This blog post will take a lighter approach and feature something we all adore: shopping for art supplies!
Whether it's pencils, pens, or paper blocks, working with art supplies is always a delight—and purchasing them is certainly no exception! But with so many options available, how do you make the right choice? How can you be sure which product will best serve your intended purpose? Here, we've curated a selection of art supplies and stationery for our projects. Each item has been thoroughly tried and tested by us, so you don't have to. Enjoy our recommendations!
These are oil-based color pencils known for their high level of pigmentation, ensuring your artwork appears vibrant and full of life. They excel in blendability, making them a versatile choice whether you're aiming for realistic color pencil drawings or seeking to infuse bold, packed color into your creations. The key to maximizing their potential lies in selecting the appropriate paper for your artwork to achieve the best results. We particularly love using them for realistic floral drawings and paintings. Furthermore, we often pair them with Albrecht Dürer Watercolour Pencils, which hold a special place in our collection due to their unique qualities.
These markers are perfectly suited for use on skin. To the best of our knowledge, they are often the go-to choice for tattoo artists, especially when it comes to stencil work. Whether for freehand drawing of tattoo designs or for precise stencil positioning, their vibrant color selection ensures each layer stands out, allowing artists to create depth and incorporate intriguing effects into their tattoos. We find them invaluable for stencil positioning, as they enable us to lay out clear guidelines on the skin. If you're a tattoo artist or an aspiring one, give these markers a try! They could be a game-changer for your artwork.
Tombow markers represent another excellent option, though they have their nuances. Being water-based, they may not adhere as well to the skin, which could be problematic for maintaining stencils during the tattooing process, especially due to cleaning and wiping the area. While seasoned tattoo artists might navigate these challenges with ease, newcomers could find it tricky to use these markers for stencil work. (Tombow also offers alcohol-based markers, which we haven't tested for stencilling.) Their super-saturated colours, longevity (ours have lasted for 3 years and still perform excellently), and ability to reactivate with water make them an excellent choice for watercolour enthusiasts.
Remember, the quality of paper matters immensely when working with watercolors. Tombow provides a high-quality yet affordable selection of watercolor papers. They offer a pleasing variety of colors, available in sets or individually, catering to diverse preferences. Our favorites include the sets of grey tones and pastel colors!
This eraser stands out as the best for its exceptional performance on graphite, effortlessly lifting marks while leaving the paper virtually unaffected. It also performs admirably on lighter layers of colored pencils. A notable advantage is its minimal production of fine residue, which helps maintain the cleanliness and purity of your artwork by avoiding small, unwanted specks.
No one actually needs an expensive pencil sharpener, but if you’re into using any type of pencils for your art, this is a must-have. It comes with a residue catcher (which, by the way, is quite satisfying to fiddle with afterwards if you’re into weird stuff like Monica). Weird quirks aside, this sharpener gives your pencils the sharpest, most precise point, all while keeping your workspace clean. It’s always by my side when I’m drawing because it lets me quickly get that perfect pointy end for detailed work in my drawings. And, a little bonus: it looks pretty snazzy on any desk!
These watercolors are our favorites, too. They pack a punch with super pigmented hues that dry boldly and brightly. Plus, they're a breeze to blend. What we absolutely adore is their travel-friendliness—perfect for art on the go. The pan not only holds the colors but also doubles as a palette, offering enough space to tuck in a shorter brush. And cleaning the pan afterward? A piece of cake! If watercolor painting is your jam, you've got to give these a go. There's also a more professional version available, which might be worth exploring if you're looking to sell your artwork.
Whenever your artwork demands high opacity, gouache colors will infuse it with vibrancy. Schmincke Watercolors, in particular, are incredibly user-friendly when it comes to layering, enabling you to achieve stunning contrasts and bold borders among your composition's elements. These gouache colors stand out for their intense pigmentation and vibrancy. Definitely worth a try!
This soft, kneadable eraser is an incredibly versatile tool, perfect for working with charcoal or any other dusty media in drawings and paintings. Its pliability allows you to shape it exactly as needed, while its softness doesn't compromise its ability to hold the shape you create. Whether you're looking to lighten layers of shading, pick up excess pigment, or introduce detailed highlights into your artwork, this eraser is up to the task.
One of our go-to tools is these watercolor pencils. They're incredibly user-friendly and perfect for adding fine details to watercolor paintings. I personally love pairing them with Polychromos pencils in my artwork. A little technique I use is to lay down a watercolor pencil background for my drawings, which dramatically boosts the vibrancy of any colored pencil piece. This method alters the paper's color to better suit the hues of your subjects. For instance, applying a thin green watercolor pigment layer as a backdrop can really make a flower pop. What's fantastic about these two color mediums is their consistency—they share the same names, numbers, and pigments, ensuring they complement and enrich your artwork beautifully.
Don't overlook the versatility of a cutting mat, even if cutting isn't on your agenda. I find them indispensable for protecting the surfaces I work on, slicing through my artwork, and even for measurement purposes. For craftsmen operating without a dedicated studio—where staining furniture isn't a concern—a cutting mat can be a real game-changer. In our own studio, we rely on them to safeguard our furniture from the infamous 'Purple Devil'—that pesky stenciling carbon dust notorious for scattering everywhere and leaving indelible purple marks on everything it touches.
Other art supply items we love:
These are just a few supplies we love, but they are a constant staple in the studio and also in our work. What are your favourite art supplies? Share them in the comment section for everyone to try them!