My First Look, Honest Impressions, and Paint Test of the Palette and Brushes

 ✅ Quick Overview

• First look at Andrea Nelson’s watercolor palette, brush set, and paper formats
• Simple swatches and first strokes on my usual watercolor papers to see how the paints and brushes perform
• Beginner-friendly notes on flow, feel, and usability
• Early impressions of the palette, brushes, and papers — plus what I’ll be testing more fully in the next tutorial 🎨

Introduction: Why I Picked Up These Supplies

When an artist I admire releases watercolor supplies, I pay attention — especially when the tools appear beginner-friendly and thoughtfully designed. Andrea Nelson’s expanding watercolor line includes 12-pan and 24-pan paint sets, brushes sold individually and in sets, and several watercolor paper formats, including her recently launched accordion-style sketchbooks. The moment I saw the Black Friday Bundle — and that adorable tiny accordion book — I knew I wanted to try them out myself!

Today I’m sharing a true first look at the collection — zero pressure, just opening everything up, painting a few test strokes, and noting what stands out.

Because beginners often wonder which supply is causing which result, I like to test new paints and brushes on papers I already know well. That way, I can clearly see how the new tools behave without introducing too many variables at once.

I ordered these supplies directly from Andrea Nelson’s website. If you want more details about her palette, brushes, and papers, here’s the link: Andrea Nelson's Shop.

Note: Although the “Black Friday Bundle” offer expired, the individual supplies reviewed here remain available in her shop.

This review isn’t sponsored; I purchased everything myself and am sharing my honest impressions as a watercolor beginner educator.

Andrea Nelson Essential 24-Color Watercolor Set, Essential Brushes, & Assorted Watercolor Papers, in shipping box

What I Purchased

The Black Friday Bundle (no longer available) included the 24-Color Watercolor Half Pan Set, the Essentials 4-Brush Set, the cutest Blue Tin of 100% Cotton Watercolor Postcards, and the larger-sized Accordion Sketchbook. I also purchased 2 of the mini accordion sketchbooks and 2 of the Watercolor Paper Pads in the A5 size.

🎨 24-Color Watercolor Half Pan Palette

This is a professional-grade, full-range palette with 24 half pans: a generous mix of primaries, earth tones, mid-tones, and brights. It’s not a limited palette, which means beginners have the flexibility to explore color mixing and use ready-made colors without feeling boxed in.

The initial impression: solid color variety, clearly labeled pans, and a layout that invites exploration.

🖌️ Essential 4-Brush Set

The brush set includes a 1 inch flat brush, size 6 round brush, size 8 round brush, and size 10 round brush. My first thought when holding them: lightweight, balanced, and designed for a comfortable grip. Today I’m testing how they perform with simple strokes and color swatches.

🖼️  Watercolor Papers: Postcard Tin, Accordion Sketchbooks, and Paper Pad 

The watercolor postcards are professional grade, 100% cotton 140 lb 300gsm cold pressed watercolor paper. The postcards have rounded corners, with one blank side and address lines on the other side. The tin is sturdy and portable, with 24 small postcards inside. (My tin arrived with a small dimple in the lid — not an issue for personal use, though something I’d look for if I were gifting it.)

The accordion sketchbooks come in two sizes, and they’re delightful! They are professional grade, 100% cotton, 140 lb / 300 gsm cold-press watercolor paper. Thick pages, sturdy covers, and that creative unfolding format that instantly sparks ideas for themed studies or seasonal mini projects. I bought two of the tiny accordion books (3½ x 2½") and one of the larger (7½ x 5¼").

The pad is 140 lb / 300 gsm cold-press watercolor paper — textured enough to give brushstrokes character, but not so rough that beginners will struggle. As a 30% cotton blend, it offers a balanced surface for practice without acting like full cotton paper. The surface feels consistent and sturdier than many introductory pads.

If you’re curious how cotton content and paper quality fit into the bigger picture, my Beginner’s Guide to Student and Artist Grade Watercolor Supplies breaks down the differences in a simple, beginner-friendly way.

From a first-look perspective:

• all of the papers have a clean, moderate texture that should work well for beginners
• the watercolor postcards are sturdy, fully cotton, and sized beautifully for smaller projects
• the accordion sketchbook format feels so inviting and versatile
  • in two sizes, they seem perfect for studies and series
  • the mini size in particular makes it easier to commit to short, low-pressure painting sessions

I’ll be painting on the small accordion sketchbook in my next post, which will give me a much clearer sense of how it behaves with washes, layering, and detail work.

