Let's have a little fun in the studio today. I'm pulling out my top 5 favorite supplies to share with you. These art tools and mediums are simple enough to use for a beginner to see immediate success but also versatile enough for seasoned artists to really push their practice.

What makes a good medium or tool for painting? I'm a minimalist at heart and love when an item at home can be multi-purpose in use and function in many settings. I have the same philosophy when it comes to my studio as well. That's good news! It means all the things I'm about to show you have almost endless possibilities and combinations of uses. So have fun, be creative, and play!

No. 1~ What better place to start with than my ideal painting surface for letting the creativity flow. I love the diversity of materials available now for creative expression and Canson Oil & Acrylic Paper happens to be my most favorite and affordable surface for creative brainstorming.

This is the painting surface that takes a licking and keeps on ticking. Less absorbent than watercolor paper and sturdy as all get out, this paper can handle wet on wet techniques, drips, splatters, scrumbling, dry brushing, and mixed media applications. I even etch with my palette knife by scratching the paper from time to time. It is also a great place to start letting your creative juices out, experimenting with ideas, and still having a finished product at the end.

It can handle several layers of paint and even a repaint as I demonstrated with my “12 Days of Christmas Painting Auction” pieces. They were all remade works painted from and over older finished pieces. To see the paper in action click here and watch my “12 days” & “12 Days Continued” highlights.

A few tricks to keep in mind and things to remember. This is paper after all and needs some attention to water management. Let wet techniques completely dry before moving on to another layer that requires a pointed or harder material, such as palette knife etching, harder chalk pastels, and pencils. I work in batches for this very reason. As one piece becomes too wet, I simply move on to another one while several are drying. By the time I get back around to the first paper it is dry and ready to be worked some more. (Background layers tutorial coming soon!)

What do to if the paper starts to warp? Bowing is a sign that your paper is at wetness capacity and needs to hang out for a bit in the studio and dry out. Once it is completely dry and no longer feels cool to the touch, sandwich the paper between two slips of paper palettes and press with a few heavy books like the good ol' days of pressed wildflowers. It will flatten out quite nicely.

No.2~This paper surface mixed with my next favorite pigment is a dream! I am completely obsessed with the versatility of Acrylic Inks, particularly the Liquitex brand. Use them full strength for unimaginable color or one drop at a time. (One drop from a bottle of ink will open up a whole world of vivid creativity.) They lend themselves to all the watercolor effects with the permanence of acyrlic.

Once the inks are dry they are set and consecutive layers (more ink, paint, pens, pastel, etc.) can go on top without bleeding through or distortion. I typically use inks in the under layers to draw, tint, and increase depth of color. Drop a touch of ink into a puddle of water on the paper for a fantastic translucent gradient or mix with gesso for a more opaque gradient effect. Really the possibilities are endless! I highly encourage taking the time to experiment and really enjoy the process.

No.3~ Let's talk paint! As much as I love a good translucent paint like acrylic inks, I seriously can't resist the luscious buttery texture of heavy body acrylic paint. I have used several brands and each has its pro and cons which will merit another article all on its own.

My current favorites are Golden Heavy Body, Liquitex Heavy Body, Sennilier Abstract (that comes in squeeze bags), and the Martha Stewart Crafts acrylic paints. They range from glossy to matte. I prefer using the less expensive paints (Martha and Sennilier) for my initial paint layers and where I know I will be applying more pastel or paint pens. The matte finish seems to grab onto the mixed media material and give me better line work and details. I save the glossier paints with a stronger opacity (Golden and Liquitex) for my finishing layer of a painting. This saves me dollars as well as creates more layers and depth of texture.

No.4~Mixed Media Supplies are next. These are the sprinkles on top of a cupcake. I am a huge fan of Jane Davenport's line of creative supplies, particularly, the colorsticks. They are creamy, smooth, water-soluble pastels that look and feel like oil pastels but can be manipulated with water for some lovely affects. Also give the colorsticks dryer cousin, the chalk pastel, a go. Smear, blend, mix a little pile of the chalkings with gesso or water and just have a blast. I've even been know to draw right through wet paint for some unique marks. (It's a good idea to fix your chalk layers as you go with a spray fixative.)

No.5~Tools. What wouldn't I do without my hands! They have been with me through thick and thin, paint that is. Don't underestimate the tools already attached to you! Smudge, scratch, blend, and express with those cute digits. Everything comes out in the wash, as they say. But, I do have some favorite brushes that I will probably wear to little nubs of fuzz. I keep multiples on hand. Give me angles brushes, sumi watercolor brushes, and some nice detail and liner brushes and I'm in business. I also like to have an angle palette knife on hand for scraping, scratching, and spreading paint.

So there you have it folks! My top 5 favorite art supplies, (right now). IF you are aching for my secret ingredients to my secret sauce of painting techniques, sign up here (or in the comment section of this post) with my friends and family newsletter list for all the extra exclusive arty goodness.

xox~Melissa