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My Favorite Supplies for Daily Creative Sessions
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items This isn't another crap list of Amazon slop. These are my actually favorite tools for showing up and creating every day. These are the supplies that help me stay curious, experiment freely, and actually enjoy the process. I grouped everything by budg...
Sections
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Starter Pack (Budget-Friendly)
Leveling Up (Mid-Tier/Value Picks)
Treat Yo’ Self (Premium Picks)
Starter Pack (Budget-Friendly)
Perfect for beginners or casual dabblers. These are the things I picked up little by little as I started to create a regular practice of intuitive painting in a bound book.
Affordable Paint
Rich Art Acryology Acrylic Paint- Deep Blue
When all else fails and you paint paint fast, these are everywhere and pretty reliable.
Americana® Acrylic Paint 2 oz.
My favorite art supply, by far!!Affordable, rich color, and pure nostalgia. They’re a little crumbly, a little messy, but that’s part of the charm. These helped me loosen up and start creating with a lot more freedom and joy.
Pentel Oil Pastel Set - Assorted Colors, Set of 50
Not the best for heavy paint, but will work in a pinch and decent for a larger surface practice.
Blick Studio Sketch Pad - 11" x 14", 100 Sheets
Perfect for beginners, this set includes brushes in all sizes so you can explore and find your favorites. I still haven’t used everything after a year! Plus, the plastic palette knives are great for mark-making and texture.
Super Value 25 Piece Brush Set by Artist's Loft™ Necessities
An affordable alternative to Posca markers, perfect for practicing acrylic techniques. The nib size is great, though I wish there were more colors. I sometimes pick up extra of my favorites (orange!).
16 Color Acrylic Paint Marker Set by Artist's Loft™
As mentioned in the 16 color note, I may pick up individual colors that run out. But now that I know that I can re-fill these, I may start customizing my own colors with fluid ink.
2mm Acrylic Paint Marker by Artist's Loft®
this accessible paint to get started with or grab in a pinch. I love getting the white and black to mix with my higher quality paints for color mixing practice.
2oz. Acrylic Paint by Craft Smart®
Perfect way to get acquainted with the texture of gouache. This is just a fun medium and you'll want to upgrade after playing with these for a bit. Also a great kit for kids.
Travel Gouache Paint set 12-count
When I first started, I carried a small notebook and a few markers everywhere to sketch, paint, and jot notes whenever inspiration struck. Eventually those little books filled up and I upgraded. You don’t need to start big. Just find tools that make ...
Mini Composition Books, 3 ct from Dollar General - Instore
Great affordable tools to move paint and fluid mixed media around
Crafters Square Sponge Paint Brush Sets
These sponger dabbers are fun to for making circular marks and for making interesting textures.
Crafters Square Paint Sponge Dabbers, 3-ct. Packs
SUPER CHEAP alternative to Artist Loft acrylic markers. A cheap introduction to acrylic markers for a super beginner or younger artist. I purchased a set and was happy with the neon color payoff.
Acrylic Paint Markers 7-Count
Maybe you're tired of decoart and craftsmart or you're just a bougie beginner. These are higher quality acrylics with virbrant colors. I love using this set when I just wanted to focus on getting color on the page as quickly as possible.
36 Color Acrylic Paint Value Pack by Artist's Loft ...
I really liked this set up affordable acrylic paints. I found my set at Meijer at an affordable price (always check your local department and grocery stores for cheap supplies) Blick has this set, as well. Blick tends to send out a 20% coupon code ev...
Royal & Langnickel Essentials Acrylic Paint Sets
These are great to make spray marks. Mix acrylic paint with water or acrylic medium or just use acrylic ink in the bottle. I typically just recycle the bottle I use from hand sanitizer mini bottles or mini setting spray bottles.
Crafters Square Clear Refillable Pump Spray Bottles, 2-ct. Packs
Another one of my favorite tools that I use often. This is handy to lay lots of paint down and move it across the surfaces in different ways.
