I’ve often been asked what my favorite art supplies are, so I thought this might be a good time to make a list. For now, these are some of the supplies I use over and over again. I’ve included the brand names just because they seem to make a difference for me.
Ticonderoga Pencils
Cheap pencils are not worth it. They tend to be too light and lopsided so they never sharpen correctly. Staples brand in particular tend to have a large percentage that have to be trashed simply because they were not made with the lead in the center. Such a waste!
Black Sharpie Markers
You can draw, color or paint over them and they never bleed. Sweet.
Sharpie Multi Pack
Love these too as they come in great colors and also never bleed.
Try coloring with them on a coated paper and it’s hard to stop.
Try coloring with them on a coated paper and it’s hard to stop.
BIC Multi Pack
I found these invaluable last year when I had students use them for self portraits. There are many great skin tones in this pack: a yellow peach, pink peach, golden tans and more, all those lovely shades needed for my diverse school. Not a single student felt compromised in finding a match for their skin color. Wish I could say that for all my supplies.
Crayola Construction Paper Crayons
Work great on colored paper, a good replacement for oil pastels for kinder and 1st grade.
Portfolio Oil Pastels
You can get them in 12, 24-pack or a classpack. They absolutely make the best colors and students love how they seem to glide over their paper.
Dick Blick Colored Pencils
These pencils can make amazing dense colors if students really take the time to press hard while they color. Prismacolor pencils are OK – Rose brand are not as they just have no color to them. Don’t get swayed by their cheap price.
Crayola Watercolor Paint
I pop out the color tablets, dissolve them in water, and use them as liquid paint. So much better than dealing with dirty trays. About 2 – 3 tablets per spillproof cup of water seems to work the best. Tip: Store extra paint in open cups. Closed containers seem to make them age, and thus smell, faster. The paint keeps in open cups for one to two weeks.
Popsicle Sticks
They come in different brand names these days, and in multiple sizes, but I’ve found them to great for more craft projects than I can mention.
They come in different brand names these days, and in multiple sizes, but I’ve found them to great for more craft projects than I can mention.
Black Construction Paper
I’ve used various brands, the point is just to make sure your paper is black and not dark gray. My public school sanctioned stuff is just charcoal and fades in a New York minute. It pays to buy the good black paper so your art has some punch to it.
I’ve used various brands, the point is just to make sure your paper is black and not dark gray. My public school sanctioned stuff is just charcoal and fades in a New York minute. It pays to buy the good black paper so your art has some punch to it.
Silver Sharpie Markers
These are a treat, if you can afford them at about $1.50 each. Drawing with them on black paper was such a hit for my students last year that I’m determined to find ways to create with them again.
15 comments:
I whole heartedly agree that saving money on some cheap supplies is often a wasted effort. Dixon Ticonderoga pencils have been my favorite since childhood. As a high school student I often "went in" on packages of markers with my best friend to cut the cost of Sharpies.
A few months ago, my then kindergartener asked me what the print on her crayon said, when I told her it said "Crayola," she told me, "This is the best kind, only get this kind, OK?". Which goes to show that our kids notice when they've used lower quality supplies.
How much water are you adding to the crayola "tablets"?
Thanks for your blog.
-AB
Thank you for this great list! I also am a fan of quality art supplies. When making art, the focus must be on what you're making, not trying to make the supplies work.
I absolutely love your project ideas. I will be trying your Monet waterlilly project on a few kindergarteners this week during my summer art class. Your blog is very inspiring. Thank you!
Best black paper ever:
Molly's Midnight from Molly Hawkins' House. It is heavy, smooth, and blacker than any other paper I have found in 15 years.
Their site is nothing great, but the prices are awesome. Ask for a catalog with paper samples and they will send one.
http://www.mollyhawkins.com/
I ABSOLUTELY agree with the first three as I use them ALL THE TIME in my art class. Love the Ticonderoga pencils because they don't need sharpened as often either. And all of my students know I am the SHARPIE queen!
I'll definitely be looking into the others. Thanks for the list!
Thank you so much for this post. I love a little direction in this land of plenty!
Our regular school supply lists ask for those pencils as well. They work as well for spelling & math as they do for art! And yeah, my kids totally notice if I buy the less good school supplies. Crayola products go on sale for super cheap this time of year that I stock up for here at home.
I agree about Sharpies! What would we do without them??
I would add the following 3 items:
1) LOW TEMP HOT GLUE GUN!!!!
2) ART PASTE (it comes in a little box, you add water and it has endless uses, beginning with east cleanup papier-mache)
3)VERSATEMP - an inexpensive but excellent tempera paint that has rich colors and doesn't settle.
Ahhh...thanks for the info! I've meant for so long to ask what 'crayola tablets' are, as you use them very often. Now I know! (I was imagining something different.) Do you just keep the pots of watercolour covered to use another time??
Great list. I LOVE silver Sharpies. - actually, all Sharpies. We like to write or draw with silver Sharpie on the colored covers of our 1-cent Staples spiral notebooks. I've not yet purchased construction paper crayons, but used them at a local art show, and they feel good. My Sm'Arties also LOVE Crayola Slick Sticks.
Thank you for the pencil tip. I pull my hair out over pencils. I am purchasing a box of these for my classroom this year.
I too agree with ALL of your suggestions! Thanks for the tip about the Dick Blick Colored pencils - I have tried many different brands over the years and never really happy! I will give them a try!
My suggestions is SARGENT LIQUID WATERCOLORS! Once you try them you will NEVER go back, they are saturated colors that go on the paper beautifully! The kids just love them! My little plastic trays with covers so o don't have to try to pour them back in the bottle!
Have a wonderful school year everyone!
Me again... My students LOVE Crayola Write Start Colored Pencils - they are hexagonal, soft, rich in color, and very kid-friendly.
I also love construction paper crayons, with one caviat - there is no good RED.
Silver Sharpie Markers are on sale at Walmart--$2.97 for a pack of four.
What about paint brushes? I am putting in a request on donors choose.
Shauna
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