When laying washes I use tube paint and when ‘building-up’ I use a pan-tray. I also use tube paint to replenish the pans - I’m aware that goes against ‘the purist’ watercolour-painter but I have had no problems with it! I use an old egg-cup for mixing washes and the lid of the tray for mixing the pans. Perhaps of equal importance as the paint is of course the water that’s used to dilute and mix it. That does not mean I use a top quality bottled water, though I'm surprised it hasn't been suggested by a supplier out there! What I mean is, I do like to change the water regularly - after all without clean water whatever colour paint you're using will not be true!

Occasionally I will use the opaqueness of gouache for adding highlights, extra detail or deeper colour. I have half-a-dozen or so tubes but the one that gets the most use is Permanent White! As they have the consistency, opacity and permanence of oil paint, I have recently started to work with Acrylics. They dry much, much faster...It takes a bit of getting used to! That said, acrylics are similar to oil paint in their use, giving a deep texture and rich, vibrant colour to your work.