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Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Holiday Wish List for the Pastel Artist


'Santa Hide and Seek'            12x9       pastel       ©Karen Margulis
available in my Etsy shop. $125

It's that time of year! Have you made an artist's wish list? Perhaps you are starting to think about setting goals for 2019. I always begin the new year with a good studio cleaning and nothing spurs me on better than having to find a home for some new supplies! Here are a few suggestions to get you started on your wish list. I shared this list last year but they are still my most used items in my studio!

1.  Any size Heilman Box. The ultimate gift besides a full set of your favorite pastels is a great pastel box. I use and recommend the Heilman Box. Click here to see my recent review.

2. Any set of Terry Ludwig pastels. The ultimate pastel! This is my favorite pastel brand and any set would be a treat. If you are on a tight budget consider the smallest sets. The 14 Most Requested Violets is fantastic. All sets on sale through December 31. www.terryludwig.com

3. Cretacolor Pencil Lead holder. This fun drawing tool is a great addition to any artist's supply box. Read my recent blog post about this fun tool here. Find it here:https://www.amazon.com/Cretacolor-BC31036-Ergonomic-Lead-Holder/dp/B0049V37C4

4. Analaogous Color Wheel. Everyone who sees me use this color wheel wants one. It is a great tool for helping resolve color problems or choosing a palette for a painting. Read my blog post about the wheel here. http://kemstudios.blogspot.com/2015/11/my-favorite-color-tool-comes-to-rescue.html

5. White Artist Tape and Dispenser.  I can't do without my tape dispenser for my roll of white artists tape. it makes life so mush easier since I use this tape every day! Read all about it here: http://kemstudios.blogspot.com/2012/01/my-most-indispensable-studio-gadget.html
Buy one on Amazon click here.

7. Diane Townsend Pastels. I love all pastels but next to Terry Ludwigs I would have to add some Diane Townsend soft form pastels to my list of favorites. Add a few to your collection! http://www.townsendpastels.com

8. Art Graf Artist Tailor's Chalk. These are not at all like they sound! They are a must have for underpaintings. I love the earth tones and the primary color sets. Read about them on my blog here.
http://globalartmaterials.com/artgraf.php

9. Hand Care Basket. Artist hands take a beating! From handing pastels to the frequent hand washing they need a lot of TLC.  I like to first protect my hands with Gloves in a Bottle barrier cream.  I wash my hands with Lava soap and a nail brush. And finally I apply a good quality had cream. My favorite is Weleda Skin Food.

10. Sketchbook by Hand book Journal Co.  Just in time for starting a sketchbook habit. I love these little sketchbooks. They come interesting sizes that fit easily in your bag. Perfect for sketching on the go! http://www.globalartmaterials.com/travelogue.html

Do you have anything you would like to add to this list? Add them in the comments!

4 comments:

Unknown said...

That's a great list! I've been wondering how you get such neat edges on your tape - I'm getting a dispenser pronto!
I've been using Winsor & Newton Artguard to help protect my hands and help the pastel wash off easier - I really like it.

Kathy Johnson said...

Love the list! I never knew they had a tape dispenser - now, I want one!
P.S. link #10 is not working.

Dave Tennant said...

Hi
Very nice list. On the tape dispenser I would really like to get one but I have a question. I buy my tape in 1 inch wide 60 yard long rolls, that's 2160 inches long.
I haven't been able to find a dispenser for less than $50 that will hold a 60 yard rolls. For example the one you suggest will handle a maximum roll size of 1500 inches, thats a little over 41 yards. Do you use smaller rolls? More art supply places seem to have 10 yard and 60 yard rolls. This has been bugging me for a while so I'd really appreciate your thoughts.

Karen said...

Dave, I buy the white artist tape from Block and it is 60 yards long. It fits just fine in the tape dispenser I got on Ebay. It is a bit snug at first but it does fit.