• The TPK Top Ten List of Art Supplies

    I’ve always loved to keep things fresh when it comes to creating art. For that reason, I keep a variety of core art supplies at hand! These tools help me to make a myriad of projects from sketchbook pages to cards to display-worthy calligraphy. Today, I’m sharing a list of my versatile, must-have supplies.

    The TPK Top Ten List of Art Supplies

    A person’s art supplies collection is a personal thing that reflects the projects they most enjoy making. Personally, my loves include calligraphy, watercolor painting, general drawing, and making beautiful cards and envelopes. If your creative interests align with those activities, then you’ll appreciate this article! Here are the items that enable me to create and help me to feel inspired:

    1. Pencils and a Reliable Eraser

    I always keep three types of pencils at hand. They include:

    A pencil calligraphy envelope created using an “old school” pencil (the type that needs to be sharpened)
    A hand-lettered map draft in progress with a mechanical pencil

    For erasers, I’d love to use what’s on the back of the pencil, but it always ends up getting gunky and smudges my work. My reliable go-to is a Staedtler Mars plastic eraser. I also keep a black eraser around to cleanly erase guidelines on dark cardstock.

    2. Parallel Glider (“Rolling Ruler”)

    Whether you are creating illustrations or drawing calligraphy guidelines, a parallel glider will help you immensely. I use my rolling ruler constantly because I love having the ability to draw perfectly parallel calligraphy guidelines!

    Calligraphy Guidelines | The Postman's Knock
    You can learn how to use a parallel glider in this article.

    3. A Quality Sketchbook

    A sketchbook represents creative freedom. It’s a very personal thing that you can use to explore feelings, create memories, and try out new art supplies and techniques. The Shinola sketchbook is my go-to (it’s the perfect size and paper weight), but it can be tough to get a hold of. Search around online, and you’ll find your own “Goldilocks” sketchbook!

    How to Add Color to Your “Day in the Life” Sketchbook Layout | The Postman's Knock
    To see more sketchbook recommendations and learn more about sketchbooking, see this discussion.

    4. Everyday Pens

    While I prefer a dip pen for most projects, there are some instances where “normal pens” come in handy. There are four pens that are important tools in my art supplies toolbox:

    Muji pen illustrations
    Muji pens (affiliate link) – I like that these pens are waterproof, so you can use them to make cool illustrations with a consistent line width (Let the ink dry overnight before applying watercolor, though!)
    Pilot G2 05 pens (affiliate link) – These pens are not waterproof, and you can use that to your advantage, like in this tutorial over how to make a beautiful gilded lily illustration.
    Salsa hand lettering
    Sakura Gellyroll white pens (affiliate link) – These are fabulous pens for adding highlights to lettering (like this) or drawing on dark paper (like this).
    The Elegant Cursive Handwriting worksheet will teach you how to write in a beautiful, vintage-looking cursive hand.
    Pilot Falcon fountain pen (affiliate link) – I load this pen with waterproof ink, then I use it to write in elegant cursive or to make illustrations.

    5. Watercolors

    Watercolor paint is one of my favorite art supplies because it is capable of covering large areas, blends easily, and dries quickly. Dry watercolor palettes transport very well, and you can transform any watercolor pan into a unique calligraphy ink.

    Watercolor palette with a watercolor painting
    The first thing you need to do when you get a watercolor palette? Make a watercolor chart.

    I keep three main watercolor palettes on hand:

    You can browse all of the watercolor tutorials on the TPK site here

    6. Paintbrushes

    I’ve never had a strong preference as far as paintbrush brands or types go. Mainly, I’m concerned with size, and I keep round paintbrushes ranging from size 000 to size 6 on my desk. About half of my brushes are synthetic brushes from Michael’s, while the other half are expensive kolinsky brushes. To be honest, I don’t notice a huge difference between the two. If you’re looking for a detailed brush explanation from a true expert, though, Greenleaf & Blueberry’s Watercolor Brush Basics article is an incredible resource!

    Clean paintbrushes drying
    My collection of paint brushes, ready for a gum arabic treatment.

    7. Pen Holders + Nibs

    I use pen holders and nibs as all-purpose workhorses. They’re fabulous for calligraphy, of course, but they also take the spotlight in illustration and lettering.

    Not Your Average Calligraphy Drill Sheet (try filling it out with a Brause EF66 nib in an oblique pen)

    8. Ink

    Looking around, I realize that I probably have fifty bottles of different inks in my office. 🙈 I could easily get by with just four, though.

    Different Calligraphy Inks

    Those four include:

    • Sumi ink – This ink is fabulous for creating vivid illustrations and clean calligraphy.
    • Bleed Proof white ink – This is the best white ink I’ve come across; find tips for using it here.
    • Ziller Soot Black (waterproof) ink – I always use this ink for calligraphy or illustrations that will come into contact with watercolor.
    • Iron gall ink – Iron gall ink is amazing for making hairline upstrokes and thick downstrokes.

    9. Light Box

    A light box is a splurge of a supply — and not strictly necessary. That said, I use my Artograph 930 (affiliate link) constantly for illustration and calligraphy. It just makes life easier when it comes to getting proportions right if you’re drawing from a photo!

    Creating watercolor lettering on a light box
    You can use a light box to paint this artistic watercolor lettering.

    If you’re creating calligraphy, a light box offers you the opportunity to only draw guidelines once. After that, you can use them again and again (on light-colored paper or envelopes). You can read more about how to use a light box, and whether owning one would benefit you, in this article.

    10. Nice Paper and Envelopes

    In addition to sketchbooks, I keep a variety of papers and envelopes around for different projects and purposes. You can read a complete guide to paper here; or keep scrolling to learn about some general favorites.

    Perched parrot calligraphy
    This perched parrot calligraphy drawing was created on 80# drawing paper (affiliate link).
    • 32# HP Premium laserjet paper (affiliate link) – This paper is fantastic for calligraphy practice. Smooth, cheap, and plentiful!
    • Black cardstock – I usually buy 8.5″ x 11″ sheets and cut them down to greeting card or place card size.
    • Handmade paperIndian Cotton Paper Co. is the best that I’ve found! It’s great for pointed pen calligraphy, which is rare for handmade cotton papers.
    • Calligraphy-friendly envelopes – There are several brands of high-quality envelopes that are suitable for creating calligraphy.

    While I reach for other art supplies here and there, these are the core tools I rely on most. I hope this list helps you feel inspired and equipped as you build your own collection of versatile, well-loved supplies. After all, you really can’t have too many!

    Warmly,