Tobio's vs. Emily Lex: The Definitive Watercolor Guide

If you're thinking about learning watercolor, you might be wondering where to start, what materials to use, and what to even paint. It can seem like a jungle with everything there is to choose from. In this comparison, we'll walk you through the difference between the Emily Lex offer and the brand Tobio's, and which might be the best fit for you when getting started.

Not the only player for watercolor beginners

You might have heard of Emily Lex, the queen of soft palettes and flower studies. Her calm “you've got this” voice has compelled thousands of nervous people to start painting with watercolors. She has a following of close to 300k on Instagram.

We love her work and truly respect it. Her workbooks are a work of art in themselves. But it's important to know they are not kits. They don't include the things you need to get started: no brushes, no paints, no paper, no water cup. And that's the whole point. She offers gorgeous workbooks, but not the materials.

For beginners, there are two main questions: 1. How much will it cost me once everything is added together? And 2. Will I actually use this, or will it end up in the back of my closet?

Emily Lex: a warm, guided introduction

Emily Lex is an author and watercolor artist who grew from a small studio into a watercolor empire. The idea is simple: take away the fear of painting. The prompts are easy to follow, the workbooks guide you step by step, and the illustrations are gorgeous. People love her gentle, patient way of teaching. It's like sitting next to someone patient rather than taking a class. If your dream is to sit at your kitchen table with a matcha latte and follow a calm, guided lesson, she's an amazing option.

Is Emily Lex worth it?

For the right person, definitely. The workbook takes away the fear of the blank page and gives you a friendly prompt and a bit of structure. But the instruction itself is the entire product, so you can't expect a kit or materials.

Is Emily Lex affordable?

The book costs about $24 at her shop and around $26 to $28 at resellers like Anthropologie. That's reasonable. But you cannot paint with a book. You'll need to buy the paint, paper, water cup, brushes, and palette. Before your first brushstroke you'll need to spend another $40 to $80. None of that is a knock on Emily Lex. A workbook is supposed to be a workbook. But if you're a beginner comparing prices, the full cost is the workbook plus a shopping trip.

Tobio's Kits: complete, and built to travel

Tobio's was founded by Mel and is named after her cat. She created it because she wanted a kit she could bring everywhere: cafés, flower fields, even while commuting. She couldn't find one small enough, so she made her own: beginner-friendly, easy to set up, easy to bring, and easy to clean up.

What makes Tobio's unique is that it's a full all-in-one kit with everything you need to start as soon as you open the box, in less than a minute. It comes with a hardcover workbook with an embossed logo (60 sheets of 300 GSM cotton paper that doesn't buckle), a magnetic walnut wood palette (two halves that clip together with strong magnets, 8 wells + a mixing plate), 12 tubes of watercolor paint (Venetian Red, Poppy Bloom, Sunset Orange, Lemon Yellow, Green Gold, Forest Green, Twilight Indigo, Glacier Blue, Electric Rose, Royal Plum, Titanium White, and Ivory Black), a refillable water brush (no water cup needed), a wristband for cleaning the brush, plus a physical manual and a digital step-by-step guide.

Tobio's also offers a separate Beginner's Workbook. Much like Emily Lex's, it has prompts so you never face a blank page: 30 pages with fine line-drawing motifs (flowers, fruit, insects, birds, plants, sceneries) to color in, and 30 blank pages for your imagination. It uses the same 300 GSM cotton paper.

How beginner friendly is Tobio's?

Besides being a complete kit, Tobio's has a special advantage: the size. The small workbook fits in your pocket, which is great for travel and also less intimidating for getting started. The smaller the size, the smaller a mistake seems. Because everything is included, you don't need to figure out which paper or paint to buy. And the included workbook gives you prompts and starter exercises, just like Emily Lex's.

Is Tobio's worth it?

For most people, a clear yes. It takes away so many questions: will I use it, is it easy to start, what materials do I need? There are limits: if you're a serious artist or intend to sell your work, the student-grade paints might not be for you, and the pages are truly mini-sized. But if you dream of a little art session on the beach, on the train, or at a café, you'll love it.

Is Tobio's truly portable?

The Emily Lex workbook is roughly 7 by 9 inches, spiral-bound, and built for a flat surface, a kitchen table or desk. Tobio's could fit into a coat pocket, bag, or tote. The whole kit weighs around three-quarters of a pound, paints and all. The water brush means no water cup, and the palette stays shut thanks to magnets. Reviewers bring it to hiking trails, boats, the beach, and even on airplanes. One customer summed it up: easy to carry, always available, anywhere, anytime. That's something a workbook on your kitchen table simply cannot do.

Is Tobio's affordable?

Tobio's costs about $34, but that includes the entire kit: paints, paper, and everything you need. Emily Lex starts at about $24 for the workbook, then another $40 to $80 for paints and brushes, so call it $65 to $100 once you can actually paint. Both will teach you to paint, but with Tobio's you can start as soon as the box arrives. You can check current price and availability on Amazon.

Final thoughts: Is Tobio's the best alternative to Emily Lex?

If you want a guided, sit-down lesson and you already have paints and brushes you love, Emily Lex is a great investment. Her teaching style is warm and inviting. If you're starting from zero, Tobio's is an amazing first step: no guesswork, one price tag, no shopping in multiple places, and it includes materials, a workbook, and genuinely useful instructions. And if you want to paint on the go, you'll love the portability of Tobio's.

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