Six Creator-Made Art Supplies Tested: Sketchbooks, Pencils, Paint and Washi Tape

Introduction

Independent artists increasingly put out their own art supplies, and some of them are genuinely good rather than just merchandise with a name slapped on. This roundup covers six products from six different creators: a heavyweight sketchbook, a set of pencils, a digital anatomy reference bundle, a character-themed paint set, a dedicated brush kit, and decorative washi tape. Each one was actually used to make a piece of art, so the notes below reflect real handling, not just unboxing impressions.

Nerdforge Classic Elven Sketchbook

This is a beefy notebook in the best sense. The Classic Elven Sketchbook ships with 200 pages, costs $32.99, and arrived in about two weeks. It even comes in a dust bag, which feels like a designer touch you do not expect from a sketchbook. The cover design fits the fantasy theme with shiny gold foil on top, and the interior carries the brand’s logo.

The standout detail is the paper. It is thick enough that a marker applied in two coats did not bleed through and did not even show on the reverse side of the page, which is genuinely rare at this page count. A fabric bookmark is built in so you never lose your place. Anyone who works with markers or heavy media should take this paper seriously.

Artistic Bear Co Pencils

At five dollars for the set, these pencils are arguably the best value item in this roundup. They arrived in under two weeks in their own custom box, and every pencil is color coordinated to match the brand’s channel colors, with little sarcastic sayings printed along the barrels. It is a small thing, but the cohesiveness makes the set feel considered rather than generic.

Performance matters more than looks, and these deliver where cheap pencils usually fail: the erasers actually erase graphite instead of smudging it around the page. That alone puts them ahead of most budget pencil sets. Sharpened up, they handle like a normal everyday drawing pencil, which is exactly what you want at this price.

Jazza Anatomy Book Digital Bundle

The anatomy bundle from Jazza’s website is a digital download, bought on sale for $12.95, and it arrived instantly. You get two files: the anatomy book itself and a large collection of reference photos, literally hundreds of them.

The book is well structured. The contents walk you through what you need to know in a sensible order, and the tone is written the way the artist himself talks: simple, light-hearted, and not intimidating. For beginners who find anatomy tutorials overwhelming, that approachability is a real selling point. The reference photo library is the other half of the value, offering clear, well-lit poses you can build any drawing around.

Moriah Elizabeth Paint Set

This is the set that inspired the whole roundup. For $34.99 you get a case, paints, brushes, and dotting tools, and it shipped quickly, arriving in five days. The detail here is genuinely out of the ordinary. The outer case uses a muted rainbow scheme, and because the case is canvas, you can keep using it as a paint holder long after the original paints are gone.

Every paint pot is styled as one of the artist’s own characters, and each color has a customized name. The included brushes and dotting tools follow the same signature muted palette, and the swatches themselves are muted and pastel, quite unlike a standard bright craft paint set. Working with this palette genuinely pushes you to color-mix and think differently, because the shades are unlike typical paint sets. Other paint sets exist, but none look or feel like this one.

Artistic Bear Co Five-Piece Mint Paint Brushes

The same brand behind the pencils also makes its main product: paint brushes. The five-piece mint set costs $35 and the difference against a genuinely cheap brush is visible immediately. These have smoother, finer bristle quality, and the mint green color matches the brand’s overall look.

No brush kit pleases every artist, since everyone has different preferences, but the variety across the five pieces was well chosen, covering the shapes most painters reach for daily. If you are upgrading from a bargain-bin multipack, this is the kind of set that makes the difference obvious the first time you lay down a stroke.

Mirablier Washi Tape

The last item is washi tape from Mirablier, priced at $4.14 each and delivered in about two weeks. The packaging deserves a mention: a cute printed box with the artist’s name, a personal card with contact info for any problems, and bonus items including a small notebook, art stickers, and a pencil case. Everything in the package was designed by the artist herself.

The tape rolls themselves are adorable and easy to use for decorating pages, journals, and craft projects. At this price they are an easy add-on purchase, and the presentation makes them a nice small gift for a crafty friend.

Overall Buying Advice

If you want one functional upgrade, the sketchbook is the pick, because marker-safe thick paper is hard to find. If you want maximum value, the pencils at five dollars are nearly risk-free. The paint set is the most fun and the most distinctive, but it suits people who actually enjoy a muted, characterful palette rather than standard bright colors. The brushes are a sensible upgrade for anyone still using low-quality multipacks, the digital anatomy bundle is a strong beginner-friendly reference resource, and the washi tape is a low-cost treat.

Conclusion

Every product in this roundup was clearly designed by people who actually make art, and it shows in the details: marker-proof paper, erasers that erase, a reusable canvas case, and cohesive color schemes carried through every component. Match the product to your actual need and none of these will feel like a gimmick purchase.