My Favorite Art Supplies
May 8, 2024
I thought I would do a blog post about my current favorite supplies I use to create my mixed media artwork. I like to try out different brands from time to time, but these are the ones I’ve been using the most lately.
Daniel Smith Watercolors I love the range of colors that are offered, especially, their luminescent line. I often mix a tiny bit of an iridescent color with the regular line (Extra Fine) of colors to give it a more shimmery look. They mix well and the small tubes go a long way with their rich pigment.
Posca Paint Markers These versatile markers contain a high quality water-based acrylic paint that is very opaque, dries quickly, and is blendable when wet. I have a variety of colors in the fine and medium sizes.
Micron Pens I use these pens for a lot of the mark-making in my work, like the tiny dots and vertical lines. The use archival ink that is fade resistant and waterproof. My most used sizes are probably 03 and 05 in black. I sign all my work with a light gray pen.
Pen-Touch Gold Markers I love using gold accents in many of my pieces and these shiny metallic paint markers make it extra fun! There is a bit of an odor to them, but it’s not too strong. The smell actually takes me back to my childhood after getting a hold of one of these markers and doodling on some paper. It’s funny how certain smells can trigger certain memories like that.
Daler-Rowney Acrylic Ink Intense water-based permanent ink and highly fluid that dries to a matte finish. I typically use this as a last step in my painting.
Liquitex Acrylic Gouache The larger gold or white dots in my work are from these little bottles. They come with a pre-cut nozzle and an easy open and close lid and I use this paint straight from the bottle. The bottles kind of remind me of puffy paint that was so popular back in the 80’s and 90’s.
Silver Atelier Quill Brush, size 40 One of my absolute favorite brushes. These brushes hold water and paint so well and the paint flows beautifully onto the paper. This is a fairly soft brush so it works perfectly with the broad strokes I tend to use.
Paint Palettes I use a variety of different ceramic trays to mix my watercolors in. I’ve picked up some vintage egg plates from antique stores and smaller trays from a popular Japanese dollar store (found in the kitchen section) similar to these. The deeper compartments are helpful since I tend to use a bit more water with my watercolors.
