Back To Basics... The Art Supply Wish List

Now Halloween is over, the festive season is upon us. If you are struggling to find something for your arty friend, or looking to refresh your kit. This is the perfect chance to create your arty Christmas wish list. Save yourself time as we’ve listed art supplies any arty person would love.



1. SketchPad
With quality art paper costing a fair few pounds, it would make a perfect gift. There are a few things to consider, in terms of surface texture, weights and size. The best thing to do is to swatch your art medium on different types of art paper to see what paper suits your uses. If you’re buying for someone else, most art paper has their medium labelled like “Watercolour” “Marker” etc so as long as you know what they use, you’ll be alright.

2. Pencils 
Every artist has their holy grail grade of graphite pencilthat they must have in their kit. Usually it's a lighter grade like H, so they can sketch and erase without leaving too many marks on the paper. A mechanical pencil is a great choice for sketching because they are often quite light and don’t need sharpening.

3. Eraser
A quality eraser is key, you don't want your masterpiece to be torn up by a cheap eraser. My go to at the moment is the Derwent Kneadable Eraser because it is reusable and does a good job of taking away layers of graphite. Kneadable erasersare also great for messier mediums like charcoal or soft pastel.

4. Sharpener
Again, a good sharpener is required for any artist’s toolkit. Sharpeners canget pricey but you don’t have to spend the earth of a tiny bit of metal to ensure a smooth sharpening experience. Faber Castell has a great range of beginner to professional ranges of sharpeners. Chris, uses a T'Gaal Multi-Sharpener which is a great option for beginners and intermediates because it can sharpen a whole range of sizes or points.

5. Ruler
Anything with a straight edge can be a ruler but having a small rulerto hand saves time and is a great way to check proportions or measure out your perspectives.

6. Paint Palette
Palettes are one piece of your art kit that does not need to cost anything. In fact, you can probably find one for free. Using a takeaway lid works great or an old plate, you can even get disposable paper palettes that you tear and throw away.

7. Fineliner
You can create a stunning piece of art with just a pen. Just like a pencil, a fineliner is a versatile tool that would make a great addition to your kit. They come in different nib thicknesses and nib styles depending on what you're working on, be it calligraphy or doodling. 

8. Good Lighting
If I had a penny for the amount of times I have continued drawing and subsequently ruining a piece of art because I’ve tried to push past the daylight savings I’d have a few pennies for sure. Good lighting is key ! Ideally daylight is the best light but it’s not ideal for some whose offices are not near a natural source of light. Also your brain works best with a good source of light.

9. Colour Wheel
You can find a free colour wheel online but because the RGB differs on computer screens, the colours can be slightly off. For a pound or two, you can get yourself a wheel that will help you pick colours correctly and it is great for beginners in colour theory.