6 Awesome Art Supplies to Jump Start Your Creativity

Whether you’re a total beginner who just wants to start doing a little art, a mom who wants to get creative with your kids, or an artistic person who wants to get more serious about art, the art supplies you use make a huge difference. You don’t have to purchase the very best of everything, but the right, good quality supplies will go a long way in helping you to create quality art and enjoy the heck out of the process.

I know that wandering the isles of an art supply store and even shopping online can be overwhelming. So, I’ve compiled a list of must have supplies to spark your creativity and help create quality artwork.

Click on the name of the art supply or the image of it, for more information! Disclaimer: the links in the post are affiliate links. That means that when you purchase the products, I get a very small commission from the seller, but it does not cost you anything extra.

Pitt Artist Pens: This is my favorite pen (in black) for writing, doodling, or drawing! It’s permanent, acid free, waterproof and doesn’t seem to smudge!

Graphix Aqua Inks: These inks can be used with a brush, just like watercolors, but my favorite way to start a piece of art is by drawing outlines with an eye dropper filled with some of this ink. Then, I come back in with a brush, move some of the color around and add other colors. Click on the photo for more information. They are really vibrant & fun!

Gelli Plates: These are such fun! They are print plates that are made of a gelatin like substance for making easy mono prints. There are a ton of video tutorials online. You can purchase the plates and use your own brayers and paint/ink or you can get kits. When I’m feeling like I need a creative jump start, I make Gelli Prints! These are great to use with kids too, just be careful to not gouge the gelatin of the plate.

Watercolor Pencils: I have been using my set of watercolor pencils for so long that they’re vintage! For me, getting out a set of watercolor pencils and doing a sketch, then turning it into a painting, is much less daunting than the thought of starting a painting. I think it feels that way because I can easily leave my set of watercolor pencils sitting on a table or a desk, so that they are handy. Then, I can just get out a brush and a cup of water when I’m ready, or even better, my aqua brush, like the one below. The pencils are used just like traditional colored pencils. Once you’ve created a drawing with them, you can leave them in the colored pencil style, or simple use a brush and sone water to liquify some of the color and viola, you have a watercolor painting! Prismacolor is a well priced & trusted brand.

Aqua Brushes: These brushes have a reservoir for water in the handle, so no need to have a container of water if you are using the aqua inks above or watercolor pencils and want to add a little water to them – pretty slick! These are particularly great to take on trips.

Sakura Gelly Roll Pens: What I love about these pens is that they are bright colors & the opaque ink that stands out rather than sinking in and not showing up, like many other colored pens. Use them for hand lettering or layered in mixed media and bright highlights in tonal drawings. I like to use them on dry watercolor paintings to add some additional details and pop.

There are so many awesome art supplies out there today, but these should give you a good start on sparking your creativity! If you’d rather just start out with an art project kit, check out our Art With Friends boxes for adults, families & groups!