Daler Rowney Watercolour

Daler Rowney Watercolour

 I’m often asked what watercolour paints I use when I illustrate. The answer is an old Daler Rowney watercolour set that was passed down to me by my Nan when I was young. I’ve replaced the majority of the pans (the individual colours) since then. The Rowney range offers a wide variety of quality pigments that are vibrant and easy to blend.

  

Our Tip: Watercolour paints are usually sold as both sets and individually as tubes or pans. Visit your local art store and see what’s best for you and your budget. You can often buy some great starter kits.

There are many different types of watercolour paints for you to use and discover. To see more of the Daler Rowney range visit: www.daler-rowney.com

Pro Arte: Watercolour beginners brush guide

Pro Arte

 Here’s one for the watercolour painters out there. Take a look at our guide to create a basic set of brushes for beginners.

1: Flat brush. A great brush for blocking in small areas of colours and creating different marks.

2: Round Brush. Use smaller versions of this brush for detail and larger versions to block in colour.

3: Rigger. Great for detail, I use small versions of this brush that only have a few hairs to paint super-fine details.

4: Long Flat or Wash Brush. Use this brush to create washes and cover large areas. This brush can hold a lot of water and is ideal for  blocking in large areas of vivid colour.

Our Tip: Visit your local art shop and see what brushes and starter sets they have to offer!

There are many different types of brushes you can use to create various effects. To find out more information please visit: www.proarte.co.uk

Art Masking Fluid

Windsor & Newton Art Masking Fluid

Here’s one for the watercolour artists out there. Have you ever had trouble trying to leave areas of your canvas unpainted as you frantically apply your wash?

Use masking fluid to gently cover the areas you want to leave unpainted and wait for the fluid to set. Next, apply your wash or area of colour and wait till the paint is dry. Then gently remove the masking fluid to reveal the area you originally masked. You will now be able to paint the previously masked area or simply leave it as a highlight.

Our Tip: use a pipette to apply small areas of masking fluid to your canvas and use kitchen paper to remove it.

Derwent Paper Stumps

Derwent Paper Stumps

Here’s one for the pencil artists out there. Paper stumps are a great substitute for using your finger to smudge and blend graphite, charcoal and even pastels.

This set of Derwent Paper Stumps is ideal for smoothly blending graphite and allowing you to accurately smudge your artwork using the rice-paper tips – without the unpredictable mess!

Our Tip: use sand paper to gently clean the paper stumps and maintain a pointed tip.

Derwent Graphic Medium Pencils

Derwent Graphic Medium Pencils

Whether you’re an aspiring artist or a professional illustrator you need the right tools for the right job. Derwent Graphic Medium Pencils are a high quality set of graphite pencils and they are my personal favourites.

This set of pencils (6B-4H) is ideal for both sketching and producing highly detailed renderings. These pencils are easy to use and give a high quality professional look to your artwork – whatever your style.

Our Tip: Use a quality metal sharpener to achieve a fine point on your pencils.