2023 art supplies highlights

Great idea for a thread.

I'm a bit of a stationary nerd. I bullet journal and enjoy pens, paper notebooks, marker pens, highlighters, post-it notes etc.

Some things I've learned on my journey:

https://www.leuchtturm1917.co.uk/notebooks/ are better than moleskine

These pack of 5 cheap books are great: https://www.muji.eu/stationery/notebooks-and-paper/

My favourite pens are these:

general writing and sketching diagrams:

https://www.pentel.co.uk/product/energel-plus-0-7mm-tip-bl27/

sketching/linework:

uni-ball PIN Fineliners

Zebra Mildliner highlighters

Copic markers

Papermate Flair black pens

Sharpie coloured markers

Something that disappointed me:

I read about these pens: UNI-BALL UB-200 VISION ELITE ROLLERBALL

But they were very wet and smeared when using a highlighter over them so I went back to my pentel energel plus pens.

Something I want to experiment with:

White pencils and white pens/markers for adding in reflections and highlights etc.

Something I tried for the first time properly this year:

I just bought ink capsules for a fountain pen I got in a set of 2 (fountain and ball point) I never used the fountain until now. I like the feel, but my hand hurts after a while. The ink is wet and smears under highlighters so I don't think I'll use fountain pens in my main work.

I had been using a set of alcohol markers I bought at Walmart on a whim as my main art item. I liked the bright and consistent color they gave but they would bleed through the pages in my coloring and sketch books, and they would bleed out of detailed areas of the page. I could also not get the change of blending them, so even a set of 45 was somewhat limiting.

I got a set of 120 Ohuhu watercolor markers for Christmas that I have enjoyed so far. They have a brush tip and a veeery fine tip. In contrast to the alcohol markers, they don't bleed and blend quite well. However, they get darker the more times you layer over them, so I am still getting the hang of them.

For sketching, I generally just use a pencil and a rubber eraser, then a set of different width black pens for inking, but I've gotten away from that lately and mostly color in coloring books.

One thing I'm pretty proud of (and have really enjoyed) are these 3D printed cases that I designed for my pens and markers. I wanted something that I could throw in my bag or backpack that would be as compact as possible. My Ohuhu markers are numbered on the sides, not the ends, so I am working on a variation with a grid in it so they can be arranged by number.

Picked up mini painting this year, started with a collection of games-workshop acrylics paints and associated washes/medium, learnt at bit more and discovered the magic that is acrylics inks.

They’re more vibrant, easier to control on the model, have better transparency and opaqueness properties, more “efficient”, and generally so much more fun to paint with!

I’ve been using the Dahler-Rowney inks, which have a massive range, been particularly enjoying the pearlescent ones, they blend really well to create some fantastic colours on the models. Pair them with the cheap little battery-powered airbrush I got from Amazon for cheap, and I’ve been having a blast.

Goto tools:

• trusty hobby scalpel
• a 4-sided foam-backed nail-file thing I got from the chemist at the recommendation of one of the mini-painting YouTube channels, turned out to be one of the absolute best things for removing mould lines and glue overspill.
• a handy collection of minuscule brushes: 3/0 and such.

Disappointed:

Some of the medium additives have been pretty lacklustre. The high-shine additive wasn’t as shiny as I hoped, and the slow-drying medium turned out to mostly just be goop, which completely changes the texture and behaviour of the ink, which in turns affects how it applies to the model, which I’m not a fan of. I really like wet-blending and slower-drying mediums (more time to fix your mistakes), so I might have to hunt around for some different products on this front. I also have a satin airbrush finis that I’ve yet to try; mostly because I haven’t finished any models to my liking yet…

Want to experiment with:

I got these really cool “panel liner” oil-paint “pens” that I’m looking forward to using, but they need to wait until I mostly-finish some of my Tau models, because I want the panel lining done for a very specific colour-scheme.

Something that I am not using as an art supply, although some would is carrying around a pocket notebook. I bought a pack of small moleskine notebooks. It has replaced carrying around a phone in most situations. I don't do drawing, so cannot speak on it for sketching, but overall found it quite nice for writing quick notes or ideas to remember. I would not be as interested in longer writing in it, but it is good for taking brief notes to revisit ideas later and flesh them out.

What have been your go-to art/craft supplies this year?
*Digital drawing (ipad pro, apple pencil 2)

Nice fabrics, threads that I've spent some time on my sewing machine with.

I also used up some yarn from my stash to help teach a friend how to knit. *

What have you tried for the very first time?
Nothing new in 2023.

Have you returned to using something you haven't touched in a long while?
I returned to knitting while teaching my friend and am now plotting my first knitting project in several years

Have you been pleasantly surprised by something?
How much more I like video editing with a better tool than iMovie when editing clips and lenghtening/shortening timelapses from Procreate

Has something disappointed you?

• My inability to do more sewing this year due to medical issues*

Was there something you dreamed about making art with, but couldn't get for some reason?
I've been wanting to get back into watercolors, but I don't want to put down the digital art. I've been trying to learn how to do digital watercolors for a bit now, and I'm hoping that I can actually get it. I've been frustrated with my results thus far and am hoping I can learn better in 2024

This has been a really nice thought exercise. Thank you so much for sharing!

Thank you for asking! I have been trying to build my watercolor skills this year but have not been consistent with my practice. Primarily I am a knitter and ukulele player.

What have been your go-to art/craft supplies this year? - I picked up some Baohong watercolor blocks to practice on. It is good cotton paper, but I prefer the cold press texture on the Academy/student grade over the professional. Daniel Smith watercolors are my go to paints.

What have you tried for the very first time? - Gouache. The jelly-type gouache (Himi/Arrtx) was too thick and doesn't rewet easily. Tried some Holbein gouache and loved it. I plan to paint more with it this year.

Have you been pleasantly surprised by something? - how awesome my local-ish Blick store is. I live less than an hour away from their HQ in Illinois so I can pick through their returns and overstock at bargain prices. They have everything in stock that you would find online, too.

Has something disappointed you? - Arteza brand anything. I have tried their gouache, watercolor pencils, paper pads, and arcrylic paints. They would be fine if you just need some student grade supplies, but even their "expert" materials are mediocre at best.