My Biggest Art Supply Regrets! (2024 Edition)

[@winterwoodsstudio]

The first 500 people to use my link skl.sh/winterwoodsstudio12241 will get a 1 month free trial of Skillshare!🧡

[@donnad7373]

I'd like to peruse their site before signing up. You still have to give them a credit card.

[@SilverFoxForestsDesigns]

but are those courses in the free area?

[@donnad7373]

​@@SilverFoxForestsDesigns All courses are available in the free trial, but, you still have to put in a credit card and cancel before the 30 days are up. Otherwise, it's a monthly fee. Skillshare always have a 30 day free trial. Sge probably gets a commission if people sign up for a paid subscription. Standard sponsorship deal.

[@Dita66]

@@SilverFoxForestsDesignsI think skilshare is payd. So for one month you can look at al courses.

[@loati94]

I thankfully don't regret anything I've bought so far. I only regret not using my supplies more often

[@askialuna7717]

Same Me too.

[@robertawestbrooks9531]

Same here, I am still learning art😢

[@soniccookie655]

There have been some things I bought that I didn’t really like, but I don’t regret buying them because now I know I don’t like them.

[@janice2992]

​@@robertawestbrooks9531 I want to learn art.

[@Schatzie301]

I’m so sorry to hear about your health scare with the pastels. I didn’t know about the cadmium issue but in case you still want to use pastels, Pan Pastels are certified cadmium free. Also Faber Castell Pitt Pastel pencils are also certified free of toxic substances or heavy metals. Cadmium yellow, etc, are just names and there is no cadmium in the actual pencil. Praying you will get good news with your next scan.

[@janetlundstedt9350]

Didn’t know that either. Might release some of my cadmium based products. Scary

[@lindatannock]

I honestly thought the issue with cadmium was in oil paints only! I've never heard anyone mention pastels having actual cadmium in them tbh. Good to know.

[@christinehebiton4126]

Cadmium is in many products including garden fertilisers check ingredients. Cadmium gets recognised by the body as calcium and then gets into bones too. I know this because my husband tested for it some yrs ago and resulted in low calcium levels in his bones. He also developed altered T cell lymphoma due to Cadmium it was believed at the time.

[@Fierythefaerie]

Am I so ignorant that I didn't know cadmium was in art supplies???

[@Schatzie301]

@ I think most manufacturers are no longer using it. At least I hope that’s the case.

[@jackwerner6990]

Hi! I have been watching your channel for about 4 months. You are the sweetest person and very honest about your life and your Art. Looking forward to 2025. I need to say, I am getting back into art, after stopping for work and family. It is never too late! Ian 81 years old, art still makes me happy. “Happy New Year”

[@elizabethandiosa4579]

Fantastic. Youre right not too old

[@kittenandgoat]

did you know that you can iron your paper? It will flatten and tighten the surface to work on. As a calligrapher I do this all the time to get a better surface to take the ink

[@lumay333]

That is an awesome suggestion 😊I will try it today.

[@Art_by_Nicole]

Which ‘heat’ do you use for that?

[@MSerhasNOfilter]

Thank you 😊! Great tip!

[@Angel-rq3pi]

​@@Art_by_Nicolelowest "silk" setting is usually safest.

[@samstewart9249]

Yes, in fact you can iron your paintings flat. Been doing it for years. I use a clean pillowcase to put the painting in, steam the back side to soften the back of the paper, cover with a flat surface and weight, let it dry. I have also used this to recover damaged photographs.

[@sandynesbitt4972]

I have no regrets for this year. In the past, W & N watercolor markers were definitely NOT my jam & I gave them away to a child who would enjoy them more. I also need to stop thinking I’m going to add in new hobbies like painting rocks with Posca markers. Watercolor, oils and ink & drawing are enough mediums for me.

[@newtowatercolor]

You can sell all the art supplies you don't use anymore (of course the good ones, not the broken copics). There is always a huge demand for second hand art supplies because people are finally realizing that we don't have to like everything that we want to try and we don't have to neither just hold on because we spend money on it nor toss them because we don't use them. That way you can get at least some of the money back and reinvest it into things you enjoy. 🙂 I'm sure there are plenty of people that would love to have the pastels or markers 🙂.

[@samstewart9249]

Or donate them to local schools art programs.

