Featured piece
Watercolour beginner mistakes: the five that matter most
Most early frustrations with watercolour come down to the same handful of problems. Understand what they are and why they happen, and the medium becomes considerably less mysterious.
Read the pieceRecent writing
On technique, materials, and artists.
-
How to stretch watercolour paper: method and when it is actually necessary
Materials Paper Guide Whether you need to stretch watercolour paper depends on weight, format, and how wet you paint. Reading
-
Watercolour blocks vs pads vs loose sheets: which format to use when
Materials Paper Comparison The choice between watercolour blocks vs pads vs sheets affects whether your paper stays flat, how much
-
What does cold press mean in watercolour paper
Materials Paper Guide Cold press is the term you will encounter on almost every pad, block, and sheet of watercolour
-
Why watercolour paper weight matters more than brand
Materials Paper Comparison A 300gsm sheet from a lesser-known manufacturer will outperform a 190gsm sheet from a prestigious one. Weight
-
Arches vs Fabriano Artistico: tested across washes, wet-in-wet and lifting
Two papers that painters argue about constantly, tested under the conditions that actually separate them.
-
What watercolour pigment codes actually mean and why they matter
By the end of this article you will be able to read any tube label, understand what the codes tell you and, just as usefully, what they do not.
-
Best watercolour paper for beginners in the UK
By the end of this article you will know which paper to buy, why the specs on the label matter, and where the standard online advice goes wrong.
-
The five mistakes watercolour beginners make in the first month and how to avoid them
Most early frustrations with watercolour come down to the same handful of problems. Understand what they are and why they happen, and the medium becomes considerably less mysterious.
-
Best watercolour set for beginners: what to buy and what to leave out
By the end of this article you will know exactly what to spend your money on, what to ignore, and why the conventional advice about starter kits is sometimes wrong.
The Letter
New writing from the site, the occasional material recommendation, and brief notes on painting. Sent monthly, nothing more.
SubscribeMonthly. No noise.