Listed here are the materials I work with most often.
All of these art materials are can be easily obtained from
any art store.
My favorite art supply store is Blick, but I do occasionally use
Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff, and my local Utrecht Art Supply store.
All of these art materials are can be easily obtained from
any art store.
My favorite art supply store is Blick, but I do occasionally use
Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff, and my local Utrecht Art Supply store.
1. SKETCHING & DRAWING TOOLS
1. Artist’s masking tape (any brand is good as long as it’s acid-
painting to taping the drawing to a drawing board.
2. Golden liquid acrylic in titanium white and burnt umber. The
former is sometimes used for highlighting the lightest areas
(such as the glint in the eye); the latter for outlining colored
pencil drawings.
3. Blick plastic palette, for the above.
4. Pentel mechanical pencil refills in 0.5mm and 0.9mm.
5. Design kneaded eraser. The best eraser for your graphite
drawings. It leaves no residue and can be bent and twisted
into any shape you desire.
6. Pentel Flexfit mechanical pencil.
7. General charcoal pencil.
8. Design graphite pencils (I use grades from 2H to 6B).
9. Micron Pigma ink pens, 0.25mm and 0.45mm
10. General white charcoal pencil for highlights on tinted
paper.
11. Copic multiliner pen for outlining and sketching.
painting to taping the drawing to a drawing board.
2. Golden liquid acrylic in titanium white and burnt umber. The
former is sometimes used for highlighting the lightest areas
(such as the glint in the eye); the latter for outlining colored
pencil drawings.
3. Blick plastic palette, for the above.
4. Pentel mechanical pencil refills in 0.5mm and 0.9mm.
5. Design kneaded eraser. The best eraser for your graphite
drawings. It leaves no residue and can be bent and twisted
into any shape you desire.
6. Pentel Flexfit mechanical pencil.
7. General charcoal pencil.
8. Design graphite pencils (I use grades from 2H to 6B).
9. Micron Pigma ink pens, 0.25mm and 0.45mm
10. General white charcoal pencil for highlights on tinted
paper.
11. Copic multiliner pen for outlining and sketching.
2. COLORED PENCILS
1. Karat watercolor pencils. Used for laying down the basic
color scheme in mixed media drawings.
2. My big-ass box of pencils. These include a variety of Prismacolor
soft leads, Prang medium-leads, and Berol Verithin hard leads.
3. Faber-Castell Polychromos colored pencils. The best, IMHO.
Not pictured here: there's a point when a pencil gets too short
to work with comfortably, and this is where Koh-I-Noor pencil
lengthener is a lifesaver. It can significantly extend the life of
your pencils.
A heavy-duty Staples electric pencil sharpener also makes my
life easier.
color scheme in mixed media drawings.
2. My big-
soft leads, Prang medium-
3. Faber-
Not pictured here: there's a point when a pencil gets too short
to work with comfortably, and this is where Koh-
lengthener is a lifesaver. It can significantly extend the life of
your pencils.
A heavy-
3. WATERCOLORS
1. Yarka professional watercolor set. I’ve loved these since I was a kid.
Used for casual painting and for backgrounds. They come in different
sets (this one was a 24-color), but pans are sold separately, so you
can customize your own palette.
2. Schmincke Horadam 24-color pan set. These are on the expensive
side, but so completely worth it. You won’t find better watercolors
anywhere on the planet. I use these for my figures when I want them
to really stand out of the background.
3. Arches art board, cold press. The best surface for watercolor
painting I’ve found so far. It’s thick, and has a nice cottony feel
that almost feels like canvas.
4. Assorted brushes, sizes 0 to 6. I prefer Blick’s Masterstroke series,
but I’ve used other brands too, such as Winsor & Newton, Robert
Simmons, and Trekell. As long as it’s pure red sable, most will do
the job.
5. Masking tape (see above).
6. Plastic palette (see above).
Used for casual painting and for backgrounds. They come in different
sets (this one was a 24-
2. Schmincke Horadam 24-
anywhere on the planet. I use these for my figures when I want them
to really stand out of the background.
3. Arches art board, cold press. The best surface for watercolor
painting I’ve found so far. It’s thick, and has a nice cottony feel
that almost feels like canvas.
