A handpicked selection of my absolute favorite portrait drawing and painting supplies. Whether you’re working on realistic shading or expressive features, these are the reliable tools I reach for in every session.
Sections
4
For Sketching & Linework
For Shading & Realism
For Color & Depth
For Details & Finishing Touches
For Sketching & Linework
These are the tools I reach for when I’m planning a piece, capturing expression, or getting lost in line.
My ride-or-die pencils for clean, expressive sketches — smooth, consistent, and no weird shine.
Faber-Castell 9000 Graphite Pencils (6B–2H Set)
A sketchbook staple. Smooth enough for detail, strong enough to handle layering and erasing.
Strathmore 400 Series Drawing Paper (Smooth)
For precise details like eyes or hair strands — I love how balanced this pencil feels in hand.
GraphGear 1000 Expert Mechanical Drafting Pencil
A clean, reliable eraser that doesn’t damage the paper. I always keep one in my kit.
Staedtler Mars Plastic Erasers
The secret weapon for sharp highlights — perfect for picking out shine in eyes or lip texture.
MONO zero eraser
For Shading & Realism
This is where the magic happens — shaping emotion and light with depth, texture, and tone.
When I want bold contrast or drama in a portrait, these give me beautiful, velvety darks.
General's Charcoal Pencils and Sets
Gorgeous muted browns and creams that add a soft warmth to skin, shadows, and hair.
Derwent Drawing Pencils
So satisfying to use — I mold it to lift subtle highlights or softly fade edges in graphite or charcoal.
Prismacolor Kneaded Eraser-Medium
These help me blend with control — especially in the eyes, cheeks, or around noses. I use them a lot.
Stumps and Tortillons
This helps seal my drawings without ruining them. I use it when I want to preserve softness without smudging.
Drawing Fixatives
For Color & Depth
When I want to breathe life into a portrait, I turn to color — gentle washes or deep pigment layering.
These blend like butter and are perfect for building lifelike skin tones with incredible control.
Faber-Castell Polychromos Pencils and Sets
When I want deep, velvety color and subtle gradients — these are luxury, but so worth it.
Caran d'Ache Luminance
I use these for soft backgrounds or tonal layering — their colors are vibrant but not overpowering.
Watercolour Sets
Keeps my paints from drying out, and the layout makes mixing beautiful skin tones super easy.
Mijello Airtight Watercolor 18-Well Blue Palette
I love using this for watercolor portraits — it holds washes well without buckling.
Canson® XL® Watercolor Pad
For Details & Finishing Touches
It’s the tiniest details that make portraits feel alive — that sparkle in the eye, that edge highlight.
My favorite for clean white highlights — just a tiny dot in the eyes can make everything pop.
Uni-ball Signo Broad UM-153 Gel Pen - White Ink
I use these to add a hint of mood, jewelry shine, or eye highlights. A little goes a long way.
Sakura Gelly Roll Classic White Gel Pen - 3 Pen Set (Fine/Medium/Broad Point)
Sounds dramatic — but trust me, this saves time and is amazing for crisp light effects in hair or fabric.
