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A few of you have asked me to list the colours that I use most often. So here is a list for you. I've also attached a word document of this in case you wanted to print it for your reference.

I do have a lot more colours but the colours listed here I use the most.

Update: This was posted in 2019. My colour palette is much simpler now.

I am also in the process of moving from Winsor & Newton paints to Schmincke as of July 2023. Winsor & Newton paints are becoming too expensive to purchase in Australia.

If you are a beginner, don't go out and buy all these colours. Watch this video instead: https://www.patreon.com/posts/75109061

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Use Most Often

Winsor and Newton

Brown Ochre

Burnt Sienna

French Ultramarine or Ultramarine Blue

Paynes Grey

Permanent Rose

Permanent Sap Green

Permanent Magenta

Scarlet Lake

Sepia

Transparent Yellow

Winsor Blue red shade

Winsor Green blue shade

Winsor Lemon

Winsor Violet

Winsor Red

I use the colours below but I use them less often

Winsor & Newton

Cobalt Blue

Indian Yellow

Naples Yellow

Viridian

Files

Comments

Melanie Newberry

Hi Louise, I’m trying to buy my colors a few at a time. I’m going to purchase the reds next. I already bought permanent rose. My question is this: what’s the difference between alizarin crimson and permanent alizarin crimson? And what about Scarlet Lake? Are these cool reds or warm reds?

Louise De Masi

Hi Melanie, The difference between the two crimsons has to do with colour fastness. Alizarin Crimson is 'moderately durable' as opposed to Permanent Alizarin Crimson which is 'Durable' (according to Winsor & Newton.) So go with Permanent Alizarin Crimson if you decide to buy it. Permanent Alizarin Crimson is a cool colour and Scarlet Lake is a warm colour.

MartyJ

Louise, how far have you gone with the change to Schmincke.

Louise De Masi

Hi Marty, I mainly use Schmincke these days, especially for tutorials. I try to stick with the 12 colours in my custom set so there’s consistency for patrons. I still have all my Winsor & Newton paints though, and I use them when I’m painting just for fun (mostly to use them up).

Britta Thrane

Thank you so much for the info, it's so nice to know, when buying new colours, so they pretty much match yours .... thanks again.

Charlie

Thank you for sharing this information! It really is appreciated.

Karen Read

Do you mind if I ask about the plastic trays you store your paints in? I

Karen Read

have been searching for a way to separate colors, etc., and cannot find anything remotely acceptable!

Karen Read

(Sorry... hit return before I was ready 😡)

Teri F

Thank you soooo much for this. I’m trying to put my palette together and will surely explore these colors you’ve listed.

Teri F

Also, do you tend to work from your standard (physical) palette of colors or do you put the colors you’re going to use for a painting on a palette and work from only those colors? I’ve seen artists do it both ways and was curious as to the reasoning.

Louise De Masi

If I'm just painting for myself (no teaching) I use my standard palette of colours and I use any of them. Then when I want another color that's not on my main palette I get out one of my smaller palettes or I'll use a dinner plate. If I'm painting something for a tutorial I try to limit the colours and work from only those colours. I usually put those colours out on their own palette so I'm not tempted to use other colours.

Louise De Masi

I use a fishing tackle box to store the main colours that I use. I can seperate them into colours, red, yellow, blue etc. My other colours that I don't use as often are stored in a plastic container with a lid - like one you'd use in the kitchen.

Teri F

Thanks Louise. As always, very helpful. 😁

Karen Read

Thanks, Louise! It looks like what I’ve been looking for... anyth8ng beats the gallon ziploc

Kristi

I am so happy to be a patron! I've been following you on YouTube. Love your calm instruction & your beautiful art.

Louise De Masi

Thank you very much Kristi. I'm happy you are a patron too. 💕

Terri Soha

Karen, there is a plastic storage container at Michael’s that I think is perfect for separating tubes by colors. If you’re in the USA. It’s about 8x14x2” and has customizable dividers

Karen Read

Thank you! Will check it out.

Karen Lorenz

Can you suggest what eraser is the best for use on watercolor paper? Thank you!

Maria Braverman

I have started a shopping list of the colors I need. Winsor Newton has two shades of Winsor blue (green shade and red shade). Which one would you recommend?

Maria Braverman

What do you think of Da Vinci paints? I live in California. It is made here.

Louise De Masi

I've never tried them I'm sorry. Maybe do a google search and type in 'Da Vinci paints review.' You might get some information about them that way or if you are in my private Facebook group- do a post there and see if someone has used them.

Maria Braverman

Which shade of Winsor blue would you recommend? There is a green shade and a red. Thank you

Create With Aura

I didn't see lamp black on the list, though I have seen you use it in your videos. Do you still use it, or do you mix your own?

Louise De Masi

Hi Aura, Yes I use it. I mainly use it for pupils in eyes. I did use it however on the crow and on the Zebra.

Cheryl McKellar

I’ve used some da Vinci paints, they are lovely, they reset really easily. If you look up Jane blundell’s blog she has searched out their entire range

pascalle Alain

good morning from Québec, Canada....I just want to know...about your deep sap green....it seem to be not existing anymore...Have your another color to replace it ? Thanks

Louise De Masi

Hi Pascalle, You could use Perylene Green or you could mix something like Paynes Grey into Sap Green.

Nina Kathrin

Hi Louise, your tutorials are wonderful! If you were starting out and could only focus on 3-5 colours, which would be the ones you'd buy? Thank you!

Louise De Masi

Thanks Nina. Only 5? That's tough. I'd probably choose Winsor Lemon, French Ultramarine, Scarlet Lake, Permanent Rose and Burnt Sienna.

Nina Kathrin

Thank you so much, Louise, this is super helpful!

Gale McKiddy

Hi Louise! I have invested in a good number of Rembrandt watercolors, and I do have some Winsor and Newton. I never seem to have the right ones, though. It is so expensive to keep buying more W&N colors. Do you know anything about which Rembrandt colors to substitute?

Gale McKiddy

Karen, to save space I separate my colors into groups (reds, yellows, etc.) and put each group into a strong freezer quart size plastic bag and store those inside a gallon plastic bag. I can view them easily too.

Louise De Masi

Hi Gale, I'm not familiar with Rembrandt watercolour and the different colours I'm sorry. I agree watercolour paint is expensive which is why I try to stick to one brand and keep using them over and over. There is a Winsor and Newton colour swatch here: https://www.winsornewton.com/na/paint/watercolour/professional-watercolour/?fbclid=IwAR3tEDKAMHSCf21N0x1wN550EHrEU-euYf30RS_2BMM61FzjSpB8xIUz7Zg#product-info-colours Copy and paste that link into your browser. If you click on the swatches for each colour it expands and shows you the pigment codes. You could try to look for the pigment codes of the Rembrandt colours that you have and see if any of them match. In my latest tutorial I've been writing the pigment codes of the paints I'm using on each of the supplies lists. Don't get too worried about matching colours though. Use whatever you have that might look similar. It doesn't matter if it's not the same as what I'm using. The value of the colour (how dark or how light you put it on the paper) is more important than the actual hue itself.

Andrea Flemming

I'm so blind - sorry, Louise! You have pinned it under "Supplies" - Thank you so much.