3 art supplies I can’t live without

While running my daily design challenge I get a lot of questions about what art supplies people need.

I say you can do the daily design challenge with just a pencil and a piece of paper.

And you can.

But if you want an excuse to get some new art supplies, then stick around and I’ll walk you through 3 art supplies for drawing that I can’t live without.

These are beginner friendly art supply basics that I think give a great foundation for any one looking to up their drawing, sketching, designing game.

Let’s get into it!

(Just a note: some of these links are affiliate links, which means if you choose to buy I might earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I use and love)

the ultimate pencil

I LOVE these style of clutch pencils – you can use them with hard or soft graphite sticks, charcoal, chalk, ochre… 

I have big hands so I like the chunky feel in my hand. 

This one is a fancy version if you want to invest in a tool I promise you’ll have for years (oh and it’s yellow!)

Don’t forget to grab some refills as well – I love having a range of types like the ones here.

the perfect paper

I can’t get enough of these sketch books ( I have various sizes, really good for sketching on the go). 

What I especially love is the perforated page, so you can tear it  out and paste it in a bigger sketchbook, or look at a series of your work side by side. 

If you are looking for a bigger format sketchbook, I honestly go for the cheapest one that is at least A4 size with at least 100gsm paper. (This one looks decent)

I have a problem using sketchbooks when they are too ‘good’. I feel like I can’t use them because I have to save them up for ‘best’. So, I circumvent this by buying cheaper sketchbooks that I am not precious about. 

make a mark(er)

One more thing I love are COPIC markers. These are alcohol based ink markers (and yes they are expensive, but yes they are worth it). I have some of the Ciao markers and I love the dual tip – one softer and one chisel.

I started with a small pack of grey tones, but start with some that speak to your colour palette. 

consider this

So that rounds out my top 3 art supplies I can’t live without.

My sketching style is varied, and I love experimenting. Whenever you are looking to invest in art supplies, see if you can try them out before taking the jump.

What works for someone else might not work for you, but experimentation and more importantly consistency in building your design and sketching skills is important.

check out these journal posts too

You might also want to check out these journal posts for more on my favourite notebooks and design tools.

personal preference – seeking the ultimate notebook

processing ideas – how I use sketchbooks to process my design ideas

your next steps

Joining something like my daily design challenge is a great way to build a creative habit and work towards building a consistent sketching and design practice. Only by taking creative action regularly and consistently will you build up your design skills.

You can join the next daily design challenge by heading here to register!

I can’t wait to see what you design as part of the challenge.

Leave me a comment: what is your ‘can’t live without’ art supply?