[@rhoward295]

If she’s afraid the used paints have caused (or in some way contributed to her cancer), why would she give them to somebody else? I would guess that’s what she is thinking, perhaps. 🤔

[@meikahidenori]

Was about to say kindergartens LOVE good supplies ​@@samstewart9249

[@lynnfarrington8651]

Dear Amy, I'm so sorry, I love soft pastels too, but it was one of the warning my friends gave me, so I turned to watercolour and try to avoid a cadmium shades. I pray that it not cancer. Much love being sent your way. Please take care of yourself. Your channel is an amazing resource xx

[@Angel-rq3pi]

Cadmium shades no longer have cadmium in them. They just didn't change the names ...

[@unboundbytiffany]

​@@Angel-rq3piexactly. Only a few select brands still have tiny amounts of cadmium in them and there's a warning on them if so. And usually you have to basically eat it or get into your mouth etc to have it absorbed enough to cause damage. I would however not purchase the cheap ones off Amazon temu etc. Def don't trust those at all but higher quality brands from Jackson's, Dakota pastels etc will have their cadmium colors no longer using actual cadmium (same with cobalt etc) with few exceptions and they have huge warnings across them at every step. ❤️

[@Narja23]

​@@Angel-rq3piit depends a lot on the countries and brands : there's no worldwide regulation on this, unfortunately, chinese brands for example (like himi and paul rubens still had cobalt and cadmium last time i checked one or two years ago, and as they are cheap enough, a lot of beginners have these) 😢

[@LUCKEY11202.]

Sorry,about your recent health scare. I had a health scare myself, I did have Cancer and now I get scans every 3 months. I’m Thinking of trying my hand at watercolor at some point. Oh, I do love the Posca pens,but I use them with acrylic paint. Thank you, for sharing your time❤

[@ArtMusicLife15]

I’m so sorry for your health scare - it must be very difficult to have to wait 6 months for the results! Praying that all goes well. Thank you for all that you do.

[@Kreative_Rainbow]

I'd love to hear what you purchased this year that you fell in love with!! 💞 I'm sorry you have another health issue. Prayers... 🙏

[@winterwoodsstudio]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate the prayers! 💖 it's been a year. I'm actually feeling better about this now but when it first happened late this spring I was pretty down about it. I'm just not really thinking about it now, except for trying to be more careful with my supplies! Thank you for your continued support! It means a lot to me!

[@Kreative_Rainbow]

@winterwoodsstudio You're are very welcome!! 🥰 I'm a bit tired of 2024 too!! 🤦‍♀️ Time to turn a new page for a better healthier year!! 🤗😍

[@FuzzyDoxie]

The colors are too bright

[@dech4548]

I’m so sorry to hear about your health scare! I love soft pastels but I was too broke 2 years ago and had to sell my $2500 box full of them, I regret it so much now! wish I had the money to buy them all over but after 2 strokes I can’t work anymore! So sad 😢

[@WedittsPlaythings]

That is heart-breaking. I am so sorry both for your health and for your lost art supplies.

[@JringArt]

Thank you for this discussion. I wish there was more on utube about art supply regrets. My regret is a set of 40 Neocolor II crayons. I mainly do landscapes. There are a lot of bright colors in the set that I don't need, and I had to buy a couple extra colors that weren't included. I should have just bought individual colors, which is what I did for Derwent Inktense pencils, and that is working out great.

[@shutterbird13]

Once Ohuhu brought out their refillable markers, I gave up on Copic. I just can't justify the cost since coloring is just a hobby for me. I'm so sorry to hear about your health scare. My husband also has Crohn's, along with psoriatic arthritis, and I have rheumatoid arthritis... We know all about constantly going to the doctor. The limitations that come along with using immune suppressants are frustrating... And sometimes a surprise (which is always super fun). I hope everything turns out well for you!

[@jemmavonhoff1548]

I bought my poscas for mixed media but not an underlayer but more for a final layer, as strong pops of colour and highlights.

[@marysuze]

That is how I. Use them too.

[@jennyc1846]

Hi I'm in Australia and have been using Posca pens for about 10 years now. The most frustrating thing I found is that they dry out quite quickly especially the white for some reason. I mainly use the fine point PC-1MR for fine detail work like eyes, feet on an acrylic painting for this they are great..Occasionally I will use a thicker one but again for outlining or detailing etc

[@jemmavonhoff1548]

@jennyc1846 Hey, I'm from Australia too. Brissie girl. Maybe a silly question, but have you tried pushing the pen tip into some scrap paper until the ink flows again?

