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Watercolor: Choosing your colors

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Initiation epitomizes restraint. When getting started, limit yourself to a dozen colors. You can enrich your palette later: as you make progress, particularly in terms of the themes you'd like to work on. For example: if you’re into botany, remember to focus on the green and brown ranges. 

Tubes ou godets ?

  • Cakes of paint: They are easy to use, allowing color precision. Their packaging helps you visualize the range of colors available at a single glance. They are easy to transport and adapt perfectly to outdoor painting.
     
  • Tubes: Recommended if you want to work with a lot of paint, whatever the size of your paintbrushes, or creating mixes without muddying the colors. Note, however, that they are harder to measure and take longer to dry. Use for working in large formats or over a long period of time.

Memo: How many colors?

Start with a box of 12 cakes or a set of 6 or 10 tubes: with a few select colors on your palette, you can do endless combinations. And remember that even the most experienced watercolorists generally use a limited number of colors.