Over the past few years, I have painted up a storm. I have tried my hand at many mediums and have spent countless dollars on art supplies. Don't tell my husband. It's amazing how a new material can inspire excitement and creativity in the painting process and I often receive questions about the supplies I use. So, here they are. My Studio Essentials (and a few "just-for-fun-things" too).

1. watercolor paint in tubes

Whether they are in tubes or pans, watercolor paints is where I splurge. The good news is that when it comes to watercolor, what looks like a small amount of paint will last a long time. If you are just beginning to dip your toes into tube watercolors, I recommend grabbing a professional grade intro set like this one from Daniel Smith. You can make a rainbow of colors with just the basics and like I mentioned before, they will last a long time.

2. pan paints

I am also obsessed with purchasing supplies from fellow makers! My friend Kelsey, owner of 31PurpleFish creates beautiful curated pan sets of handmade watercolors in color combos that always inspire new ideas. My favorites are the metallic and shimmery shades but all of her colors are vibrant and a dream to work with. You can find her on Instagram @31purplefish and her shop is here on Etsy.

3. palettes

My go-to watercolor palette is the original John Pike palette. It's a classic and has served me well. I love the large flat surface for mixing and there is a large lid which makes it mobile and can double as extra mixing space if you need it. With 20 wells, there’s space to arrange all of the standard colors and still have a section for any random colors I decide to play with. It took me awhile to realize that I like to have many MANY palettes to work from. In my studio you can find a collection of vintage egg platters & thrift-ed china dishes. All great for mixing colors on, easy to clean, and easy on the wallet.

4. brushes

It's been said that a great watercolor brush can last forever if it is properly cared for. I'm not great at taking care of my brushes. A few years ago, I purchased a beautiful set of Kolinsky Sable brushes which are considered quite luxurious (and cost a fortune). Interesting fact: They are made out of weasel tails. Where are those brushes now? They have long been ruined in various ways and I cried a little each time one got retired.

I prefer synthetic or blend brushes over natural. The best thing about them is that I don’t cry if they get left in water overnight or if I get caught up in a mixed media piece and shove it in acrylic paint (a big no-no with natural brushes). After my weasel-brush heartbreak, my “fancy” brushes are a set of Princeton Neptune series (soft and absorbent) and Princeton Heritage 4050. I also keep a large collection of affordable brushes in various shapes and sizes on hand.

5. paper

Watercolor paper is lovely. It really is. When looking for paper for finished artwork, I always stick with acid free sheets. 100% cotton is also preferable. I like to keep both cold-press and hot-press on hand for different projects. Arches brand is consistently beautiful and comes in a variety of formats although I usually buy the large sheets and break them down into smaller sizes.

Another brand that I love using is the Fluid 100 blocks. They are gummed on 2 edges to help keep paper from buckling during the painting process. I prefer these blocks over the Arches blocks simply because the gummy-ness is clear instead of the black adhesive Arches uses ( how do you get that off without trimming it?! If you know, please tell me!). Pro-tip: if you use blocks, get yourself a nice, clean palette knife to remove your painting from the block when it is finished and avoid tearing it.

Sometimes it's difficult to create something new if you are worried about "wasting paper". I recommend keeping a variety of less fancy watercolor pads, mixed media paper, and sketchbooks around for testing ideas and colors on.

6. mixed media supplies

Adding unexpected textures, marks, and GOLD to my work is my favorite part of the creative process. Below are links to many of my beloved supplies to mix-and-match with my watercolor paintings. Besides the Golden acrylic set, I usually just buy a few select colors that catch my eye.

Acryla Gouache by Holbein

Golden Heavy Body Acrylic paints - I like this Modern Color Theory set. These are by far the best acrylics I’ve painted with.

Liquitex Heavy Body in Rich Gold.

Amsterdam acrylic inks - I use the Deep Gold every day.

Sennelier Oil Pastels and Soft Pastels

Willow & Vine Charcoal

and of course a workable fixative.

Do you have favorite supplies that you’d like to share? I am always looking for fun new mediums to try. Let me know in the comments!