[@jennyc1846]

@@jemmavonhoff1548 Hi Jemma thanks for your reply, sorry I'm so slow replying don't go much for KZbin other than checking out art sites. Yes I do push the tip but nothing seems to come out sometimes?? empty not always and the white is the worse.. maybe they don't put so much in because we all use them. I also only use them for highlights and finer detail like eye lashes or the light on an eye, buttons etc.. tiny stuff...and yeh they can certainly flood sometimes!! Hope you are coping with the wild weather on the east coast? We're having a heatwave this week..not fun, roll on winter..

[@jemmavonhoff1548]

@jennyc1846 Ahh I'm lovin the heat! I might be the only Australian here that's enjoying it 😂

[@brendawhaley7094]

Happy New year. I have to tell you my son got me 120 water color pencils for Christmas and in a beautiful peacock tin called castle. I love it

[@heybev41360]

Oh dear, my art instructor warned our class about pastels & wearing gloves, however, I didn't know about the dust & breathing it in. It should have dawned on me, but it didn't. Thank you for sharing this important information!

[@KathyTincler]

Being a super newbie and brand new to all things art:', I appreciate vids like yours. They help me to remember to stop and think, to evaluate what artists are saying about certain products before I go off willy nilly buying the whole art store LOL. I'm a fan and subby of yours. Thanks much for this vid!

[@jennyc1846]

Hi Kathy welcome to the art world and what an expensive world it is.. do remember to work within your budget...yes rule number one might be to go to an art store if you can and try a few of these things before you buy. Look for sales. Don't race off and get what you see on these videos as many of these presenters (and I'm not talking about anyone in particular) have products sent to them to try and to demo.. they don't always have to spend their own money but you will have to...maybe buy some of these products 2nd hand even if its to test them out.. don't be afraid to ask some of these video presenters if they have older stock they no longer use that they might sell to you..eg ask Amy if she wants to sell the stuff she doesn't like or cant use.. you might not have the same health issues she has so might not have a problem with them, you can help each other out.. happy 'arting' and cheers from Western Australia

[@KathyTincler]

@@jennyc1846 Thank you.

[@michellecampbell4194]

They should be made to reveal the pigments by law. Also why don’t companies just stop using poisons in their pigments?

[@Marcobunny]

In California there's a law to put warnings on products with harmful pigments. I remember getting a prismacolor pastel set and seeing the warning but couldn't figure out which colors it was for at the time.

[@saundraweed9738]

If they are made in China anything goes no matter what’s on the label.

[@michellecampbell4194]

@ ugh. Right?! I wonder about California because they're so strict about labeling possible carcinogens.

[@samstewart9249]

Maybe it's to anger you? There are purists out there that may want to use real cobalt blue. All dangerous pigments are indeed labeled( it's a law) and if ones uses care there is minimal danger. I'm not too concerned as I know how to protect myself. I don't stick brushes in my mouth, I wash my hands and don't feed them to kids or pets. Please allow me to paint my way without one's personal restrictions! Thanks!

[@mothinman6313]

I know some pigments are still made with harmful substances because they just don’t really have a perfect alternate. Lead white for example. Other white paints are more cool tinted while lead white is more warm toned. This is on top of a few other properties like paint drying times, opacity, and lightfastness of a pigment can all explain why supplies still may be made with toxic materials. I do agree that they should have to disclose what the pigments are made with for this reason though. It’s one thing to understand that a material you’re working with is toxic and you feel properly equipped to mitigate that risk. But it’s a completely different thing when you are unknowingly working with toxic materials.

[@MadebyDawn23]

Your Winsor and Newton looked like Faber Castell Albrecht Durer Watercolour Markers. Thank you so much for sharing

[@winterwoodsstudio]

Lol! Yup. I have luke 8 faber castell and three winsor and newton's and I had a brain freeze and only said winsor and newton. But I regret them all equally! Thanks for watching!

[@thecrowuknow]

Sorry to hear about your cancer scare. I hope it turns out okay. Lucky you were able to find out about it early but unfortunate about the Chrone's :( My stepmom has it so I'm aware of how Crone's it can be to live with. Best wishes to you for the new year.

[@eleanortaylor4389]

My biggest regret was getting Arches cold press paper in a big roll. I never could get the paper to straighten out and lie flat. I will never get watercolor paper in a roll again, lol!

[@conkrotwife]

Good to know, I’ve been tempted to buy the roll!

[@eleanortaylor4389]

@conkrotwife It just didn't work out for me at all. You have to soak it and stretch it and it still buckled even when I did that.

