Brushes
Any watercolor brushes will do! You don’t need to spend a lot of money for brushes; my favorites include this Princeton Select series or something like this. I like to have brushes in size Round 4 or 6, a 001 Round, and a flat and slanted brush.

Winsor & Newton Designers Gouache

My favorite gouache that I use for all my professional work. This is a great starter set, or you can always buy single colors. Check out my Skillshare classes for my recommendations for a starter collection. Hint: you’ll always need a large tube of Permanent White!

Jelly Gouache

Perfect for beginners – these budget friendly sets were originally created with students in mind. I’m a big fan of the Magic Fly set for practice and painting in my sketchbook for fun!

Watercolor Paper

There’s a range of watercolor papers that are all great and this Canson watercolor pad is a budget friendly option. 300g is good enough for all my professional work since I scan them.

Fancier Watercolor Paper

Arches is what I use for work that will be in galleries – I personally prefer Hot Press because it’s smooth, but Cold Press will give you that traditional watercolor paper texture if that’s what you prefer.

Illustration Board

This is my favorite paper to paint on for gallery shows, etc. because it’s endlessly smooth, takes on gouache beautifully while maintaining its vibrant colors.

Watercolor Sketchbook

I love this Arteza one for a watercolor sketchbook. It lays flat when open, which makes it easier to paint in.

Mechanical Pencil

I prefer using a mechanical pencil while sketching because it’s always sharp! I also like these colored lead ones because they don’t smear or pick up in the paint. I love this Pilot one that comes in multiple colors (I prefer pink or red).

Eraser

My favorite eraser! It’s small enough to really get into the details, and erases very cleanly. A simple win that I’ve had in my toolkit for over a decade.

Ceramic Palette

Ceramic palettes are the easiest to clean once gouache dries – just let it sit in some water and the paint will come right off. I like these flower well pans, and also any ceramic plate will do!

Brush Cleaner

This Brush Cleaner is perfect for cleaning all your brushes and probably hasn’t changed its packaging since 1888, which means it’s that good. Just soap up your brush with the balm inside and give it a good massage under cool running water, restore your brush tip, and lay it flat to dry on a clean towel. Your brushes will stay good as new!

Water Jar

You can use anything for a water jar – an old plastic container, up-cycle a yogurt container, old jam jar, etc. I like Ball Jars or anything with a lid because it’s easier to travel with!

Spray Bottle

This is critical for the success of a gouache painting - a misting bottle! You want something that sprays a fine mist so that you can easily rewet your paint and control the amount of water more precisely.