Art Supply Recommendations
As I wrote in this newsletter, picking up a nib pen in college was a life-changing event that helped me discover that I was an artist. I continue to love art supplies as an entry point into creativity.
I often hear people say some iteration of I can't draw / I'm not an artist / I don't know what to draw.
I say, forget all that. Focus on the materials. What utensil calls to you? What feels good in your hand? What makes you want to play with it? Try it out, like you're shopping for a bicycle. Find one you like and try riding it in a circle, then a line, then just go for a ride, see where it takes you. Have fun!
The art supplies linked here have lit me up creatively. I hope they do the same for you.
(Note: If art supply stores had affiliate links, I would totally do that, but they don't, so these are just regular old links that I don't profit from financially!)
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This pen rocks. It's modeled after eyeliner brushes. Your line can go from thick and brushy to hair-thin and pointy. Fun and dramatic!
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I drew What To Do When You Get Dumped with this pen! I love how it's sharp and pointy yet juicy.
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A nice waterproof gel pen with a smooth round tip. Comes in lots of colors!
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Wonderful markery pen. Nice line variation. Waterproof. Delightful.
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I drew my picture book Eggasaurus with this pen. It's a very sharp and knifey tip, but not too thin. Sometimes it spatters but that's just some nice chaos to add to your process.
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A very fine pen, perfect for detailed drawings and crosshatching. Waterproof!
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I love these dip pens because they've got a rounded tip and don't shred your paper, which is an issue with some pointier nib pens. They glide smoothly across the page, a dream to use. I hypothesize that these are the nibs William Steig must've favored.
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This is a perfectly fine nib holder. Don't spend a lot of money on a nib holder. The cheap ones are fine!
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A very dark soft smudgey pencil! I wrote about it here.
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They're popular for a reason! Luxury pencils. The pearl is nice, any Blackwing pencil is great.
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Nice waterproof ink for use with nib pen or brush.
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An enormous eraser that I love.
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Dye-Na-Flow is an amazing paint that can be used on fabric and wood and I think even leather?! I use it to paint on tee shirts and pillow cases. It doesn't sit on the surface of the fabric like screen printing ink - it absorbs in as part of the shirt. It rocks. Paint on 100% cotton when possible - with more stretchy fabrics, the dye-na-flow can really get away from you.
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This ink is handy to keep around for corrections or when you want a bold opaque pop of white with little fuss.
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I love these round Princeton brushes for watercolor and gouache. Really nice but not so fancy that you feel horrible anytime you forget to rinse them after use.
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Ceramic palettes > plastic palettes!! So much easier to wash. This one is great.
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A little hard to source sometimes because they're french. But these are the best. The paper is really nice and doesn't warp too much even when tons of liquid is dumped on it. I like to collage on the pasteboard covers.
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Really nice paper, really fun colors! Love this for an in-your-bag sketchbook to pull out and doodle at dinner with your buds.