[@PerfectlyImperfectColour]

I would've never expected to read that! I actually bought the Baohong academy cold pressed watercolor paper in a roll and loved it so much i bought another as back up! This is the cold pressed, not hot pressed like Amy was speaking on. I haven't even had to stretch mine and i found the buckling to be minimal! I just precut a few different size and stuck them under some books on my desk and a few days later when i needed them they were perfect. If i did notice some slight buckling due to a painting that i used a ton of water on, id repeat the same process and it lies completely flat! I wish amy would have tried the roll in cold pressed. I think she would have liked it.

[@k4veesh]

you can iron paper, might help if you struggle with this issue again

[@eleanortaylor4389]

@PerfectlyImperfectColour Hmm, maybe I should try the Baohong cold press paper.

[@jackiblair7932]

1st time viewer. Glad I stumbled on to you. Appreciate the information.

[@VorpalPlayer]

Swimming against the tide here. I love Baohong hot press paper for watercolor and dislike Arches. The colors are crisp and clear, paint granulates beautifully, and it takes a lot of water over and over. Arches sucks in the paint and everything looks dull to me. Not sure if I am using the Western or the Asian paper-I get it from Temu or AliExpress.

[@reneechelsawatercolors]

I'm fortunate enough to not regret too many purchases this year, but I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that I've learned what I actually use from previous years. Some regrets I've had is neocolor pastels ( I WANT to like these, but can't seem to find a way to get them to translate into my art), brush markers ( I only enjoy a couple colors, as base layers in my work), and acrylic gouache (this one I can see changing with more exploration though). Thanks for your video!

[@happypappy]

I don’t have too many regrets because I started cautiously and tried to watch videos and get info as I reignite my love for watercolor. I very quickly realized I probably bought more brushes than I need, but what artist doesn’t, right?!? When it comes to watercolor, over and over I hear that it doesn’t take many brushes. And it’s true. It’s just that different good artists disagree on which few those should be. And Blick had the brands recommended on great sales before Christmas in sets. The problem isn’t so much that I spent too much, but having a lot of brushes can be confusing. Thanks for your video. If anything, it just reminds me to proceed with caution! I work at Hobby Lobby so the temptation to buy too much is readily available! lol!

[@TracieWho]

I sold ALL my soft pastels because I could not get over the dust issues with them. All I could think about when using them were the heavy metals suspended in the air while I breathed. Speaking of selling things, you can probably sell your copics - you would never recoup your money but you would be able to get some. Or just use them up and toss them when you are done. It's a shame that Ohuhu doesn't have a bigger selection of refills. I ran out ink in 4 of my markers recently and not a single one of them had a refill available. I was able to get black. I am supplementing with a few Olo markers and I really like them. Oh my goodness they blend well! The only draw-back to Olo's are that they don't have a bullet nib like my Ohuhus do. I love the brush/nib combo. It seems like the only thing we disagreed on was the Poscas. I love my Posca markers and use them almost daily. Granted, it's usually white/black/navy blue/turquoise/ & gold, but I am sure I will find more uses for them. My set of 6 (or 8?) FC watercolor markers just sit in the cupboard for the same reasons. And I also really dont like the BaoHong Artists grade paper. I hadn't use it a lot, but I quickly learned that the Academy paper was far more pleasant to use. At any rate, I hope the New Year finds you and yours healthy. Here's to learning lessons about supplies and moving on knowing what we don't want ! lol Thanks for the info!

[@katiehanrahan5293]

Thank you for this video!! It will save me some $$ in the future. I didn’t buy many art supplies in 2024 and those I did, I really like (Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolors and Princeton watercolor brushes). I really appreciate your honesty with all the supplies you use and show us - it helps so much!

[@Ladycrafty6]

I too love the Kuretake Gansai watercolors along with the Rueben’s! ❤

[@katiehanrahan5293]

@@Ladycrafty6 I will have to try the Rueben’s. I also love Daniel Smith watercolors.

[@Anonymoi]

I grew to love the Faber-Castell watercolor markers - bought a bunch open stock and then bought more. BUT, I agree with the assessment that they are almost all very saturated. I had to use them differently from how I had originally planned to and I am also very careful about the paper I use them on. I have a technique I use with them specifically and only use them for plein air work. Things I regret buying - full set of Neocolor II, Kuretake Gamsai Tambi paints (two sets), large set of Sennelier oil pastels. These are all GOOD to GREAT products, but I already have so many art supplies and just don’t use these.

