Favorite Colors for Watercolor Painting

Every once-in-awhile I get a request from one of my students for a listing of my "color palette" that I use for watercolors.  While every artist will eventually develop their own palette of favorite colors, I am happy to share mine to give you some ideas.  To me Winsor and Newton is the best brand of watercolor paints that I have found so far.  I use them exclusively along with Cotman (also made by Winsor and Newton).  Winsor Blue makes a beautiful Kauai sky and mixed with a little Winsor Green, it is perfect for the ocean.  I love to use Quinacridone Gold for the beach since it is such a powerful yellow.  For a more subdued beach, I use Raw Sienna. Opera Rose was introduced to me by my students, Ed and Joanie.  It is a wonderful pink that is hard to get from mixing.  Lovely to use in orchid paintings along with Purple Lake and Dioxazine Violet. Sap Green is a very leafy or grassy green.  No landscape palette should be without it.  That goes for Burnt Sienna as well since it is the color of  the "red dirt" found here in Kauai. Here are my favorites ("W&N" denotes Winsor and Newton Brand and "C" denotes the Cotman Brand): Winsor Red - W&N Winsor Blue - W&N Winsor Green - W&N Quinacridone Gold - W&N Opera Rose - W&N Ultramarine Blue - C Alizarin Crimson - W&N or C Sap Green - C Purple Lake - C Dioxazine Violet - C Cadmium Red Pale Hue (orange) - C Cadmium Yellow Hue - C Burnt Sienna - C Lemon Yellow - C New Gamboge - C Raw Sienna - C Indian Red -C I also recommend using Arches 140 lb. Cold Press watercolor paper to paint on.  Buy good quality paper and you will be very pleased with the results. I hope this information has been helpful.  Happy Painting!!! Aloha, Marionette www.kauai-artist.net www.kauaiartclasses.blogspot.com