Hey people! A common misconception about art is that, if you spend more on supplies, the the art will be better. But that’s not the case! You don’t need fancy Copic markers, Winsor & Newton paints, or Moleskine sketchbooks. You only need basic supplies, and the drive to create.
If you are trying to build up your collection of tools, I’d recommend:
- Blick Studio Acrylic Paints → Put those Holbein paints back and grab these suckers instead! They’re often on sale at Blick, and cost around $1.80 each for a little bottle. They’re a great substitute for gouache too, and if you haven’t painted yet, buy these.
- Tombow Markers → They’re water-based, so it’s fun to mess and paint with them. The markers also don’t bleed through paper, and they’re double tipped! How cool is that?
- Crayola Crayons → Yeah, they’re kind of preschooley, but pretty sweet too. They have fun textures and blend in strange ways, so I highly recommend them. Also so cheap! Like crazy cheap. You can get a box of 24 colors for $4.
- Canson Mixed Media Sketchbooks → The thing about sketchbooks is that you want something you can beat up. You don’t want fancy paper with expensive leather covers, because you’ll be afraid to explore different mediums and try new things. But these bad boys are perfect for that, and the paper is super durable.
- Koi Watercolors → Personally, I don’t use these paints, but I hear great things about them! I recommend going through Amazon though, because stores sell at a higher price.
These are a little bit on the bougie side, but they are in my everyday pencil case.
- Microns → I have a love-hate relationship with these pens, because they run out of ink so quickly and the nibs break off. But they’re waterproof and vary in cool sizes, so splurge a bit if you want. They can go where other pens can’t.
- Winsor & Newton Dust-Free Eraser → I live and die by these erasers, because they are amazing. They erase so well but are bit pricey. Little known fact: If you happen to travel to Asia, they are much cheaper there, so loot up on those.
Here are some stores I would recommend:
- Blick → There’s not much to say about this. I mean, it’s an art store.
- MaiDo → It’s a fun store, but very expensive! They sell cool supplies, so just take note of what you want, and then order it online.
- Daiso → You have to scavenge through the store to find pens, and pray for art supplies, but they are affordable. Their brushes and paint tins are also pretty decent.
- JetPens.com → They have loads of sales and really fun junk! They always have Instagram giveaways too.
Yeah, enjoy these fun tips. Tune in next time, and make sure to leave a donation for the tip jar.
