A week or so ago, someone emailed me requesting a blog post for true beginners: people who have recently developed an interest in creating. For a while, I wondered where to start — then I had a “duh” moment: art essentials. While I am a bonafide hoarder when it comes to art tools/supplies, I tried to imagine that I was going to be marooned on a desert island and could only bring ten art essentials {and unlimited food} with me. {In case you’re wondering, why, yes, I have watched Pirates of the Caribbean recently.} So: here are the ten essentials that I would recommend in the marooned-on-an-island-scenario, which also happen to be the ten supplies that beginners can consider procuring to begin their creative journey.
1. Pencils + Erasers
The humble pencil is the base of many genius works of art and has been for centuries. You’ll want to use it to sketch out ideas, draw guidelines, and create drafts to paint or draw over. You don’t need to get fancy here; any pencil will work. I prefer mechanical pencils since it’s easier to control the line width, and I love Mars plastic erasers because they clean up a piece neatly and efficiently without any smudging.
2. Rulers
This is another humble, cheap supply that will come in handy. Whether you are creating perspective drawing or wanting to draw guidelines, a ruler will help you immensely. I like having rulers in a variety of lengths, but you really only need one. My favorite rulers are metal rulers because they tend to stand up to heavy use better than plastic and wooden rulers, which get wonky and uneven after some time has passed.
3. Pens
I use pens all the time for general drawing and writing. Micron pens have quite the cult following among hand-lettering enthusiasts, and they are worth buying for a couple of reasons. First of all, they dry almost instantaneously, so you can erase your guidelines whenever you want to — no waiting for the ink to settle. Secondly, they give you a lot of freedom with line width {provided you have the 6 piece set}. I love using the 005 Micron pen because it’s super thin; this also makes for elegant general, “real life” writing. Additionally, you can use Micron pens to create pieces like the illustrated cityscape below.
Pilot G2 pens are really great, too. I get/prefer the 05 pen. These numbers {005, 05, etc.}, by the way, are just a measurement of how big the stroke of ink is that the pen makes. The smaller the number, the thinner/finer the stroke. I, personally, prefer finer strokes because I feel they give me a little more control. I use the G2s for almost all my general writing {i.e. letters, cheques}, and for specialized projects. If you use these pens to create art, remember that they tend to smudge if/when you erase pencil guidelines — unless you wait for a few hours. They will always bleed if you go over them with water {/watercolors}, which can work in your favor in projects like this fashion drawing:
But — please — don’t limit yourself to Microns or G2s. Use absolutely any pen you like and feel comfortable using! Art is not about using what works for other people: it’s about what works for you. So, if you like that Bic Rollerball, use it and embrace it!
4. Crayons and Colored Pencils
If you think these art supplies are just for children, you’re missing out! I really love using wax crayons to create crayon portraits. Wax crayons are accessible to everyone, which is wonderful because they have the capability to create such vivid pieces! I have Crayola crayons {which, yes, I keep completely and unabashedly disorganized in a plastic sack}; but any brand will work.
As far as colored pencils, you can go super premium with these if you’re a serious colored pencil user. I’m just a casual colored pencil-er, so I have and use a set that I bought for $1 at a garage sale. My current obsession is using colored pencils on black card stock for a vivid chalkboard-like effect!
5. Watercolors
You may have noticed that a lot of TPK tutorials include watercolor. I love this medium because it is capable of covering large areas, blends easily, and dries quickly. The disadvantage is you have to use a paper that can handle it; lighter papers {like printer paper} will “bubble up” from all the moisture. I use watercolor both for painting and writing {with a calligraphy pen}.
Watercolors — like the vast majority of art supplies — can be purchased on the cheap or premium. I personally love watercolors so much that I treated myself to a couple of professional sets from Greenleaf & Blueberry. However, if you just plan on using watercolors casually {e.g. not selling your watercolor pieces}, you should be fine with a lower-end or student set. To read more about how watercolors are made and which set is best suited to your personal needs, I would recommend reading this blog post.
