Whenever I’m not stressing out about homework or sleeping when I shouldn’t be, I pretty much spend all of my time drawing and creating art pieces. At least I try. I know that any artists favorite thing to do is browse online shops and walk along art supply shop’s many isles and look at all of the pretty supplies. However, it can be overwhelming to see the 50 brands of markers and millions of different pencils to try. So if you are looking for some new brands or you are just interested in the supplies, then here is my list. Do remember that I am only including brands I’ve tried, and some may not be the most cost efficient or regular, but they are my favorites.

Sketching

As far as sketching in a sketchbook or making a sketch before a final piece, the supplies I choose aren’t as strict, but I do still have preferences. I made a video a while ago about school supplies, so if you need pencil/pen tips, I put more information there. For pencils, I prefer the Paper Mate Clearpoint mechanical pencil. The clicking mechanism is nice, and the pencils have a lovely long eraser. Of course, these are your classic pencils for school too, so many people already have these. When sketching in color, I like the Prismacolor Col-Erase colored pencils. These are by the trusted brand Prismacolor, so they are naturally good. However, they aren’t perfectly erasable and the pigment isn’t perfect, but these things really work for sketching out full pieces. The 24 pack is almost always available for sale on Amazon, so they are worth a go. Lastly, if you are into sketching with pen, I would recommend the Pilot Frixion erasable pens. These are perfect for sketching because they have a smooth ink flow and erase well.

Lineart

As far as pens for lineart and ink drawings, I tend to be pickier. Of course, like everyone, I would recommend the Pigma Microns. These are a staple of any artist’s pencil case. They are fairly cheap for fineliners, and they work really well. If you are looking for something more top-of-the-line, then I would recommend Copic Multiliners. They are pretty expensive, but they are permanent to water and markers, and they work perfectly. I would highly recommend them. If you have dip pens or fine brushes, Higgins Ink is perfect for creating beautiful Jet-Black lines. Lining with ink is harder than with multiliners, but the lines have much nicer weight, thickness, and color. If you’ve never tried lining with ink, give it a shot.

Markers

One of my favorite ways to color finished art pieces is with markers. I have been buying them ever since I was in 4th grade, and I’ve tried many brands. If you aren’t sure If you want to invest in the alcohol-based marker medium, I’d recommend Ohuhu markers.  Ohuhu is a brand that doesn’t focus on a specific product, with many garden supplies, too. The Ohuhu markers come in large sets of 20, 40, 60, 80, 100, and 120. (Woah) They are very cheap in comparison to other brands, coming in at just about 50 cents a marker! The ink quality is nice, but these don’t come with a brush nib, so blending can be hard. If you are someone who would rather have better quality art supplies for more of the cost, Copics are for you. These markers are very expensive, but they are the best quality by far. They have replaceable ink and nibs, so one marker could last you a lifetime. However, these come at a cost. Literally. Each one is 8 dollars. I have collected many of these markers, and I can safely say that the ink blends beautifully, the colors are vibrant, and the brush nib is perfectly soft and flexible.

Misc. Coloring

I do color with other mediums, but I don’t have as much of an input as far as brands, so here’s what I use. For watercolor, I would definitely recommend Daniel Smith watercolors. These are also very top of the line, but they lay down beautifully. When it comes to pencils, I use Prismacolor Premier pencils. These are pretty standard, but they work well.

Digital Art

By no means am I perfectly educated on digital art ( or art in general), but I have been getting into it recently, so here’s what I recommend. Since Wacom tablets are so expensive, I was not willing to make that investment. However, for Christmas, I got the Huion GT-1409 drawing tablet, and I couldn’t be happier with it. The workspace is huge and the buttons work well. I love it a lot.

By no means am I perfect at art, and I’ve not tried all the art supply brands. If you disagree with my top picks, don’t worry! Everyone draws differently and has different favorite supplies. Also, don’t think you need these expensive supplies to make great art. Just do what you want, and buy whatever suits you.