Erika Lancaster- Artist + Online Art Teacher
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My Favorite Art Supplies (So Far)

9/5/2017

34 Comments

 
Accessible watercolor supplies that got me started
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​*This post contains affiliate links. I receive small commissions for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. These commissions help me keep this site up and running, in order for me to keep providing helpful and inspiring art content. :)

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Are you considering investing in some new art supplies? Would you like to step-up your art game but want to make sure you're not wasting money on unnecessary tools? Are you curious if it's really necessary to invest in the highest quality supplies in order to improve your work?


Preferred mediums and brands are going to vary from artist to artist. Though you can listen to recommendations from others, it's all going to come down to first-hand exploration and finding what works for you and the techniques you like using.

It's through direct exploration than an artist is able to discover his/her personal likes, dislikes and style. 
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This said, I 100% believe that it is not necessary to acquire the most expensive supplies in order to produce high quality work. A good drawing/painting medium and/or substrate can certainly make the art-making process easier, and it should be a goal to arrive at a point at which you're able to use higher quality supplies.

However, you can and should always find a way to keep progressing your artistic skills continuously, with or without them. 


In the beginning I recommend doing some research prior to buying, in order to arrive at a brand and product that offer a relatively good product at an accessible price. Sure, you're bound to buy a few supplies that you will not like along the way, but as your journey progresses, you will slowly but surely "weed" out brands and mediums in general that do not appeal to you.

​And this is a beautiful thing because it means you are discovering yourself as an artist!


In this post I will be sharing a list of my current favorite and most used painting mediums, sketchbooks, pens, and other art supplies. Though I am exploring mediums like gouache and oil paints, I've included only the items which I use on a weekly basis. I hope you get some ideas!

*All of the artwork I'm sharing throughout this post has been created with a combination of two or more of these supplies. 



Current art supplies
Current art supplies


​1. Watercolor Paper
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I have been able to try out a few different brands of watercolor paper by this point. Though I am far from being a paper connoisseur, I am slowly reaching a conclusion about which brands and varieties I should continue buying and which I shouldn't. Three of the brands I have had a chance to experiment with are Canson, Fabriano and Strathmore.

​I have had good experiences with the heavier weight varieties of these brands because, even though I rarely do wet-on-wet, I do have a tendency to be a bit rough when painting and enjoy being able to apply many layers. Even though the Fabriano paper I bought was heavy weight and allowed for lifting, blending, and layering, it ended up being way too textured for my taste, especially when trying to add colored pencils. 

​I have liked both the 300 and 400 series of Strathmore paper and hope to try out the 500 series soon. The Canson watercolor pad is my latest watercolor paper acquisition and I have just started using it. What I can tell so far is that its texture is smoother and it can take a beating, which I think complements my painting style. 

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Burger and fries watercolor painting by Erika Lancaster
Burger and fries watercolor painting on Fabriano paper.


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Watercolor healthy food painting by Erika Lancaster
Healthy food watercolor painting on Strathmore 400 Series.

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2. Idea Notebook and Planner

The reason why I've decided to include these two items in the list is because planning and keeping track of ideas has been a fundamental part of my development as an artist. I believe in setting plans and goals when trying to improve at pretty much anything in life and love writing things down. Because it is one of my objectives to improve my artistic skills, I set plans each week for myself. 

If you follow me on Twitter or Instagram you probably already know that I start my days with sketching specific subjects I want to improve at (last month it was the female figure and this week it's hands).

In my personal planner, along with every other important thing I have to do, I include daily and weekly art goals that I make sure I complete. I also have mentioned that I love carrying a small notebook with me wherever I go so I have somewhere to jot down ideas if I need to. 

​I bought this little red notebook at Target and my planner was ordered through Amazon. You can find the link to order this beautiful planner for yourself here.
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3. Paintbrushes

I have bought very few individual expensive paintbrushes and am using them mostly for painting with oils. For the most part, I use round and angled paintbrushes from sets that I have ordered through Amazon. 

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I ordered this Artify set a while ago and they are still going strong (even though the ones I use most have chipped handles due to my cat attacking them mid-painting session). Their bristles have also endured my not-so-delicate usage as well. Most recently, I ordered this set of smaller detail brushes and they are working pretty well so far. 


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4. Small Mixed-Media Strathmore Sketchbook
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Almost every sketchbook I have bought so far is of the spiral, mixed-media variety. I like being able to use all sorts of different supplies in them for any kind of study/exploration I feel like doing. I have even used oils in this little sketchbook (having gesso-ed the paper). I love this smaller sketchbook because Strathmore paper has worked for me and I can take it with me wherever I go. 
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5. Prismacolor Premier Soft-Core Colored Pencils
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At the beginning of my art journey I was very in much into mixed-media. I still like the idea of combining different media in one same piece, though lately, I am pushing myself to complete more paintings using only one type of medium. I think this will help me improve in each specific technique independently.

