Art supplies can be so fun to have and play with and shop for! But this shouldn't be a burdensome process. I want you to work with whatever you have or whatever you are able to acquire. Although if you're looking to shop for some supplies, here are some we will be using and some of my favorites.
Arteza
Arteza is one of my favorite affordable brands. I have purchased a lot of their items on Amazon with special deals in the past as well. I have their markers, watercolor pencils, acrylic paint sets, pouring paint sets, and more. But my absolute favorite item of theirs are their hardcover watercolor books like this one. They are very sturdy, have enough pages to do a lot of painting and experimenting, and thick textured paper that can take watercolor paint as well as other types of paint. I also love flipping through to see all my art experiments in a pretty hardcover book. I take at least one of these when I travel, since art-making while traveling is one of my favorite ways to explore creativity (more on that on a separate blog!). I encourage you to look through their website to see what supplies inspire and excite you!
Watercolor
There are SO many options to explore watercolor painting, but you need not spend a lot to start playing. I have this very inexpensive set from amazon which has been amazing. The pigments are great and I love that I can take it with me on a trip or to the park because it's a small box with many colors. There are many other sets like this for very affordable prices so I I don't think you can go wrong if you pick a different or bigger/smaller set. This set is even bigger and cheaper and still highly rated if you want to check it out as well.
Now, I must say, although I love these basic sets, I am OBSESSED with watercolor artisans and have many colors made by 31 Purple Fish. There's something just magical about her small batch colors. I suggest checking out her Instagram as well for inspiration and news on the latest drops. There are also many other artisans on Etsy, but fair warning, that is a deep rabbit hole! A fun one if you are obsessed with art supplies like me.
Paint Brushes
I've learned through experience and through other artists that unless you are willing to care for your brushes extremely well, it's best to just still to basic and inexpensive brushes. I get many from Amazon or my local hardware store. I occasionally get more professional brushes if there's something specific in mind I want to do, but mostly stick to inexpensive options in various shapes and sizes. Here are some of my purchases:
Experiment & Play
More than anything, I encourage you to get creative even about your art supplies. You can use unconventional tools and supplies for art making. Sometimes you can even use kids art supplies or thrift store finds. You can also find people giving away art supplies on Facebook giveaway groups in your area. I'm part of a "Buy Nothing" group for my area where all kinds of items get given away and I am also part of a "Free Art Supplies" group for the Atlanta area where people giveaway supplies they no longer need, use or want. There are so many ways to be creative so get out there and play!
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