So this might not be news to any of you, but after a 1/3 life crisis I have started working with an art tutor. I want to go beyond the amateur illustrator stage and push myself harder, learn more blah blah. We sort of decided that watercolour was going to be 'my medium' (I am impatient and oils would have driven me crazy, while acrylics are too meh) and I've been recommended better quality watercolours (I was shamefully using primary school ones :D).

I've done my research and went for the obvious choice: Winsor and Newton. The reviews were good and I had some vouchers to spend as well. I also bought two types of paints: a few professional ones and a Cotman set, which is Winsor and Newton's student line (albeit a bit more affordable).

Earlier this year, I subscribed to the 'Artists and illustrators' magazine and the then offer was a £20 voucher for an online shop called Art discount. I've never heard of it before, but I was really happy to learn about its existence. This is by no means a sponsored post, but I really think they have super good prices. The voucher helped as well, but I am 100% sure that I will keep buying from them. The service was super quick and they've got loads of stuff on their website.
I went for the Cotman Sketchers Pocket Box (Winsor and Newton) which was £8.49 (RRP £18.75) without the voucher and 7 individual Winsor and Newton professional half-pans - each between £3.55 and £4.95, depending on the series they were part of (RRP between £5.90 and £8.80).

Soooorrry, I just did not have enough patience to take the photos BEFORE I tried the set out.

I honestly think these are amazing value. The set is so cute and has really good colour options for someone trying watercolours out for the first time.
 
There are 12 paints: 

• Yellows: Lemon Yellow, Cadmium Yellow
• Reds: Cadmium Red Pale Hue, Crimson Alizarin
• Blues: Ultramarine, Intense Blue
• Greens: Emerald Green, Sap Green
• Other: Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, China White

My absolute favourites? Definitely Crimson Alizarin and Intense Blue.
The set comes with a small cute brush that I have not really used yet, but expect it comes handy when actually sketching on the go.

The photo was taken in direct sunlight, but hope you can judge their transparency here.

As a comparison, here's a sketch I photographed in neutral daylight. None of these photos have been enhanced. [However, the pink in this one is from another watercolour set.]

I would definitely go for the Cotmans first, especially if you are trying things our for the first time. 

Also, if you decide to paint big (A3+), maybe go for tubes instead of pans. I've done less than 10 sketches on A5s and am currently working on my first A3 and noticed that my favourite colours already have a considerable dent in the pan.

And that's it! Hope this helps some of you. As such, if you've got any tips on choosing watercolours and using them please feel free to share them in here.
Taaa!

It took me a really long time to find the perfect varnish for my crafts. I tried so many so far and am pleased to say that I have finally found the one for me.

I use the Liquitex high gloss varnish on wood and clay, but I suspect it's suitable for other types of surfaces as well. It is transparent and doesn't have a toxic smell (like some other do)- it actually barely smells at all. I usually use it with a painting brush (you need to wash the brush before the gloss dries though) and find that two coats are enough (although the bottle says you should use three).

I've always loved gloss varnishes because they make the colours of my crafts pop. If you look at the photo above, the figurine on the left is varnished and the other one isn't. Their faces have been painted using the same acrylic colours (not the hair though) - I think the difference is noticeable.

This one dries in about an hour (or even quicker, depending on how thick your layer is), but I always let it dry for a bit longer just to be sure that I don't get any fingerprints on my stuff.

You can find this one in most craft stores around the UK. I paid around £7 for a small bottle a few years ago.

PS: This post is not sponsored.