Choosing the right art supplies for different mediums can significantly impact your creative process and final artwork. Here’s a guide to some of the best art supplies across various mediums:
1. Drawing and Sketching
Pencils:
- Graphite Pencils: Brands like Staedtler, Faber-Castell, and Derwent offer a range of hardness (H) and softness (B) grades.
- Mechanical Pencils: Pentel, Rotring, and Uni-ball provide precision and consistent line widths.
Paper:
- Sketchbooks: Moleskine, Strathmore, and Canson provide durable, acid-free paper suitable for sketches and light washes.
- Drawing Pads: Strathmore and Fabriano offer heavyweight paper for pencil and charcoal drawings.
2. Painting
Watercolors:
- Watercolor Paints: Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith, and Holbein provide vibrant colors in both pans and tubes.
- Watercolor Paper: Arches, Fabriano, and Strathmore offer cold-pressed and hot-pressed paper for various techniques.
Acrylics:
- Acrylic Paints: Golden, Liquitex, and Winsor & Newton provide a wide range of colors with varying viscosities.
- Canvas: Stretched canvas from Fredrix, Blick, and Winsor & Newton provides a stable surface for acrylics.
Oils:
- Oil Paints: Gamblin, Winsor & Newton, and Old Holland offer high-quality pigments and various drying times.
- Canvas Panels: Ampersand, Fredrix, and Art Alternatives provide sturdy surfaces for oil painting.
3. Mixed Media
Markers:
- Alcohol-based Markers: Copic, Prismacolor, and Winsor & Newton ProMarkers offer blendable colors and refillable options.
- Water-based Markers: Tombow, Faber-Castell Pitt, and Derwent Inktense provide versatility and vibrant colors.
Colored Pencils:
- Artist-grade Pencils: Prismacolor, Faber-Castell Polychromos, and Caran d’Ache Luminance offer rich pigments and blendability.
- Watercolor Pencils: Derwent, Faber-Castell Albrecht Dürer, and Caran d’Ache Museum Aquarelle provide dual use as pencils or watercolor paints.
4. Sculpture
Clay:
- Polymer Clay: Sculpey, Fimo, and Cernit offer colorful options that can be baked to harden.
- Modeling Clay: Air-dry clays like DAS, Crayola Air-Dry, and Amaco provide ease of use without needing a kiln.
Sculpting Tools:
- Tools: Xiem, Kemper, and Sculpture House offer a variety of tools for carving, shaping, and detailing sculptures.
- Armatures: Wire and armature kits from ArtMinds, AFA Supplies, and Sculpture Depot provide support for larger sculptures.
5. Printmaking
Inks:
- Block Printing Inks: Speedball, Gamblin, and Akua offer vibrant colors suitable for linocut and woodcut prints.
- Screen Printing Inks: Permaset, Speedball, and Jacquard provide opaque and water-based options for fabric and paper.
Plates:
- Linoleum: Speedball and Blick offer durable linoleum blocks for linocut printing.
- Wood: Cherry and maple woodblocks from McClain’s Printmaking Supplies and Art Alternatives provide smooth surfaces for woodcut prints.
Choosing the best art supplies depends on your medium, budget, and artistic goals. Experimenting with different brands and materials can help you discover your preferences and enhance your creative expression.