Much like a baker has staples of flour, sugar and eggs in their pantry we as artists need to have our own pantry stocked with items on hand that are our foundation when it comes to creating. Below I’m sharing some of my staples and how I use them.

Make Up Sponges - these are my go to applicators for adding paint and gesso to journals. I love the effect you can achieve from blending paints of different colors using one sponge. I prefer these triangular shaped sponges because you can trim the ends off easily and can continue to use them.

Golden Titanium White Fluid Paint - I 100% use this paint every single time I sit down to create. I use Titanium White to soften bold colors to make them look more like watercolor. I use it to splatter paint, to soften images, to mute print…the versatility of this paint is OUTSTANDING. It’s a little more expensive then some paint but a little goes such a long way.

Dina Wakley Media Acrylic paint in Turquoise, Blackberry, Lemon, Lime and also her Black Gesso. Not only are these paints my go to colors - they are the perfect size for on the go creating. I can easily tuck these in my travel kit. They are also inexpensive. The boldness of color really make my pieces pop and I can add water for a softer hue. The black gesso is absolutely multifaceted. As a gesso it is so creamy and covers smoothly but is also the perfect shade of black for mark making. And I love the glossy finish. I love all of Dina’s paints but the colors above are my must have’s.

Uni Ball Signo White Gel Pen - now these I buy in multipacks. Trust me I have tried many, many, many white gel and paint pens. Hands down these pens, imported from Japan through Amazon are absolutely the best. They are perfect for mark making. They write smoothly over black paint or gesso.

Amsterdam Reflex Rose Acrylic Paint - I love the color of this paint. Used as a highlighter or for mark making, this color gives a pop like no other. I have yet to find a pink that knocks my socks off as much as this one does.

Liquidex White Gesso - I use this for prepping journal pages, tags and vintage playing cards. Gesso is my friend. I use it for lots of prep work but I also use it on some of my pages for added texture. I love the grittiness.

UHU Glue Sticks - If you’ve followed me for a while you know I add words to almost all of my work. It’s very rare not to have words - collaged, stamped, typed, etc on my pages. UHU is the best glue that I’ve found so far. I buy them in multipacks because I have them all over my house in every corner.

This is a very short list of my must have’s. Everyday what I “need” changes but these are staples in my art pantry. I’d love to hear what staples you have in your art pantry. Leave me a comment or send me an email and let me know what products are your must have’s.

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