6. Paintbrushes
Full disclosure: I am not picky about my paintbrushes. That said, I don’t do a lot of legitimate “painting” save for the very occasional acrylic portrait. Yes, I do quite a bit with watercolors; but those pieces are generally a mix of painting and drawing {using a calligraphy pen and watercolors}, like the piece below. They don’t require a a premium brush.
That said, brushes are a personal preference thing. If you’re new to art and you want to dabble with watercolors or acrylics, I would recommend going to an art supply store and picking out brushes in varying sizes. You will find that you develop favorites; for me, those favorites are the four below, probably because I like being able to paint small details.
I know that someone out there knows more about picking out a great brush and how to measure brush quality than I do. If you’re that someone, please comment below … this is something that I {and others, I’m sure} have an interest in and would love to learn more about!
7. Dusting Brush
To be honest with you, I didn’t know what this thing was called until I had to strategically Google it for this blog post {“big brush for cleaning eraser pieces”}. However you want to refer to it, a dusting brush is wonderful for safely and effectively brushing eraser scraps off your paper after you erase pencil guidelines. I also use it to brush embossing powder off my desk. Yes, you can brush your artwork off with your hand, but there’s a higher chance of smudging and just general mess-ups. Best to treat your time-consuming and much beloved pieces with white gloves — er, dusting brushes.
8. Calligraphy Pens
You had to be wondering when this one was going to pop up on the art essentials list. As you probably well know by now, I am a huge fan of Rodger Mayeda’s artisan calligraphy pens, and I have several that I love. Really I’m just trying to stock up before Rodger decides he should be doing what “normal” retired people do … i.e. not working. If for some horrible reason I had to give up all of my wonderful RPB collection save for one pen, the pen below is the one I would choose to keep.
It’s a Bolivian Rosewood holder fitted for the Brause EF66 nib. I use this holder for practically everything; including the calligraphy in the first image of this blog post. I also use it for all drawings now; it really helps me to keep my hand out of the way, which is a weird thing to say, but it’s true.
If you’re not interested in calligraphy, of course a dip pen wouldn’t necessarily be logical for you. But: if you do want to learn, you can check out any of the Learn Calligraphy for a Latté worksheets. I would also recommend reading this blog post to see if an oblique pen is right for you {and/or to learn what an oblique pen is}. If you do decide you want a pen from Rodger, I would convo him on Etsy to chat a little bit about which holder and nib is right for you. Rodger is one of the nicest people on the face of the planet, and you’ll be so glad you reached out to him.
9. Black Ink
Walnut ink is totally gorgeous, but if I had to choose whether I had to use black or walnut ink for the rest of my days {I know, very dramatic scenarios in this post today}, I’d choose black sumi ink. I wouldn’t grieve too much over this decision because you can write with brown watercolor to get a similar — though not identical — effect to walnut ink’s beautiful depth.
You can use India ink or sumi ink. I like my black inks to be waterproof because it’s nice to have the option to watercolor over them if need be. Again, though, if you don’t have an interest in calligraphy, this probably isn’t a necessary supply.
10. Paper
I mean, you’ve got to have something to create your artwork on! Paper is one of those things that I pick up whenever I’m at the art supply store because … I don’t know why because. Maybe I have a problem, or maybe it’s because there are always sales going on. Anyway, I’ve got a lot of different paper, but I’ve only got two consistent favorites:
- Strathmore 70 lb. Drawing Paper – This is a great, all-purpose type of paper that can stand up to anything you throw at it, including watercolor {though I wouldn’t watercolor the whole page}. This is the paper I recommend to all calligraphy beginners because it’s really good about not letting ink bleed.
