Paints
Watercolor, gouache, acrylic, oil, ink
Pigment + binder + water (or oil). The category that scares most beginners and rewards them most. Each medium has its personality. Pick one and learn it deep.
Watercolor
The portable, atmospheric paint.
Watercolor is pigment + gum arabic, activated with water. Light, fast, transparent. The medium of choice for plein-air, travel sketching, atmospheric work. Forgiving when wet, unforgiving when dry.
Beginner pan set: Cotman 24-pan ($25), Sakura Koi pocket field set ($30), Daniel Smith half-pan ($60+ for serious work). The cheaper sets will work for years.
Pan set vs tube
Pans are dry; activate with wet brush. Portable. Tubes are wet; squeeze onto palette. Better for large washes.
2 jars of water
One for clean, one for dirty. Beginners use one and wonder why everything looks muddy.
Round brushes, size 6 + 12
Round watercolor brushes do 90% of the work. Two sizes covers most needs.
Gouache & acrylic
The opaque cousins.
Gouache (‘goo-ASH’) is opaque watercolor — dense, matte, layerable. Loved by illustrators (commercial illustration ran on gouache for decades). Acrylic is plastic-binder paint — dries fast, water-cleanup, indelible once dry. Versatile from thin washes to thick impasto.
Gouache starter: Holbein Acryla Gouache. ~$50 set of 12.
Acrylic starter: Liquitex Heavy Body tubes in 6-8 colors. ~$40.
Gouache — illustration
Matte, opaque, layerable. The illustrator’s paint. Photographs cleanly.
Acrylic — fast and versatile
Dries fast. Thin washes or thick impasto. Indelible once dry. Beginner-friendly.
Heavy body vs fluid
Heavy body holds brushstrokes. Fluid is pre-thinned, easier for large smooth areas.
Oil & water-mixable oil
The classical medium.
Oil paint is pigment in linseed (or walnut) oil. Slow-drying, deeply blendable, the medium of Western fine art for 500 years. The downside: solvents (turpentine, mineral spirits) needed for cleanup — toxic, expensive, smelly.
Modern alternative: water-mixable oil paint (Cobra, Royal Talens). Acts like oil. Cleans up with water. Beginner-friendly, safer for home studios.
Traditional oil
Slow-drying, deeply blendable. Classical medium. Demands ventilation and solvents.
Water-mixable oil
Acts like oil. Cleans up with water. Beginner-safe, indoor-friendly.
Linseed vs walnut oil
Linseed: traditional. Walnut: slower-yellowing, more expensive. Either works.
Ink & markers
When you want crisp lines.
India ink (water-soluble or waterproof), sumi ink (Asian tradition), drawing inks in 24+ colors. Apply with dip pen, brush, or brush-pen. Hard, fast, decisive. Ink doesn’t apologize.
Pigma Microns
Archival pigment ink in fine-line markers. 005-08 nib sizes. Permanent. The illustrator’s standard.
Posca paint pens
Opaque acrylic-based markers. Work on any surface. Pop and street artists’ go-to.
Brush pens
Tombow Fudenosuke, Pentel pocket brush. Calligraphic lines, varied weight, manga-style inking.