Artistic Allies: A Deep Dive into My Preferred Supplies and Tools
Over the past 6 years, I’ve been on a quest to find supplies and equipment that will help me to make better art. But sometimes I get overwhelmed when I’m trying to find the right tools to help with my art journey.
I may (😉) have an art supply problem. I love buying and trying out new supplies as I can afford them. My research during this time is not exhaustive by any stretch of the imagination, but we shall say it’s decent…
That’s why I thought I would write a 2 part blog about supplies and tools I have tried out. Part 1 will be on my favorite supplies and what I use them for. Part 2 will be things I’ve tried that didn’t work for me or problems that I’ve had with specific supplies.
My purpose for doing this is twofold:
I’m hoping I can help you to discover a new tool or supply that you will love and will make your life easier AND
Maybe I can save you money by steering you away from something that doesn’t work or at least you will have knowledge regarding a tool’s limitations
I’ve decided to combine items by media and type so that you can skim to a part that may interest you the most. I won’t be giving lengthy explanations regarding the positive attributes of an item. Rather I’ll provide a summary of why I enjoy the tool.
I’m providing Amazon links to each tool. If you use that link to purchase a tool I get some change that I can then use to buy more supplies 😊
I have given lengthier explanations of some of these supplies before. Here are some of those blog links if you are interested:
Essential Beginner Colored Pencil Supplies
5 Colored Pencil Paper Types Explained
Clairefontaine Pastelmat- the Pros and Cons
Should I Use Wax or Oil-based Colored Pencils? - Part 1 Wax-based
Should I Use Wax or Oil-based Colored Pencils? - Part 2 Oil-based
One more link before we move on. If you are interested in drawing a red cardinal in the snow with me using colored pencils for the bird and pastels for the background, click on the link below. The tutorial is completely free.
Free Tutorial- Snow Cardinal Mixed Media
Okay- onto my favoirtes. Here we go!
Colored Pencil Supplies/Tools
Favorite Basic Colored Pencil Brand- Polychromos Faber Castell colored pencils
These are my favorite basic pencils because: they are medium priced, high quality, they have a harder core and so they keep a point longer, keeping a point longer means less sharpening and longer life, have great colors (especially their grays and browns), are a smidge easier to erase, and can be moved around on pastelmat with stumps and Q-tips to get rid of grain.
Favorite Luxury Colored Pencil Brand- Caran d’Ache Luminance colored pencils
These are ex-pen-sive coming in at over $300 for a box of 100, BUT here’s why they are worth it if you can add some to your collection: the hues in the 100 box set are unparalleled- especially the 10%, 50% versions of colors like burnt sienna, burnt ochre, brown ochre, and sepia. Just wow on the colors. Also: they are very high quality, they are wax-based and so go on the paper in a smooth and creamy fashion, they stay sharp for a decent amount of time- depending on the paper and the pressure (they are of a much better quality than wax Prismas, which break all of the time while sharpening), and you can use them in combination with the wax-based Polys and they mesh together well.
Favorite Colored Pencil and Pastel Paper- Pastelmat Paper
I love this stuff. Yes, it is expensive. Here’s why I buy it anyway: it’s so great for colored pencils because it’s more forgiving than other papers, you can add tons of layers because it has a lot of tooth, you can move oil pigment Polys around on it- therefore blending and getting rid of the grainy look of the paper, you can use solvent, you can add light over dark on it!!!! I mean, you can’t go crazy and make a previously black area white, but you can add highlights.
Solvent- Gamsol
I’ve used rubbing alcohol as a solvent to blend, which wasn’t as effective. I’ve also used mineral spirits and apparently, the fumes can be bad for your health. Gamsol is odorless mineral spirits, and I’ve never had any issues using the Gamsol. I think it blends well and a little bottle goes a long way. It does a great job of helping to mix pencil colors and get rid of the grainy look of the paper. After it dries, you can add more pencil layers and repeat the process until you’re happy.
Here is the link to a blog I wrote on using solvent: How To Use Solvents With Colored Pencils
Blending tools-
Q-tips
Dry paint brushes
Pencil sharpener- Prismacolor sharpener
I love these sharpeners for colored pencils. There are 2 holes to accommodate different-sized pencils. I use this sharpener because I hate having something tacked to my art desk if I can avoid it. Also, sometimes I draw in a recliner so I need a portable option. I throw them out and get a new one when the blade gets dull.
Pastel Supplies/Tools
Favorite Pastel Pencil Brand- Faber Castell Pitt Pastel Pencils
I also own the Stabillo Carbothello pencils, but the Pitt are my favorite. I’m not quite sure why. I think it’s because they are a little harder and therefore a bit easier to sharpen. I use these to get details.
