Watercolor Outside the Box: Workshop Supply List
Explore inventive techniques and new applications for traditional watercolor paint. Break the rules of watercolor with non-traditional methods of painting: magnetic paint painting, texturing with spattering paint, dark to light, wet-into-wet bokeh (shallow depth of field), palette knife painting, and more. The workshop will be a learning experience with demonstrations, one-on-one consultations, and constructive critiques. All levels of students are encouraged to participate. Students are welcome to bring their own photographs or use the instructor’s photographic resources.
Watercolor Outside the Box is my experimental watercolor workshop designed for artists who want to move beyond traditional brushwork and explore pouring, intentional blossoms, granulation, masking, spray techniques and other unconventional ways of working with watercolor.
Below is the official supply list I use for this workshop, including the watercolor paper, paints, brushes and additional materials you’ll need for class. You don’t need to purchase everything I personally use—I’ve noted which supplies are required, recommended and optional.
I teach Watercolor Outside the Box in Raleigh, North Carolina and as a traveling workshop for watercolor organizations and art groups.
What Makes This Watercolor Workshop Different?
Most watercolor classes teach control.
I teach you how to use controlled chaos to your advantage.
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to:
- Create dynamic blooms and backruns (on purpose)
- Use pouring and layering techniques for luminous color
- Push beyond tight realism into expressive, modern watercolor
- Work with unpredictable effects and turn them into strengths
- Develop a signature style instead of copying others
This is not a beginner-only class—and it’s not rigid академic painting either.
It’s where technical skill meets experimentation.
Who These Watercolor Workshops Are For
This workshop is ideal if you:
- Are tired of “safe” watercolor and want to loosen up
- Already paint but feel stuck or repetitive
- Want to learn professional techniques used in juried exhibitions
- Are a beginner willing to experiment and learn quickly
- Want a hands-on, real-world approach to watercolor
If you want step-by-step paint-by-numbers… this isn’t it.
If you want to level up fast—you’ll fit right in.
Recommended Supply List
MOST IMPORTANT: Good watercolor paper. You can have the best brushes and paints in the world and you will not be able to paint anything (worth a darn) with cheap paper.
Buy several 22×30 sheets of professional watercolor paper (or a block of paper). I use Arches or Fabriano Artistico 140lb Cold press or rough surface. We will work on 1/4″ sheet sizes (11×15”) or smaller . Do not cut paper before class though. I could not find good prices on individual sheets online (unless buying pack of 10 which is a LOT of paper). I would purchase individual sheets in stores.
Avoid inexpensive student-grade watercolor pads for this workshop. We use a lot of water and aggressive techniques, and cheap paper can buckle, pill or handle washes poorly. Professional watercolor blocks are perfectly fine—I regularly recommend Arches and Fabriano Artistico blocks
Watercolor blocks are as good as individual sheets.
Fabriano Artistico 140lb 12×16″ Block
Arches 11×14 block 20 sheets
Do NOT buy watercolor pads. This is the cheapest paper made by manufacturers- it might have a good name on the front (Saunders, Fabriano, etc) but this is inferior paper. DO NOT BUY
PAINTS
Colors: All colors are Winsor & Newton unless specified. Other brands will work too but might not be the same paint.
VERY SPECIFIC- please BUY
Daniel Smith Lunar Black
Mandatory- Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, Winsor Yellow, Sap Green, Perinone Orange (Daniel Smith), Yellow Ochre, Imperial Purple (Daniel Smith), a pure red (Winsor Red or equivalent)
Winsor Newton Ultramarine Blue
Winsor Newton Burnt Sienna
Winsor Newton Winsor Yellow
Winsor Newton Sap Green
Daniel Smith Perinone Orange
Winsor Newton Yellow Ochre
Daniel Smith Imperial Purple
Daniel Smith Shadow Violet
Highly Recommended- Cobalt Blue, Cerulean Blue, Titanium White
Winsor Newton Cobalt Blue
Winsor Newton Cerulean Blue
Winsor Newton Titanium White
Brushes
I recommend having at least three brushes- #6 round brush, one mop, and a rigger. Make sure the mop has a nice point and doesn’t look like a makeup brush. You don’t have to get these brushes if you have brushes already- but you do need a brush big enough to cover most of the paper very quickly.
Richeson Silver Velvet #6
Richeson Silver Velvet #2
My students have bought this set online and they seem to work ok. The hairs fall out a lot but they are mop brushes with decent tips.
Professional Watercolor Squirrel Hair Paint Brushes by DUGATO
Optional
Harmony Squirrel Mop #6 Brush:
Harmony Squirrel Mop #2 Brush:
I also use a #4 Rigger brush to get details:
And a tiny spot toner 2/0 for itty bitty details:
Richeson 1/2″ flat
Supplies
Paper towels. I use Viva w/ no pattern. Available at any grocery store.
One small bottle of masking fluid. Make sure liquid isn’t clumpy or solidified. I use Pebeo and Graffix though Daniel Smith and Winsor Newton Masking fluid will work too. Do NOT buy Winsor Newton Permanent Masking fluid
Pebeo Masking Fluid (small bottle) recommended
Cheap medium sized brush for masking fluid. Get the cheapest #4 or #2 round brush available. Find something on clearance if possible.
Water container. This can be anything. Seriously. As long as it holds water. Think cereal bowl size.
Watercolor Palette- I like the Sterling Edwards Big Brush palette but I also own several Richeson Covered Palettes. Make sure your palette is big enough to mix lots of paint with water so you have big puddles of color ready to go.
Sterling Edwards Big Brush Watercolor Palette (optional but we want to have space to get big puddles)
Drawing supplies. Pencils, white erasers, pencil sharpeners
Spray Bottles
Holbein Spray Bottle
Spray Bottle
Other Supplies
Water resistant board to put paper on. This could be gatorboard, plexiglass, or wood. You could even cover cardboard with freezer paper and put watercolor on top.
2” masking tape or painters tape
Sense of humor (required)
You can purchase all these supplies online by clicking on the links above. These are all affiliate links and I do earn a small commission (at no charge to you).
You can also purchase supplies in person:
Jerry’s Artarama– 3060 Wake Forest Rd. Raleigh, NC 27609
I purchase most of my supplies at Jerry’s Artarama in the Holly Park shopping complex near Trader Joe’s. They have everything in stock and the best prices. I do not receive a kick-back for sending students to Jerry’s- this is where I shop. Please note that the Jerry’s Artarama online shopping (jerrysartarama.com) is different from the brick and mortar store.
Artpost Supplies and Studio- 718 Iredell St. Durham, NC 27705
Michael’s & Hobby Lobby (several stores in area)
Michaels and Hobby Lobby have a small selection of painting supplies. Prices are high unless you have a bunch of coupons. You can easily save 25% ordering online at art supply stores online:
Online: Cheap Joe’s, Jerry’s Artarama, Blick, Utrecht