[@winterwoodsstudio]

I got two of the gansai tambi sets this year too and haven't used them much. Someone told me they weren't as lightfast as they advertise to be and I keep meaning to test them in my window. If they fade as bad as I have heard, I will add them to my regrets list! Thanks for watching and commenting!

[@lark6676]

Inktense blocks if you have the pencils, you don't need the blocks too. Michael Harding watercolor paint...it never sets up and dries well in the pans so I can't put it in a travel palette and feel comfortable about taking it out with me. Gel pens.... so frustrating always drying out and they look full, but you can't get anything out of them. All the budget brand-colored pencils I've bought.... if I had it to do over, I would only buy the pro brands that you can get open stock for. I love these kinds of video they are so helpful. For me it's not even the money I've spent it's that I just hate having supplies hanging around that will never be used.

[@lesleyegbert4807]

Agree on the budget colored pencils. Very few of them are worth it.

[@debrabartman6749]

I agree that the gel pens dry out and can’t be used even though they look full.

[@hrt2art]

I get so frustrated with gel pens. They are inconsistent and unreliable!

[@SharonFoster852]

Right there with you on the colored pencils and watercolor pencils. I also have sketchbooks that I used once and found weren't right for me. I've given gently used supplies to a local art school, and this year my library held an arts & crafts supplies exchange that I donated a lot of stuff to.

[@benamisai-kham5892]

I stopped using gel pens a while ago and just replaced it with a fine tip white paint pen...saves so many headaches! I was so sick of my gel pens not coming out correctly; either scratchy or the ink all spreads to the sides and leaves the middle blank.

[@aboyd-y3m]

Gloves and a mask might help with pastels. I used oil pastels and mixed them with turpintine. Mixed with pallet knives and painted with a very hard brushes. I used small sized watercolour papers that I gessoed, due to the oils in the pastels. The end results can have many different textures depending or how you thin the oil pastel.

[@sherryfurr9115]

Interesting. I have Arches, Fabriano, Saunders, Winsor and Newton, Kilimanjaro and Hahnemuhle paper and my absolute favorite is Baohong, both the student grade and artist grade. It is such a personal thing to each artist.

[@paulak.williams578]

I'm so glad KZbin suggested you channel. I found this video very informative and I will subscribe. I'm from Barbados and I too have Crohn's, so sorry to hear about your health scare, went through something similar 4 years ago. ❤

[@hrt2art]

Thank you for this video! Sometimes I (many times) I buy supplies I think I have to have because I've watched a tutorial in which they are used. However, that said, I could get by with a lot less. The supplies I bought that don't use (nothing wrong with them - just not for me) are Stabilo Woodies, Dylusions spray inks and the $82 bundle of Color Cubes. I don't really use the Color Cubes - I can get color palettes much cheaper elsewhere. That was probably my biggest mistake. So sorry about your health problem. Take care and keep posting videos.💕

[@audreydixon5776]

I was looking at the color Cubes to buy but seen the price and took a pass on them. What other color palettes do you use?

[@the_art_feline]

For me.... I bought a lot of stuff this year, but I've only just started buying art supplies since I kinda got back into art last year... so regrets are few. One is that I bought the secind largest of a certain watercolor set and a cheap acrylic marker set instead of the biggest. Another is not buying dip pens soon enough! Those are phenomenal. I vaguely regret getting this specific set of soft pastels because they arent great-good, but could be softer. Aside, I regret a certain couple sketchbooks which just didn’t work great (like, erasing damaged the paper way too much) but luckily those were cheap ones anyways (I'd bought ones for the same price that work pretty well tho so imma stick to those from now)

[@gigiartstudiowithartistvir3919]

Arches has the market cornered on professional water color paper. I've tried 20 different brands so far and they can't compete. I started making my own sketch books and I put the cheaper paper in them so I'm at least getting use out of the massive collection of cheap paper I've accumulated. Watercolor and soft pastels are the mediums I work in most but I do think I need to start wearing gloves and a respirator with the pastels. Another way you can use your pastels and not have to worry about the fine dust as much, is to work with them outside when the weather is nice.

[@winterwoodsstudio]

I totally agree about the paper. I keep trying other brands, not liking it as much, and then regret spending the money on them! I should make some sketchbooks with the cheaper paper! Thanks for the idea and for watching!

[@JA-ed1tj]

Do not blow the dust while using soft pastels. Keep a trash van close by and tap you project over the trash can occassionally.

