My First Watercolor Painting – and the Easel Where It All Started
After semi-retiring, I began exploring new interests. I decided to take a free community class for beginning watercolor painting at our local library. Not only did I begin a new hobby, but I was able to meet new people with similar interests. If you suddenly find yourself with more free time, look at all the wonderful free community classes in your area. It doesn’t matter if you’re retired, semi-retired, an empty nester, or simply looking for a creative outlet. You might find yourself with not only a new hobby, but an enjoyable side business.
I always loved watercolor paintings but thought I lacked the talent to get started. Finally, I decided to give it a try. Rather than learning everything from YouTube, I signed up for an introductory watercolor class at our local library. It was free, welcoming, and gave me the confidence to get started. Even better, I continued painting and am still taking local community classes to improve.
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What I Bought
If you’re thinking about trying watercolor for yourself, here’s the beginner setup that got me started and that I still use today:
Portable Wooden Easel
A tabletop easel gave me a proper support for painting instead of hunching over a flat table, and it folds down for easy storage.
♥ What We Love
- Foldable and compact, easy to store between painting sessions
- Sturdy enough to hold watercolor paper securely while painting
- Includes a small drawers to keep paints and brushes handy
Watercolor Paint Set
A beginner-friendly set with a wide range of colors, so I could start experimenting right away without buying paints separately.
♥ What We Love
- Vibrant colors that blend well for beginners
- Compact case that travels easily to classes
- Affordable way to start without a big investment
Paint Brush Cleaner & Holder
Keeps brushes rinsed, upright, and protected between strokes — no more knocking over a cup of water mid-painting.
♥ What We Love
- The brush wiper gets brushes cleaner, faster
- Built-in holder keeps brushes upright to dry properly
- No more spilled water cups on the table
Watercolor Paper (9 x 12)
Good paper makes a bigger difference than I expected — it holds up to wet washes without buckling or tearing.
♥ What We Love
- Sized well for beginner practice pieces
- Handles multiple layers of wet paint without warping
- Great value pack for lots of practice
17-Well Ceramic Paint Palette
Plenty of room for holding and mixing colors during a painting session, instead of running out of space mid-project.
♥ What We Love
- 17 wells give plenty of room to mix custom shades
- Ceramic wipes clean easily between sessions
- Sturdy and doesn’t tip over mid-project
Watercolor Paint Brushes
A proper watercolor brush set made a bigger difference than I expected over the all-purpose craft brushes I started with.
♥ What We Love
- Range of sizes for detail work and broad washes
- Soft bristles that hold water and pigment well
- A great starter set that doesn’t overwhelm a beginner
Artist Towels
Handy for blotting brushes, controlling water on the page, and general cleanup during a painting session.
♥ What We Love
- Absorbent and reusable, unlike paper towels
- Great for blotting excess water for special effects
- Keeps the workspace tidy between colors
More From The Clever Crew
- Looking for painting inspiration? Check out Give a Vintage Serving Tray New Life with a Simple Hand-Painted Design.
- For more upcycle crafting and gift ideas, see Turn Thrifted Porcelain Teacups into Beautiful Handmade Soy Candles.
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