Our Favorite Art Supplies: Paints, Surfaces, Markers and Colored Pencils Worth Trying

Introduction

After a full year of experimenting, making a mess, and finding new ways to enjoy the process, a clear pattern emerged: some supplies earned a permanent spot on the desk, while others simply never got picked up again. This roundup gathers the favorites that kept coming back into rotation, paints, surfaces, markers, and pencils alike.

It is not an exhaustive lab review. It is a practical list for anyone wondering what to try next, whether you are starting your first painting or looking to add one more tool to a well-stocked studio.

The Paints We Kept Coming Back To

Painting is where most of the year’s time went, and a few paints stood well above the rest. The very first shout-out goes to Stuart Semple’s Unicorn Milk, a translucent paint with a genuine pearlescent shimmer that has found its way into nearly every recent project. It even has a subtle, perfume-like scent rather than a strong paint smell, which makes it a pleasure to work with.

For heavy-duty acrylic work, Golden’s heavy body acrylics are the year’s number one pick. They are ultra pigmented, satisfyingly thick, and carry ASTM lightfastness ratings right on the tube. Some of the year’s largest landscape and floral paintings were done with these, and they never disappointed.

If oils are more your pace, Winsor & Newton artist oil colors remain the reliable choice. Other brands have been tried, but this line keeps pulling us back. A bottle of M. Graham walnut oil is the only additive worth keeping around; these days, less is more when it comes to oil painting mediums.

Sketchbook sessions belong to the Mijello jelly gouache. This little palette is packed with dozens of colors, a little goes a long way, and it has lasted roughly two years of casual use. It needs occasional spritzing with water to stay workable, but the affordability and decent pigment for the price make that an easy trade.

Surfaces, Sketchbooks and Panels

A good paint deserves a good ground, and the surfaces category delivered some genuine standouts this year.

Arteza wood slices earned a month-long obsession. While many brands sell wood rounds, Arteza’s are noticeably smoother out of the bag, and the large multi-piece sets include a nice variety of shapes and sizes. They are ideal for painted ornaments, small gifts, and decorative pieces, especially around the holidays.

Then there are the Ampersand gesso boards, which have been favorites for years and still hold that title. The surface is beautifully smooth, acid-free, and pre-primed with an acrylic gesso, so there is no prep time lost before painting. The six-by-six four-packs get used up quickly, and the cradled larger panels work well too. They suit acrylics best, while the smoother Claybord variant is a nicer match for oils.

The Etchr watercolor sketchbook is a newer discovery, picked up with smooth paper. It holds up impressively well to gouache, and it seems well suited to acrylic experiments too. Paired with a handmade watercolor sketchbook from a small independent maker, the sketchbook corner of the studio is in good shape this year.

For larger work, Blick’s gallery stretch canvases deliver serious quality at a friendlier price than many name-brand canvases, with a thick profile that suits big statement pieces. Canvas-texture paper is another low-commitment option: it mimics canvas feel, holds up well, and accepts more than just acrylic.

Markers, Inks and Brush Essentials

The accessories drawer had its own winners this year.

For customization projects, Posca acrylic paint markers are the go-to. They lay down opaque paint that adheres to all kinds of surfaces, which is exactly what you want for personalizing bottles, cases, and other everyday objects.

Amazon Basics water-based markers turned out to be a genuine surprise. The dual-tip design pairs a bullet nib with a brush nib, and that brush nib in particular performs excellently, making these the favorite water-based markers of the year.

Winsor & Newton inks round out the color department. These inks are intensely pigmented, and they shine when used as a base layer in the sketchbook, then partially covered with gouache so hints of the ink show through. On the craft side, Martha Stewart’s holographic glitter acrylic paints add sparkle to customization work and pair beautifully with the pearlescent paints mentioned earlier.

Finally, brushes. The Princeton Select line handles every type of paint thrown at it, while the Princeton Dakota line, with its distinctive handles, is the preferred choice for oil painting. Butcher trays from the art store make wonderfully simple mixing palettes, especially when covered with a sheet of rubber to keep acrylics workable for days. Martha Stewart’s glitter paints and the Posca markers earn their spots here too.

Colored Pencils at Every Budget

Colored pencils had a strong showing this year, with options at three very different price points.

The budget discovery is Suecolor. A set of 180 pencils for around forty dollars is remarkable, and the colors are genuinely vibrant with pigments that punch above the price. The full color chart printed on the case makes choosing shades easy. For anyone curious about colored pencil work without committing to a premium set, this is the sensible entry point.

Prismacolor remains the soft, creamy middle ground. After a short break from the brand, returning to them confirmed why they have been a studio staple for years: layering and blending feel effortless. The one caveat is breakage, so a lighter hand and careful sharpening go a long way. The 150-pencil set covers an enormous color range.

At the top sits the Caran d’Ache Luminance set of 76. These pencils are very lightfast and still pleasantly creamy and easy to blend, though not quite as buttery as Prismacolor. What truly sets them apart is the packaging: the pencils simply do not break, both in the case and in use. For finished artwork that needs to last, they are the top pick.

Buying Advice

If you are choosing just one thing from this list, start with the medium you use most. Painters will get the most mileage from the Golden heavy body acrylics, while sketchbook artists should look at the Mijello jelly gouache for an affordable, low-pressure way to create. Surface quality matters more than people expect, so pre-primed panels like the Ampersand gesso boards remove a common point of friction. And if colored pencils are your focus, match the tier to your commitment: Suecolor for exploring, Prismacolor for everyday softness, Caran d’Ache Luminance for archival work.

Conclusion

The through-line of this year’s favorites is simple: supplies that make creating easier and more enjoyable earn their place. A pearlescent paint that sparks ideas, thick acrylics that never disappoint, pre-primed panels that save time, and pencils that survive the pencil case all clear that bar. Whatever your medium, there is something here worth trying.