Artist Resources
Artist Supplies
You don’t need to spend a ton of money to begin creating. Investing in a few quality art supplies are a good idea at the start, and then you can build your supplies over time. Purchasing too many supplies at first may leave you feeling overwhelmed. Check out my list of suggested supplies below.
(If you purchase supplies through my website, a portion of your purchase will help me build my business. Thanks in advance for supporting small business!)
Getting Started! Suggested Supplies
Here are some products I like and can get you started without too much initial expense. These are just suggestions, and you do not by any means need to purchase all of the below. If you have a sketchbook already or watercolor paper, use what you have. No need to break the bank here.
Start with a few items like watercolor paper, a small sketchbook, pigment pens, and watercolors and brushes.
- A small pocket sketchbook (I like the 3 1/2″ x 5″) like Global Art Hand Book Artist Journals (these come in several colors and sizes, and Moleskine Art Collection Pocket Sketchbook
- A good hardback watercolor journal like Strathmore 400 Series Watercolor Art Journal (5 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ suggested)
- Some coldpress watercolor paper like Strathmore 400 Series Watercolor Paper
- Pigment pens – My favorite are Sakura Pigma Micron Pens in various sizes. They also have these really fun brush tips for lettering and a more calligraphic line effect. (Sakura Brush Pens – these are just a bonus if you want to invest, but not necessary to start out.)
- A transparent watercolor set. You can spend as much as you wish on watercolors, but I suggest to start with a decent set that isn’t too expensive like Talens Watercolor Pan Set (set of 12). You can also get tubes of watercolors if you prefer, but I tend to like the pan sets personally.
- A versatile brush set for beginners, like Royal Langnickel Soft Grip Golden Taklon Brush sets or Blick Scholastic Wonder White Brushes (Choose a variety of sizes and shapes, including flat and round, larger and small, and a fine detail brush.)
- Acrylic Paints like Golden High Flow Acrylic Paints (these are really fun to use, but it is not necessary to start with this set.) Golden also makes a Wetting Agent you can mix in with any acrylic paint to increase the paint’s viscosity. This is great if you want to buy traditional paints like Blick Studio Acrylics and use the wetting agent as an additive. This can save you some money too!
Additional Supplies
If you want to add-on to your art supply collection, here is a list of additional things you may want to purchase later-on. Check back here often as I will add and update the list periodically.
- Uni-Posca Paint Markers – they come in a variety of nib sizes and colors, and write on just about anything! I have the fine point in a basic color set, as well as some metallics.
- Uni-ball Signo White Gel Pen – this is my favorite white pen for drawing over a painted background.
- A good quality X-Acto knife like the X-Acto X3000. This is great for all paper-cutting and collage projects.
- A cutting mat like Alvin Self-healing Cutting Mats – these come in a variety of sizes. A must-have
There may be specific supplies required for other workshops like fabric dyes or special tools. These will be listed with the workshop descriptions.
