Regarding picking colors as a beginner, I did something really geeky.  I went through the artists I most liked on YouTube and in watercolor blogs and put their palette colors in a spreadsheet.  Some, like Jane Blundell, have different palettes for different purposes ("ultimate mixing", her classes, Australian landscape, or whatever).  With all of them in the spreadsheet, I looked for the colors that were most common across them.  Now, I had just gone on permanent disability, so I didn't yet feel the cash crunch, so I ended up with this expensive plan:  I bought about 50 colors and would find out which ones I liked or used the most.  Not the best plan, admittedly.  Too many choices!

The first part of the process was sound, though.  If I had  gotten, say, 12 or 18, or 24, it would have been better.  On the plus side, I have learned I have two painting "moods."  One used more earthy colors, the other more vibrant and clean colors.  But I have a lot of colors that are too close and/or go unused.  But, as Sarah recommends, I got small tubes to start, and get larger for those I like and use a lot.

For mastering a palette, Sarah's comments on using a specific, limited set is a good one.  I did mixing charts across my blues and yellows (including earthy yellow/light browns) and found the combinations that made the most sense for me.  From there, I could eliminate some, as well as some greens.  I have yet to force the greens off my palette in order to not waste them, but I'm trying to mix more of them as practice.

I hope this diatribe was interesting to someone!

Commenting to tell our YouTube overlords that this video was very cool. 🤖👌

ART HACK TO STOP BEADING OF PAINT ON YOUR PALETTE
Sarah, I noticed your paints are beading on your plastic palette. You may already know this, but a great hack to fix this problem is to use a kitchen scourer pad with toothpaste on it. Gently rub the toothpaste all over the mixing areas on the palette with the scourer. This scuffs up the surface, and your paints will no longer bead up.
Also works on metal palettes.
BTW: Absolutely love your channel. You are an amazing artist, and very inspirational. I hadn’t used gouache since my days at college studying graphic design- and we used it for packaging design. Since finding your channel I have found a new appreciation for gouache, and now I paint landscapes with it all the time.
Thank you💜

June 23, 2022 I am trying to paint again. My tiny little dog, Rudy, has always been at my side (or feet if I have a pillow for my cold toes in my winter studio) Early in the year, he went from very healthy for such an old man to very sick. I had to help him pass early in the year. After moving to a new state and not knowing ANYONE his passing was especially difficult. Thinking I would paint my way through my surprisingly intense grief I soon discovered that the only wash that happened when I picked up a brush was sadness. I stopped trying. Here it is, late June, and balance is coming back to my heart but not my painting. It is like I forget how. I can still do doodles in my bible and wildflowers (there are so many in Montana!) in my sketch book but I have not felt like taping a sheet of good paper to my board and going all in. I started buying new paints and brushes... that used to help jump-start my creativity... but that did not juice my soul either. Watching random videos on a sleepless night, your's popped up. Some of the dried up places in my imagination came alive. Then this video... I do not need new paint (as much as I love it). Before I stopped painting earlier in the year, I was excited about trying different triads, your videos, triads plus, were just what I needed. I think I'll call this the summer of Sarah Burns, and use you as a crutch to start doing what I love again. Your voice is as beautiful as your art. ...Debs in Montana (USA--though your accent sounds like you might know of Montana), ready to splish-splash again

I love hearing why and how artists choose their paints. It is so informative. I am a more generalist painter but also like urban sketching so transparent paints are very impt,  I also started with a cotman set and it really helped me learn. As I ran out of paint I replaced with artist grade. Even now as a color runs out I decide if it fits my needs or research another.  So I always have one or two wild card colors. It keeps it exciting. Each new color is an adventure.

Thank you for all of your hard work that goes into sharing this valuable information for us.  Your videos are so professionally done; with soothing music, calm voice and excellent angles to see those colors shine.  You're the best!

Lots of good advice about how to choose colors. Thanks for the effort you made to create such a succinct and informative presentation.

AHA! the 'real' part II :-)

I always find it so interesting when people talk about overcoming the challenges of limited palettes and having to get used to it and learn how to learn to get out of them what you want... and often talking about 12 colours.
I think I kinda shot myself in the leg in a way when I started because I used an 8 color palette. So I had to learn how to mix, sure. But everything automatically kind of fit together very well and knowing where to start mixing was always super easy, there's only one option usually.
Now I have the opposite problem. I can comfortably handle a palette with 3 to about 8 colors, I find 12 somewhat overwhelming and I have a 24 color palette full of all kinds of random custom colors... which I use exclusively to pick 3-4 for a new fun limited palette. I can't handle more than that, everything ends up looking super chaotic and doesn't fit together and it takes me ages to figure out how to mix what I want lmao.

Wow! Your landscapes are beautiful. You are also a dedicated technical genius... I love it! God bless you, Sarah! And your husband!

I had most all of these colors in my stash, just had to pick up the PY184.  I made a palette with all your choices and took it with me to the park for the remainder of the summer to paint while my kids played.  Such a great selection and so much fun to play with new colors!  Loved this video and part 2!

This is super useful and very informative.  I really love this colour palette and it is very helpful to me as a beginner in watercolour.  Thanks, Sarah!  I will watch your swatching video as well.

Thank you.  I am so happy to have found you, your landscapes are amazing and this video was enlightening.  I am rethinking my palette and making pages of testing swatches, but only learning.  I gained a ton of information from you.

I'm researching the colours I want now. This is very helpful

I am in the midst of this same process of eliminating extra paints and building a smaller palette.  I, too, am obsessed with color charts.  They really are helpful in learning what the colors do.  I have so many charts, it has become a bit of a family joke. :)  This video was very helpful, Thanks, Sarah for sharing.

Thank you, fantastic lesson.

You did amazing Sarah. Thank you ❤. So appreciate all your work and I’m learning so much from you.

Wow! Never thought about the brilliance of a black on my pallet! On my way to my art desk to start mixing! Thank you! New subscriber

Thank you so much for giving us a glimpse of your exhaustive process.  Choosing a palette is very personal, not only the colors, but the number of colors, brands, etc.  Good on you!

Love  your color choices!