Reddit mentions: The best watercolor paint for kids

I dabble in urban sketching a bit, so maybe I can offer some input.

For pens, I use a fountain pen (lamy Safari) with waterproof noodler's ink. Occasionally I'll use semi-waterproof ink for interesting bleeding effects. Other options are microns and copic multi liners. For more dynamic lines the pentel pocket brush is great.

As far as sketchbooks I've tried the moleskine you mentioned, strathmore' s hardcover journals, and stillman and birn's beta, delta, and zeta series. The moleskine was okay, but the paper was thin and warped easily. The strathmore journal had a high cellulose content and didn't readily absorb the watercolor in my experience. The stillman and birn are my favorite, specifically the delta, as I loved the warmth of ivory paper. They also offer softcover and wire bound if those are your thing.

For a palette, I'd say it's going to be hard to find one that will fit both 24 colors as well as all your accessories. The tin you linked and other bijou-type boxes are better suited for limited palettes. This can hold that amount and you can probably stuff your water brush and sponges etc in the middle space. It has about the same length as the moleskine sketchbooks, so it shouldn't be too much of a hassle to carry around. Honestly, I don't think it's too big of a compromise to carry your brushes and stuff separately. I personally use this and cart it with all my waterbrushes, pens and stuff in a small zippered pouch. If you don't mind bulk, weight, and price, this could fit a lot inside.

The tube of watercolors works like this. Remember those little watercolor sets back in elementary school where the paint was in the plastic try, in little dried circles? Like this That is pretty much the same thing as what is in the tube but just dried out.

"B-b-b-but doesn't that mean that the paint is ruined?!"

Not at all! Watercolor can always be re-activated by just adding water to it again. That's the beauty of it. Put paint in a spot you don't like? Just put water on it again and brush it off. (note: It wont come of perfectly because of the fiber of the paper, but it actually is pretty forgiving). You can always pick up a watercolor tray like this and squeeze the paint out of the tubes and into the compartments of the tray. The paint can be mixed together while still in its wet form (at least I believe it can) and put in its own separate compartments. When it dries in the compartments just hit it with a wet brush to keep using it, just like you did with those little crayola sets. You won't be able to completely re-activate the whole blob, but you don't need to.

Watercolor pencils can be used like regular color pencils, but much like the dried out watercolors in the plastic tray, you can go into the drawing with a wet brush and activate the pencils like regular watercolors. This is useful for mixing wet and dry techniques.

Acrylics are mean as shit! They dry hella fast (especially on paper) and are always like, "Oh, you wanted to mix that? Why don't you mix my balls with your mouth! Go fuck yourself!" At least, that's my relationship with them. It is important to use a medium like matte medium and possibly some retarder (helps them dry slower) to make them more manageable. They tend to work best in opaque layers, as their washes aren't too malleable and the plasticity of the paint tends to not make the nicest glazes. Here is an acrylic piece on paper I finished about 15 minutes ago for RGD, and like always, it took way longer than it should have.

I got started by going to Walmart and buying their cheapest watercolor 140lb paper, and a prang classic 8 color set.

Prang Washable Watercolor Set, 8 Classic Colors with Brush, Assorted Colors (80525) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001E69W9O/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_v.dOzbZ75EERV

I followed some YouTube tutorials to do an r2d2 and a wolf, and I was hooked!!! It's been almost a year and I've since then used Walmart tubes, koi watercolor kit, and I just this week bought my first artist grade tubes from winsor&newton and Daniel smith.

That prang set is really surprising quality and for under $5 is one of the best ways to start IMO. It's a very moist paint and rewets and mixes easily, and gives you a full color range to start to learn mixing. It includes a decent round brush, but if you decide you want to try a new brush size or style, I recommend skipping the cheap ones and go to Michaels or Hobby Lobby and using their coupons and sales to get a good brush for half off. Even the best ones they sell at Walmart shed bristles and nothing is more frustrating than picking bristles out of your paint.

By the time you've finished a pad of Walmart strathmore paper, you will have a very good idea of what you want to paint and what products you want to look at spending money on. Better to get that discovery out of the way for $15 than spend $50 and realize you want something completely different!

Great suggestion!

I have a question for you. What is preferable: More paint sets with less color variety or less paint sets with more color variety? Because I can probably buy a lot more packs of paint sets if they come in less than 24 colors. Here is an example, what do you think?


Also, among the three supplies you listed, is there one that is needed more than another or does it not matter?

The link you posted is the most cost-effective pack of construction paper I could find on Amazon, so that's good.

These are cheaper packs of large crayons, so I can get a bunch of those if everyone thinks this is the best idea.

If you haven't ordered yet, I would suggest a travel pallette that includes a waterbrush. [This one](Fils watercolor set 14 color set (japan import) by Kuretake https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0011VFSTU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7CHZCbNM3TDVZ) and [this one](Amy Tan 351199 Set Watercolors Multi https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07MXJWW1S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_6RHZCbQHWH977) have come with a brush and pen that fit inside. I don't know about the quality of the paints, check reviews. A waterbrush is ideal for hiking because you don't have to carry another cup with you. You should never use a drinking cup as a watercolor rinse cup. The other thing she'll need is an artist journal. [This one](Field Artist Masters Series 5 in. x 5 in. Square Watercolor Journal, Hardbound with 48 pags. 300 GSM Cold Press Paper https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B0769FCWB1/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_0OHZCbY1WKT38) came up while I was searching. I use a different brand but it has a spiral binding and is bulkier. This is a good name brand, though.

From what I've seen, he uses Mitsubishi Hi-Uni pencils to draw and Tombow Mono eraser . He usually uses g-pens and maru pens with other random felt tip pens for more even linework or filling in large areas. I think most mangaka like Zebra g-pens. I think when he colors he likes to start with Copic markers then go over it with either gouache or opaque watercolor. From his videos, I think he uses Holbein gouache paint and Sakura opaque watercolor with these cheapo Pentel brushes.


Here are some links to some of the products:

https://www.jetpens.com/Uni-Mitsubishi-Hi-Uni-Pencil-2B/pd/10949

https://www.jetpens.com/Zebra-Comic-Pen-Nib-G-Model-Chrome-Pack-of-10/pd/4195

https://www.amazon.com/Holbein-Artists-Gouache-Designer-tubes/dp/B001G7PD1W/ref=pd_sbs_21_5?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B001G7PD1W&pd_rd_r=AB4K7TH9WHKZY44F38ST&pd_rd_w=uJ1pS&pd_rd_wg=QSmdk&psc=1&refRID=AB4K7TH9WHKZY44F38ST

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001MT71GE/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pd_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=2G2H5VOWOABOW&coliid=I1PTCLFOY7S65L

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0057ULB7Y/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

If price isn't a factor I would recommend picking up either the Scale75 complete collection or the Vallejo Model Color suitcase.

Scale Color Collection

Vallejo Model Color


If you buy from Fantization, just FYI email them first and ask if it'll get to you by Christmas.

Also, pick her up a Winsor & Newton Series 7 #1 and #2/0