These Are a Few of My Favorite...Art Supplies!
One of my biggest hurdles when first starting my business was transitioning from cheap art supplies to quality ones that would better serve me. With little to no income at the time, I was nervous to spend the money and later find out I didn't like the products.
I have quickly learned the importance of investing in quality supplies and wish I had done it sooner. While I 100% believe that art can and SHOULD be created with whatever you have available to you, if you have the means, I recommend investing in supplies that will give you the best possible outcome!
Here's a list of my favorite supplies and why I love them! I usually buy everything from Blick as it is a great one-stop-shop and often the most affordable option!
Watercolor Paint: I exclusively use Dr. Ph Martin's Hydrus Fine Art Liquid Watercolors. These are highly pigmented, so a little goes a LONG way! They blend beautifully, and once dry, don't smear at all. I recommend getting one of the sets to start with!I
Palette Paper: This Blick Palette Paper Pad is the perfect size for mixing all your colors in one place! You can also add water to dry paints and continuing using your colors for days!
Watercolor Paper: I've tried many different watercolor papers, and I always go back to Arches Cold-Pressed Watercolor Paper. In my experience, the texture from the cold press allows the paints to blend in a way that I can't achieve with hot press paper. Arches Watercolor Blocks are a great option as well. You don't remove the paper from the block until your work is dry, so the paper remains flat and doesn't curl.
Brushes: Finding a favorite brush type is a personal journey! Depending on your desired outcome, truly ANY brush could work. However, I do recommend brushes made specifically for watercolor as they hold more water than the average brush. One of my current favorite brushes is this Princeton Filbert Brush. I love using it for flower petals as it easily creates a perfect petal in one stroke.
Acrylic Gouache: I've started using this Holbein Acrylic Gouache in Jet Black when I include black outlines in my work. Gouache is intended to be thinned with water, so it is the perfect paint to use for a bold, yet smooth black line.
Varnish: When I choose to varnish a piece, I always use Golden Archival Spray Varnish in Gloss. I only spray pieces that will not be behind glass.
Watercolor Ground: Want to paint on a surface with watercolor that's not paper? It's possible with watercolor ground! I specifically use Daniel Smith Watercolor Ground in Titanium White. I've personally only used this on wood, however, there is a whole list of materials you can use it on! This is the perfect time to try out that varnish previously mentioned, as it will need to be sealed. The varnish (specifically in gloss) will also make your colors more vibrant!