​What led me to this conclusion was noticing that I was using colored pencils as a crutch whenever I couldn't achieve the effect I wanted using only paint, OR because I was being too lazy to continue painting layers. However, when a specific subject calls for finer details or specific textures, I do bring them out. I have bought myself a package of white Prismacolor pencils because they finish fast and I find them very handy. 

 




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​6. Winsor and Newton Cotman Watercolor Pocket Box
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This is my latest watercolor acquisition and I really love it! Colors are super vibrant and creamy. However, I have found that I do pull my Sakura Koi watercolor set out when I need specific colors that this set doesn't have (like gray and black). I'll probably go with Winsor and Newton when I finally decide to invest in fancier professional grade watercolors because I am loving them so far. ​



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7. Sakura Koi Watercolor Set (24 Colors)

This was the watercolor set that started it all for me. At this point, I have already bought two. For the price, you get an incredibly wide array of colors of, in my opinion, excellent quality. 

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These are not as creamy as the Winsor and Newton watercolors, but they are by no means chalky or grainy. The color payoff is great. They are great for those who paint outdoors because of its portable design. 


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8. Drawing Pens

Though I rarely mix ink and watercolor myself, I do enjoy creating ink sketches from time to time. I really like Micron Pens (who doesn't?) and have also used Staedtler pigment liners. I tend to reach for .3 and .5 points most.

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I bought the brush tip LePen Drawing Pen out of whim at my local art supply store and it has been a nice addition to my collection. I am still experimenting with it. Here is a sketch I created using a combination of the Staedtler and LePen pens (this sketch was made in my small mixed-media Strathmore sketchbook).



Drawing pen sketch of a woman's face by Erika LancasterStaedtler pigment liners and LePen Drawing pen in Strathmore mixed-media sketchbook.


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Drawing pen sketch of a tree by Erika Lancaster
Tree study created with variety of Micron pens.


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Drawing pen sketch of the house from the movie Psycho by Erika Lancaster
Psycho house drawing created with a variety of Micron pens.

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9. Canson Mix Media Sketchbook

This is the third Canson Mix Media Sketchbook I have bought. I love them for daily studies and explorations using all sorts of media. Though I love spiraled sketchbooks, I will probably be buying more and more non-spiraled varieties as my journey progresses.

​Even though the paper in these Canson sketchbooks is pretty smooth and it does buckle, I have been able to produce great watercolor paintings in them like the ones below. 




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Realistic watercolor hot dog painting by Erika Lancaster
Mixed-media hot dog painting created in Canson sketchbook. Sakura Koi watercolor set + Prismacolor pencils.


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Realistic watercolor painting of a doughnut by Erika Lancaster
Bitten doughnut watercolor painting created in Canson Mixed-Media sketchbook. Koi watercolor set.


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Watercolor painting of a slice of pizza by Erika Lancaster.
Slice of pizza watercolor painting created on Canson Mixed-Media sketchbook. Koi watercolor set + white paint pen.


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Watercolor painting of a Fender bass by Erika Lancaster
Fender bass watercolor painting created on Canson Mixed-Media sketchbook. Koi watercolor set + white acrylic paint.


10. Blue Scott Shop Towels
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These towels are the best! I have used regular paper towels before and end up using so many! I use them throughout my painting process (they are great for lifting and drying when I get sloppy) and also for cleaning. I use them when painting with all different types of media, including oils. 
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11. Pencils, Mono Eraser, Kneaded Eraser, Charcoal Pencil and Blending Stump
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I am not a pencil/eraser snob. I create my drawings with anything I can get my hands on. I have a wide array of pencil grades in my studio of both Prismacolor and cheaper brands. In many of the pictures I upload to Instagram and Twitter you can see my used-up ugly erasers that I refuse to replace, for some reason. I enjoy gum erasers very much and these are what I use in my quick pencil sketches.

​For more realistic drawings that will take me longer, I use kneaded erasers and have also recently acquired a Mono eraser through Amazon that has worked pretty well for me. Mono Zero erasers (or similar) are essential for realistic drawings that require erasing very thin, delicate lines or small areas in general.

​I bought generic blending stumps and a kneaded eraser at my local art supply store that I use like a mad woman in my more realistic drawings (you can see the poor things beside the drawing below). 





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Realistic pencil drawing of girl screaming.


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PictureRealistic pencil drawing of a closed fist.




12. Wooden Desk Easel

Last but not least, I just had to include this easel in my list! I ordered it through Amazon a couple of months ago and I have found it incredibly useful so far. It is very inexpensive and its design is pretty practical. 

