By the end of this guide, you’ll know what the best watercolor paints for beginners in Sri Lanka are, what to buy first (even on a tight budget), and how to choose paints that help you improve instead of fighting you.

01. If you want something affordable and easy to find [NOTE: Beginner colors which can limit some watercolor specific techniques, qualities..etc A tradeoff between Price & Quality], Camel Watercolor is a solid budget choice for practice, just know it can feel a bit flat in very smooth washes.

02. For painting, Van Gogh Watercolor is a favourite because it mixes cleanly and behaves predictably.

03. If you want the best balance of quality and control, Winsor & Newton Cotman is reliable and beginner-friendly. Winsor & Newton Chinese Mainland Version is Cheap and an Alternative [better pigment richness] to Camel As well.

04. And if you’re ready for stronger colour and nicer blooms, White Knight (White Nights) or Sinorus Professional are a clear step up, especially on good paper.

One tiny truth that saves money: a “better” paint won’t fix everything if your paper is struggling. If your paper pills, buckles badly, or drinks water like a biscuit… even expensive paint will look dull.

Quick 60-second test: paint one thick stroke, then paint the same colour next to it with lots of water. If that pale wash dries patchy or dusty, something, either the paint or the paper is holding you back.

Our Selection for Beginners

01. Van Gogh Watercolor

What it looks like in practice: clean colour, smooth washes, less “mystery behaviour.”
Why beginners like it: it mixes predictably. You’ll waste less paint and get less mud.

• Best for: beginners who want a dependable set for landscapes, skies, city sketching

• Feels like: soft, smooth, not too aggressive

• Watch out for: some colours can feel slightly less punchy than artist-grade paints (normal at this level)

If you’re painting Sri Lankan rainy skies, Van Gogh helps because your wash stays calmer even when humidity slows drying.

02. Paul Rubens Watercolor (Student Grade)

This one can be a good “learning set” if you’re careful.

Best for: practice pages, colour studies, quick sketches

Why it’s useful: you can learn brush control and water control without fear of wasting expensive paint

Tradeoff: some student sets can have more filler, so colours may look a bit chalky in big soft washes

If your goal is portraits or delicate florals, you might outgrow it faster. But for daily practice? It can do the job.

03. Winsor & Newton Watercolor (Cotman and Chinese Fine Arts Version)

Cotman is a classic student-grade choice because it’s consistent. You’ll hear artists recommend it for one reason: it behaves “normally.” That matters more than people think.

Best for: a first “proper” set

Why it works: smoother gradients, clearer mixes, better layering than many cheap sets

Note: “versions” and packaging can vary by market, so focus on how it performs in your swatches rather than the label alone.

04. Sinorus Professional Watercolor

This is where you start feeling a difference.

Best for: learners who are already painting regularly and want stronger colour and nicer texture

Why it’s exciting: higher colour strength (so you don’t scrub the paper to “make it show”)

Tradeoff: stronger paints punish overworking. If you keep brushing the same area… you’ll lift paint and create rough patches.

05. White Knight Watercolor (often known as White Nights)

Many artists like this because it can give beautiful granulation and deep colour without needing a huge palette.

Best for: expressive landscapes, texture lovers, people who enjoy “happy accidents” (controlled ones)

Why it’s lovely: some colours separate beautifully, especially on cotton paper

Tradeoff: if your paper is low quality, you won’t see the magic — you’ll just see backruns and uneven drying.

06. Camel Watercolor

This is the honest budget pick.

Best for: school-level painting, daily practice, kids, beginners on a tight budget

Why it’s useful: affordable, easy to find locally

Tradeoff: colours may feel less vibrant, and smooth washes can dry a bit “dusty” depending on paper and water.

Professional Watercolor Paints for Serious Watercolor Artists

1. schmincke Horadam watercolor
   A favourite among serious painters because it feels balanced. Pigments are rich but not over-powerful, and mixes stay clear. Great for layering, washes, and expressive skies.
2. Daniel Smith
   Known for bold colours and some beautiful granulating pigments. If you love expressive texture (stormy skies, rocky earth, wet tropical greens), this set gives you a lot to play with.
3. Rembrandt
   Smooth, steady, and trustworthy. Colours feel stable on the paper and blend well. A good bridge between student sets and high-end pro paints.
4. Shinhan PWC Watercolor
   Strong colour release with good transparency. Works beautifully with detailed work as well as broad washes a good versatile pro choice.
5. Paul Rubens Artist Grade Watercolor
   Upgraded version of the student range more pigment, cleaner mixes, and more exciting colour behaviour. A nice way to “graduate” without jumping into super-expensive tubes.
6. Winsor & Newton Artist Grade Watercolor
   Deep, classic colours with reliable performance. If you like a predictable palette that still has subtle power and clarity, this is a solid go-to.

How We Chose the Best Watercolor Paints

This feels wrong at first, but stick with me: choosing paint isn’t about “best brand.” It’s about best match for how you learn.

