What Colors to Buy for Watercolor Painting

Personal blog edition – by a painter who let her cat drink from the rinse cup.

We already talked about what papers are best for watercolor in this article about choosing the right paper. But paper is just the start. The next question is obvious: What paints should you actually use?

This article is for anyone who stands in front of a rack of paints and thinks:

“Do I need magenta? Why are there five kinds of green? And what the hell is a ‘stick’ watercolor?”

Let’s dive in.

🎨 So… What Are Watercolor Paints?

Watercolor paints are a mixture of pigment and a binder (usually gum arabic), sometimes with honey or other additives – I honestly don’t know the full chemistry, but I do know my cats react to my rinse water like it’s syrup. So… there’s that.

Unlike oils or acrylics, watercolor isn’t meant to cover.
Its charm is in the transparency, lightness, and flow – building gentle layers or letting colors run into each other like they’re flirting.

🧴 What Type of Watercolor Should I Get?

Pans

Classic. Square or rectangular plastic cups filled with dry paint that activates when wet. Pans are light, portable, and flight-safe (no liquid rules!).
Ideal for:

• beginners
• sketchbooks
• travel & plein air

Just make sure they’re clean before you use them – mixing lemon yellow with leftover indigo gives you green, but not the kind you wanted.

Tubes

Thicker, richer, more intense. Tubes contain paste-like color that you can dilute on your palette. They’re great for:

• studio work
• larger pieces
• artists who need punchy color

Downside? If you forget to close them, they dry out. Yes, I’ve done that. More than once.

Watercolor Sticks (??)

I saw them on Instagram. Apparently, you can draw directly with them and then activate the line with water – sort of like watercolor pencils, but chunkier. I haven’t tried them. I’m not judging, just… questioning.
Are they just wax pastels in disguise? I don’t know. I’ll investigate.

Watercolor Crayons / Pastels

These are wax-based pastels that can be activated with water. Strong pigment, soft core, vivid effects. Definitely fun to play with – though I’d call them a cousin of watercolor rather than the same species.

🧠 How Do I Know If the Paints Are Good?

First tip: skip the super cheap sets. They’re often chalky, dull, and frustrating.

Look for:

• student-grade or studio label (great quality, better price)
• single pans from various brands to test the feel
• avoid paying extra for those dot cards unless you’re really curious (I’m not)

And always test how a color looks after it dries – some turn into a completely different personality.

💸 Should I Buy Expensive Paint?

If you’re just starting? No need to go all in.
But don’t go dirt cheap either – bad paint ruins the fun.

“Start small. A basic 8 or 12 color set is enough. You’ll mix, explore, and grow from there.”

And don’t be afraid to go wild. That bear you’re painting?
Why does it have to be brown? Try peachy pink. Life’s short.

🧪 Brands I’ve Used (and Liked):

– Winsor & Newton (UK) – solid and classic
– Sennelier (France) – honey-based and smooth
– Schmincke (Germany) – rich & creamy like butter
– Nevskaya Palitra / White Nights (Russia) – affordable and surprisingly good

I’m sure there are more out there – but these work, and they’re real.

🎨 Want to Know What I Use Personally?

You’re in luck. I wrote a whole post about it:
👉 What Watercolor Paints I Use for My Paintings and Illustrations
(Because I really do get that question a lot.)

☕ Final thought

Watercolor is an emotional medium – it reacts to your mood, your brush, your water, even the air. You don’t need a full rainbow to start.
Just a few colors. Some paper. And the courage to watch them flow.