​The reason I was looking for a desk easel is because I noticed the perspective was slightly distorted in some of my drawings because of the angle I was working on them.

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Sitting and drawing on a flat, horizontal surface can lead to distorted drawings. Having my reference photo and my drawing/painting at similar angles allows my eyes to better create an initial sketch to move forward from. You can find the easel here if you are interested. 



Wood desk easel
Wood desk easel

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Do you have any favorite drawing or painting supplies? At what point in your art journey did you decide to invest in more expensive supplies? I'd love to hear from you in the comments section below!

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34 Comments
A Burrell
1/8/2018 01:22:04 pm

I am new to watercolor and just found your blog - I am so excited!! I have read through (and bookmarked) at least 5 of them so far for future reference. I feel like I've just won the lottery! Thank you so much for the information you share and for your refreshing take on so many different subjects.

Reply
Erika
1/8/2018 08:12:58 pm

Hey there! I'm soooo happy that you're finding something helpful and encouraging in my site. This is what I'm striving for! Make sure to check in every now and then because I have big things planned for you guys!
Thank you SO much for taking time to read and comment! Very much appreciated! Have a wonderful day!

Reply
Paul
1/19/2018 11:35:57 am

Have enjoyed and benefited from your blogs. If you drill holes - perhaps 6 per side - in your easel you will have somewhere for your brushes (and pencils).

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Erika Lancaster
1/20/2018 09:59:51 am

Hi Paul!!
It makes me happy to know that you're getting something positive out of my blog posts!
This is an interesting idea! This little desk easel I bought through Amazon actually has a little drawer to keep things like paintbrushes in it, but I rarely use it.
It would be great to have some sort of paintbrush holder! That would be especially handy when I am painting with oils. I tend to leave my paintbrushes laying around and create a huge mess that I have to clean up afterwards! haha
Thank you for taking time to comment! Have a great weekend!

Reply
Deb Pysno
2/17/2018 04:12:22 pm

Tell me more about the water-soluble gray pencil. Seems like an absolutely brilliant idea. How hard/black of one do you get? Thanks for all your inspiration!

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Erika Lancaster
2/18/2018 11:54:01 am

Hi Deb!! :)

I'm so happy you're getting inspired to try out new ideas with my posts!

When I use the water-soluble gray colored pencil technique to create my initial sketch prior to painting, I literally use whatever gray watercolor pencil I have at hand. So far, I've only bought two sets of watercolor pencils and they've been pretty underwhelming, so I'm not even going to give out brands. But I've used the grays included in those so far (usually the darkest gray included in the set, which is a medium gray).

I haven't actually invested in better quality water-soluble colored pencils because I'm currently focusing on improving using watercolor paints.

However, I'd LOOOVE to buy some of these individual Derwent watercolor pencils in a few different shades (including a medium-gray) in the near future: https://www.derwentart.com/en/lb/v/4410/1959/watercolour-pencils

The gunmetal color I think would work great for this technique! I'd say, as long as the gray is in the medium to dark range so that you're able to see your sketch as you're painting, it should work.

When creating your initial sketches (whether you're drawing with regular pencil or water-soluble pencil), you should try to draw as lightly as possible, unless you actually want your pencil lines to show through (which some artists do). It depends on your personal style and needs. Just make sure that you're not pressing so hard down on your paper because then you'll damage it and create a mark that will show through!

I hope this helped and thank you SO much for visiting my blog and taking time to comment!

Hope to see you around! :)

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pinesusan
4/15/2018 10:22:35 am

as i began my journey with watercolors, i happened to purchase some senellier watercolors on ebay - both pans and tubes (i refill the pans from the tubes)
they're expensive, but i found a 'lot' of them which was affordable
now I LOVE SENELLIER ! and rarely use anything else
they're made with honey, and seem like butter . . .
tho i have around 100 colors now, it's hard for me to not buy more - i'm addicted
i've also tried their paper, which feels pretty good . . . also expensive
that's my 2 cents

Reply
Erika Lancaster
4/16/2018 08:37:47 am

Hello,

Thanks so much for sharing your experience with Senellier! I haven't tried their products myself, but now you've got me curious! :)
I'll make sure to look out for them and try them out in the future!

Thank you for taking time to comment!

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Mikey Collins link
10/25/2018 08:11:47 am

Great art work!
thanks for sharing.

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Erika Lancaster
1/23/2019 08:23:07 am

Hey there, Mikey!

I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed this. Thanks so much for your comment! :)

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Jennifer
1/16/2019 03:23:33 pm

I am new to watercolor and have been quite confused by all my choices. The information you have posted has made the learning curve much easier for me and and helped me with my purchases. I feel much more willing to take chances. I have never been skilled with any artistic talent so stay tuned. Thanks for the information.

