My Favorite Art Supplies
Hello friends,
Happy February! I know Winter can be tough for some personalities. I try to use this time of the year to be reflective and introspective. I find myself spending a lot more time in my studio, but that does not mean I am more creative or productive. I enjoy the slowness and the cocooning of the colder months. I am a sunshine baby, but this time is equally important to me.
As most of you know, I decommissioned my classroom and built a backyard art studio last Fall. I have sorted and moved A LOT of art supplies since then. It has been a sort of inventory and reset over here! In this blog post, I have decided to share my favorite art supplies with you all. I hope my list helps anyone who is dreaming and thinking about picking up a new painting practice!
Below are a few of my favorite (art-making) things. Okay, so it is more than a few! If you have ever wanted to get started in watercolor, oil, acrylic, or digital painting - below are the tools I use in my studio practice. The list below is arranged in shopping list style. I have linked stores that I frequent. Know that I do my best to avoid certain retail chains and Amazon (no judgment, this is just me). A lot of these items can be found at any art store. Other items can be picked up from craft stores, Target, or the hardware store. I also love to support small businesses like Case for Making and indigenous artist-maker, Beam Paints. Enjoy poking around my list o' supplies! Know that most of these are beginner-level, DIY, budget-friendly, student-grade supplies. I know you can improve your art skills with higher-quality paints, paper, and bushes. I also know that we gotta start somewhere and sometimes the Ooops house paint in your garage is the way to go. I hope my list does not overwhelm you. You do not need all of these supplies in order to make art or be an artist. This is just one path, one offering to get started on your creative journey! Enjoy!
Watercolor:
Paints:
Brands: Winsor & Newton Professional Watercolors, Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor, Case for Making, Beam Paints (indigenous-made natural pigments)
Travel Palette Tin: Case for Making Small Palette, German-made, fits 14 half pans or 8 full pans
My color palette: You can choose to use either the Cotman Watercolors (student grade) or the Professional Watercolor series. They both work for me. Here is my current color palette:
1. Alizarin crimson
2. Cadmium red
3. Cadmium yellow
4. Yellow ochre
5. Burnt umber
6. Raw umber
7. Prussian blue
8. French ultramarine blue
9. Sap green
Fun additional custom blends from Case for Making and Beam Paints:
10. CfM Moss green
11. CfM Lilac
12. CfM Coral
13.CfM Malachite
14. CfM Fluorescent yellow
15. BP Salish Sea
16. BP Sky Blue
17. BP Robin’s Egg
18. BP Ice Blue
19. BP Great Ocean
Brushes:
Winsor & Newton Cotman Watercolor Round Brushes - choose the short handle option (best for traveling) in sizes 0, 4, 8, 12 & 16 and a 1-inch flat brush
Paper:
Sketchbook: Student-grade Canson Watercolor Notebooks. I recommend a smaller size spiral notebook when you are just beginning.
Brush cleaner: Case for Making Brush Buddy
Paper towels - regular kitchen ones
Pens: waterproof, acid-free, and archival Micron pens sizes 05 and 1
Staedtler White Mars Plastic Eraser - doesn’t leave pencil marks behind like gray gum erasers
Painters’ tape (I am still looking for better tape)
Drawing pencils: Faber-Castell or any “harder” drawing pencils that allow you to sketch lightly and are easy to lift/erase. I like anything between the 2H to 6H range.
Books:
Watercolor in Nature by Rosalie Haizlett
Nature Drawing and Journaling by John Muir Laws
The Complete Watercolorist's Essential Notebook by Gordan MacKenzie
Colors of the West by Molly Hashimoto
Oil
Paints: I buy my paints in the 150 ml tubes, but I recommend the 37-40 ml tubes when you are just beginning:
High-roller, money-is-not-a-problem paint: Gamblin
Budget-friendly, why-are-art-supplies-so-expensive grade: Utrecht
Here is my current color palette:
1. Alizarin crimson
2. Cadmium red
3. Cadmium yellow
4. Hansa Yellow
5. Burnt umber
6. Raw umber
7. Prussian blue
8. French ultramarine blue
9. Burnt sienna
10. Raw sienna
11. Ivory black
12. Titanium white
Brushes:
Utrecht Manglon Brushes Set (includes #4 Round, #8 Bright, #12 Filbert, and #18 Filbert). I would also get some larger bristle or mixed synthetic filbert brushes, sizes 12 and 18 for big skies.
3-4 Palette knives: I like the longer, more flexible offset ones. I use the same ones for oil and acrylic.
Blick Disposable palette paper pad: this is where I mix and store my paint using a sheet of Gladware cellophane at the end of the day.
Paper plates: another way to mix and store paint. Make sure to get the plastic-y feeling ones.
Disposable gloves: Important for using oils. Choose gloves that fit your hands and work for your skin. I like clear ones from Blick.
Gamblin Gamsol Odorless Mineral Spirits: Gamsol is less toxic than other mineral spirits and turpentine brands. The harmful and aromatic solvent component has been removed.
Brush Cleaning:
Borax - yes, just regular Borax.
Dawn dish soap
DIY color swatch book (follow me on Youtube for future how-to videos)
Painting surfaces/canvases: I prefer wood panels treated with clear gesso. You can purchase or make your own panels. Either way, they will need to be primed/gessoed. I use Liquitex Clear Gesso.
Varnish: Gamblin Gamvar Matte Varnish
Acrylic
Paints:
High roller: Golden Heavy Body Artist Acrylic Paint
Budget-friendly: Liquitex Heavy Body 2 oz tubes
Here is my current color palette:
1. Alizarin crimson
2. Cadmium red
3. Cadmium yellow
4. Hansa Yellow
5. Burnt umber
6. Raw umber
7. Prussian blue
8. French ultramarine blue
9. Burnt sienna
10. Raw sienna
11. Ivory black
12. Titanium white
Brushes: Utrecht Manglon Brushes Set (includes #4 Round, #8 Bright, #12 Filbert, and #18 Filbert). I would also get some larger bristle or mixed synthetic filbert brushes, sizes 12 and 18 for big skies.
3-4 Palette knives: I like the longer, more flexible offset ones. I use the same ones for oil and acrylic.
Blick Disposable palette paper pad: this is where I mix and store my paint using a sheet of Gladware cellophane at the end of the day.
Paper plates: more ways to mix and store paint. Make sure to get the plastic-y feeling ones.
DIY color swatch book (follow me on Youtube for future how-to videos)
Painting surfaces/canvases: I prefer wood panels treated with clear gesso. You can purchase or make your own panels. Either way, they will need to be primed/gessoed. I use Liquitex Clear Gesso.
Varnish: Liquitex Acrylic Varnish - Matte
Digital Art:
Your smartphone camera
Wacom One Drawing tablet + compatible laptop + Adobe Photoshop AND/OR iPad + apple pencil + and the Procreate app (one-time $12.99 download)
And that's all folks! All for now at least. Keep an eye on my website and Instagram stories where I will share more visual recommendations and resources with you all in the future. Happy creating!
