Otter Crest Beach
Next, I wanted to try to create a more muted version of this scene. I could really feel the temperature drop when I stood in the shadows at sunset, so I wanted to try and capture that feeling in my next painting.
Artist Resources
Whether you are new to water media or looking to upgrade your materials, here is my secret not-so-secret list of artist-grade materials I have found through workshops, endless research, and hundreds of hours of painting.
Essential Materials
| Paper | Arches 140lb Cold Press |
| Brushes | Princeton Series 4050 Heritage Synthetic Sable Brush Set |
| Tape | Scotch Freezer Tape, 3/4 x 1000 Inch |
Paint Choices
Trying It Out:
| Starter pigment set | Daniel Smith Watercolor Set 5ml Tubes |
Basic Palette Build:
| Yellow | Lemon Yellow |
| Yellow | New Gamboge |
| Red | Quinacridone Coral |
| Red | Quinacridone Rose |
| Blue | Cobalt Blue |
| Blue | Ultramarine Blue |
| Brown | Burnt Sienna |
| Brown | Burnt Umber |
Additional Colors I Enjoy:
| Yellow | Quinacridone Gold |
| Orange | Pyrrol Orange |
| Orange | Quinacridone Burnt Orange |
| Blue | Manganese Blue Hue |
| Blue | Cerulean Blue |
| Blue | Indigo |
| Purple | Quinacridone Purple |
| Purple | Imperial Purple |
| Grey | Jane's Grey |
Studio Supplies
| Color wheel | Color wheel |
| Pencils | Staedtler Mars Lumograph 2B Graphite Pencil |
| Eraser | Mr. Pen Kneaded Eraser |
| Spray bottle | Continuous Spray Bottles - Ultra Fine Mist Sprayer |
| Water cup* | Faber-Castell Clic & Go Artist Water Cup |
| Palette* | Ceramic/Porcelain Watercolor Palette |
| Brush holder | Rotating Paint Brush Holder - Handmade |
| Resist | Pebeo Easy Peel Liquid Latex Masking Fluid |
| Resist remover | Glue Residue Pick-Up Eraser |
| Charcoal | Compressed Charcoal Sticks |
| Sketch book | Strathmore 300 Series Sketch Pad |
| Watercolor sketch book | Strathmore 460-55 400 Series Visual Watercolor Journal |
| Special brush | Winsor & Newton Pointed Round #8 |
| Special brush | da Vinci Watercolor Series 498 Size 2 - Round Quill |
| Special brush | Princeton Heritage Series 4050 Wash 1" |
| Special brush | Princeton Heritage Series 4050 Liner |
Plein Air Supplies
| Viewfinder | View Catcher |
| Water cup | Faber-Castell Collapsible Water Cup |
| Bamboo brush holder* | Bamboo Calligraphy Brush Holder Rollup |
| Small spray bottle* | Spray Bottle Fine Mist 4 Oz |
| Travel palette (13) | Aluminum Watercolor Palette 13 Well |
| Travel palette (20) | Color Around Aluminum Watercolor Palette 20 Well |
| Sun hat | Sunday Afternoons |
| Water bottle | Nalgene |
| Don't forget... | sunscreen, easel, bug spray, first aid kit, earbuds |
Gouache Supplies
| Enamel plate | Creative Mark Butcher Tray Palette |
| Spray bottle | Continuous Spray Bottles - Ultra Fine Mist Sprayer |
| Sketch book | Mtsooning Kraft Paper Unlined Notebooks |
| Watercolor paper | Arches 140lb Cold Press |
| Sta-wet sheets | Masterson Sta-Wet Sheets |
| Brush | Winsor & Newton Cotman Water Colour Brush |
| Note: | Gouache will ruin your watercolor brushes, so keep them separate. Keep paints in a sealed plastic bag to reduce drying out. |
Piecemeal Paints:
| Yellow | Lemon Yellow |
| Orange | Permanent Yellow Orange |
| Red | Primary Magenta |
| Purple | Violet |
| Blue | Cobalt Blue |
| Green | Emerald Green |
| Brown | Burnt Umber |
| White | Permanent White |
or Sets:
| Starter paint set option 1 | Winsor & Newton Designers' Gouache |
| Starter paint set option 2 | Holbein Artists Gouache |
| Full paint set | Holbein Artists' Gouache |
| Theme set option 1 | Holbein Irodori Artist Gouache - Spring |
| Theme set option 2 | Holbein Irodori Artist Gouache - Summer |
| Theme set option 3 | Holbein Irodori Artist Gouache - Autumn |
| Theme set option 4 | Holbein Irodori Artist Gouache - Winter |
| Acryla gouache | Holbein Acryla Gouache |
* Denotes a product I found closest to what I use in the studio (but have not personally tried yet), as some of my suppliers/manufacturers are no longer around, difficult to find online, or only accessible by expeditions found in those choose-your-own-adventure books.
Full Disclosure: I'm a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. I receive a small earning for each product that is sold via affiliate linked products. Thank you for your support, and I hope you found my lists useful.
Read More
Summer in the Studio
The purple underpainting came through the finished painting with surprising glimmers of peach. I was delighted to see the warmth sparkle through! So delighted, in fact, that I tried a similar composition of the same rock from a different vantage point.
Among the Giants
Usually I am a morning person - I like to be up and out the door early, especially since parks here in Colorado are crowded by 10am. On this particular day,...