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Erika Lancaster
1/23/2019 08:28:02 am

Hi Jennifer,
It makes me super happy to hear that this post has helped clear some confusion. All the different kinds of paint, paper and paintbrushes can certainly make buying the right supplies overwhelming!
I have a newer post/YouTube video on watercolor painting supplies in which I go much more in depth into kinds of paint, paper and paintbrushes that you could find helpful: https://www.erikalancaster.com/art-blog/watercolor-supplies-for-beginners-and-things-you-must-know

All the best to you in your artistic journey! :)

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Maureen Provost Ryan
11/23/2019 06:25:18 am

Hello, Jennifer,
Thank you for these ideas and resources! Just wanted to share the name of my favorite watercolors: Pelikan (from Germany but available online or through art supply vendors like Jerry's Artarama and Blick) in pans -- the transparent and the opaque sets. Beautiful paints and excellent results! Looking forward to reading your future posts!

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Erika Lancaster link
11/28/2019 02:04:27 pm

Hi, Maureen!

Thanks so much for checking out my blog post and taking time to leave your valuable comment. It really means the world. :)

Wish you a lovely Thanksgiving weekend and a holiday season that's full of love, joy and peace.

All the best to you,

Erika

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olivia hartley link
3/23/2020 11:20:00 am

Paintbrush is my my favorite tool! i have lot of brushes , i have paint my garden blocks and boxes uses these pant brushes.

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Erika Lancaster link
3/28/2020 06:20:15 pm

Hi, Olivia!
Hope you're doing well as we navigate through these strange and challenging times.
Thank you so much for checking out this blog post and taking time to comment. :)
Means the world.
Have a lovely day,
Erika

Reply
James link
5/12/2020 08:27:29 pm

Thank you for sharing this article with such good content. Good luck in the following article.

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
5/13/2020 05:46:46 pm

Hi, James! :)
Thanks so much for reading and taking time to comment. Means the world.
I'm glad to hear you liked this one.
Wishing you a lovely day,
Erika

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Barbara Jackson link
11/3/2020 01:04:49 pm

Thanks for this article it will help me about art supplies

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
3/22/2021 09:58:29 am

Thanks for reading, Barbara!
Glad it was helpful.
Have a lovely day and take good care. :)

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Peter Jhon link
12/25/2020 03:34:52 am

i am here to see the art suppliers

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Erika Lancaster link
3/22/2021 09:59:01 am

Thanks for checking this one out, Peter!
Have a great day.

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Tthe Stationery Company link
3/19/2021 11:38:33 pm

The paintings shown are just brilliant and the I enjoyed reading your article. Thanks, keep going.

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Erika Lancaster link
3/22/2021 09:59:35 am

Thanks for checking this one out! Glad you're enjoying my work.
Have a great day and take good care.

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John Smit link
5/26/2021 12:06:52 pm

Hi Erika, I love your paintings, and thanks for the article!

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Erika Lancaster link
5/30/2021 09:45:02 am

Hi, John!
Thanks so much for checking this one out. :)
Glad you're enjoying what I'm sharing.
Take good care and have a great day!

Reply
albertbravo link
9/8/2021 03:11:05 am

waow amazing skills. I am also interested in arts an crafts i got creative ideas here.

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
2/25/2022 04:47:47 pm

Hey, there!
Thanks so much for checking out this post.
Glad it was helpful!

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Taylor Hicken link
10/24/2021 10:18:47 pm

I liked it when you shared that it is crucial to use higher-quality supplies for your artwork. In this way, you can ensure that your outcome will turn out excellent. I would like to think if someone needs to get art supplies, he should consider getting high-quality products from a reliable store.

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
2/25/2022 04:48:42 pm

Hey, Taylor!
Thanks so much for checking out this post and leaving a comment.
Yes, using better supplies can make a huge difference both in the art-making process, as well as in the end result!

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Michelle Petrovich link
12/21/2021 07:58:52 am

I just wanted to say your amazing, and really underrated! My favorite thing is your loose style of sketching, and your underlying structure that you start with.

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
2/25/2022 04:50:11 pm

Hi, Michelle!
Thanks so much for checking out this post and for taking time to leave a comment. :)
You're very kind! Glad to hear you're enjoying my work.
Wish you a lovely day!

Reply
Jeff Carbine link
2/23/2022 04:27:19 am

My favorite part of this article is I have a small collection of pricey paintbrushes that I use mostly for oil painting. Someone recently told me about this and it is different from what I understand. Thanks for helping me understand the arts and crafts store.

Reply
Erika Lancaster link
2/25/2022 04:51:25 pm

Hey, Jeff!
Thanks so much for checking out this post and leaving your comment.
Glad it was helpful! Wish you tons of progress and enjoyment as you move forward in your art journey.

Reply



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