Welcome to my newly updated list of favorite art supplies for 2025! I’m always excited to try out new art supplies for my YouTube channel, see what I can bring for en plein air painting, and, of course, experiment with new mediums and supplies in my studio. The list below is a culmination of supplies I’ve been using for several years while also including some new art supplies favorites.
Sketchbooks
I explored quite a few different sketchbooks this year that I really enjoyed. If you’re like me, you just can’t help but try new sketchbooks to sketch and paint. I love when I find a new sketchbook that fits perfectly in one of my bags or when I can enjoy larger sketchbooks in my studio.
- Art Creations Sketchbook 5 in x 5 in
- Art Creations Sketchbook 5 in x 8 in
- Sennelier Sketchpad 6 in x 6 in
- Strathmore Mixed Media
- Dear Elaine Co
Paints
My favorite paints to create with is gouache and watercolor. For plein air painting, I choose watercolor since it’s easier to bring and clean up. In the studio I prefer to paint with my acrylic gouaches!
- Holbein Acrylic Gouache (Rebecca Green Set)
- Holbein Traditional Gouache (Set of 12 5ml tubes)
- Daniel Smith Watercolor Essentials Introductory Set
- Daniel Smith Master Artist Set (this one has a lot of the colors I enjoy using)
- Daniel Smith Watercolor Dot Card (to try out 66 color options to see what works best for you)
Brushes
It’s important to have a good quality brushes that will last a long time. These are my go to brushes for in the studio.
- Princeton Velvetouch (great for gouache)
- Raphael Precision Angular - Size 6 (great for gouache)
- Princeton Travel Brushes (great for watercolor)
Pencils
Hands down a big fan of Blackwing pencils. They have great graphite in a variety of soft/hardness, plus they are aesthetically pleasing to look at while drawing with them.
Storage & Organization
When organizing in my studio I love having drawers and carts because it helps with how small of a space I really have to work with. Thrifted mugs, jars, baskets are also a big inspiration for me to store my art supplies.
- Art Toolkit Palettes
- Three Drawer Artist Supply Storage Box
- Three Tier Rolling Cart
- Pocket Art Toolkit & Watercolor Pans
Studio
A few extra bits from my studio are a good lamp for drawing/painting when it’s dark out, as well as a good solid desk to work on!
My Favorite Art Supplies YouTube Video
I made a video that goes more in depth to all of my favorite art supplies! Enjoy!