Palette
It took me a while to find my core colors, but once I did, it made things so much simpler. One easy way to find your core colors is to look at your palette and see which ones you have to refill most often. Another is to take some time to play with triads and find mixes that work for you.
I do mostly botanical paintings, nature sketches, and landscapes, so my colors may not work for you, but it’s always fun to see what other artists use, right?
My core colors that I have on almost every palette are:
- Daniel Smith Azo Yellow
- Daniel Smith Quinacridone Coral
- Winsor & Newton Quinacridone Magenta
- Winsor & Newton Cobalt Turquoise Light
- Holbein Ultramarine Blue Light
- Daniel Smith Transparent Red Oxide
- Daniel Smith Indigo or Holbein Neutral Tint
Then if I have more room I like to add:
- Daniel Smith Chinese White
- Daniel Smith Chromium Green Oxide
- Daniel Smith Phthalo Blue, green shade
- Daniel Smith Phthalo Green, blue shade
- Daniel Smith Quinacridone Burnt Scarlet
- Holbein Cerulean Blue
- Daniel Smith Permanent Yellow Deep
- Daniel Smith Venetian Red
I exclusively use Art Toolkit Palettes in various sizes and configurations — they take up almost no room so I can always have one with me!
I’m honored to be a Brand Ambassador for Art Toolkit and they’ve given me a code to share with you: use code LISAFAN10 for 10% off your purchase of an ArtToolkit, palette, or mixing pans.
When you make a purchase using the code I’ll receive a small commission at no charge to you. I truly appreciate your support. I’ve been using Art Toolkit palettes since 2018 and I don’t leave the van without one!
Sketchbooks
I usually have several sketchbooks going at once — here’s my current lineup:
- Stillman & Birn Beta, 3.5×5.5″ — for taking on hikes. I prefer the portrait orientation so I can easily hold it and sketch standing up
- Stillman & Birn Alpha, 7.5×7.5″ — for taking notes and trying out ideas; I love how granulating colors look on this paper
- Global Arts Materials, 8.5×8.5″ — my go to sketchbook for using in camp
- My perpetual journal is a beautiful handmade journal from Real Wonder Cabin. It may seem expensive, but I plan on using it for 5 years or more.
Paper
For larger watercolor works, I like to use full sheets of Arches 140# cold press paper and tear it down to the size I need. Sometimes I’ll get Arches 9×13″ paper pads for convenience.
Brushes
- Nothing beats a water brush when sketching in the field! My favorites are the Pentel with the large tip.
- For larger paintings, I have several inexpensive Chinese calligraphy brushes that I love to use. You can get them in a large size and they have great carrying capacity.