Begin with a blank sheet of watercolor paper. One of the most important things for me is the correct type of paper. A high quality watercolor paper is needed for the paint/water to cooperate. Here, I'm using Canson's cold press watercolor paper. For larger and more finished projects, it's wonderful to experiment with the other high-quality papers found at Blick and other art stores. I've torn off a little piece about 5.5 x 4" for this project.