Recommended Art Supplies

ZEN FUSION – TOOLS OF THE TRADE

This is not a definitive list, as I keep discovering new things to use. It is a list of tools I use regularly that have worked for me.  I keep making new discoveries and I hope you will too.

Set up

I like to set up my art table with a large piece of freezer paper (Costco) placed shiny side up so it protects my table and I can dab out acrylics on it as well. 

On top I lay a piece of mat board (cast off from framer) as it is a more grippy surface and I can cut on it without getting out my cutting mat.

2 Large containers, like a large yogurt container of water, one for rinsing brushes and one that is kept full of clean water.

I have a spritzer bottle of water and a spritzer of alcohol (not the drinking kind)

To protect my hands I use disposable gloves or apply gloves in a bottle lotion.

I wear old clothes, an apron and old shoes….hard to get paint off good shoes and they are a paint magnet.

Paper and Supports

I have some go to papers in my studio:

Strathmore 400 series papers for sketching and drawing and can take some very light ink spraying

Strathmore Mixed Media and Visual Journals Spiral bound so they are flat

Strathmore 6 inch artist tiles in black, white and grey

Hot press water colour paper (arches)  best economical in sheets.

Cover paper by Arches which is used for print making, but works well for all water based mediums and ink.  Available in large sheets.

I buy small canvases from Micheals on sale and gesso and sand them smooth. 

My favourite support to date is cradle panels and I buy Ampersand primed smooth finish panels, but there are other manufacturers out there too.  Just add a sawtooth hanger and put on the wall, no framing required, well worth the money.

Inks

I am kind of ink junky. I like dylusions spray inks though they do fade in light, so need a krylon finish spray if exposed to light.

Also very good are walnut inks by Tsukinek are archival and a little goes a long way.

You can make your own ink sprays by mixing Bombay india ink with water in a spritzer or use it with a brush or pour it and blow around with a hair dryer or straw.

Noodlers Ink: these are the best colours I have ever found and they are permanent. They will never leave, so use carefully. Good in technical or fountain pens and dripping etc.

Alcohol inks: great for adding accents or for backgrounds.  Dilute with alcohol.

Pens

For tangling I like Sakura Sensei pens, they don’t leak! They have a more comfortable barrel and they hold more ink then the microns. Same archival ink as the microns.   I also like the Tombow Mono pens, no leaking so far.

Like the Sakura PN pens too.

Markers

They tend not to be light fast in general, but I have found that the Pitt artist pens to be more reliable. 

Though not light fast at all, I like tombow markers for their colours and blendibility.  Just have to be sprayed carefully for them to hold.

For larger show pieces I like to use the refillable Molotow pump markers. You fill them with high flow acrylics and tada, your archival paint is now in a pen!

Stencils etc

I have a good selection of stencils and stamps I use with inks (like the little dylusions small ink blocks. I also use them with acrylics and spray inks, just clean them quickly as the plastic in acrylics stick very well to them. You can create your own stencils or masking using low tack Frisket Film.

I look for household objects to make marks, bubble wrap, netting, bottoms of old crystal glassware, jewelry pendants, nothing is safe around me.

Brushes

They are like rabbits, it just takes two and soon you will have a large family.  For acrylics I use the ones with the clear plastic handles so they can be left in my water bucket and wont disintegrate. Buy the best you can afford and wash them in baby shampoo and they will last years.  Let them dry on an angle so that the water doesn’t drip down into the metal part.

Paints

Watercolours: I use professional grade tube paints and good quality pan paints. The more expensive the higher the pigment quality and the less you will use. 

Acrylics:  Best to choose high quality like Golden or Liquitex.  If just playing around the cheaper brands are okay, but don’t expect them to last as long or cover as well.  Can add glazing liquid to exend the opening time. Comes in high flow, medium and heavy body.

Pastels

I have used oil pastels, watersoluble crayons, and like the pan pastels for their colours and easy of use with a makeup sponge.  They will come off if you don’t spray them with a fixative.

Sticky Stuff

I start with PVA (poly vinyl adhesive) first and is good for gluing papers. It dries pretty slowly for repositioning, removes with water and dries clear. Can be mixed with paints.  Then if that doesn’t work, I try Golden regular gel matte or heavy gel matte mediums or good ol’ Modpodge. 

Finally if all else fails I open the windows and use E6000 which does glue metal to paper.

For light gluing I use glue dots and sticky foam.

Bling:

If you want to add some shiny embelishments I like to use DecoColor silver and gold pens and Faber Castell texture gems. 

For a really nice touch I have some metal sticky tape in copper that I bought at a stained glass supply house, comes in different metals and can be tinted with acrylics and alcohol inks for fun effects.

  

Finishing Touches

If you are working in a journal you probably won’t need to protect your work as it won’t be exposed to sunlight.  If it will be exposed I use Krylon products. I like Low Odor clear finish and use many light coats sprayed carefully so I don’t smudge my work.  Sprayed and under museum glass hung out of sunlight and it will last years.

Books

I recommend two books for beginners:

Celebrate your Creative Self by Mary Todd Beam

Surface Treatment Workshop by Darlene Olivia McElroy and Sandra Duran Wilson

I encourage you to try new to you materials and experiment as a child would and get messy!