- Strathmore 140 lb. Watercolor Paper – This is a heavy-duty, low-absorbency paper that ensures your watercolors {and/or ink} stay super vivid after they dry. I like creating calligraphy on this, but it’s a little tough if you’re just beginning calligraphy because it’s got some “tooth” to it.
If you’re wondering what the “# lb.” means, it’s just the weight of the paper. The higher the number, the thicker {and usually more high-quality} the paper.
If you’re a true beginner, I recommend purchasing a sketchbook to start out with. I have a particular fondness for these Canson sketchbooks because that’s what I used in high school {you can download my old sketchbook and read about sketchbooking in general in this blog post}.
Sketchbooking is a fantastic way to get the courage to try/develop new art techniques while also making pieces that “speak” to you and are emotionally rewarding. I don’t make time to sketchbook anymore {though, really, I should!}, but when I was diligent about it, it was something I truly enjoyed. A couple of books that are worth checking out for inspiration are Spilling Open by Sabrina Ward Harrison {especially good for late teens and early 20-somethings} and Artists’ Journals and Sketchbooks by Lynne Perrella.
Bonus Essential Art Supply: A Scanner and a Printer {or Combination}
Several people have asked me what scanner I use. It’s an Epson Workforce 325, chosen randomly on Amazon for the printer portion’s ability to use generic inks. The main thing I love about it is the scanner, which I have used to scan images in at up to 650 dpi {read: very high resolution}. If you ever want to sell your artwork {or write a blog featuring your artwork}, a scanner is a must. And, of course, I love printables, so the fact that the particular scanner I have comes attached to a printer is just the icing on the cake. Note, though, that for professional printing, I always commission work out to a professional printer; a printer like this is not want you want to use to print artwork to sell.
And that’s it! My top 10 {well, kind of} list of art essentials. I already know that this is one of those posts I am going to learn so much from in the comments {and probably glean more than a few “instabuys” from}; so, please, if you have an opinion or a personal art essential, let me — and others — know! I’m always ready to find new favorites.
Thanks again for reading! I’ll catch up with you again soon.
Warmly,
Awesome ideas! Really helpful thought for kids mental growth and creativity, Best art supplies inspire kids artwork. Thanks for sharing a nice blog.
Hi Lindsey,
I have had difficulties with paper cutters. Do you have any specific ones that you can recommend?
Thank you!
Liz Thompson
Hi Liz! I use a Dahle Vantage 18E Personal 18 Inch Guillotine Paper Cutter, and I’ve had good results with that!
Thank you, Lindsey!
I was wondering where you purchased those pretty floral colored pencils? I think my college at major daughter would love a set! You have a beautiful blog. Just purchased one of your calligraphy courses. Can’t wait to get started as I am gathering supplies. Thanks so much
ileen
I wish I could tell you with certainty! To be honest, they were purchased at a garage sale here in Boulder for $1 a couple of years ago. I have no idea where they came from! However, I can tell you that they are Paperchase brand. 🙂
And think you! I hope you enjoy the worksheet! Let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you!
I Love sketching With pens/pencils/crayons because you can do it on the go…i have yet to venture to watercolor because…well…there’s water…mess etc.
Do you do your art on the go? If so how do you contain your supplies? Or what’s in your ‘to go’ kit? and is their hope for water colour to be a coffee shop activity?
You absolutely CAN paint on the go! A little watercolor journal, a book of peerless watercolor sheets, and a waterbrush make it all possible!
Thanks just need to take the plunge!
I completely agree with Amber! It’s super easy to paint on the go; probably even more so in a coffee shop. 🙂
I personally use Greenleaf & Blueberry watercolors; but for a long time I used a Winsor & Newton Cotman set and really liked it. You don’t need to spend a fortune on watercolors, though; a $10 Prang {or whatever brand} set will certainly suffice.
After that, all you need is watercolor paper {optional; you could just use a sketchbook}, a brush, and some water. If you do go to a coffee shop to watercolor, you can actually use coffee as watercolor! Click here to see a coffee painting tutorial — pretty cool!
