RECOMMENDED SUPPLIES
FOR MARKER+PENCIL MIXED MEDIA ART
Amy uses & recommends these products and tools.
IMPORTANT: Amy not sponsored by art or craft supply companies and does not accept free products.
All materials listed below are things we use regularly in the studio and we know you will find them useful and reliable too. We will not recommend products we’ve never tried. We also consider practicality— We will not recommend anything you will not use enough to justify the cost.
Contains affiliate links to Amazon, Dick Blick, Scrapbook Pal, and other reputable retailers. The use of affiliate links does not affect your purchase price.
Questions? Email: info@vanillaarts.com
Alcohol Markers:
As of 05/2024, we only recommend Copic Markers. After multiple tests of several brands, we do not recommend any other brand of alcohol marker. For a look at the Ohuhu fiasco and why we absolutely do not recommend this brand, see our page on our MarkerNovice website here. We are currently testing Olo Markers and things are looking good. Olo may be our alternative suggestion in the future.
We recommend purchasing colors in small sets and individually. The price per marker is consistent and the large sets contain many rarely used colors.
COPIC SKETCH MARKERS: Amy uses Copic Markers for their unmatched ink quality and for the Copic Super Brush Nib. The Super Brush nib is essential for blending and for coloring the large size images in Amy’s classes. Both Sketch and Ciao style Copics feature the Super Brush Nib.
Classic Copics with the square barrel are NOT recommended for Amy’s classes and courses.
Best Paper for Alcohol Markers:
BEST PAPER FOR BEGINNERS - ADVANCED
BEST PAPER FOR INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED
X-PRESS IT BLENDING CARD - Invented for use with Copics. This is the only self-blending paper we know of. XPI smooths your blends as the paper dries and cures.
XPI is mandatory in Amy’s beginner level classes and The Blend.
STRATHMORE BRISTOL 300 SMOOTH - Amy prefers the 300 Series for Copic + colored pencil projects. Smooth enough for markers with a bit of tooth for colored pencils.
Amy’s intermediate to advanced classes use Strathmore Bristol 300 Smooth. Older classes call for discontinued Cryogen. Please substitute Strathmore Bristol 300 Smooth instead.
Coloring Surfaces:
Do not color with scrap paper or anything absorbent below your coloring paper. You will see instant improvement in your blending when you color over non-porous surfaces like glass, plexiglass, or melamine.
Amy draws and colors on the Martin Universal board.
Slanted surfaces are good for people with the bad habit of hunching over their projects with their nose close to the paper.
Slant desks encourage you to sit taller, viewing your project from a normal distance and allowing free arm & torso movement.
Slanted surfaces also prevent pressing too hard.
The Martin is an investment but it’s a quality surface.
For an economical slant board, we recommend the Visual Edge.
This board is popular with Amy’s in-person students because it’s portable. Most students had them at the last retreat.
This is sold as a child’s desk for reading and may be shown with magnetic letters and numbers for spelling/math practice.
Don’t let the Amazon listing fool you, it’s great for adult coloring too.
OTHER NON-POROUS OPTIONS:
Copic Maintenence:
COPIC REFILL INK:
COPIC REPLACEMENT NIBS:
Copic-Safe Fineline Pens:
Top Detail Pens & Paint:
NOT COPIC SAFE BUT CAN BE USED AS THE TOP LAYER, AFTER THE COPIC LAYERS ARE COMPLETE
Other Copic Accssories:
Copic-safe ink for stamping. Other recommended colors: Angel Pink and Desert Sand. Amy never stamps in black.
Amy fills with Copic Colorless Blender Solution. WARNING: Other brands melt!
Colored Pencils:
Amy teaches with Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Pencils. Purchase the largest set your budget will allow. For more info see article here.
Derwent Lightfast Purple & Violet
Prismacolor 931 Dark Purple has chemistry issues. We use this color in most of Amy’s classes but #931 can leak pink into neighboring colors if you’re not careful. Derwent makes two similar colors with no pink issues. Derwent “Purple” is the closest but Amy may use “Violet” for a cooler push. Purchase openstock and substitute whenever an older course or class calls for Prismacolor 931.
Amy’s Most-Used Prismacolors:
All pencils shown are Prismacolor Premier Soft Core pencils. (Not Col-Erase, Scholar, or Verithin).
More Pencil Options:
Pablo has a harder core, for crisp lines and detail work rather than filling broad areas. Can be mixed with Prismacolor.
Holbein Colored Pencils , 150 ct.
For advanced students only due to the price of these amazing pencils. Can be mixed with Prismacolor.
For advanced students only due to the price of these amazing pencils. Can be mixed with Prismacolor.
Best White Colored Pencils:
Paper for Colored Pencils:
Strathmore Bristol Smooth 400 Series
Fabriano Artistico 140lb. Extra White Hot Press
For Marker + Pencil project, Amy recommends Strathmore 300 or 400 Bristol. 400 is better for pencil focused projects. Make sure it is Smooth, not Vellum surface.
For 100% colored pencil projects, Amy uses Fabriano Artistico Hot Press 140lb. DO NOT buy the blocks if tracing line art. 300lb is overkill for pencils.
Pencil Tools:
This is Amy’s secret to using pencils stubs to .25” long.
Used as gentle eraser.
A note on lightpads: I’ve been through several lightpads in the last decade. The cheaper pads at Amazon are tempting but they all die fast.
I’m currently using Cricut BrightPads— I have both the corded “standard” and the “Go” cordless models. They’re far more durable and have already lasted twice as long… so far.
Amy’s Colored Pencil Storage:
Leather, vinyl, and canvas options.
Distress Ink Background Technique:
Distress Oxides DO NOT WORK with Amy’s background technique!
The half-pump feature on this sprayer makes it worth every penny.
Miscellaneous Art Supplies:
Amy’s current Copic-Safe laser printer is old, discontinued, and refuses to die. It’s an HP M277dw. Easily prints on X-Press It.
Amy uses the Pixma Pro 100 to print on watercolor paper and Bristol up to 13” x 19”. Easily handles heavy duty cardstock.
STUDIO LIGHTS: Amy’s overhead desk lights for drawing and coloring are also her studio lights for filming class videos. They’re controlled by her Mac Desktop.
This setup is likely overkill for anyone not creating videos.
For hobby studios, look for daylight bulbs with dimmers for adjustable brightness. Flexible neck lights are very handy.
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