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 keep three types of pencils at hand, which you can see in action by clicking through the slideshow above. They include:
- An “old school pencil” for pencil calligraphy and drawing
- A mechanical pencil for creating crisp, light-handed calligraphy guidelines
- A white mechanical pencil for making drafts and guidelines on dark-colored cardstock
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!
3. A Nice 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!
4. Everyday Pens
While I prefer a dip pen for most projects, there are some instances where “normal pens” come in handy. These four pens are important tools in my art supplies toolbox:
- Muji pens – 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 – These pens are not waterproof, and you can use that to your advantage, like in this tutorial.
- Sakura Gellyroll white pens – These are fabulous pens for adding highlights to lettering (like this) or drawing on dark paper (like this).
- Glass dip pen – This is definitely a “just for fun” pen, but I use it all the time for writing letters. I love that you can change ink colors on a whim!
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. I keep four main palettes at hand:
- Winsor & Newton Cotman set – This is a student-grade set that’s great for casual projects
- Greenleaf & Blueberry paints – Greenleaf & Blueberry makes artist grade paints, so I always use them for my most special projects. To read more about artist grade paints, check out this article.
- Finetec Golds palette and Finetec Pearl colors palette – I use these two palettes constantly, both for calligraphy and for general art. It’s difficult to resist adding a bit of sparkle to projects!
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 (from Paper & Ink Arts). 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!
7. Pen Holders + Nibs
I use pen holders and nibs as all-purpose workhorses. They’re fabulous for calligraphy, obviously, but they also take the spotlight in illustration and lettering. Here are tutorial links for the three photos shown in the slideshow above (so you can really put your pens to work!):
- Free “Macbeth” Calligraphy Flourishing Worksheet
- The Beginner’s Guide to Crosshatching
- How to Hand Letter Like a Pro
8. Ink
Looking around, I realize that I probably have fifty bottles of different inks in my office. 
- 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. My favorite is Walker’s Copperplate, which has to be ordered from Scribblers in the UK.
9. Light Box
A light box is a splurge of a supply — and not strictly necessary. That said, I use my Artograph 930 constantly for illustration and calligraphy. It just makes life easier when it comes to getting proportions right if you’re drawing from a photo! 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
I keep a variety of papers and envelopes around for different projects and purposes. Here are the papers I tend to use the most:
- 32# HP Premium laserjet paper – 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 paper – Indian 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 there are other art supplies that I use here and there, this list describes my core toolbox. I hope that it inspires you to build up your own collection of useful supplies! If you have the time, I’m curious to hear about your go-to tools. I’m always looking to add to my collection! After all, you really can’t have too many art supplies.
Warmly,
This post was originally published in January of 2015. My art supplies preferences have changed considerably since then, so it underwent a rewrite in March 2021!
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? 😉