Loved reading through this list! I didn’t even know a dusting brush existed…but I’ve been looking for something that I can use to get rid of eraser dusts off of my signs without smudging them with my hand. Thank you for being so thorough with your blogs!
Oh, I love my dusting brush! It doesn’t seem like much, but once you use it a few times, it’s like, “Wow. This thing is awesome!” 🙂
Hi Lindsey,
What a wonderful post! Thank you! 🙂
When I took drafting course for interiors, we got a similar list! only thing that i find more useful than a regular ruler is a T-square just to get everything properly aligned.
Also, that little dusting brush is so handy- no smudges!!
On other note, check out minted.com – its amazing for artists!
I have been following your tutorials and making mixed media artworks- with kaitlin style calligraphy and watercolor wreaths. Its turning out to be amazing!! I recently ordered finetec gold palette. Excited to start working with golds!!
Thank you so much for sharing your work and your posts. They have been incredibly informative 🙂
I think the stuff on Minted is great! I’m always recommending it to friends as a place to get easy-breezy wedding invitations. 🙂
You’ll absolutely love the Finetec gold palette it’s absolutely breath-taking. You will be so pleased with the results! While we’re talking about new/useful/wonderful tools — I really should purchase a T-square! Thanks so much for the input.
Loved this list! I’m a fairly new reader, and was pleasantly surprised to find this post in my email this morning. I just picked up calligraphy recently as a new year’s goal, and your worksheets have already come in handy as well as this list! I’m about due for some new pens as my Faber-Castell ones are starting to wear out/go dry, so I think some Microns are in order! 😉 Also, my art “essential” is a Staedtler eraser pen – the kind that’s like a mechanical pencil but it’s just an eraser. I find I smudge my hands across my paper less and can be a bit more precise with it! Thanks for the great post 🙂 Looking forward to reading more.
I keep telling myself to buy an eraser pen! It’s one of those things I know I would use all the time, and yet I haven’t purchased one yet! I’m sure it gives you lots of great control, and my goal this month is to remember to buy one.
The sole complaint I have about the Micron pens is for some reason they don’t seem to stand up to erasing extremely well. By that I mean that some of the pen erases off {when you erase pencil guidelines}. Of course, not all the Micron markings/lines are erased, by any means, but it takes off a little layer that leaves the pen looking a bit dull. I avoid that problem by making my draft on one page, and using a light box and Micron pens to trace over that draft on another piece of paper. Otherwise, I just use a dip pen and sumi ink. Ultimately, though, Microns are definitely {definitely} worth buying!
If you’re looking for a stick eraser, I’d suggest checking out the Tombow Mono Zero eraser. It comes in both a round and rectangular version, and erases gently but cleanly. They are smaller than regular stick erasers which allows more precise control.
I am, indeed, in the market for one! The Tombow sounds great … I have a feeling it will be on my desk here in a week or so. 😉 Thank you!
Great post, Lindsey. You always have such wonderful things to share with us!
Also, please don’t worry, I plan to be making pens for a long time yet. I was so lucky to run across your blog when I did. You’ve taught me so much and I am so lucky that you like my pens too! Your feedback on my pens has resulted in constant improvement to them.
I can’t wait to order a set of watercolors from Greenleaf and Blueberry!
Haha, I don’t know how lucky you ended up being, now that you’re so busy all the time! 🙂 You would absolutely love one of Jessica’s sets. The more I use it, the more I realize how incredible the quality is: the depth of color and smoothness is wonderful. I’m really glad I decided to treat myself!
Ooooh, I love the G-2s, but also the Sakura Gelly Roll pens. The white one is nice on craft or black paper, but I also like the metallics for shading or for filling in designs; plus I love all the colors that are available.
