of Phthalo blue  (a bright medium/dark blue with a very smooth finish) (which is also known as Winsor blue green shade in W&N) 

  • 1 x tube of EITHER New Gamboge (permanent Gamboge), or Quinacridone Gold. (these are both golden yellows)

  • 1 x tube of EITHER Art Spectrum's Permanent Crimson (Alizarin hue), or W &N or D.S. Permanent Alizarin Crimson.



THE VERY BEST PRICES: I have researched heavily, the prices of watercolour paint, and have found the very best way to purchase the best paint in the cheapest way.   This will save you $100's over the course.  Jackson's UK  has unbelievably cheap prices on Winsor & Newton paint, in 5ml, 14ml, and 37 ml options IF you are wanting to purchase that brand, and I have a link to it all on the PAINT SHOP  page.  Of course you save the most $ on the 37ml tube comparitively, but it would take a very long time to use that as these are all super strong colours.   I suggest 14ml tubes for all these Level 2 colours, unless you are new to watercolour and prefer to try the small 5ml ones first.
It is suggested you it is NOT SUGGESTED that you purchase Art Spectrum paint on this page, buy instead locally from our Art shops. 



​      PAPER:   Buy locally.  More paper if required as above, Arches, 300gsm rough,
       (or combo OF rough and medium / cold pressed)

  • You can buy some 185g Arches rough, or Saunders 300gsm or 190gsm to practice on now, as it's cheaper than Arches 300gsm.   Note I still prefer the Arches to the Saunders.  (Reserve your Arches 300gsm for class and good paintings.)

    BRUSHES : (not mops).

  • OPTIONAL - YOU DO NOT HAVE to buy these for level 2, but many students are excited to get a new brush!  YOU DO NOT HAVE to have them for class, as you CAN get on with the squirrel, but a squirrel mop is NOT a regular watercolour brush.  It is my suggestion that you supplement your brushes with at least one, if not a couple of brushes.
    If you just get one, I suggest the sable or faux sable as in #1.
    1. A "regular" round, pointed watercolour brushes - ie sables.      We will be talking about this in class, and you can postpone until then.  I love the Rosemary and Co Series 33 Kolinsky sable brushes, Larry Post has them for around $60, (I can't find them on the Jackson's site) or the very well priced Seawhite of Brighton kolinsky sable from Larry's size 10.  I also have a few wonderful options on the PAINT SHOP page.  If buying locally at art shops you could also have them posted, such as through Art Smart,  LarryPost.com.au, Art Scene, Senior Art and other online suppliers.   Don't buy Winsor and Newton brushes, they're beautiful but overpriced.   There are many types of sable, if you're going to buy a sable it MUST BE LABELLED a 'Kolinsky Sable', otherwise you may as well just buy a regular, nylon brush.
    These would be ROUND and pointed.  You should get the best you can afford. Genuine sables are the premium brush you can buy (golden sable is not genuine.) iF YOU INTEND on buying sables one day, the sooner the better, as sables are becoming harder to get.
    If you prefer a non-animal brush - then I can recommend the Neptune Aqua Elite brushes or the Escoda Versatil brushes, again both in a size 10.  
    If you want a smaller brush, buy nothing smaller than a 4. 
    1 x regular size 10, (this is a medium 7mm - 8mm ferrule.) *note brush sizes differ in some brands. You don't need, but might like 1 x size 4 ( or 6 and 2 if you prefer a range, your choice, this is medium/small)
    2. A beautiful  nylon Brush:  Optional.      You may also like to buy a good nylon brush FOR DETAIL.    I can recommend the lovely Escoda Perla (it has a grey handle) taklon round, size 10 brush.  It has the most amazing point and can paint tiny detail despite being a biggish brush.  I use this for all my detail.  I have these on my PAINT SHOP page, for an unbelievable $14. It should cost around $25-$30 in Australia.   Neef also make nice brushes, Robert Wade's taklon brushes are nice, synthetic sables  etc, there are many other nice brands out there.  But be aware, the prices can be almost the same as sables
    3. A good nylon Flat Brush:  I can recommend the Neef Robert Wade series 987 Taklon flat/glaze brush.  I prefer a 1/2" or 5/8" or similar.   These are the shorter hair ones, not the longer hair ones. Buy this brush in Australia as it is made here. 
    4. A children's rough hog bristle brush , just like a school painting brush can be useful too.
    Buy this in a $2 shop or craft shop or officeworks, very cheap. Make it about 1cm wide.
     

  • Coarse cooking salt sized SALT crystals  using in one lesson or some small seasalt. this is sometimes called Kosher salt. ***(cooking salt is coarser than table salt, but much smaller than big crystal salt.) It's 'normal' salt, and costs only a few dollars at Coles.

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Stage 2 Printer Friendly equipment list.

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