11 Comments
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Donna Druchunas's avatar

I don't know why but I don't hoard art supplies (I never hoarded yarn when I was knitting either). I do hoard books though.

My favorite art supplies are watercolors and oil pastels. I'm not attached to a brand of watercolors, but Mungyo and Caran d'Ache are my favorite oil pastel brands. Watercolor is so unpredictable and free, and I use super soft squirrel brushes. Oil pastel can be layered and layered and layered. They both just feel good when I'm putting the colors onto paper. I also LOVE my iPad with Procreate.

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Ellen's avatar

Being a writer and photographer my tools (i.e. supplies) are my camera and my computer. They are not as warm and fuzzy as your paints and pens. And there is a steep learning curve to using them well.

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Cynthia Morris's avatar

Well, I don't know that paints and pens are warm and fuzzy. When ink explodes all over me on an airplane, there is neither warm nor fuzzy feelings!

I would also assert that the learning curve for watercolor is no rolling hill.

Every medium has its constraints and challenges. What I love is that your camera can go with you everywhere and you can practice your art wherever you go.

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Ellen's avatar

Thanks for the reality check about paints and the learning curve for watercolors. It is both wonderful and daunting that my camera ... at least the phone version ... can come with me everywhere. It can both add to the pleasure of being someplace and it can draw me away from what's going on. Like all tools, we have to know how to use it well.

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Maria's avatar

I notice that the tools I feel most drawn to (like Charcoal) don't really fit it my current art practice because they are a bit messy and I don't really have a space where I can mess around and therefore mainly work in sketchbooks :-) We'll see what we can do with that... Maybe work with it outside in summer...

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Cynthia Morris's avatar

Glad you had this insight, Maria! Your artist will know what to do. :)

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Melissa Eggleston's avatar

Well my favorites shift according to the season. Right now it is my plein air box of pastels. Tumbling and bumping along in the back of my car.

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Cynthia Morris's avatar

With Pinky the squirrel stowing away!

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Melissa Eggleston's avatar

Right?!😂

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Karen Bayly's avatar

My computer. For writing and for processing photos.

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Pamela Atkinson's avatar

Sennelier Watercolors are the best. They are vibrant and give me the strength of color I want in my work. I love having a variety of colored pens for when I journal. I'm using Energel by Pentel at the moment because they are refillable. My favorites are Uniball Signo pens but for ecological reasons I'm switching over.

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