As for rulers, at my engineering-heavy college bookstore, I got a six-inch metal ruler with a cork underside, so it has a weight to it but also doesn’t slide easily. My other favorite is this ruler that is meant for sewing/dressmaking, because it is clear, flat, and most importantly, has a grid of small squares printed on it, so I can see if the line I am drawing will be straight (I’m not sure if I explained that clearly, I might have to take a picture)
The ruler is crystal clear in my mind. 🙂 Rodger sent over a list of must-haves that I thought were interesting: a rolling ruler, an adjustable triangle, a lettering guide, and an erasing shield. You both are creatives that are also engineers, so I thought you would appreciate his list, and either have some of the things he is talking about {or find them helpful}. 🙂
I think this is the ruler Meredith is talking about. http://www.westcottbrand.ca/product/1062093.83925.84197.0.0/B-50/_/C-THRU_8ths_Beveled_Ruler_6%22
I have a 6″ and 18″, and have my eye on the protractor 6″ ruler too. I just haven’t convinced myself I truly need it yet.
Haha, I know that feeling! I always have to convince myself to purchase little items that I know will be helpful. 🙂 I think I need the Westcott ruler, too …
Dude how do you even use that lettering guide? It looks so cool. And yes, I am happy to use my math tools in calligraphy, but TIME FOR A HISTORY OF WRITING LESSON: When monks and such would write out manuscripts, they first sketched them out and planned the placements by lightly carving into a wax tablet, so it’d be easy to “erase” lines by smoothing them out. Then, to create straight lines on parchment or vellum upon which to write, they’d take this tool that I imagine looks like a pizza cutter to roll horizontally on the page and it would make slight indents on the page, creating a straight line for writing.
And Amber is right, I have that sort of ruler. I’m soon taking and posting pictures on my Tumblr of my desk and set-up and supplies
I’m not 100% sure on how you use the lettering guide; I did ask Rodger about the angle setter-thing, and he said: “The adjustable angle is for setting your reference angles. This isn’t as important as with e.g. your Kaitlin, but is more so when you are doing a more formal script like Copperplate or Spencerian. Those very formal types of writing are done at very strict angles, but more so, because it really helps with consistency of the script.” I think you’d love one of those, though, and if you get one {or even before you do}, you can always email or Etsy convo Rodger for additional info. He’s always super helpful and forthcoming with information!
Re: the history lesson: can you imagine how incredibly long that would take? But, I guess if all you’ve got on is some praying with a couple of breaks for simple food, you’d have some time to write manuscripts. I really admire their work, especially the rich golds, which I feel that the Finetec palette emulates. That’s probably why I like it so much!
It will be cool to see your set-up! I have a strange fascination with workspaces {maybe because it gives me inspiration for my own space?}, so I am genuinely looking forward to it. 🙂
Which individual colors (half-pans) did you purchase from Greenleaf & Blueberry?
Hi Ali!
I have: mayan yellow, orange ochre, mayan blue #2, and violet hematite. If I didn’t have a full set of watercolors, I also would have purchased the red ochre, celadonite, and and graphite, too. {If you have the red ochre and mayan yellow, you don’t need an orange since you can just mix one.} If you have any questions at all about watercolors — or what color combination to start with — don’t hesitate to convo Jessica! She’s a bonafide expert on the subject. 🙂
Great post, Lindsey! Wish I had had something similar when I was first exploring art materials. Have got to have one of those special calligraphy pens, tho. I have begun keeping mine handy and using it often all because of you!
It was surprisingly difficult to look through all my things and decide what is “essential” and what is not! When I was growing up, my mom and grandmas were big into garage sales, so I have always had way more art supplies than any person — let alone a little girl — should have. Until fairly recently, I didn’t realize that wasn’t normal. {On a side note: thank goodness for garage sales.}
I’m glad that you love your calligraphy pen! I use mine, honestly, every single day, for both personal and professional use. My pens and my watercolors are my two favorite art supplies. I know this because we’re leaving for Peru in a couple of days to spend time at my in-laws’, and those are the two art supplies that made the cut to come with us. Surprisingly, that actually does sound like one of my made-up scenarios above: “You’re going to South America for several days. You can take only a few art supplies. What do you take?” 😉
Wonderful post! I too love the Micron 005 pen and I bought an oblique pen from Rodger and it came in last week. Wohoo!!! You’re right, he is super friendly and helpful with all my questions.
