My Tools of the Trade  

1. Sketchbook - I never leave home without this.  I use my sketchbook every day to jot down some ideas.  It’s a great way to keep track of some drawings that need more work and to see how far I have developed artistically.  

2. Paintbrushes (Round W&N Cotman 0, Robert Simmons 4, and long handle Blick 6) - Contrary to what everybody says, you do not need a lot of paintbrushes in order to make art.  The most brushes you will use regularly will be around 2-5, so make sure you invest and take care of them.  I use the small Cotman brush for fine details while I use the Robert Simmons 4 for regular watercolor work.  The two larger brushes are used only for acrylics or bigger pieces.

3. Watercolors (Reeves watercolor set, W&N Cotman Half Pan set) - I have been using the same Reeves watercolor set for almost two years, so I can say that they last long.  The pigments are really nice, but they do not dry as nice as high-quality watercolors do.   I recently bought my W&N Cotman set recently and I have not been able to test them out yet.  I will post a review about it soon.

4. Watercolor Paper (Fluid watercolor paper 140 lb.) - I found this watercolor block when I was shopping at Blick.  It’s pretty good compared to Canson since it’s think and it holds a lot of water (but still not as much as a 300 lb. paper).  Just be careful not to go all crazy on water and the paper won’t warp.

5. Graphite pencil (General’s) - This was the only available woodless graphite pencil I could find, but it works great.  However, it is slightly difficult to use on rough paper.

6. Pencil (Staedtler) - I use different kinds of pencils depending on the project.  If I want to just do light sketches on my sketchbook, I use harder leads like 4H and HB.  When I want to work on actual pieces, I use softer leads like 4B and 6B with a sharp point so that I won’t need to use micron pens.  Regular Ticonderoga pencils also work well as a substitute for regular pencils.  Just remember that you need to apply different kinds of pressure so that it feels like you are using different pencils.

7. Eraser (Kneaded eraser, any brand) - I have tried various erasers, but the best I have used is the kneaded eraser.  It allows me to erase the smallest details and relieve stress when I have to knead it.

8. Sharpener (Good brand) - I usually have great difficulty finding the right sharpener because 1) I need it to be small 2) cheap and 3) long-lasting.  I don’t want to buy fancy sharpeners because I have tried them before and they still broke so easily.  I bought my sharpener at Hobby Lobby for a dollar and it’s been with me for more than 6 months.

9. Paper towel (at least 2 ply.) - No one will know how many times paper towels saved my life.  They’re great surfaces to test colors on and avoid accidentally adding too much water on paper.  Another great thing about it is that I don’t need to worry about using a lot of it since they last for a long time before I have to throw them out.  I usually get 2 large sheets and fold them in half twice. 

10. Tap water - Every few weeks or so I just refill my clean V8 container with tap water from our sink.  

11. Swedish Fish - This is one of my favorite snacks when I’m working on a piece.  When I feel uninspired, I just eat a piece and I’m ready to go.  Swedish Fish serves as my brain coffee and it keeps me working without getting hungry.  :)

And that’s what I use to make art.  I’ll post more information about new materials that I test out later.