Tools of the Trade - How I Make My Art

I have been asked many times what I use to make my drawings and paintings. Besides good old-fashioned elbow grease and oodles of patience, there are a few favorite supplies. First,I buy my supplies through Amazon because that's the easiest way to restock used-up items.

I use good-quality paper for my prints and original artwork. Epson Velvet-Fine Art Paper really holds up to the pencils and watercolor washes. It's 100% cotton fiber, acid-free, archival matte-finished paper. I usually work on the 8-1/2" x 11" size. it's 19 ml in thickness and comes in a pack of 20.

For larger watercolors, I use D'Arches paper in the blocks but that gets pricy real fast. It was my mom's favorite paper and her watercolors have held up over the years so I trust the quality.

Pens - I'm left-handed. That means I write upside down and backwards so that I don't smudge my drawings and paintings. I need a quick-drying ink pen. Believe it or not, the fancy art pens don't dry fast enough for my needs. Right now I'm using a G2 black ink pen by Bic. yup, you heard that correctly. I also like the Sharpie permanent marking pens in various tip sizes.

Watercolor pencils - I don't like when they are too soft and crumbly. I am currently using two different sets. Castle 120 set and an Artist's Choice 120 set. I pay attention more to colors than brands but mixing sets ensures a good spectrum of choices. I group them by color families.

Sharpeners - Electric, need I say more? this is an essential tool.

I will tag a few examples soon for reference.