Everything I use and like is listed here! Your bandwith and what you like will probably vary, this is just what I use, so do your own research etc etc.
Nothing's sponsored but some are affiliate links. I genuinely use all the items listed here but you may want to shop around for best price. I will colour code the affiliate links so they are easy to see.
My favourite art supply store is Jackson's Art. They offer the cheapest prices I've found for popular quality brands as well as their own name brand products. Even with shipping from the US, they were significantly cheaper than anything I could find in Australia. And if you follow these orange affiliate links, you will receive 10% off everything for your first order and I will receive 5% commission (thank you for your much valued support 😘).
When I need art supplies in a hurry, I go to Amazon. They are speedy and convenient...I'm sure you already know everything to know. Amazon affiliate links are in green.
Table of Contents
Gold Leaf
Create blinged up masterpieces! Gold leaf used in moderation will level up just about any piece of artwork. Can you tell I'm ✨obsessed✨?
You will need to apply a layer of glue before the gold leaf. I recommend using a brush so you can get fine lines and leave the glue for at least 30min (or until it feels tacky instead of liquid) before you put on any gold leaf. Press down on the gold leaf so it comes in contact with all the glue everywhere and then gently brush off. Easy peasy. Video tutorials here and here.
Leafing size (glue): Xpress It Gold Size
Imitation gold leaf: Reno Art Gold Leaf 25 sheets 14x14cm
24k gold leaf: Slofoodgroup 24K Gold Leaf Sheets
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Painting Stuff
This list could go on and on but to keep things relevant, I've picked my most used materials. There is also a big price difference between student and professional grade materials so I've also added my picks for both.
If you're still in the learning process, I'd recommend spending your money on the cheaper materials so you can practise more and gain skills. It's those skills that will differentiate a random drawing from a masterpiece, not how fancy your materials are.
On the other hand, when you start selling your artworks, it's time to invest in high quality materials. Customer satisfaction and integrity is paramount so I only use professional grade materials to make sure my collectors receive pieces of art that will last the test of time.
Painting in Progress: "Dea" Fine Art Print
Watercolour Paint
Professional watercolour paint: Daniel Smith 12 Colour Watercolour Half Pan Set
Cheaper paint: Marie's Watercolor Paint Set of 18 While I don't use these anymore, they were great for the learning process and my artworks from 10 years ago have aged quite well.
Watercolour Paper
Professional watercolour paper: Arches 300gsm Cold Press Watercolour Block 12"x16" or Arches 300gsm Cold Press Watercolour Pad A3
Cheaper paper: Reeves Water Colour Paper Pads 300gsm I tried out three brands of student grade paper (Reeves, Canson and Fabriano) and this one was my favourite.
Brushes
Watercolour brush: Polina Bright Professional Watercolour Round Brushes
Fine-line brush: Polina Bright Professional Watercolour Rigger Brush
Cheaper brushes: I bought this set of 5 small cheap brushes from Jackson's and they're actually my go-to for watercolour painting! While professional brushes can be worth it, they are rather pricey and definitely not essential for your artistic practice. I also have the Jackson's Studio Synthetic Rigger Brush (size 0).
Miscellaneous
White pen for highlights: Sakura Gelly Basic White Pen
Eraser: Faber-Castell Dust-Free Eraser
Kneadable Eraser: Faber-Castell Kneadable Eraser Grey
Drawing board: A2 Drawing Board This is not the exact one I have but it looks very similar and it's probably better. I got mine for 50% off when a dollar store closed down and the screws keep falling out so I don't recommend it...
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Printing Stuff
After slogging through all the information out there on printers and their functions and all the various models, I chose one that would produce high quality prints but wouldn't break the bank because - let's be honest here - as beginner artists, we can barely afford to feed ourselves 😂. I'll save you all the trouble and take you straight to the answer. Behold below. (UPDATE: This was a couple years ago and technology may have advanced so you should probably still do your own research...)
Assorted Fine Art Prints from The Kookie Studio
Printer
Epson Expression Photo XP-970 Wireless Color Photo Printer with Scanner and Copier
Printer ink: Epson 277XL Six Colour Ink Cartridge Value Pack
Printing Paper
Hahnemühle German Etching Paper 310gsm
Ilford Galerie Textured Cotton Rag 310gsm
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Filming Stuff
It's a basic but very functional setup. The only two things required to start filming your art (besides phone) are something to hold the phone in place and a ring light.
Filming "The Flower of War" Painting Process
Phone Holder
UGREEN Tablet Mount Lazy Holder Adjustable Long Arm Clamp
Before this one, I had one with the bendy arm and claw clamp. Terrible. So hard to twist the arm to the desired position and it kept flopping/wobbling plus the clamp ended up breaking. This UGREEN phone holder, though, is an absolute dream.
Ring Light
The brand I have isn't around anymore but there's plenty of affordable options like these. I DIY'ed an overhead setup with the ring light so I can work through the night and it's extra handy because I can tweak the colour and brightness settings!
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Hope this helps and let me know if you have any questions :)
Last updated: October 2023