Artist Gift Guide

One of the most common questions for artists has to do with supplies. Where did you get this? What kind do you use? What about that?What do you wish you had? What’s next on your list? and etc. and etc. Where do you shop? Best deals online?

I love this quote by Picasso:

When art critics get together they talk about Form and Structure and Meaning. When artists get together they talk about where you can buy cheap turpentine.”

Isn’t that so true? Artists love to “talk shop” about what is best working for them. We’re always on a path to improve, learn new techniques or ways of handling our medium. I have yet to meet an artist that doesn’t love to talk supplies!

I’ve made an additional handy list of things I personally love or have my eye on. I hope Santa brings you (and maybe me? ) something special! I would love to hear about your favorite tools, too!  Email me or comment here!

For your Hands

Can one ever have too many pastels?  (Maybe but I haven’t reached that point yet!). These are some pastel brands and sets that I adore.  Each has its own use – from harder to softer and soft to brilliant saturation. For more a more in-depth look at the pastels I love and a description of manufacturer and type, check out my Resources Page (Coming Soon!)

Richeson Half Stick Foundation Set:

These are fun beginner sets of pastels with different hardnesses across a range of Richeson’s line. Great if you’re new and would like to try some options!

Unison Colors, Landscape set of 36:

This set is so beautiful curated. It is so soft and if it was in my studio, I think I’d just want to hang them on the wall to gaze upon! Unison are my absolute favorites – I love being an Associate of this amazing company!

Townsend Terrages Artist set of 24:

LOVE the few I have and want to add more! They are wonderfully scratchy and have minimal dust.

This Rembrandt set is such a workhorse. I love these for their more medium texture. These are a great beginning to mid-layer pastel.

I have a few pan-pastels and am interested in exploring them more. They are wonderful for a soft underpainting technique and I especially love them in skies for a soft and wispy effect.

This Sennelier Paris Set is drool-worthy. Be aware that these are considered to be on of the very softest pastels on the market and should be used with a delicate touch.

For Your Studio

These are a few items I use almost everyday in my studio and have come in so handy. Being an artist isn’t always about having just paints/pastels/paper/canvas. The business of creating and using your time wisely is so important to learn. These tools help me to be more efficient which saves time for more painting!

Uart Sanded Paper:

I use Uart sanded paper every single day. I can never have enough! I love the 400, 500, and 600 grits.

Tracing Paper:

Don’t know where or how to store your finished pastel paintings? I use tracing paper pads and tuck the paintings between sheets. This is a good one as the paper is also acid free! (some aren’t so double check).

Clamp:

I love this clamp for my easel! It stretches to fit either size of tablet (or phone) and holds it secure for me to use. I take this with me to workshops and it’s a useful tool as my students can easily see my reference.

Point Driver:

I bought one of these at the beginning of last year and don’t know how I ever lived without it. It is a fantastic tool for your studio. I replace paintings in older frames and this makes them so secure. This is a must-have if you frame your pieces!

Do Not Bend Sticker Roll:

Love this sticker roll for adding to my outgoing packaging! It’s been handy as USPS sometimes won’t allow “fragile” stamping without an upcharge on your items.

Artist’s View Catcher:

This is an essential tool for your studio and especially for your plein air work. I love how the handle “slides” into the open view area to create different aspect ratios.

Analogous Color Wheel:

This analogous color wheel is a wonderful tool to help you create a harmonious painting. Spin the dial to choose your dominant hue and quickly identify discords, complements and adjacent hues! Wonderful for teaching and daily use.

Grey Scale Value Finder:

When you can understand and read value correctly, the whole world opens up! I love this tool for use in teaching and also in my own referencing.

For your Bookshelf

It’s no secret I love books. I am in the process of growing my artist’s library as there’s nothing I love more than a home full of inspiration. When my art spirit is low, nothing picks it back up more than browsing a beautiful book. Truthfully, I could add about 100 more books to this list!!

And there it is!  My Artist Wish List!  It’s fun to virtually shop around and share my finds with you. Now that we’re all full of turkey, I hope you have a wonderful holiday season brimming with inspiration, artistry, creation, and most of all, love.

xoxo,

Bethany