There are lots of techniques in watercolor that makes it powerful and intimidating at the same time, therefore I kept this medium on the side lines, occasionally dabbling in it.

As time passed I have realized that it may be a good media for plein air, as it does not require a  long setup time and also I have learnt that one does not have to resort to any of the techniques to get beautiful results.  You can do quite a bit with just laying the washes (i.e. wet on dry).

I have always loved the transparent look of the watercolor and enjoyed the happy accidents of watercolor.

Watercolor Gallery (Click to see the gallery)

I essentially have two setups for my watercolor painting described below.

Watercolor Plein Air Kit #1

Below is a setup that I carry with me for my Plein Air watercolor painting

Essentially, I prepare the washes in the small compartments in the Cotman Kit.   I make light outline drawing with a pencil on the sketchpad and start laying the washes on the drawing.  By the end of the first pass the paint pretty much dries in the early sections of the painting and then I lay the second wash where needed and so on so forth.  Give it a try!

Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Compact Set, Paper Towel, Water in a squeeze bottle (with a nozzle) and a 140lb. watercolor pad or block.

The Watercolor Kit contains the following color (half pans):  Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Yellow, Cadmium Red Pale, Cadmium Red Hue, Alizarin Crimson Hue, Purple Lake, Cerulean Blue Hue, Ultramarine, Sap Green, Viridian Hue, Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Chinese White, 1 watercolor travel paint brush.  However I just limit myself to a few of the colors.  There are a few hue which are renegade and from what I have heard will fade over time.  Since I am just sketching and honing my skills I think it will suffice for now.

squeeze bottle for water:  It is very important to have a squirt nozzle in the bottle, as it makes it easy to control the amount and direction of water coming out.  You can get this from any thrift store.

Drawing Pad:  This should be cold press 140lbs or heavier.  preferably the blocks.

Paper Towel: Goes without saying you need to wipe out excess from your brush or wipe your brush clean, this is the way to do it.

Watercolor Plein Air Kit #2

This setup is a little more elaborate and I use it when I have a little more time and I am in a contemplative mood.  All the item I use in Kit #1 gets used along with this setup.

I bought the Umbrella from Bed Bath and Beyond for $10.00. What a deal!  But watch out on a windy day it can act like a sail.  So you have to add weight to the bottom of your tripod to weigh it down.

Please click the link to see the details for the Watercolor Plien Air Kit