In last year’s August ARTicle, I shared the news that we had launched a new product around the concept of painting and having fun, our “All you need to paint..” Professional Watercolour painting sets. Our initial launch designs featured Atlantic Puffins with their large and colourful bills (only in evidence during the breeding season), which gives the birds’ faces the appearance of circus clowns and with their comical antics in taking off and landing (due to their short wingspans), earned them the nickname of “clown of the sea”. The “Puffin” designs have proved very popular not only because the birds are so cute, which they are, but because these painting sets offer more of a challenge and allow room for an artistic contribution from the individual painter.

Even in the December ARTicle, our guest author, Emma Jessen, highlighted another dimension to these painting sets, describing the importance to her well-being, by re-connecting to her inner child through the joy she experienced painting two festive Robins from our Christmas themed “All you need to paint..” set. The therapeutic nature of watercolour painting cannot be underestimated, as it not only provides a creative outlet for self-expression, but it can also help to reduce stress and anxiety levels and so benefits one's mental health and overall well-being.

In my opinion and from the feedback we have had, there is one more important aspect to the watercolour painting sets in our “All you need to paint..” range, but we can come back to that after answering some of the common questions we have been asked about our sets.

“Is the set the same as “paint-by-numbers?”

The short answer is no, the design behind each of our “All you need to paint..” sets is very different from the “paint-by-numbers” concept.

“Paint-by-numbers” is just that, a series of pre-mixed coloured paints, which have allocated numbers that reference areas on the image. Painting involves applying the paint within the boundaries of the correspondingly numbered area. The image is thus developed in the same way as a child’s “colouring-in” book, but without the added artistic input of selecting the colours to use.

Our “All you need to paint..” sets have a very large creative element and the pencil-line drawings, instructions and even the video are only there for guidance and support. The various colours required to turn the 2D imagery into a 3D painting require mixing from the three supplied watercolours, introducing the basics of colour-mixing (figure 1), which is an essential skill that every artist needs to develop.

Figure 1: Each painting set introduces the basics of colour-mixing.

There is also the important distinction, that the “All you need to paint..” sets are composed of top-of-the-range fine-art materials; our Professional Watercolours, the finest artisan made traditional Asian brush-art brushes and Saunders Waterford 425gsm watercolour paper.

“Are these painting sets just for beginners?”

Again, the short answer is no.  Although the longer answer requires the definition of a beginner and quantifying that definition by experience, so we have set about designing an inclusive element in each set, which will stretch those watercolourists who have some experience, but just need a little more instruction.

Going from light to dark can seem confusing to some painters, when they experience watercolour for the first time, as it seems a “back-to-front” way of painting. The instruction leaflet and video will help get to grips with this concept and by painting along with the video, will ensure someone who is trying watercolour painting for the first time, creates a painting to be proud of.

For those watercolourists who have some experience already, then there is room to add more complex detail (see figure 2), alternate backgrounds or to add additional watercolours to create more advanced paintings (see figure 3). 



Figure 2: In each set there are designs that allow for more complex brush work.

Figure 3: Using additional watercolours to the three supplied in the painting set to create a dramatic evening sky.

We have described our “All you need to paint..” sets as a watercolour painting lesson in a bag, because that is what we believe them to be. Although watercolour painting should be fun, each set has been designed with the serious element of introducing the basics of watercolour painting and the techniques used in the creation of fine-art paintings (see also our two-part ARTicle, ”Tips for Practicing Traditional Watercolour Techniques”). 

Just like any course in watercolour painting, the painting sets introduce and build on different techniques, so they are a “watercolour painting lesson in a bag”, not exclusively for beginners, but also for those budding watercolourists who want to develop their skills further.

“Is this painting set a suitable gift for my friend, who loves painting?”

Yes, it is! In fact, we believe that this gift, is the gift that can be given again.

I know this might sound a little ungrateful, so let me explain. Many of those that have painted the designs from our “All you need to paint..” watercolour sets have been so pleased with the result and proud of their paintings that they have wished to share this and have given the paintings as gifts to their relatives or close friends.