Favorite tools and a few tips for different art jobs!

Hi Everyone! Giving you a peek into my art life/tools I really like.

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I buy as small of a bottle or tube of paint etc. that I can (except for black/white paint) since I switch mediums. A lot of times stuff dries up or goes bad before I get back to it again. My masking fluid (above) is dried up :-( It is quite full!

WATERCOLOR / GUACHE
Above is my ALL TIME favorite brush/shape. I like that I can get a fine line to a decent size brush stoke width with out switching brushes :-) Blick art materials refers to them as "angular" http://www.dickblick.com/products/blick-studio-decorative-angular/

Love particle board or heavy card board. I just use cheap masking tape to tape down watercolor paper. Don't leave it on for too long - the tape gets goooey. If I will be using a lot of water/washes. Artist tape works better.

Second favorite brush is a square shape :-) I like the shorter stubby ones for lettering.

White ceramic plates for mixing watercolor / guache. Also, if you do any cutting, get a cutting mat. it makes cutting so much easier! I picked up the plates on sale at Target. This cutting mat came from Blicks http://www.dickblick.com/categories/cuttingmats/


ACRYLICS

My newest tool is an easel. TIP: buy it during back to school sales and get a great price! http://www.dickblick.com/products/winsor-and-newton-shannon-easel/ . I used to hunch over my light table or hold the canvas in my left hand! This makes life so much better :-) Be sure to check the extension height. Mine goes up to 8 feet and just misses the ceiling.

This photo gives you a peak at my ALL TIME favorite tool! A light table! It is 20+ years old. Thanks Mom and Dad still love this present :-)

I use two mason jars for water. I will have a scrap piece of paper to brush out a color I am done with, then I wash it in one water jar, and then give it another wash in the 'clean' water jar. I have a thing about keeping my brushes in good shape. Lay them flat until dry.

As you can see, I use a disposable palette for acrylic paint. I will use it for quite awhile. You can peel off the paint after it dries.

In the photo above is a jar of molding paste. See image below to get and idea of how thick you can make it. Yup, I like texture! You can get higher peaks than this quarter inch thick butterfly wing.

Palette knives rock! If you haven't tried using them, give it a shot. Below are my two favorite. The plastic ones are a couple of bucks for several in a package. That is an 8"x10" panel so you get an idea of the scale.

Trusty tools and long time favorites. Of these, I like a kneaded eraser the best. Besides the obvious that it erases, you can use it to lighten and smear. I also play with it while I am 'thinking'.  C-thru rulers are just so darn handy. Everyone needs an X-Acto knife :-)

Love or hate any of these tools? :-) Please share what you use and any great art tips you have - would love to hear!
Thanks so much for stopping by the blog.