THREAD: How to build a watercolor kit for $25 - paint, paper, brushes, highlight

Initial Disclaimer: This is a kit I built myself when I was a teen! It was what I could afford & worked for what I needed: learning and fun.
This kit is not archival, its just (in my personal experience) the best bang for the buck.

Feel free to leave your own suggestions below!

Here are the materials on Blick. If you can't make it in person, shipping will be more $$ and you could definitely leave out the highlight.

Total: $25.25

You will also need a pencil, paper towel, and a water container; not included in price.

PAINT: I'm a big fan of this Prang 16 color set. I used it religiously in high school. Upsides: the price, color is very pigmented for the price
Downsides: takes dedication and control to get smooth results, prone to streaky textures. Its imo the most accessible entry level set!

PAPER: imo, paper is the area to go all in. It will give you the MOST trouble if you choose a cheaper option in my experience. I like this 9x12 Arches pad because the paper is thick, smooth, and you can cut it into smaller pieces!

BRUSHES: I always just worked with 1 or 2 brushes. Here I've opted for the Blick Scholastic wonder white line in size 8 (size 6 also works). The Prang set also comes with a (not so great) size 6 brush. If you have a little more $$ definitely use it in the brush realm!

When you get started, the first thing you want to do is add a drop of water to every pan. This is going to activate the pigments. I like to make a switch reference sheet and also test out color mixtures on a small test sheet.

DEMO: Im painting a cat for the demo. First I've added a soft blue underpainting, then I mix up cool and warm grays for the detail! You learn a lot about control with cheaper sets: it requires a lot of focus and attention, but you really get good with a brush.

I continue layering different shades of muted grays. Then come in with some black details near the end. The black is VERY pigmented which is excellent for shadow details.

HIGHLIGHT: for a highlight I love the Signo uni-ball white gel pen. Its perfect to pop in some specular highlights, and for a cat, whiskers. And there we have it! A 30 minute painting with this kit.

I really hope this is useful!!! I used this kit for years. It taught me watercolor in high school and was exactly what I needed at the time. And the control I developed made using professional quality materials SUCH A BREEZE.
Feel free to leave any questions below!