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Another year in the books! I am in disbelief that 2017 is coming to a close. Looking back on the year, I learned a lot about myself as a creative individual and what I need to do to pursue a successful art career. Even though I am nowhere near where I would like to be, I still have come a long way in one year.

In 2017, I watched a ton of YouTube videos, read countless blogs and did some experimenting of my own to find out which art materials work best for me, and hopefully find my favorite supplies.

Art supplies can get very expensive, especially for a young artist just starting their career. However, with the help of Amazon, I was able to find some decent quality items at a reasonable price!

Here is a list of art supplies that have become some of my favorite for the past year (Prices may fluctuate and are based on when this blog post was written):

Pencils:

1. Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Colored Pencil, Set of 72 Assorted Colors (3599TN) + Prismacolor Scholar Colored Pencil Sharpener – $34.99 – http://amzn.to/2jagOUU

I was in college when I first heard of Prismacolor. It was the favorite colored pencil brand among the art students. They blend so nicely and are a high-quality pencil. They were always expensive at local art shops and retail stores when I was in school, but I found this deal of 35 bucks for three trays of Prismacolor pencils along with a tin case to hold all of your pencils.

2. Prismacolor 2 Piece Premier Colorless Blender Pencils Plus 3 Eraser Set Bundle – $8.94 – http://amzn.to/2jd3yiw

Along with the three trays, I found some colorless blender pencils and a set of three of Prismacolor’s most popular erasers, which are the kneaded rubber, art gum, and plastic eraser.

3. Koh-I-Noor Progresso Woodless Graphite Pencil Set, 6 Degrees, 2 Pencils Per Degree, 12 Pencils – $12.98 – http://amzn.to/2Bc3sTB

I love a good graphite pencil to use for quick sketching or large drawings, and these, in particular, have a nice weight and quality to them. This box holds a total of 12 pencils that range from light to dark in pigment.

Pens:

4. Zebra F-701 Ballpoint Stainless Steel Retractable Pen, Fine Point, 0.7mm, Black Ink, 1-Count – $7.13 – http://amzn.to/2CWLXUw

Drawing with a ballpoint pen is a strength of mine. One day I decided to doodle with a ballpoint, which then at the time I discovered that I did not own one! I randomly searched on Amazon for a ballpoint pen and thought that this one looked promising. I was right! This one has a nice weight to the pen and produces a nice smooth line.

5. Uni-ball UM 153 Signo Broad Point Gel Pen – White – Pack of 3 – $5.30 – http://amzn.to/2CYXvXB

I am obsessed with these white gel pens! I have always experienced some that do not give out a decent amount of ink to show up on black drawing paper or to cover up mistakes. You get three pens for just over five bucks AND they do an amazing job!

6. Faber-Castell Wallet Pitt Pen Nibs Art Set, Assorted 8 Pack- $18.59 – http://amzn.to/2BaaVCU

I use this set a lot for inking and use the XS size pen for fine details and architectural drawings. These pens are India ink that is acid-free, pH Neutral and dries to be waterproof. I am still open to experimenting with different inking pens but these get the job done. Any recommendations? Let me know in the comments!

Gouache Paint:

7. Holbein – Acryla Gouache 5-Color 20ml Mixing Color Set – $16.47 – http://amzn.to/2kEDihg

I splurged a little bit on these paints because I originally purchased a set (8th on this list) that was not giving me the finish that I wanted. An artist that I follow on social media, Minnie Small or better known as Semiskimmedmin reviewed them and had very positive feedback. The set that I purchased was a 5-color 20ml set containing primary magenta, primary yellow, primary cyan, primary black, and primary white.

8. Reeves 24-Pack Gouache Color Tube Set, 10ml – $13.08 – http://amzn.to/2jcGxwc

These were the very first gouache paints that I had ever touched. At first, I was not super excited about these paints because the finish of them gave off a really chalky texture. I am used to acrylic paint, which gives off a smooth satin texture, so I thought that I was just not used to this new paint. I will admit, this isn’t my favorite product using it on its own but I do like using it to mix with Holbein Acryla Gouache paints.

Watercolor:

9. Artlicious – 36 Watercolor Cakes Paint Set with Built-In Palette Lid Case & 2 Brushes – $5.99 – http://amzn.to/2kIJowX

I am very new to watercolor. Before I started working more with it this year, I probably picked up watercolor a couple of other times because I was required to in my college rendering class. But if you are just getting started with watercolors and want a quick, easy and clean set up, this palette is a great start! It does come with two different brushes, which aren’t that great, so I recommend buying different brushes… (Here is a nice set: http://amzn.to/2AU6acn)

10. XL Watercolor Pad, 9″X12″ Fold Over – $9.49 – http://amzn.to/2kHPDkG

 I love using this watercolor pad for individual paintings that I may want to frame and scan to sell prints later. This size allows it to be cut down into smaller sizes, and the pages also tear out from the pad cleanly.

11. Field Artist 4″x4″ Square Watercolor Journal – $12.95 – http://amzn.to/2ySfVWN

The reason why I purchased this mini watercolor sketchbook is because I thought it was just too darn cute! Granted, some wouldn’t spend $13 on something small like this, but it has a total of 80 pages, and a 4-panel panorama fold out at the back of the sketchbook! The pages are 200 gsm cold-pressed paper, 100% recycled, and acid-free.

Miscellaneous:

12. Heads, Features and Faces (Dover Anatomy for Artists) – Paperback – $5.95 – http://amzn.to/2kII1yj

This book has been a great resource for me to refresh my skills with drawing faces. It is a quick read and not overwhelming for beginners. (Stay tuned for a future blog post on my favorite artist books!)

13. SACKORANGE Washi Tape, Decorative Diy Tape Washi Rainbow Candy Color Sticky Paper Masking Adhesive Tape Scrapbooking and Phone Diy Decoration, 20 Rolls – $7.99 – http://amzn.to/2j90B2m

 Washi tape adds a nice touch to a sketch in your sketchbook. You can also incorporate it into a painting when you feel as though a certain element is missing. I have enjoyed using this washi tape, and have ten options on colors!

What is/are your favorite art supplies? Tell me in the comments below!

DISCLAIMER: This post is not sponsored. It may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This helps support the blog and allows me to continue to create blog posts like this and other projects. Thank you for the support!