Brushes And Papers
Brushes for everything
When starting with watercolor, the budget can quickly become high, especially if you make purchasing mistakes. Buying fewer but higher-quality items, and above all, tools that are adapted and versatile, will be the watchword to follow. If you enroll in a workshop or a class, ask for the list of required materials. Every painter has their own habits. Inquire to find out if it is truly necessary to have everything. There is no "magic brush"; there are only tools reserved for certain uses and, above all, those that you will prefer.
Brushes have a "belly" that stores water and a ferrule (often metallic) that encircles and tightens the bristles. The tuft of the brush is also called the "flower"—isn't that pretty?
The ideal way to start is to have at least three:
- My first will be larger, made of natural hair, or have a high water-absorption capacity.
- My second, of the same quality, will be smaller and come to a fine point.
- My third will have synthetic bristles and a square or angled tuft.
(The first two are called "reservoir brushes," because they are true water tanks.)
Combined, they will form a versatile team!
For your brush case, I recommend:
- A large synthetic wash brush, such as a Softaqua series 805 (or squirrel hair, series 803) from Raphaël®, size 4, for wetting large surfaces.
- A medium-sized Kolinsky sable brush, size 8, series 8404 from Raphaël®, for anything requiring precision, or a Softaqua (much less expensive), size 0.
- Two angled synthetic brushes, such as Symbiose size 14 and a small size 4, series 8060 from Raphaël® (approximately 1 cm and 5 mm wide), for applying paint into wet areas and lifting it from matte areas.
- A flat spalter brush, Dalbe® 891, made of natural white silk (a frayed brush).
Over time, brands discontinue certain types of brushes, but in the list above, you will find the equivalent of those I present in the photo opposite (some are harder to find). Gradually, I have added to my brush case:
- A small synthetic brush intended for oil painting, both soft and dense, to remove stubborn stains.
- A rigger brush for painting branches and very fine lines.
- Other brushes, cousins of the first ones but in different sizes, and wider spalters in all kinds of materials.
Some painters prefer to use watercolor pencils for their sketches. They have the advantage of blending in once you start the watercolor.
From left to right: Dalbe® frayed spalter brush, Silver® angled brush, Iris synthetic angled brush size 10 from Pébéo®, medium Kolinsky sable brush (Raphaël®), a Raphaël® wash brush, an HB 0.5 mm mechanical pencil, a soft eraser (a kneaded eraser can also be useful).
Never use your watercolor brushes for other mediums; they would be ruined!
Reassuring Papers
Papers made primarily of cellulose are the most recommended for beginners. They are also less expensive and allow for removals, erasures, and corrections.
Cotton papers, often preferred by purists and botanical painters, are much more delicate to work with, even though manufacturers have modified their formulas to allow for certain corrections. They can be considered with a bit of practice.
Example of warped paper
To start, prefer blocks glued on all four sides. They avoid the pitfall of having to stretch and glue paper onto a board or a bare frame, with all the uncertainties that this entails.
Stay cautious and choose 300/320 g paper with a cold-press (fine grain) finish. Below 300 g, it warps quickly, and above that, very thick papers are more difficult to work with. Moulin du Coq Le Rouge® paper, fine grain, or Montval® paper (always in 300 g and always fine grain) are my favorites.
Whatever you do, in the beginning, it is difficult to avoid paper warping, especially when you wet the paper heavily. Know that brushes work in both directions: they deposit water and pigment, but they can also pump them back up!
Detach the sheet from the block once the watercolor is finished and dry; this way, the painting will remain perfectly flat. If it is not, moisten the back and put the sheet under a press (between two large books).
When your creativity calls for working on a larger scale, you will find all these papers in larger blocks, in 'raisin' format sheets, and even in rolls for XXL formats. You can then stretch the sheet either by taping it with gummed kraft paper or by stapling it to a wooden board or a bare frame.
Other Supports
Satin-finish paper (hot-press): It is formidable because you cannot erase on it once dry. It is very white and very smooth. Experienced painters prefer to use it for portraits and very gestural paintings. Halos occur more naturally on it.
Polypropylene paper: A few years ago, the brand Lana® released this paper—also known as Yupo in the United States—which offers almost absolute reversibility. Watercolor slides on it and creates spectacular effects. It is a fun paper for those who enjoy experimentation. It is also very white and therefore very luminous. To fix the watercolor, it must be varnished with a spray.
Newspaper and other recycled papers: Tissue paper is too thin on its own but can be glued and integrated into a watercolor painting. Kraft paper is interesting. Some tinted papers are excellent supports.
You can also paint with watercolor on canvas, on wood... on whatever you want, as long as you find a way to fix the pigment to it! Some also use resin to fix their paintings. Try everything!
Here, the sailboat is painted on a recycled book.