Favorite Soft Pastel Stick Brand- Unison Pastels
I only started using these not quite two months ago, but I’m hooked. The link is to Emma Colbert’s animal set with half-sticks. These sticks are very expensive, so that’s why I linked to the half-stick set. I think they are worth it, though. They have phenomenal coverage and colors. They are a bit harder to use to get details. To do that use the pencils on top of the sticks. Highly recommend!
Other Favorite Pastel Type- PanPastels
PanPastels are a unique type of pastel- there really is no comparable brand to them. They are great to use for underpaintings and backgrounds. I linked to the Painting set, which includes 18 pure colors with black and white. You can theoretically mix all of their other colors from this one set. Which is why I bought it instead of all of the pans- to save money.
Paper Types- I am going to hold off on this recommendation because I’ve only used Pastelmat. I’ll report back after using velour and maybe some UArt sanded paper.
Swordfish Curve Manual Pencil Sharpener- I can’t even tell you how much I love this sharpener. An artist friend told me about it on Instagram. It came from overseas- maybe Australia? It was worth the wait. I can’t stand sharpening my pastel pencils with a utility knife. It’s just not for me, and I can’t get them to a decent point, even if I use sandpaper. This pencil sharpener has a halo over its head and angels singing over it. It makes me that happy.
Types of Tape
Finding out what types of tape to use to create borders around my art pieces was very annoying. There is nothing worse than finishing a piece and pulling off some of your paper along with the tape. Rarrr! Let me help you figure out what tape to use.
Painter’s tape- for holding down Pastelmat. Yes, it’s blue and distracting. Cover it up with some masking tape. You’ll thank me when it’s easy to pull off and your piece is perfectly intact.
Artists tape- for other papers. It’s low tack which means it won’t stick. I have found that I have to put masking tape on top of it so it doesn’t fall off.
Tech tools
Best Scanner That Doesn’t Cost An Arm And A Leg- Epson PerfectionV600 Scanner
I researched the heck out of this purchase. Then mom got it for me the Christmas before last. I love it. It is still not cheap, and it is $50 more now than it was a year ago. I remember wanting it when it was $250 back in 2020. With inflation never stopping, I’m not sure that it will ever go down, so better to get it sooner rather than later.
It’s easy to use and it helps to capture images of your artwork that look like the actual artwork. Taking pictures with your phone or camera is too rough, in my opinion. Especially if you want to make prints or put a lovely photo of your art on your webpage.
The only time that I am not completely happy with it is when I scan a darker piece. It’s hard to get a true likeness with that.
Desk light- I like this one because it has 3 color modes and an adjustable arm. I bought one, but really I’d like to have another one at some point.
Software- Adobe Photoshop/Lightroom
These are not cheap software programs. I wish that you could buy them one time and then use them on your desktop in perpetuity, but that’s not how it works anymore. You have to pay a monthly subscription. I use them to plan compositions, mess with reference photos, and fix scanned images to make prints. I use them a lot so I’ll have to keep paying.
Colored Pencil Picker App- I first found this app when I began using colored pencils. There were times (and still are!) when I was stumped at how to create a color I needed. This app is amazing. I love that it shows you the pixel color when you hover over an area. You can use that part alone, or use the colored pencil suggestions. Sometimes the mixes work and sometimes they don’t, but I love that it gives you ideas. The app was maybe $8 when I bought it 5 years ago. Worth every penny.
General Tools
Cheapish Desktop Easel- Coming in at about $32, this easel is a deal, I think. I use it, especially for my pastel pieces. I like how I can put it on my art desk, and I like how I can change the angle of the drawing surface. It isn’t a high-quality easel (those will cost a few hundred dollars), but it suits me. It has rubber feet so it doesn’t slide on my desk unless I apply a lot of pressure.
Kneaded Eraser - These are my favorite, although it probably doesn’t matter what brand you buy. I love these for cleaning up color pencil or pastel on pastelmat. You can also use them to create texture.
Scotch Tape- I use this alot. I use it to remove pigment on paper, tape together printouts to create a large reference photo and tape up my reference photo to create line art.
Glassine paper- When I first started drawing with colored pencils I put a piece of paper under my hand while I drew. This stuff is so much better. You can rest your hand over what you’ve already drawn with a small piece of glassine. I cut out a new piece for each artwork- a little bit bigger than the size of my hand. Then I throw it out when I’m done because it can get pigment on it that will transfer if you aren’t careful. Also, make sure you don’t slide it around on your work. Pick it up to move it.
Conclusion
I hope that you found a new art supply to find from this list! Art supplies can help us save time, create interesting pieces using new techniques, and help us to enjoy creating. Let me know if you agree or disagree with any of these in the comments below. Also, let me know if you have a good supply tip. I’m always ready to try a new art tool!
