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Writer's pictureCassie Burgan

My Top 5 Art Supplies

I thought I would share some of my favorite art materials/mediums to use. I create art on a constant basis so I've used my fair share of art supplies, but there are always favorites. Here are my top 5 art mediums and why I like them so much!

 

#5: Charcoal

I used to absolutely hate using charcoal. It was messy, the texture was unpleasant, and the sound it makes while you draw is just unbearable; it still is all of these things to me. Charcoal gives me the ick, but I can't help but love the way it functions. I have made a couple of charcoal drawings I am so proud of. It just... makes me cringe, hence why it falls at the bottom of my top 5. I love how it works/it can be used, but I don't like the charcoal itself.

 

#4: Acrylic Paint

This one might be a little surprising. You'd expect this one to be at the #1 place, or #2 because I use acrylic paints so much. Yes, I do enjoy using it, but the answer is simple: There are just better art supplies to enjoy. Don't get me wrong, I still like using acrylic paint. It dries fast, it's pretty, and I like the way it can be used. I've used acrylic paint for everything practically my entire life, and I still use it, but I've discovered mediums that are much more fun for me to use and that is why it must fall at #4.

 

#3: Gouache

Speaking of discovering fun mediums, here at #3 is gouache! To clarify, I like regular gouache, not jelly gouache. What exactly is this strangely spelled word?

It is described as an opaque watercolor, but how I like to describe it is "What if acrylic paint and watercolor had a baby." It has the opaqueness of acrylic paint, but it functions a bit more like watercolor. I had seen people use gouache, and I had never tried it out for myself. So I ended up purchasing a box while running errands at my local craft store. I procrastinated using it, as I usually do with new art supplies, but once I started using it, I absolutely loved it. I haven't used it nearly as much as I would like to, but I definitely enjoy using it more than acrylic paint.

 

#2: Graphite

Now, you might be asking, "How in the world does graphite of all things beat gouache?" Well, graphite is just so... nice. You can never go wrong with the nice, sketchy look of... sketches. You can get so many textures from just one pencil! Along with that, there are so many different thicknesses of graphite, therefore you can have more textures and looks to your drawing! I've always loved using this medium, even when I was still a baby artist. We love ourselves an "old reliable."

 

#1: Alchohol Markers

And my all-time favorite art supply: Alchohol markers. This has also been a more recent discovery within the last couple of years. I'd seen Rin (an artist on YouTube) use them, and she has always been a huge inspiration to me. I found a set of Ohuhu markers and my mother surprise bought them for me. I was absolutely in love with them. You can sketch with them, color, layer, and they're just so vibrant. They're easy to use, and there are so. Many. Color. Options. I currently use a combination of Ohuhu & Copic. The only downside to these markers is the price. They can be pretty expensive, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying them.

 

Honorable Mention: Tempera Paint

Tempera paint is a medium that didn't fall within the top 5, mostly because I haven't had enough experience with it. It is fast-drying and water-soluble. I've only created a couple of pieces with Tempera, but so far, I've enjoyed using it. It gives me similar "vibes" to gouache, but it's thicker, although they both can be reactivated with water. When it dries, it has a different texture and look than other mediums of paint, and maybe that's why I like it: it's unique.

 

Absolutely Not: Watercolor, watercolor markers, watercolor pencils, etc.

I enjoy using water-based paints like Tempera and Gouache, but one art supply that I can't stand is watercolor. I like being able to maintain stable control of my art supplies, but watercolor doesn't do that for me. I've made a couple of watercolor pieces I am proud of, but other than that, watercolor is my least favorite art supply. And don't even get me started on watercolor markers & pencils. Those are also the worst, worse than regular watercolor. I think it's very obvious that watercolor just doesn't do it for me. It's just too... wet.

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