Best watercolor paints for beginners: the 5 things that actually matter

1. Pigment quality: richer pigment = cleaner mixes and easier layering
2. Brand reputation: not because of hype because consistency matters when you’re learning
3. Value for money: you don’t need luxury — you need reliable results per rupee
4. Local availability in Sri Lanka: the “best” paint is useless if you can’t replace it later
5. User reviews & artist feedback: patterns matter (not one random review)
6. Suitability for beginners vs pros: some paints are powerful but unforgiving

30-second decision check

Ask yourself:

Am I practicing at least 2–3 times a week?
Am I mainly painting washes (skies, seas, backgrounds) or details (line + colour)?
Do I want “easy control” or “expressive effects”?

Your answers basically choose the paint tier for you.

How You should choose your watercolor paint type?

Paint sets can feel like sweets in a glass jar. So many colours. So tempting. But beginners don’t need 48 colours. Honestly… it often makes things worse.

1. Must-Have Basic Colors

1.1 Primary wheels (keep it simple)

A beginner-friendly approach is a small “split primary” palette

       2 yellows (one cool, one warm)
       2 reds (one cool, one warm)
       2 blues (one cool, one warm)

Why? Because Sri Lankan greens (coconut leaves, paddy fields) and warm sunlight (that golden late-afternoon glow) need both cool and warm mixes. One yellow and one blue can’t do everything.

1.2 Earth tones

Add 1–2 earthy colours:
a warm brown (great for temple walls, tree trunks, sandy paths)
a yellow-ochre style colour (perfect for sunlit buildings and skin undertones)
60-second exercise: coconut green mix

Mix:
yellow + blue → green
Then touch a tiny bit of red/brown into it to “calm it down.”
That one tiny adjustment is the difference between “neon green” and “real Sri Lanka green.”

2.Mixing Tips

How to build new hues,
Mix in a palette well, not on the paper (especially when you’re learning)
Make a proper puddle (enough paint-water mix) before painting a sky wash
Keep a tissue nearby. Always.

Avoid muddy mixes;
you mix too many pigments (3–4 at once)
your brush water is dirty
you keep brushing a half-dry area

In Sri Lanka’s humidity, washes can stay damp longer… which feels helpful… until you poke it again and create blooms. You paint a wash. It looks perfect. Then… bloom city.

90-second exercise: “two-pigment rule”
Choose two colours only. Mix 3 steps: more A, equal, more B.
If that looks clean, your paint is fine — your mixing habits were the issue. (Happens to everyone.)

Troubleshooting box — If this happens → do this
Cauliflower blooms/backruns → stop touching it, let it dry, then glaze gently
Overworked area looks rough → switch to softer strokes; do fewer passes
Colours look dull → try fewer mixes, or upgrade paper before upgrading paint

3. Specialty Colors

Granulating pigments
These give that lovely sandy/rocky texture.

great for: old temple walls
rocky riverbeds
cloudy skies with texture

But they’re optional. Don’t buy them to “fix” a painting. Buy them when you want a specific mood.

Metallics (if available)
Nice for greeting cards, calligraphy touches, and small accents.
Not essential for learning fundamentals.

30-second exercise: texture test
Paint a wash, then drop in slightly thicker paint while it’s still wet. Watch the bloom and separation. That “moving pigment” look is the fun part of watercolor… when you’re not fighting it.

Little Background for Watercolor Paints for your knowledge

1. what are the watercolors ?

Watercolor paint is basically pigment + binder (often gum arabic) that reactivates with water. The magic is that it stays transparent, so your paper light becomes your “white paint.”
That’s why paper matters so much. Watercolor is like cooking a clear soup — if the water quality is bad, you notice.

2. What Defines Professional(artist) Paints and Student Grade Paints

In simple terms:
Student grade: often less pigment, more fillers, more “chalky” look in pale washes
Artist grade: more pigment, cleaner mixes, stronger colour, usually better lightfastness
Beginner-friendly doesn’t always mean “cheap.” It means the paint behaves predictably so you learn faster.

3. Why choosing the right paints matters for skill development.

Because you’re training your eyes and hands. If the paint is fighting you, you’ll blame yourself… and your confidence drops. If the paint behaves well, you improve faster because feedback is clear: “Oh, that bloom happened because my wash was half-dry.”

4. Who this guide is for:

Beginners
Hobbyists
Students
Professional artists

Different Types of Watercolors to Try

Watercolor Pans
Great for travel and quick sketching. Easy to control.
Tip for Sri Lanka: let pans dry properly before closing the box — humidity can make things stay damp and messy.

Watercolor Tubes
Best for big washes (skies, oceans, backgrounds). You can mix a generous puddle easily.
If you love painting rainy skies or paddy fields with wide gradients, tubes feel like a relief.

Liquid Watercolor
Bright and fun, often used for illustration and bold effects.
Just know: they can behave differently from traditional pans/tubes, so don’t compare them too harshly.

Watercolor Markers and Pens
Good for line + wash style. Great for urban sketching (tuk-tuks, markets, old shop signs).
But they won’t teach you classic wash control as deeply as pans/tubes.

Watercolor Pencils
Nice for detail control, then soften with water.
Helpful if your brush control feels shaky at the start.