Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Sketchbook Tips: Supplies

Im going to talk about supplies today. The thing is, what I love might not be the best
for you. Everyone has a special feel for their favorite way of working so take what I say
as a suggestion but find your own love!
I wrote a post about this last year when I was finishing up year one. You can read that here.
I paint primarily with gouache. Winsor Newton is my absolute favorite, maybe because I
learned with that brand in my first job as a textile artist in NY.






































I keep the colors separated in different boxes, warm and cool, to make it a bit easier to
find the one I'm looking for. I also have Holbein, Schmincke, Linel. I love them too, I usually get
those in colors that WN doesn't have. I mix color of course but Im an art supply
junkie so I need it all!







































I don't use watercolors as much but I do mix them in to my work. I have a jumble of different brands
but lately I love the Sakura Koi brand. It says its a student grade in the description but it works really
really well for me. The colors are bright and on the travel set They act a bit more like a gouache.







































I'm very hard on my brushes... I never really found a brand I loved till a trip I took to Spain
this spring. I stopped in a beautiful art supply store in Madrid and got these Escoda Barrocco synthetic brushes. I've been using them now for 3 months and they are as good as new, except for the one I left sitting in acrylic paint.... I have sizes 0,1,2,6,8,10,16 and 20. The
larger ones actually keep their point better than the small ones. I haven't tried other versions of
their brushes at this point.






































Sketchbooks, This is the most difficult one... I've mentioned this before that in my first year
I used a cheap sketchbook from MUJI (it looks their site is under construction). It helped me
tremendously to have a notebook that was inexpensive. It took away the pressure of having
to be perfect and live up to the quality of the paper. (I've been known to do a final for a job on computer paper. If it works it works) Also because I'm not trying to
get fine washes it didn't matter that the paper wasn't a thick watercolor grade paper.
After 365 paintings though, this year I am mixing it up. I'm still not super picky but I've been
using books that have thicker paper. The current is from Cachet something like the one linked here.
I used a watercolor book, which I actually didn't enjoy as much because I prefer to
paint on smooth paper. I am preferring thicker paper than the one I used year one mainly because
the whole book lays flat and Its easier to paint in as it fills up.



And then all the other supplies. Markers, Gold and White Uniball Gel Pens, Gelly Roll Pens
Micron Pens, Crayola, Golden Acrylics. Prismacolor pencils. Anything and everything can make it into a drawing. Sometimes I go to a kids store and buy some fun cheap supplies to play with.
It's all about having fun!!






10 comments:

Lori P said...

I totally agree with your paint choices, especially the Koi travel set. It's my go-to set even when I'm home and working a bit with watercolors. Don't know if you've ever tried the Strathmore Mixed Media journals but I LOVE those! They aren't too expensive, open flat and take paint really well without leaking through.

Lynn :-) said...

great post August :) love the Sea Holly sneaking in there too! <3 i'm a art supply junkie too!!

Sharon said...

I feel like you've been in my studio! I'm a supply junky, too. I still even have some supplies left over from my college days back in the early 90s that are still usable. I'm hard on brushes as well, and can totally relate to the brushes left in acrylics scenario. Love my Koi travel watercolors. Bought some gouache today, but it was a cheap brand. Think I'll watch for some sales on WN. Haven't used gouache since my college watercolor class days (adding white highlights back into my heavy handed watercolors actually). Nice post! Thank you!

Unknown said...

What about that awesome palette that I see in some of your posts.... What is it?

Jess said...

I'm so happy to have found your blog. I've been following on Instagram and I'm in love with your latest sketchbook! It's great to read what art supplies you use, as an artist I love to see other people's way of working! Keep up the good work you are amazing. xx

jennifer said...

Thanks for the sketchbook tip! I need a new one in a few days and will check those out!

jennifer said...

Thanks Lynn! It's hard to resist an art supply store!

jennifer said...

Thanks Sharon! I still have some ancient supplies from college. It's hard to throw that stuff away!

jennifer said...

Do you mean the one that has all the little wells? I need to go look at the brand but I get them at Blick. I love them but am jus as happy with a plate!

jennifer said...

Aww, you're so sweet, thank you Jess!