I recently wrote a post about my calligraphy supply list too and was super happy this morning to find that you wrote this one. Yay for sharing lists! Now I’m in the “insta-buy” mood. 😉
In case anyone is interested in seeing my list: http://lovelytomeetyou.com/calligraphy-no-2/
Thanks Lindsey for another great post!
What a fun post! Great minds, right? Fun fact: that pen on the Paper & Ink Arts catalog is one of Rodger’s pens! The artist who created the cover owns one and decided to paint it. I thought that was really cool! You’re spot on with your supplies, as well — and you can never have too much sumi ink, so don’t worry about ordering the larger size. 🙂 You’ll love the Finetec golds whenever you order them!
That is so cool that it’s one of Rodger’s pens on the cover. So awesome! And yea, I’ll have ink for a long while. 🙂 I am really loving the difference between my first ink (Higgin’s ink) and this Sumi ink. It seems easier to write with and a different finish, which I like. Good think since I have so much of it! ha!
You’re calligraphy and photographs are lovely! I can’t wait to see how you progress using the oblique pen holder.
Thank you Lindsay. This list is super helpful. I am now going to build up my supplies based on your suggestions. I took an art class a few years ago and really enjoyed it but haven’t done much since but lately I been feeling very inspired to jump back in. Also thanks for recommending Rodger’s site for pens. I just ordered a couple and he is the best. Very knowledgeable, helpful and so nice. I will definitely keep buying pens from him.
I took an “art hiatus” throughout college; I remember asking my art teacher at the end of high school whether I’d “lose” everything I’d learned from her the past 12 years or so {since I was planning on pursing an English degree}. She responded that no, art is like riding a bike — at first, you may be a little shaky, but it comes back fast. I couldn’t agree more with her statement now! And I’m sure that right now you are experiencing what I felt, which is happiness and exhilaration at creating beautiful things again after a bit of a break. I can’t think of a better way to do so than with some of the supplies on this list, particularly Rodger’s pens. I know he’s been really busy creating them {the other day he got eight orders, one after the other!}, and maybe wants to be less busy, but they’re just so wonderful that I will keep encouraging people to buy them until he gets tired of making them. 🙂 I’m really glad you are having a great experience; Rodger’s the best.
Great post as always, Lindsey! For me, artist’s pencils that come in various levels of hardness (3H, 4H, F, 2B, so on) have become an essential as I find them both A LOT easier to erase from projects and great for shading mock-ups. As a bonus, they’re pretty cheap as well. Also I prefer the Pentel EnerGel 05 needle tip pen for my faux calligraphy and so forth. Just some other options and preferences!
I have never tried the Energels! They look like something I need, though. 😉 Do you prefer them to the Pilot G2s, or are they very similar? I agree that artist’s pencils are fantastic to have around; the varying levels of hardness makes it easier to shade. A tip I got from Zakkiya {of Inkstruck Studio} is to blend pencil drawings using a Q-tip. That was a great tip {ha, literally} because I was always using my finger, which apparently is a no-no because of natural oils that are on hands.
I actually really prefer the EnerGels to the G2. Something about the smoothness of the ink and the precision of the ballpoint needle tip really appeals to me. Also you can find them in a few other colors (blue, purple, green, red…) They are def something to check out in any case!
That’s a great (lol) tip with the Q-tips. Makes sense and probably results in a cleaner finished product, I’d imagine.
And I might have to invest in some Sumi ink given how BEAUTIFUL I’ve found Walnut ink to be. Does it get old being so right? 😉