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Paper suitable for Wet Media &
Mixed Media Art
Watercolor paper is the best choice for any and all wet media.
There are 3 types: Cold Press (textured & most common),
Hot Press (smooooth, great for drawings that have lighter washes)
Rough (SUPER textured and hard to find, especially in journals).
Lovely higher quality Cold Press at an affordable price! I use this paper most often.
My favorite go-to for Hot Press paper. Fab for high detail drawings and when I want hard edges and less water.
Rough paper is SO FUN. Not used too often but it's a blast to work on and gives really fun results!
The Cadillac of watercolor paper. 100% Cotton, Heavy weight, very expensive and worth every penny on those special occasions!
This skinny hardback journal is what I use to swatch all of my watercolors in so I have them all in one place. SO handy, especially for travel!
I'm obsessed with this journal. I'm on my 8th one!!
Stocked with heavy-weight cold press watercolor paper, it can handle absolutely anything I throw at it!
I LOVE a square journal. This is my favorite travel journal size filled with high quality, heavy-weight, cold press watercolor paper.
Paper suitable for Dry Media
I'm not too picky about my drawing paper. HOWEVER, certain supplies ARE picky and NEED the right paper
to perform their best for you!
I find alcohol markers to be the TOP PICKIEST! They NEED a smooth, non-porous paper like Bristol to work properly. And using the WRONG paper (like watercolor paper) can even suck all of their ink (YIKES!) and prevent you from being able to blend them at all (FRUSTRATING). I hope this information helps you make art that's EASY so you can have more fun :)
High quality Bristol is widely available at your local craft store but it's much cheaper to purchase it online.
Great all purpose sketch pad. I love that it opens flat. NOT good with markers. Great for all other dry media.
My go-to for Toned Paper when I want to work on brown. Has a wonderful "tooth" to it (meaning texture) that I enjoy working on.
Also has awesome tooth when I'm in the mood for grey. I only use this paper with dry media or gouache.
Paper and tools to help with transferring your designs and drawings.
This brand works so much better than the loose leaf white. A must when transferring onto dark surfaces.
Additional Drawing Aids I love.
Clear Triangles. Invaluable for making perfectly straight vertical and horizontal lines.
Art Supplies in general I'm obsessed with.
One set will last a lifetime. Weighted which feels amazing and helps make confident lines.
Absolutely unnecessary. Absolutely awesome. Replaces a whole pencil set if you use it right!
What can I say? Just works better than everything else! Grab the 3 pack. You won't be sorry!
Absolutely obsessed. Fab for so many things from lovely lashes to painterly details. Watersoluble to blend in with drawings and paintings.
OMG. Comes in a nail polish-like applicator. I make a mess with it. I can't stop painting white highlights over everything!!
Art Beek brush alcohol markers are the cheapest and best Copic alternative. At only 50 Cents a marker, you can afford a big set. Lots to choose from!
These are invaluable. I use these with every single Mixed Media project I create. You can wash and re-use them dozens of times.
My friend Lucy turned me on to these. Great for drawing under watercolor and markers. Erasable too!
Mixed Media Musts
I have a weird obsession and I'm not sorry! A part of every Hamburger Mixed Media project.
I recommend NOT getting the Basics version but to treat yourself to this one. It is nice and thin, the perfect consistency. You are worth it!
Since I purchased these I stopped looking for more. The only set you'll ever need for acrylic painting.
Still working on your design but wish you could lock your dry layers in a little bit? A fixative is what you need. Need a STRONGER hold? Grab the sealer below.
An Acrylic Spray Sealer is awesome if you (1) need to LOCK in your layers to keep working and NOT smear (2) want to protect your artwork when you're done
Pitt Pen Portrait Set. If you can only afford one set of Pitt Pens, these are the ones to get if you enjoy making Mixed Media Portraits.
Pitt Pens. These bad boys are AMAZING over painted and sealed surfaces. You can quickly add details and shading without having to mess around with small brushes.
Gelatos - Best used in the Hamburger. NOTE: color names have changed over the years but these are all of them so this is the correct set.
Gelatos Alternative but please note: while 50% cheaper, they are also 2x reactive so not as ideal and use with caution.
Travel Niceties!
This is completely non-essential but I'm a sucker for real leather and it takes me back in time when I use it (so it's a must).
Obsessed with this. Adorable and fits everything I need. Available in 10 colors - the purple is my favorite.
I got this because it was so pretty and it's even prettier in person. Holds 20+ brushes. It's so handy!
Art Supplies I never leave home without.
Links to Supplies Shown Above
Copic White
Vanish Eraser
Mini Pencil Sharpener
Col-Erase Pencils
Ceramic Palette
Swatch Journal
Sea Sponge
Travel Pouch
Daniel Smith Watercolors I love.
For my FAVORITE watercolor supplies,
I also love...
These are BOLD and I'm loving them. They stain and are more opaque than typical watercolors. Cool product!
A student recently gifted this to me and it's brilliant. If you can only afford one watercolor brush, grab this one. Super affordable and perfect size for just about everything.
I never knew how epic a ceramic palette was until I tried one. LOVE is an understatement and you're helping the planet too!
For my FAVORITE watercolor and ink brushes only Polina Brights for me!
Use Coupon Code KARENCAMPBELL to save 10% off your ENTIRE ORDER!
How about Acrylic Paint?
I've been painting with Lukas Cryl paints since 2011. Great value in LOTS of super fun colors!
I teamed up with Jerry's Artarama to curate 3 different selections of fun colors for you!
This is my Fairy Faces Portraits Kit.
(available in U.S.)
Here is another color combination.
This is my Whimsical Animals Color Selection Kit!
(available in U.S.)
Wanna Grab them All?
I also curated this Kit of Illustrating!
Contains ALL my favorite drawing tools in one awesome package so you can be one and done!
