(^4) Palette
These come in many shapes and
sizes and in different materials
too. A larger mixing area is useful
and most paintboxes incorporate
mixing areas into the tray or lid.
(^5) Board or easel
Any large, rigid board is perfect
for painting on if you want to
keep your work on your lap,
which is convenient for working
at various angles. If you want an
easel, make sure it can be angled
flat for watercolour work.
(^6) Masking fluid/tape
Masking fluid can be painted
onto areas that you want to keep
free of paint, particularly details
that you don’t want obscured
by a colour wash. Made of latex,
it needs to be peeled off the
paper as soon as it’s no longer
needed. Masking tape is useful
for creating sharp edges.
(^7) Pencils and eraser
Sketching pencils (2B or softer)
and a soft eraser are essential for
marking – and correcting! – the
outline of your scene.
(^8) Outdoor gear
If you’re painting landscapes,
remember to take a few extra
essentials with you: a container
and water for rinsing brushes,
a light folding stool, a rag or
tissues and, depending on the
weather, sun cream, a sun hat,
insect repellent, or fingerless
gloves and warm layers.
Thanks to Jackson's for supplying
products for these pages. Turn to
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for beginners. Rough is quite
heavily textured and takes a little
getting used to. Cold pressed
paper is best to start with,
being slightly textured so it
holds the paint well. Papers
come in different weights
(thicknesses) too. Thinner papers
- from about 190 to 300gsm
(90 to 140lb) – will need to be
stretched before you use them
to prevent them wrinkling when
the paint’s applied.
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