Are you thinking about diving into the world of watercolours? We’ve received loads of questions about this medium in our time, so we’ve rounded up the most common things people ask to give you the answers you’ve been looking for. From choosing brushes to learning the difference between tubes and pans, we hope this article has everything you need!

1. What types of brushes should I use?

The best types of brushes for watercolour painting are made from natural bristles such as squirrel, sable or horse hair. This is because they are soft and also hold watercolour paint better than synthetic bristles. If you’re an animal lover, the good news is that taklon (synthetic) brushes are still suitable for watercolour painting, so feel free to pick up one of these sets instead. Watercolour brushes come in a range of shapes and sizes, but the one thing you’ll notice is that they often have shorter handles than acrylic or oil brushes. This is because watercolour artworks are usually smaller and tend to be created up close rather than on an easel.

2. Can watercolour brushes be used for other types of paint?

Technically you can use watercolour brushes for acrylic or oil painting, but they’re not ideal. The reason is that they have softer bristles than oil and acrylic brushes because they’re designed to create smooth strokes and hold water better. Since acrylic and oil paints have a thicker consistency, they require stiffer bristles to move the paint around easily and achieve certain techniques. The brush cleaning methods used for oil painting are also a bit harsher which can damage the soft bristles in watercolour brushes. To sum it up, we’d suggest either buying a universal brush set or keeping your watercolour brushes separate.

3. Can watercolour pencils be used dry?

Yes! You can use watercolour pencils dry for drawing or colouring. It’s up to you whether you want to create watercolour effects or leave it as a regular drawing. This is one of the main reasons we love this versatile and colourful medium.

4. What’s the difference between watercolour tubes and pans?

If you’re looking at buying watercolour paints you might be wondering: tubes or pans? While they have their similarities, there are a couple of big differences between the two that might help you decide.

The first one is that watercolour tubes are ready to use straight away, whereas pans need to be activated with water before you use them. This means that the tubes give you the option of painting with a more highly pigmented colour because you don’t need to add as much water from the get-go (although you will still need to mix in water for techniques such as creating a wash).

Watercolour pans are more compact which can make them easier to transport and store. However, you can create a watercolour pan set by squeezing some of your watercolour tubes into a palette and letting the paint dry. You can then reactivate them like you would with regular pans by adding water. One last thing to note is that pans aren’t as good for creating large washes or paintings because tubes allow you to mix larger amounts of paint all at once.

5. Are watercolour paints mixable?

Yes, watercolour paints can be mixed together to create new colours. This gives you endless possibilities and allows you to create beautiful blending effects in your work.

6. What are the benefits of using watercolour paints?

Some of the main benefits of using watercolour paints include:

7. What’s the difference between watercolour and gouache?

Gouache is often referred to as an opaque watercolour. The main difference between the two is that gouache contains a white pigment which means you can’t see through it like watercolour paints. Although they differ in transparency, gouache and watercolour paints are quite similar. They’re both made up of pigment and a water-soluble binder that allows the paint to be reactivated and altered with water after it dries. This makes them super versatile and easy to use.

8. Why are my paints going muddy?

Creating muddy paints is a watercolour issue that a lot of people face. This can be super frustrating and disappointing, especially if you’ve nearly finished your painting! Below are some common reasons watercolour paints go muddy and quick solutions to help you out if you’re grappling with this issue.

9. How do I use a water brush?

A water brush is a great tool to have when you’re painting or drawing with watercolours. They provide a constant stream of water so that you don’t need to keep dipping your brush in water! To use our water brushes, simply unscrew the top section and fill the barrel with water before tightly screwing back together. When you’re ready to paint, hold it like a pen and apply slight pressure to the barrel to start the flow of water to the brush. You can also fill these brushes with watercolour paint, which is particularly handy if you aren’t using many colours for your painting.

10. Can you tell me how to keep watercolour paints from drying out?10 – 100 (medium)

Because watercolours are water-based, these paints can be kept fresh by using a wet brush or damp sponge to reactivate the dried pigments inside. It can also help to keep a spray bottle with water nearby your work for easy access. If you find your watercolour tubes have dried up, you can cut or slice the paint tube inside and use a wet brush to reactivate the pigment inside.

11. How do I go about framing watercolour paintings? 

It's nice to display an artwork of your own, but framing will also protect your watercolour work against warping and moisture damage too. You can learn how to frame your watercolour artworks in this handy how-to.

12. How do I clean watercolour brushes? 

You’ll be happy to hear, watercolour brushes are fairly easy to clean up after. Rinse your brush with water after painting and re-shape the tip of the brush with your fingers. To protect the ferrule, allow the brush to dry standing up or by laying down on a flat surface.

13. How long does it take for watercolour paint to dry?

This depends on a few things, but generally watercolour paintings can be touch dry in around 15 – 30 minutes or a few hours depending on how hot or cold the room is.

14. What do I do if I use too much water? 

Water is great for helping the flow of the paints, plus it can create some fantastic effects too, but sometimes we can use a bit too much water with watercolours. To soak it up, use a tissue or paper towel for larger areas. For smaller areas or if you’re planning to rework the area, try a dry brush instead.

15. Where can I get a metallic watercolour palette? 

From us of course! We have a few metallic watercolour sets to choose from, ranging in price and skill level. Artists and students will love the Mont Marte Metallic Watercolour Set Premium, with 21 eye-catching watercolours and complete with a sponge, water bush. Plus, the travel tin makes for a great on-the-go palette.

For beginners or those just starting out, why not try our Metallic Watercolour Cake Set Signature 37pc with a bunch of shimmery metallics to choose from, they look great on dark paper. Or our Metallic Watercolour Cake Set 17pc Set has some great shimmers and a handy paintbrush included. Go on, try them out for yourself!

Hungry for some more tips? Head over to our watercolour hacks article to check out our top tricks and handy hints. Or for more on watercolour paper, check out our commonly asked watercolour paper questions.

We’d love to see what you’re creating, so tag us on Instagram or Facebook using #montmarteart to share your work with us!