Watercolor 101 - Other Materials! 

I've got a tip for you! I paint with watercolours all the time, and a while back I realised was using SOOO much paper towels it felt like I wasted several forests every week. So I figured I would use something different, and found that microfiber cloth works great! You can use it over and over again. I wash mine with water and maybe some gentle hand soap if it's really dirty. I did it mostly because I hate wasting natural sources, but it's really cheap and economical and one piece of cloth works for a long time! :)

Yay! I love your Watercolor 101 videos! To think that I hated watercolors before your first watercolor 101 video and now I'm obsessed with learning about it and have been learning how to paint with the medium. First off, pipette? Genius. I like using two jars. One for dirty water, one for clean. I use empty gelato plastic pint tubs. W&N masking fluid has a really bad rep for staining. The one you have is good and I've just started using FineLine masking fluid which is amazing because it comes with a fine tip to squeeze out of. For when you only need to use a little or need a really fine line. Masking fluid can also be used to preserve light colors in addition to whites. Pouring paint artists use it this way. Also, You can dip your paintbrush in water, then rub it on a bar of soap until it starts to get soapy. Then directly from there, dip into the Masking Fluid. It should help with keeping it from drying as fast on your brush. I also love using it with wooden skewers for some neat textures or I've seen people use it with sword brushes for sweeping gestural masked off areas to go in and paint later. (To put in a dark background first.) In addition to plastic palettes, I personally love porcelain palettes but they are too expensive so what I do, is buy porcelain plates. Usually the more modern ones are flatter. They make great palette for at home use. I just heard about Viva paper towels from printmaking and watercoloring videos. Apparently people love it because there is no pattern on the paper and is also absorbent enough to use. This allows for lifting color without worrying about the paper pattern appearing. Horsehair brush is great and I love it because it keeps you from using your hands and transferring oils. Everyone needs one! Kneaded erasers work better if you stretch it and "warm it up." I always use it to tap my pencil marks into a lighter tone so they aren't so dark. Also helps take away extra graphite so it doesn't smudge. Medical paper tape is great tape also as a substitute for masking tape. Its like washi tape but different. It's thin, sticky but doesn't tear the paper, and waterproof. And best of all, it's white so it doesn't throw your judgement of colors off. Colored India ink works also. Dr. P.H. Martin has colored India inks that are supposed to be light fast and waterproof. I used India inks a lot in my graphic design classes when I was in art school. India inks do not have shellac in it which is why it is not shiny. I used to have technical pens that I filled with India inks. The company "Ranger" has a very quiet heat tool that looks like a mini hair dryer if you want one to be able to use while taping or not bothering the rest of the house. I use a heat tool that I use for encaustics painting. It's easier to hold and maneuver. Sorry for the long butt post. Your videos are so engaging with so much info that I also want to share. I hope your friend is doing ok. I loved your butterfly on the "Bulletproof" piece.

Thanks for the great series of videos in Watercolor 101. It's been tremendously informative and helpful. I've never done Watercolor before, and have a class scheduled for this January, and your videos have jump-started me.

I love keeping salt in my kit. And makeup sponges for when I'm traveling and don't have paper towel/Kleenex/napkins handy.

Your videos are very helpful, I am a digital artist but I am slowly learning how to use my watercolours that have dust on.. have not used them since the first year of college which was two years ago.. By the way your hair is beautiful so jelly xD

Dr. Ph Martin's makes another black ink that's really great. It's called Black Star, it's still waterproof India ink, but dries much faster AND it's matte. It's great if you work in mixed media because it lets you layer dry mediums over it, like colored pencil or pastel, much more easily since it doesn't dry with that glossy, plastic-y finish.

I know I have watched these 101 videos more than once but I was so new to RU-vid I did not know you have to comment to help you with the YT algorithm! So I am going back to make sure I have done my best for you! Lovely even after several views! Keep going Alice!

One of my favorite weird tools I use is a toothbrush. I really like to paint galaxy looking backgrounds and a toothbrush is a very easy way to create stars. I also use white out correction pens instead of gel pens.

Loved your Watercolor 101 series. It would be great as a Watercolor 101: how the work, to see you demonatrate the behaviors of the various paints, brushes and papers.

Have you tried the Winsor and Newton gold ink? I LOVE it to add touches to my watercolor pieces!

I don't know why but you somehow remind me of Clary from the mortal instruments series. I love your 101 series, btw, thanks for sharing them!

Thanks for the advice about the pipette and the masking tape! :) they will prove to be very useful :) awesome video btw

I'm turning into a dedicated watercolorist thanks in part to your lessons! I've just upgraded to some artist quality paints because I found a good deal.

As always, very helpful. Thank you. As a side note, you've grown up so much!

Very professional video, love all of them! Thrilled you have Mr. T. on your wall!!!

quick tip use 2 jars of water 1 for dirty water and 1 for clean water BTW love your 101 series 😍

Can you PLEASE make a how to draw hair with watercolors video? :3 ^^

suppeer useful, thanks so muuch! :))

Alice I hope that you continue making your videos. I 've noticed that many of the comments are a year old. I don't know when you started making them. Please don't give up on them.w.jetpens.com has some art supplies, tutorials and some product comparisons. They recommend Uniball Signo Broad white for highlights. An artist videos that I watch recommends a white pencil by Caran d'Ache the Luminance 1690 pencil line. I have tried syringes for control of water added to paint or mixing of inks. This allows for a formula to be developed that can be repeated and they are easy to clean. Mythros

I have a kinda stupid recomendation but it works! Roll out some silly puddy and then cut it to be straight I do this and it works!

Your hair is amazing!

Amazing tips!!!

Great video!!! I need to get some masking fluid asap. Dr. Ph. Bombay will grow on you and become your favorite ink. That ink has changed my life with inking. Have you tried correction pens/white out for highlights.

Hey Alice! Stumbled upon your Watercolor 101 series just recently and they're very informative. Love all your side comments! Just want to ask what brand of varnish do you use? Or there any alternative medium to preserve your watercolor works? :)

Have you tried Platinum Carbon Ink? I have found it to be great. It works really well in fountain pens, and also comes in fountain pen cartridges.

Is this series still going on?

THE TARDIS!!

new intro

A good ink pen I recommend is a pigma micron.

Instead of a pipet I use an eye dropper

the intro is blue now I think l like it.