Art supply stores are filled with materials, but you only need a few to draw and paint flowers. Basic materials for watercolor painting include watercolors, a palette, paper, a brush, water, paper towels, scrap watercolor paper for testing, and a pencil and an eraser for sketching. Every flower painting in this book was painted using the materials in this photo, which are also my go-to supplies. Let’s take a closer look at these basics, focusing on the tools in the photo.

Some artists like to squeeze tube paints into palette wells or individual pans and allow them to harden, making them more portable. Tube paints also allow you to create several different palettes with just one set of paints. For example, I used a set of paints to create two palettes: a large one I use at home, and a small one for traveling. The leftover colors in the tubes can be stored without being contaminated.

When you begin to paint, you may find you need colors that aren’t in your paint set, or you may prefer colors from other manufacturers. In most cases, you should achieve good results and have no problem mixing paints from different manufacturers. For example, some paintings in this book used Holbein’s Shell Pink. I often use this color by itself to create pink petals, eliminating the need to mix colors every time. Purchasing one or two frequently used pastel-toned paints separately is a good investment, especially for beginners, because they offer consistent colors and increased transparency. Pastel tones can be a little tricky for beginners to mix because blending certain colors and adding white can affect the paint’s transparency.

If you purchase a set of watercolors, you can arrange the colors in the palette as shown on the package, or you can make your own arrangement. I keep the order as is.

Watercolor paints have names as well as numbers because it’s sometimes difficult to identify a color by eye when it’s in the package. By marking the paint’s number on the palette well and on a color swatch, you can easily refill or find the color you need—just use the color chip.

These brushes are reasonably priced and the bristles have good elasticity, meaning they return to their original form when wet, making them suitable for beginners. I don’t recommend using brushes that shed or lose bristles. When choosing brushes, purchase the best quality you can afford; better-quality brushes offer better results, and you’ll feel less frustrated, especially when starting out. The Resources section on this page has more information on brushes, and you can also ask for help from knowledgeable salespeople at an art supply store.

• *HOT PRESS: The smooth surface of this paper is suited for detailed work. However, water isn’t absorbed into the paper as evenly as with cold press or rough paper, so it can be difficult to control water and paint.
• *COLD PRESS: This paper has some texture to it but is not as coarse as rough paper. Water and watercolor paints spread evenly, allowing you to incorporate a number of techniques in your work. It’s a great paper for beginners and is the most versatile and popular among artists.
• *ROUGH: As its name implies, this has the roughest texture among the three, and you can easily see and feel the texture. This paper is suitable for large paintings but not recommended for detailed work.

Paper pad covers include all the information about the paper, such as the weight, texture, and contents. For the techniques and projects in this book, I used Fabriano Artistico Extra White 100% Cotton Cold Pressed 300g paper, which is made specifically for watercolor. The name may be long and complex, but it’s favored by watercolor artists and should be easy to find. The higher the cotton content in paper, the more evenly the water is absorbed, which allows paint to spread smoothly without creating stains.