Essential Watercolor Accessories Set

Upgrade your watercolor studio with our Essential Watercolor Accessories Set! We're assuming you already have paint, brushes, and paper—this set includes some of our favorite things that might not be so obvious. Six items are included in the set:

1.  Nichiban 2570 Artist Tape
This flexible, low-tack purple tape is easy to see and easy to peel off when you're finished. For perfect borders and a super-gentle release from watercolor paper, a roll of Nichiban tape is one of our absolute essentials.

2.  Daniel Smith Masking Fluid with Applicator Tips
Daniel Smith is one of the leading names in artist colors, and their masking fluid is a great partner for any brand of watercolors. Packaged in a handy applicator bottle, Daniel Smith Masking Fluid is easy to apply precisely. Once dry, it prevents paint from reaching the paper, so you can use it to define areas that you want to stay pure white. When you're finished painting, just rub the masking fluid gently to remove it and reveal clean paper.

3.  Pocket Color Wheel
For clean, predictable color mixing, this handy wheel is an outstanding guide. Spin the windowed wheels on the front and back to preview different mixtures across the color spectrum. A gray scale guide and color relationship guide are also built in to this versatile tool.

4.  Pyrex 250 mL Beaker, Low Form
A water cup is one of the truly underappreciated tools in the watercolorist's studio. With opaque mugs or plastic cups, it's hard to see how clean your water is—and too easy to confuse it for your coffee! This lab-grade beaker lets you see what's inside; it pours easily from the spout; and, best of all, it's super easy to clean.

5.  Optimist White Ink
From our in-house manufacturing company, Federal Color, this opaque white ink is perfect for defining the final highlights in work made with watercolor or gouache. We designed Optimist White for ultimate coverage and waterproof performance, so it's an ideal choice for those final corrections, even over dark colors.

6.  Barnes Dropper Bottle
For dispensing clean water into paint pans and palettes, we love the Barnes Dropper Bottle, with a built-in rubber stopper that doubles as the dropper's bulb. Fill your Barnes bottle with water at the beginning of a session, then use it to hydrate dry paint and dilute tube paint as you go. It's much easier than using a brush to transfer water.