Daler-Rowney Simply watercolour set, 6, 12 or 24 tubes

Explore watercolour with a Daler-Rowney Simply set for beginning painters and hobbyists. Dilute the paint with water for washes, small studies and illustrations on watercolour paper. Choose one set of 6, 12 or 24 tubes. Every tube holds 12 ml; a larger set gives you more colours, not larger tubes. A brush, mixing palette, water container and paper are needed separately.

Which colour selection suits you?

• 6 tubes, totalling 72 ml: white, lemon yellow, crimson, ultramarine, sap green and black. A manageable choice for starting to mix with a limited number of colours.
• 12 tubes, totalling 144 ml: a broader selection including yellow, reds, blues, greens, earth colours, black and white. Useful when you also want browns and different blue and green starting colours.
• 24 tubes, totalling 288 ml: more separate shades, including orange, violet and pale colours. Choose this set if you enjoy a wider palette and want to mix fewer starting shades yourself.

Practise the difference between water and white

1. Squeeze small portions onto a mixing palette. Start with two colours and add a little at a time so you can see which colour steers the mixture. Use a clean brush to keep tubes and starting colours clean.
2. Make three small patches on the same watercolour paper: colour with little water, the same colour more diluted, and a mixture with a little white. More water lets the paper show through more; white changes the coverage and appearance of the mixture.
3. Let the patches dry and note the colours and mixing method. Use the trial for your next study. Build light washes and let one layer dry before carefully painting over it.

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