Summer 2025 Foundation Materials List
Here's your basic materials list from Dick Blick (best price and free shipping). Each item and its sku number links directly to the Dick Blick site. You can just click on each item link add what you need to your cart.
If you already have any of these, please use what you already have.
You will need single pigment watercolors in a warm and cool red, warm and cool yellow, warm(ish) and cool blue plus a single pigment green (I recommend PG36 which is a pthalo green (yellow shade).
A #8 round watercolor brush is a must and the Princeton Aqua Elite brand (short handle) is very good and affordable.
It’s important to have a 140 lb cold press watercolor paper (although the list below also includes a pad of 90 lb, for early exercises and your oh, so important scratch and experimental paper).
The Canson XL Mixed Media paper is excellent and highly recommended for drawing, experimenting, light washes.
The water soluble graphite pencils are a fabulous way to transition from drawing to painting in watercolor and an important part of one of our lessons.
I highly recommend that you have a good little pencil sharpener and insist on a kneaded eraser.
You'll also need a couple of WHITE ceramic saucers (for palettes and mixing) and some (I like Bounty-white/no prints) or a good, old white linen napkin to use as a rag. If you don't have these at home, you can find some at a thrift store or Walmart (!) or...
I think that covers it.
Prismacolor Kneaded Eraser - medium, 1-1/4" x 3/4" x 1/4", Gray
sku number: 21502-2620 (I'm a stickler for kneaded erasers. You'll learn why.)
+
Faber-Castell Graphite Aquarelle Pencil - Set of 5 with Brush
sku number: 22251-2005 (You'll need this for a lesson plus it comes with a small brush, so you'll have two brushes!)
+
Princeton Aqua Elite Series 4850 Synthetic Brush - Round, Size 8, Short Handle
sku number: 05472-1008 (It took me forever to find a good substitute for a discontinued brush I used for all of my classes. This is it!)
+
Faber-Castell 9000 Pencils - Art Set
sku number: 20450-9109 (Good basic set of pencils with a sharpener!)
+
Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolor - Phthalo Green Yellow Shade, 5 ml Tube
sku number: 01767-7815 (A must to supplement the Essentials kit.)
+
Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolor - Set of 6, Essentials, 5 ml Tubes
sku number: 01767-1009 (Best basic set ever.)
+
Fabriano Studio Watercolor Pad - 8" x 10", 200 gsm, Cold Press, 20 Sheets
sku number: 10145-1002 (Use this for early exercises and scratch.)
+
Fabriano Studio Watercolor Pad - 9" x 12", 300 gsm, Cold Press, 12 sheets
sku number: 10145-2012 (Save this for lesson 3 and beyond.)
+
Canson XL Mixed Media Pad - 12" x 9", Portrait, 60 Sheets
sku number: 12468-1023
Approximately $107.00 plus tax. Free Shipping
If you already have any of these, please use what you already have.
You will need single pigment watercolors in a warm and cool red, warm and cool yellow, warm(ish) and cool blue plus a single pigment green (I recommend PG36 which is a pthalo green (yellow shade).
A #8 round watercolor brush is a must and the Princeton Aqua Elite brand (short handle) is very good and affordable.
It’s important to have a 140 lb cold press watercolor paper (although the list below also includes a pad of 90 lb, for early exercises and your oh, so important scratch and experimental paper).
The Canson XL Mixed Media paper is excellent and highly recommended for drawing, experimenting, light washes.
The water soluble graphite pencils are a fabulous way to transition from drawing to painting in watercolor and an important part of one of our lessons.
I highly recommend that you have a good little pencil sharpener and insist on a kneaded eraser.
You'll also need a couple of WHITE ceramic saucers (for palettes and mixing) and some (I like Bounty-white/no prints) or a good, old white linen napkin to use as a rag. If you don't have these at home, you can find some at a thrift store or Walmart (!) or...
I think that covers it.
Prismacolor Kneaded Eraser - medium, 1-1/4" x 3/4" x 1/4", Gray
sku number: 21502-2620 (I'm a stickler for kneaded erasers. You'll learn why.)
+
Faber-Castell Graphite Aquarelle Pencil - Set of 5 with Brush
sku number: 22251-2005 (You'll need this for a lesson plus it comes with a small brush, so you'll have two brushes!)
+
Princeton Aqua Elite Series 4850 Synthetic Brush - Round, Size 8, Short Handle
sku number: 05472-1008 (It took me forever to find a good substitute for a discontinued brush I used for all of my classes. This is it!)
+
Faber-Castell 9000 Pencils - Art Set
sku number: 20450-9109 (Good basic set of pencils with a sharpener!)
+
Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolor - Phthalo Green Yellow Shade, 5 ml Tube
sku number: 01767-7815 (A must to supplement the Essentials kit.)
+
Daniel Smith Extra Fine Watercolor - Set of 6, Essentials, 5 ml Tubes
sku number: 01767-1009 (Best basic set ever.)
+
Fabriano Studio Watercolor Pad - 8" x 10", 200 gsm, Cold Press, 20 Sheets
sku number: 10145-1002 (Use this for early exercises and scratch.)
+
Fabriano Studio Watercolor Pad - 9" x 12", 300 gsm, Cold Press, 12 sheets
sku number: 10145-2012 (Save this for lesson 3 and beyond.)
+
Canson XL Mixed Media Pad - 12" x 9", Portrait, 60 Sheets
sku number: 12468-1023
Approximately $107.00 plus tax. Free Shipping