[@suzisandpiper]

I used soft pastels at school for my art exams and got back into it, but I’ve had problems with my lungs in later life so thought carefully about using them again, as lively as they are. I concluded use outside and wearing a mask would be wise. I do love working in watercolour as well and mostly stick to that and colour pencils as being the cleanest mediums to work with.

[@benamisai-kham5892]

After hearing all of this about pastels, it almost makes me glad I never got into using them after using them in school. Oil pastels are fun sometimes but I prefer paints and I think I might keep it that way 😂

[@AriellaKK]

Very helpful to know, I love reviews! I had no idea about the soft pastels, thanks for all your tips on the art supplies. I hope that your health improves and all is okay.

[@winterwoodsstudio]

I appreciate the kind words. It's been a wild year! Thanks for taking the time to watch and comment!

[@Julie-vy3oz]

These types of vids are so helpful -artist-to-artist. Thanks. I think my “regrets” might be soft pastels; I just don’t use them enough, heavy body acrylics; I like the soft body paints from Liquitex much better- I find them much easier to use, Acrylic gouache; I just find if I want Matte, I prefer regular gouache. And finally, Poscas, other than the white ones; I just don’t get enough use from them but follow a few artists who make them work brilliantly!

[@jobjehaaijman1871]

I have tested over 30 types of watercolorpaper recently. First it is good to know that Baohong has made different 100% cotton watercolor paper for the Westen market and they have original watercolor papers that were originally meant for their Asian market. You are using the latter ones. From those I can say that rough, cold and hotpressed performed so much better than their artist line. The artist paper is really hard to work with. The coldpressed artist version has a intense absorption of water but so insane that you hardly can make a brush stroke on dry paper, as it directly sucks up all there is in your brush. You can work wet in wet, but it needs a lot of wetting. The hotpressed feels indeed like there is a lot of cellulose in it. Then there is their paper for the western artist called Baohong Masters choice. The performance of that paper is much better. I have best looked at the cold pressed paper. I liked it, but it reactivates a bit easier when glazing compared for example to Arches and even more compared to waterford. That can be a problem. However I still feel that their asian student grade paper performed better then Baohong Masters choice.

[@riverAmazonNZ]

If you want subdued colours in an acrylic paint marker Molotow might interest you. They recently added 24 new colours so the range is pretty good.

[@aprilkurtz1589]

Hey there, I'm an amateur watercolorist. I also have to go for cancer scans every six months, I had a really rare cancer. I just wanted to wish you good luck on your next scan! I have faith that you will be fine.

[@renaem5275]

Great informative video! Thank you. Hope everything is good with your scan

[@marcialoofboro306]

I agree with the acrylic pens I bought, I have 3 different kinds. Some my tips don't last so I can maintain a fine line, I don't have the greens I would like, they are hard to blend, the whites can be very transparent. I did use them for painting rocks and found them more useful that way than trying to do a painting. You have to be quick to blend, I had painted The Art Sherpa's unicorn tutorial and did get the opal coloring with numerous layers, but when doing her tree study of a pine tree with snow, the white for the snow just didn't get where I wanted it color wise. I buy most of my supplies off Amazon because of where I live, and I have lots of brushes because I have bought sets of things, or I wanted a wax pencil and end up buying a doz when I want one or two. I do try to read reviews though. I do enjoy your channel, I found you today.

[@Wildwoodenfull]

My regrets are probably the Rockwell self evolving watercolors 😅 for the amount of money I spend I rarely enjoy them 🙈🙈🙈 wish you all the best for the new year and especially health wise. I can’t wait to see all the new videos next year ❤

[@ryannemillard7483]

I regret buying my Copics too. I bought the small skin tone set and actually found I prefer the how the Ohuhu markers feel and the nibs are much more suited to how I use them. One of them was dry and cracked right off the bat and I just feel like it was a "waste" of $45. However, I got the full set of Faber Castell Albrect Durer pencils on black Friday and that purchase was worth every penny!

[@benamisai-kham5892]

I never bought them after the price made a drastic jump many years ago. I feel relieved after hearing how many people aren't liking them as much anymore, I was almost swayed after everyone on KZbin had been hyping them up but just couldn't afford them...I guess they just aren't worth the price anymore with such good competition!

[@melissaaldosari8024]

I’m so sorry Amy. I hope and pray for everything to be alright. You’ve just had so many health problems this year. Things just have to get better! 💜💜💜

[@TheRealLauraB]

Wish I never bought Spectrum Noirs. On a similar subject-I’d love shop your stash videos and make art from forgotten, past-loved supplies

[@winterwoodsstudio]

I've got a couple videos up like that already but it would be super fun to make more! Thanks for the idea! And for taking the time to watch!

