In this article you’ll find reviews of art materials I use a lot in my painting and drawing practice. These art supplies make a big difference in the final result of my art presentation.
5 art tools for oil painting & drawing to keep in your studio:
#1 The color shaper set
1. When I paint, they help me clean a sloppy edge. And that’s how I use them for the most part.
2. It’s easy to take the extra paint off the area I put in by accident.
3. I can “carve into” the freshly applied paint to make a specific pattern or texture.
4. I can create an entire underpainting by applying the brown paint first and then lifting out some of the paint with the color shaper creating a drawing!
Made of silicone, the shapers have the unique property of not absorbing the paint. Rather the paint comes off their tips easily and doesn’t need washing. Just wipe the color shaper off with a paper towel. Besides moving the paint around, removing or carving into it, the color shapers are great for blending the oil pastels or wax-based colored pencils (Prismacolor Premier) when heated, using the Icarus Art board. The color shaper set has several tips that you can buy separately or as a complete set. I find that I mainly use the taper point (round tip) size #2 in my art.
You can buy the color shapers at any art supply store online like Jerrysartarama or use this link to buy it on Amazon.
#2 Gloves in a bottle
Gloves in a bottle is a lotion https://amzn.to/3SxSE93
#3 Luminance, professional colored pencils
#4 Professional panels for oil and acrylic painting
The cradled gessobords provide much greater support against humidity as the panels resist warping. Gessobords have a very slightly textured surface making them perfect for oil painting because the oil paint needs some tooth to adhere to to create a permanent bond with the surface. Avoid using panels that are too smooth or cheap canvases because the paint doesn’t adhere to the surface properly.
I also use gessobords for my silver gilding. I do sand the surface some with a 800 grit sandpaper but the silver leaf goes over the panel perfectly.
The toned, neutral gray surface of Richeson panels is great for beginning painting without any additional preliminary work, but I find their surfaces too smooth and thus questionable if the paint makes a bond with its surface.
One disadvantage of painting on these panels (gessobords) is the damaged corners. They often arrive chipped in shipping and although art supply companies do replace the damaged stuff, it’s still a big inconvenience, in my opinion.
#5 Grumbacher final fixative for drawings and scratchboard art
Like other sprays, the final fixative protects your artwork from the UV-rays, moisture, smudges, and humidity.
The only downside is its smell. It’s not a product to inhale. So spray it in a well-ventilated area or outside in low humidity environment.
Don’ confuse the fixatives with the varnishes as the varnishes are used in oil and acrylic painting.
 |  |
Art supplies:
- Drawing pad, bristol vellum
- Kneaded eraser
- koh -i-noor drawing paper, colored pencil
- Tombow mono eraser
- Drawing fixative
- Sennelier fixative for charcoal and pencil has a super fine spray mist, matte, high-quality
- Gamvar varnish for oil paintings, satin
- Brush for varnishing oil paintings
- Color Wheel
- Canson Colorline drawing paper is available in many colors and various thickness. You might find better choices at art supply online retailers
- Molotow metallic marker, gold
- How to color like an artist, coloring book for children and adults
- The colored pencil manual, art instruction book