Andrea Nelson Essential 24-Color Watercolor Set, Essential Brushes, & Assorted Watercolor Papers, not yet opened

First Look: Design, Quality & Feel

🎨 The Palette:

• Snaps open cleanly
• Pans look well-secured
• Includes a swatch card
• Mixing space is simple and functional
• Colors appear vibrant even before wetting
• Available in 12-pan and 24-pan sets — I bought the 24-pan set

🖌️ The Brushes:

• Synthetic brushes with aqua-colored wood handles and aluminum ferrules
• Soft bristles with a little snap
• Comfortable to hold
• Tips form a clean point when wet
• The round brushes feel ready for detailed work and looser strokes
• The flat brush is a great size for washes

🖼️  The Papers:

Since I'm saving the actual paper test for the upcoming tutorial, today’s impressions are based on feel, texture, and format only.

Here’s what I noticed:

Watercolor Postcards in Blue Tin (100% cotton)

• 24 watercolor postcards (5⅞ x 4⅛") with rounded corners
• Professional-grade 100% cotton 140 lb 300gsm cold pressed watercolor paper
• One side is blank and the other has address lines
• 1 light blue tin storage box with hinged lid

Accordion Sketchbooks (100% cotton)

• Professional-grade 100% cotton 140 lb 300gsm cold pressed watercolor paper
• Soft, strong surface — a promising combination for layering and wet-on-wet
• The accordion-style format naturally encourages themed studies and small series work
• Available in two sizes: 7½ x 5 ¼ inch folded and mini (3 ½ x 2 ½ inch folded) 
• The smaller accordion book (3½ x 2½") is especially beginner-friendly — tiny pages = low pressure + creative wins
• I purchased both sizes

A5 Watercolor Pad (30% cotton / 70% wood pulp)

• Student-grade 30% cotton / 70% wood pulp 140 lb 300 gsm cold pressed watercolor paper
• Economical choice for beginner practice and studies
• Sturdy enough for foundational work, but not as absorbent or textured as full cotton papers
• Available in two sizes: A4 (8.3 x 11.7") and A5 (5.8 x 8.3"), both with 20 tear-out sheets
• I purchased the A5 size

So far, everything feels thoughtfully made and approachable for new painters, with useful options at both the practice (student grade) level and the higher-quality artist-grade level.

I’ll share full paint-based impressions once I use the accordion paper for my holiday motif tutorial.

Andrea Nelson Essential Brushes and Watercolor Set, with my paint swatches/tests.

First Paint Test: Swatches + Simple Brushstrokes

To keep this first test focused on understanding how the paints and brushes behave, I used my usual swatch paper and my go-to 6×4 100% cotton watercolor paper. Testing new paints on familiar paper makes it much easier to notice real differences in flow, vibrancy, and control.

🎨 Swatching the Palette

The colors wet quickly, release pigment steadily, and range from lighter to rich, saturated tones. Even with a full 24-color range, the palette feels approachable — you can play, mix, and explore without getting overwhelmed. I tested Cherry Red, Grass Green, and Ultramarine, and found the pigments to be vibrant and perform beautifully.  

🖌️ Testing the Brushes

I tried thin lines, small circles, leafy strokes, and a few basic gradients. Here’s what stood out right away:

• The round brushes taper nicely, making detail work easier
• The flat brush made the quick gradient wash a breeze
• The brushes release the water and pigment evenly onto the paper.
• They have enough spring to bounce back after each stroke, which helps maintain control
•  

Andrea Nelson Essential Watercolor Set, Brushes, & Assorted Watercolor Papers (including mini Accordion Sketchbook), with my paint swatches/tests.

Beginner Notes: What Stood Out Right Away

• The 24-color range gives beginners more options without needing to mix everything from scratch
• The brushes feel intuitive, even with basic strokes
• The paper formats look accessible — especially the tiny accordion sketchbook 💛
• Using my own, familiar watercolor papers made it easier to understand how the new paints and brushes behave
• Everything so far feels thoughtfully designed and accessible

These early impressions matter because watercolor beginners deserve supplies that cooperate, not ones that frustrate.

Would I Recommend These Supplies for Beginners?

My early take: yes — absolutely.

Here’s why:

• The palette offers enough variety to grow with you
• The brushes make everyday practice feel easier and more predictable
• The variety of watercolor papers encourage simple, steady skill-building
• The accordion sketchbooks seem very promising from a first-look standpoint. I’ll be able to share a more complete impression once I’ve painted on them in the next tutorial.

If you’re just starting out and want tools that support learning without complicating it, this collection is a strong option. The professional-grade paints, sturdy papers, and quality brushes also make these supplies a great fit for watercolor artists of any experience level who value reliability and ease of use.

Keep a Look-out 👀

In next week’s companion post, I’ll test the smallest accordion sketchbook by painting a series of tiny holiday motifs. It’s the perfect chance to see how Andrea Nelson’s paper handles washes, layering, and detail — all while enjoying a festive little project. 🎄🎁

Once the tutorial is published, I’ll link it here so you can jump right in. ✨ 

 🔗 Recommended Posts

• Holiday Creative Planning for Watercolor Beginners

• Simple Winterberry Watercolor Tutorial for Beginners

• Beginner’s Guide to Watercolor Paper (Watercolor Fundamentals Series)