[@TheRealLauraB]

@ i have watched them. Inspired me to do a studio reset. Gather, test, clean, organize and sadly throw away some supplies.

[@Sabrina-v6w8z]

The pigments from schmincke softpastels are listet at the end of ther safety data sheet. Jaxell says they do not use cadmium, lead, metal or cobalt. Maybe you can find another brand. And I hope you get well soon.

[@winterwoodsstudio]

Yeah. I knew about the schmoke and I have a few of them but they are just so dang expensive! I might switch to them someday but I don't have the funds right now. I have never heard of Jaxell! I will havr yo check them out!. Thanks for watching!

[@andreatschammer8261]

@@winterwoodsstudio Sennelier gives pigment information for their soft pastels. I am not sure, if you can find it on their website, but they have a flyer. BLOCKX does not use cadmiums and cobalts. Maybe this is helpful.

[@brackalack1]

Jacksons soft pastels list the pigments and lightfast ratings. If you're not sure maybe just pick a few? You can make up your own sets though. Not as soft as Unison, but still nice.

[@askialuna7717]

Rembrandt doesn't use Cadmium and Cobalt ether.

[@potatopirate5557]

I'm sorry about your health issues, I have a lot of experience with similar problems. I'm not the most knowledgeable here but I believe never blowing but wrapping in trash bag and tapping, wearing gloves and the correct kind of properly fitted respirator and/or working out of doors would be sufficient. For extra caution, you could have certain clothes reserved for it that you wash after and also take a quick shower. What I'm saying is that the artform clearly has a great deal of medicinal value for you in terms of the joy and form of expression it provides, and the risk is minimal; so i believe its worth looking into what protective measures could allow you to continue doing it. Good luck with it, i understand your trepidation but if you can eliminate more of the risk, its probably worth continuing. The work you make with them is wonderful. Edit- also, depending on the particle size and because of the lack of aerosol or projectant, you might be able to use an N95 or maybe even cloth mask. I bet that's a searchable fact. Hope that helps. Edit edit- yup, OSHA has a fact sheet on it.

[@audreydixon5776]

I had to be OSHA certified working on the Ambulance. The mask had to be fitted and tested to make sure it worked. You can't do that at home. Also a N-95 is only good for 20 minutes before the mask starts to break down from moisture. Then it becomes a N-90, N-85, N-80, and so on pretty quickly after that. If you have a respiratory illness you will breath back in those viruses and bacteria that your body is trying to get rid of. Cloth Mask are junk and do more harm than good. "Respirators and breathing masks are often recommended for pastelists, but they can provide a false sense of security and even be harmful in some cases. The physical stress caused by breathing through a respirator may be dangerous for people with certain heart and lung diseases, or for women who are pregnant. Plus, respirators are made to fit the average face, and many people can’t find one that sufficiently conforms to their own face. If the device doesn’t fit, it doesn’t work. To wear a mask or respirator, consult your doctor about the breathing stress, then get yourself professionally fit, tested and trained in the use and limitations of the gear." www.artistsnetwork.com/magazine/is-your-pastel-studio-safe/

[@loati94]

@@potatopirate5557 I am sensitive to pastels and get an itchy throat. I use the same masks we used when covid, the Fp2 and that alone stops my itchiness and can use pastels comfortably. My logic is that if those masks are enough to help prevent an invisible virus, they should be enough to prevent actual visible dust particles. And since my throat doesnt itch, I think it works enough

[@wolfmoondreamingmim]

Amy, I'm so sorry that you're going through this health scare and I wish you excellent health, and the most fantastic health care individuals/team for 2025. 💗Thank you for all of the information and now I know which Baohong watercolour paper to try! The only regrets for myself with art supplies so far are any brand cheap paint brushes that shed into your painting.

[@rbrindle1]

I really love GenCrafts watercolor papers, both the standard and the 100% cotton. So I felt safe buying their gouache set. Wrong! It was like trying to paint with slime. Non-opaque, weird colored slime. To stop myself from being tempted to continue to try to make the paints work, I marched them directly to the trash can.

[@paintbyfaith9080]

I think you meant to say you regretted buying the Faber Castell watercolor markers, instead of Winsor Newton. But I agree…watercolor markers are fun to play with, but in my opinion don’t work well for a serious watercolor project…they’re too saturated to get subtle flow of colors.

