These pencils come in a range of hardness/softness, from 8B (softest) to 6H (hardest). I use these pencils for my pencil drawings, especially when I am going to do detailed graphite portraits.

I love these mechanical pencils. They’re very heavy duty (not that that is necessary!) and to me they feel very smooth to write with. They come in a variety of thicknesses.

These are very nice pencils to sketch with. The pencil is relatively hard, so the lines don’t come out too pigmented and if you press lightly they erase pretty well. I like using these to lay out a drawing before inking, and often will leave the pencil marks in the final product because it adds a sketchy appeal.

These colored pencils are a bit pricey for me to buy on a regular basis, but what I can say about them is - WOW! They are so deeply pigmented, soft and buttery smooth, and they are water-soluble so you can use them as watercolors as well.

These are waterproof and “copic proof” fine line inking markers, so theoretically you should be able to paint over them without smearing. I find that this is more or less true, though I would wait for them to fully dry first. They have a great variety of sizes, and I especially love both the soft/small and medium brush tips.

The Micron pens are a standard in inking. The archival ink means that they are long-lasting and very nice. I have found that the tips tend to wear with time, though, especially the very fine tips.

I like these pens for the way they write and handle, but they do not come out quite as black as the Copics and Microns. The product description says that they are waterproof, erasable on drafting paper, and won’t bleed - I haven't tested them extensively but so far they seem great.

This nylon brush is springy and has incredible ink flow. I just love how rich and deep the pigment is. It is also one of the few brushes that I can achieve quite fine lines with.

I have this in red, black, pink, and grey, and I love it so much that I’m tempted to get other colors. It can create very fine to very broad strokes, and plays almost like a watercolor brush.

This pen really grips the paper… almost like the feeling of an eraser. When I first saw the nib I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about it, but I was surprised at the variety of the strokes I could get. I haven’t used it a lot, but I keep it nearby in case I find the right project for it.

I have included the link to the original double-ended markers, but Prismacolor is now making double-ended markers that have a brush tip instead of a chisel tip. I do like the chisel tip markers for covering larger areas, but the brush tips are nice as I have gotten more used to them. These markers are deeply pigmented but so much fun and great quality for a reasonable price.

I honestly can't tell a difference in quality between Prismascolor and Copic, but there seems to be a larger color selection with Copic. These markers are also refillable, so they are more environmentally friendly and cost-effective in the long run - although the upfront price is quite high. I do like the smaller, oval-shaped barrel which makes the Copics fit much more comfortably in your hand and prevents rolling.

I got my first marker in an ArtSnacks box, and it was absolutely glorious! When they named it “liquid chrome” they were not kidding around. This stuff is practically reflective when you use it on marker paper. Amaaaazing!

Tombow Dual Brush Pens have a flexible brush tip and a fine-point, hard nylon tip. I love how bright and colorful they are - but be warned, they are water-based and will smear before drying. Probably not great for certain mixed media.

The Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen is great for its variety. There are numerous tip sizes and shapes, and many colors as well as several shades of grey - french, warm, cool, and black. I love these markers for Inktober projects.

When it comes to quality, these are far and beyond what you’ll get for a cheap watercolor set and the Cotman line is really affordable for entry-level artists or people who are just beginning to try their hand at watercolors.

A step up from the Winsor & Newton Cotman line, the W&N Professional line of watercolors is everything you could want in a tube of paint. They are creamy, free of flakes or separation, and very rich.

I bought this set of Holbein Artists' Gouache because I am absolutely no good at acrylic painting and I have been told/learned that gouache is a happy medium between acrylic and watercolor. These paints are thick and brilliantly colorful.

I am absolutely obsessed with these shimmery gold watercolors. Every one of them is beautiful and wonderfully iridescent. The trick is to make sure you wet them a few minutes before painting, and the more water you use the deeper the color will be.

These are my new favorites! I got the limited edition muted violet color in my October ArtSnacks box and I could not get over it. The product is waterproof, but while it is wet you can mix it with water to thin it out and that works just fine. These are so beautiful - I couldn’t help but order a handful more! Their iridescent colors are delightful.

This is another product that I never would have tried if it weren't for ArtSnacks, and yet I was blown away. The colors have an unmatched vibrancy and the ink itself is buttery smooth. These inks also dry super fast and they are water-resistant, so they are perfect for all kinds of mixed-media fun!

These watercolor brushes are the finest quality synthetic brushes I've ever handled. There is absolutely no comparison to other synthetic brushes - they really behave very similarly to real hair brushes.

My other favorite watercolor brushes. I find that these are quite springy and stiff, so they allow me to get very accurate fine lines.

I love this brush for on-the-go watercolor, because there's no need to bring extra water! Just grab the brush and a paper towel. I've even successfully mixed Higgins ink and water in this brush to create my own ink brush pen.

When it comes to white markers or pens, things get real. The Sakura Gelly Roll pen has the finest tip and the most opaque white ink that I have found in any pen without having to move on to ink and brush.

This stuff is great for blocking off white/light spaces when you are doing watercolor. Just make sure you know which one you want … the “colorless art masking fluid” is temporary and you can peel it off when you are done with it while the “permanent masking fluid” will stay on the page once you put it down. (Hint: If you want to do permanent masking fluid, you can mix it with a paint color before applying it, and then other colors that you put over it will not adhere to and change the color of that area)

This is an opaque white paint/ink/dye/?? that I tend to use for highlights. It brushes on nicely but it is a bit thick, so I wait until my paints are dry and then I brush this on where I want shine.