Crafters Square Craft Scrapers
Don't even bother getting cheaper watercolors. I did that already and ended up having to upgrade, because a cheap kids set with terrible pay off was making me thing I hated watercolor. Get a decent set (and brushes) to start out with. I love mine and...
Winsor & Newton™ Cotman Water Colours™ Brush Pen Set
For my 100 Days of Creating challenge, I’m trying new mediums. This textured pottery kit caught my eye, but I still need a few extra tools to use it fully.
CraftMaker - Textured Pottery Kit by Hinkler, Hardcover
A fun, easy way to get marks down are stencils. I recently found a stencil wheel at Dollar Tree and really enjoyed using these. This made me want to make my own stencil designs so I can quickly make my own signature shapes.
Crafters Square Plastic Stencil Wheels, 11x9-in.
Leveling Up (Mid-Tier/Value Picks)
For hobbyists ready to step up their game.
I started upgrading to Liquitex when I took a painting and drawing class. This a quality brand with great pigments and solid texture.
Liquitex BASICS™ Acrylic Paint, 4oz.
Blick Studio Acrylic Paints are also a great upgrade and/or gift option for someone wants to step up their quality in paint.
Blick Studio Acrylic Paints and Sets
I currently have orange, magenta, and viridian green. These are heavy body and super pigmented. I love working with these. I can't wait to explore the whole set.
Acrylic Paint
Start with more gesso than you think you’ll use. It doubles as primer, white paint, and a surface prep that makes colors pop. I like to mix in a little color to tint it before painting. Totally optional for beginners, but once you upgrade your surfac...
8oz. White Gesso by Artist's Loft®
I upgraded to Liquitex for a drawing and painting class. If you're tired of cheap, runny translucent paint, this paint in the basics mid-tier paint set. I wasn't impressed with the black in the set, and grabbed that color in the heavy body for a rich...
Liquitex Basics Acrylic Paints and Sets
First time purchasing a stencil and I really like using it so far. This is in the cheap section because I found mine on clearance.
Mum Stencil – Small (5.75″x6″)
I found my set on clearance on meijer, this is the only link I could find of them online.
Royal & Langnickel | 12PC Acrylic 1.2mm Jewel Markers
This is a staple supply. I like using both the matte and glossy finish. I just this to seal my oil pastels, give some elements a glossy finish, and to glue collage ephemera.
Plaid Mod Podge - Matte Finish, 8 oz
Leveling up our surface and our size. I loved experimenting in this sized sketchbook. This definitely got me excited to work larger. I just wanted to carry it around and have it bound, so that's why I moved to the Moleskine A3. Grab this one when you...
Canson® XL® Mix Media Pad
This is the best painter's tape I've used. I usually grab mine from Michaels, but I just noticed that Kroger has it for a little bit cheaper. I'll link both. This tape is sturdy and can be used over and over. The trick when removing is to use a lil h...
Scotch-Brite Original Multi-Surface Painter's Tape | Kroger
Treat Yo’ Self (Premium Picks)
Gift ideas for creative loved one. You have a regular practice and now it's time to splurge a lil bit. You deserve it.
My go-to sketchbook! I use it in almost all my painting videos and for my 100-day painting challenge at the end of 2025.
Moleskine Art Sketchbook, Hard Cover, A3 (11.75" x 16.5") Plain/Blank, Black, 96 Page
I've sampled a few colors from Dick Blick to get a feel. I love these. I want them all!
Van Gogh Oil Pastel Set - Assorted Colors, Set of 24
Professional Quality Paint
Golden Artist Acrylic Heavy Body Paint Set
Upgrade your tape game when you're feeling fancy. I bought this once and it's been my favorite tape to use. I mainly used it on my large XL Canson Mixed Media sketchbook. This tape is super durable and you can resuse the strips over and over. It's pr...
FrogTape® Multi-Surface Painter's Tape
Dream Art Supplies List! Check it out!
Dream Art Supplies: My Wish List of Tools to Try, Restock, and Upgrade