Things to do · Arts and crafts
Learn to paint in watercolour
A friend has invited you to do this with them.
Watercolour needs only a small box of paints, a few brushes and good paper, and it goes anywhere: a kitchen table, a garden, a hillside. A term of weekly classes teaches the washes and colour mixing that take the guesswork out of it.
GentleUnder £100 / $130A few weeksIndoors or outAlone or with othersUK and US
Someone who has done it
These are real people who did this, as reported by the outlets named. We opened each one before linking it. None of them is connected with this site.
What you need
- Watercolour paper. One US college's list asks for 140 (lb) cold or hot press paper, which is 300 gsm, and says that if you splurge on anything, splurge on paper.
- Paints: a pan set or tubes. Brockenhurst College asks for the three primaries plus black; Clark College suggests a set of 12 or more.
- Round and flat brushes in several sizes, such as 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10.
- A palette with a large mixing well, a water pot, an HB pencil and an eraser. Brockenhurst also asks for masking fluid and tape.
Clark College reminds students that all supplies are recommendations and that it is fine if sizes or colours are a little different.
What it's really like
Country Life's guide puts it simply: the basics of watercolour are simple, but a little tuition never goes amiss. Its tips from the painter Gerard Stamp are to keep to four or five colours, mix more paint than you think you need, and work from light to dark with big washes.
The honest hard part is the paper. A paper supplier's guide says paper of 140 lb or lighter needs stretching to stop it buckling when wet; heavier paper used on a board may not. A beginners' class covers this in the first weeks.
Classes and costs
| Where | Format | Cost (as last listed) |
|---|---|---|
| Brockenhurst College, Hampshire | Tuesday mornings for a term: mark making, line, tone, perspective and colour | £140 a term |
| Royal Watercolour Society, London | Workshops, including a December series of two-hour practical sessions at the RWS Gallery | See the events page |
| Anne Arundel Community College, Maryland | Afternoon classes; no prior art experience required | From $142, including a $25 fee |
How to start
- Find a beginners' watercolour class at an adult education college, a community college or an art society.
- Ask for the supply list before the first session and buy the paper first: it matters more than anything else.
- Paint something small every week between classes, working from light to dark.
Where to go
- Royal Watercolour Society: events and workshops UK
- Brockenhurst College: Watercolour for beginners (Hampshire) UK
- Anne Arundel Community College: Watercolor for Beginners (Maryland) US
We opened these links on 7 November 2026 and found them to be what we say. Dates, places and prices are on the official page, where they stay up to date.
Plan this
Pick a day, or a month, and we will set out how to get ready, step by step, with a date and a reason for each. Courses and classes have start dates and can fill up, so the plan begins with finding and booking one. Kit comes after the first session, once you know what you need.
Questions people ask
What watercolour paper should a beginner use?
One US college asks for 140 lb (300 gsm) cold or hot press paper. A paper supplier says paper of 140 lb or lighter needs stretching to stop it buckling; heavier paper on a board may not.
How many colours do I need to start watercolour?
Fewer than you think. Country Life's guide says four or five are quite enough; Brockenhurst College asks beginners for the three primaries plus black.
Do I need any art experience for a watercolour class?
No. Anne Arundel Community College's beginners' class says no prior art experience is required and all levels are welcome.
Is watercolour hard for beginners?
The basics are simple, according to Country Life's guide, but a little tuition helps, especially with washes and paper.
Where this comes from: Royal Watercolour Society, Events; Brockenhurst College, Watercolour: beginners; Anne Arundel Community College, Watercolor for Beginners; Clark College Community Education, Watercolor for beginners supply list, winter 2026; Country Life, Watercolours: getting started (2014); Ken Bromley Art Supplies, A beginners guide to buying watercolour paper. Opened 7 November 2026.
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