september: art materials

monthly creative curations on a theme

alcohol inks, liquid watercolors, and markers - oh my!

Art supplies are my kind of “back-to-school” supplies, so it seemed like a good time of year to share them. I’ve been an art therapist for a couple decades and an artist and art supply lover for almost five decades! I am often asked by my clients, colleagues, and friends which art supplies are my favorites. I've not met an art supply I don't like, (though I do have some tactile issues with chalk pastels.) I believe in using quality materials that foster positive, satisfying experiences, and I want to share some of these favorites here today. I’m not-so-secretly hoping this post inspires me to get back into my studio and play with color again — I’ve been spending a lot more time these past few years creating with words rather than with images.

These round-up style posts come out on the first day of every month, and they include my curations of music, art, fashion, beauty, and/or other areas of expression. The full content of the monthly posts (including a rad monthly Spotify playlist!) is accessible only to paid subscribers, but everyone gets a generous content preview below.

one of my art supply cabinets right now (that could use some TLC)

Below you’ll find a sampling of favorite art supplies in my studio stash. You can click the links in the body of this post to find these supplies. (Yes, some of the links are on Amazon but you can, of course, search for them in your local art store or other Bezos-free websites.)

1. Setting the space: When I’m making art in person with others, or even just by myself, I display the materials in an attractive way, much like setting a buffet table for a most important dinner guest — even if she’s me! I prefer to make art by natural daylight when I can. Sometimes I light cleanly burning beeswax candles or diffuse essential oils into the air. Before beginning, I also like to bless the art space with a rosewater spray (made in the witchy shop in my hometown that I talk about in my memoir). In some cases, I play music. (See below for this month’s playlist!) Creating a safe, pleasing sanctuary is part of the ritual of making art in my healing studio.

   

   studio is set to create with alcohol inks

2. Paper: First, it's important to me to have yummy paper. For basic drawing, I use this white sulphite drawing paper.  When watercoloring, I like 140lb cold press watercolor paper, or sometimes hot press when I need the surface to be smoother for fine details. I make a 12-15 sheet pack of watercolor paper last by cutting or tearing it in half or into fun, small sizes.  (I actually prefer tearing the paper against a metal ruler because it leaves a pretty, raw edge.)