Anna's Complete Palette (formerly referred to as her Essential Range of Paints)
What is the Complete Palette?
All of the tutorials in Nature Studio can be painted with a palette of 11 paint colours. These 11 paints are referred to as the Complete Palette.
Some tutorials use other paints, but a very close match to those colours can be mixed from the 11 paints in the Complete Palette, and substitution details are given for matching to those 'extra' paints.
(n.b. the extra paints are collectively referred to as the Extended Palette. You might sometimes notice them as extra 'blobs' of dried paint on the palette Anna's painting from in the tutorials).
Do I need all 11 paints in the Complete Palette?
The paints in the Complete Palette can be used for mixing most colours seen in nature, which is why Anna recommends these 11 colours.
If you're just starting out and are looking to build up your paint collection slowly, or if you're looking to scale back your palette to fewer colours, check out the information Anna's shared on painting with a Limited (6-colour) Palette.
The foundation course, Realistic Watercolour 101, can be completed with just the 6 paints in the Limited Palette.
Which paints are in the Complete Palette?
These paints are all Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolours. You can find buying links here to various retailers around the world.
You can start with whatever you have on hand already, or substitute with other makes, but if you're buying new, Anna does recommend you opt for Professional or Artist quality watercolour paints because they will give you better results.
The paints in the Essential Range are:
Payne’s Gray (also in Limited Palette)
Burnt Sienna (also in Limited Palette)
French Ultramarine (also in Limited Palette)
Winsor Green (Yellow Shade) (also in Limited Palette)
Permanent Rose (also in Limited Palette)
Winsor Lemon (also in Limited Palette)