“Less is more”, that is what they kept telling us on the architect school where the old architect professors with shaking hands, looked at watercolors as old friends in a way that I think no one will ever look at AutoCAD. Most of them had to spend years sketching and painting outdoors in the days before it all went digital.
And I was lucky enough to learn the basics before it all disappeared – Ever since I have loved my watercolor gear and the simple fact that all you need is just a few colors, some paper, water and a brush…
Easel
A few times I bring an easel – but most of the time it just gets in the way, easier just to sit on the backpack. When I bring it I have a metal type one that easy can be tilted in the right angle for the water to flow… or stop flowing.
Colors
I normally use the small winsor&Newton half pans colors but as I run out of the originals I normally use tube-color in the same artist quality of the brands I can get my hands on: Rembrandt, Maimeri, etc. – I just fill up the pans as it is much cheaper.
Brushes
The one place I am not compromising – it dosn´t have to be the series 7, winsor newton, ( I gave up on those as I realized my 4 years old daughter liked to use them when I didn’t look. ) but I stay with sable brushes as I have never met anything that can compare.
Papers
For papers, I also use whatever is thick and won’t darken if exposed to years of sunlight, mostly in A4 size. Cotton paper is nice, but I finally realized that it is not going to make me a better artist.
Most of the time I work in papers between 200 and 300grams.
Water
I have been using small Nalgene bottles (plastic bottles) for a few years now as they lock very good, they work perfect and are cheap and unbreakable, I use the 125ml/4 oz size, but you can get them in lots of different sizes.
Stuff I gave up on…
I used to carry around expensive sitting chairs, chairs that combined as backpacks, easels that had a small room for papers and colors, large amounts of Canson Arches cotton papers (outrageously expensive and very addictive) and other fancy stuff.
But then I met some of the old watercolor masters that were so much more experienced and better than me – and the equipment they used, looked so simple and worn out…
A few times I bring an easel – but most of the time it just gets in the way, easier just to sit on the backpack. When I bring my easel, I have a metal type one that easy can be tilted in the right angle for the water to flowor stop flowing.Colors
I the small winsthe colors, but as I run out of the originals, I normally use tube-color in the same artist quality of the brands, I can get my hands on: Rembrandt, Maime – I just fill up the pans as it is much cheaper.
A5 paper – Bornholm
Brushes
With my brushes, I am not compromising – it dosn´t have to be the series 7, winsor those I up on those as I realized my 4 years old daughter liked to use them when I didn’t look. ) but I stay with sable brushes as I have never met anything that can compare.
Papers
For papers, I also use whatever is thick and won’t darken if exposed to years of sunlight, mostly in A4 size. Cotton paper is nice, but I finally realized that it is not going to make me a better artist.
Most of the time I in papers between 200 and 300grams.
Water
I have been using small Nalgene very (plastic bottles) years now as they lock very good, they work perfect and are cheap and unbreakable, I use the 125ml/4 oz size. can get them in lots of different sizes.
Stuff I up on…
I used to carry around expensive sitting chairs, chairs that combined as that had a small room for papers and colors, large amounts of Canson Arches cotton papers (outrageously expensive and very addictive) and oof the her fancy stuff.then I meet some of the old watercolor masters that were so much more experienced and better thanme – and the equipment they used… looked so simple and worn out…
Frits Ahlefeldt: sketchbook and stories 