4. Assorted brushes, sizes 0 to 6. I prefer Blick’s Masterstroke series,
but I’ve used other brands too, such as Winsor & Newton, Robert
Simmons, and Trekell. As long as it’s pure red sable, most will do
the job.
5. Masking tape (see above).
6. Plastic palette (see above).
4. OILS
1. A large Loews-Cornell hog hair brush. Used for priming the painting
surface.
2. Solvent in a small jar (old baby food jars are perfect for this).
More on solvents later.
3. A large plastic palette. An aluminum palette is best for oil painting,
but mine isn’t pictured here on the account of its untimely death thanks
to my youngest son's curiosity. If you choose to use a plastic palette after
all, make sure to clean it thoroughly after each and every painting session.
4. A soft cotton cloth for wiping the brushes.
5. Assorted brushes, sizes 0 to 6. Same deal as as with watercolor.
6. Winsor & Newton Winton oils.
7. A palette knife (any brand would do).
surface.
2. Solvent in a small jar (old baby food jars are perfect for this).
More on solvents later.
3. A large plastic palette. An aluminum palette is best for oil painting,
but mine isn’t pictured here on the account of its untimely death thanks
to my youngest son's curiosity. If you choose to use a plastic palette after
all, make sure to clean it thoroughly after each and every painting session.
4. A soft cotton cloth for wiping the brushes.
5. Assorted brushes, sizes 0 to 6. Same deal as as with watercolor.
6. Winsor & Newton Winton oils.
7. A palette knife (any brand would do).
5. SURFACES
1. Crescent #1 cold press, 40-ply, extra heavyweight illustration board.
Best for oil paintings, but not always easy to find. Try Blick.
2. Strathmore Bristol Vellum drawing pad. A thick paper with a slight
texture. Used for mixed media drawings and some graphite drawings.
3. Strathmore Bristol Smooth drawing pad. A smooth version of the
above. Used for graphite drawings.
4. Canson Mi-Teintes assorted tinted paper. Nice papers with vellum-
colored pencils, charcoal, and occasional sketching.
2. Strathmore Bristol Vellum drawing pad. A thick paper with a slight
texture. Used for mixed media drawings and some graphite drawings.
3. Strathmore Bristol Smooth drawing pad. A smooth version of the
above. Used for graphite drawings.
4. Canson Mi-
colored pencils, charcoal, and occasional sketching.
5. PRIMERS AND SOLVENTS
1. A large Loews-Cornell hog hair brush. Used for priming the painting
surface. Good for texture.
2. Utrecht professional gesso for oil painting. I apply 3 light coats, each
coat applied in a different direction (horizontal, vertical, and diagonal).
This adds texture, and helps the paint to cling better. So does
underpainting in acrylic.
3. Grumbacher odorless oil paint thinner. I’ve tried everything from linseed
oil to traditional turpentine, and this works best for me. Quick-drying,
non-stinky.
4. Artist masking tape... Yet again. Seriously. Don’t leave home without it.
surface. Good for texture.
2. Utrecht professional gesso for oil painting. I apply 3 light coats, each
coat applied in a different direction (horizontal, vertical, and diagonal).
This adds texture, and helps the paint to cling better. So does
underpainting in acrylic.
3. Grumbacher odorless oil paint thinner. I’ve tried everything from linseed
oil to traditional turpentine, and this works best for me. Quick-
4. Artist masking tape... Yet again. Seriously. Don’t leave home without it.
5. FINISHING TOUCHES
1. Winsor & Newton Damar Varnish. Used for oil paintings. Wait at
least a year after you complete the painting to apply this. You
want to give the paint a chance to dry completely.
2. Krylon Workable Fixatif. Used for drawings and mixed media work.
I’ve also tried Krylon Matte Finish, which I’d also recommend.
3. B&J Original Brush Cleaner And Preserver. You want your brushes
to last. Those suckers are expensive, so take good care of them.
least a year after you complete the painting to apply this. You
want to give the paint a chance to dry completely.
2. Krylon Workable Fixatif. Used for drawings and mixed media work.
I’ve also tried Krylon Matte Finish, which I’d also recommend.
3. B&J Original Brush Cleaner And Preserver. You want your brushes
to last. Those suckers are expensive, so take good care of them.
E-mail me if you have any questions. Happy artworking!