[@winterwoodsstudio]

Yep! Sure did! I mostly have the faber castel watercolor markers and then I have three winsor and newton ones I tested as well and I said only winsor and newton! Whoops! Thanks so much for taking the time to watch!

[@carlarijff5177]

Hi Amy, I don't like soft pastels and someone bought them from me, I use panpastels now and love them, light fast, no dust and you have to use applicators so no dirty hands, I fix them with hairspray and all the mixed media work with them over the hairspray. The poca i only bought the muted colors and not the bright, the water based markers I use the promarkers, plenty colors and love them to use as a marker, maybe it is helpful.❤

[@katienelsonartist]

Just found your channel and I’m so glad I did! I’m sorry about your health scare and I appreciate you being honest about it. I have some soft pastels I’ve been meaning to use and it’s made me want to be a little more cautious if and when I use them. Also that’s such a bummer about the Baohong hot pressed paper. I really enjoy their cold pressed and use it on my channel, but I agree with you on your demo that it doesn’t seem to be 100 cotton.

[@samstewart9249]

I was similar. I had wanted to move from oils to watercolor but tried once and it was a disaster. But I decided to try again. At first I spent most of my time shopping for and purchasing art supplies, not painting! My big mistake. I was once told that what I thought were fish lures were actually fishermen lures!

[@cheryllapham6279]

Great video. My favorite new supplies are Faber Castell Albrecht Durer watercolor pencils. I like them better than Caran d’ Ache. Purchase regrets - Michael Harding watercolors. They have a lot of pigment and vibrant colors, but are too expensive, take too long to dry in the palette (why I rarely use honey based watercolor) and lift too easily in Plein air.

[@thesilverpen]

Enjoyed this, it helped me decide on markers. I am not a fan of markers really, but wanted to get a few for mixed media work. I definitely will be avoiding those you showed with cracked caps. I heard other problems from them too--such as the colors and such. So...yeah, this helped a lot!!

[@ChantelleArts]

I didn't like the baohong hot pressed pad either, glad I'm not the only one 🥰

[@madelynsmith8281]

Buying too much canvases and liquitex acrylic paint. Also my copic markers I used them on canvas. Not a fan on paper or sketchbooks. I quit using oil paints because a lot of people started getting all kinds of cancer over the years. A lot of products that we use in anything is linked to cancer. Praying for a very positive outcome Amy. Happy New Year!!! 😊❤

[@winterwoodsstudio]

Just remember that copic markers (all alcohol markers and alcohol inks) are not only not lightfast but also fugitive and will fade extremely quickly even if not exposed to light. I put a swatch test of my copic markers in my east facing window this summer and two thirds of the colors were completely gone in 3 days. Not just faded but gone. All alcohol markers and inks are made with dye and not pigment which sucks! Anyway, thank you so much for taking the time to watch!

[@oceandreamer1958]

Thank you for the reviews and tips! Praying for you. Our daughter has Crohn’s too. We know the challenges. She also had melanoma.

[@Jennifer_Layne]

This was my first time seeing one of your videos. I am sorry to hear about your ongoing health scare. I appreciate you opening up regarding your health and giving us a warning regarding the cadmium. It urged me to look further into it. You now have a subscriber for life. I will be praying for you. PS- I really enjoyed the video.

[@winterwoodsstudio]

Thank you so much for the kind words! It means a lot to me. And the prayers too! I try to be authentic and real all the time. I feel like there are to many people out there showing only the good parts of life on their channels and it makes people feel bad or like they aren't normal because their lives aren't as perfect as what they see. Thank you so much for subscribing and for taking the time to leave a comment!

[@getstarted5080]

Interesting that we have different experiences with the Baohong papers. There are some differences between the top brands but they are all great in their own ways. Baohong artist grade hot press watercolor paper shows off the beauty of Daniel Smith watercolor's unique granulations (I tried the Nicolas Lopez set). With just one brushstroke, it reveals the gemstone-like quality in its variation of hues and mineral characteristics. I have enjoyed BH Academy grade and recently switched up to Artist grade, and it spreads even better. Instead of the hard-edges you see in most watercolor blooms, it feathers out almost like cloud. Lifting is also better, making corrections easier. It all depends on which brands you are used to. When I started out I used Canson, which is commonly known as the least costly starter watercolor papers, but you can still do great things with it. Many people struggle with hot press as I did at first, but then I realized there is a unique quality about it that's fun to work with. Not only is it suited for more precise, illustration-type paintings where color vibrancy and purity is important, it can be used for realistic paintings where you want a softer, almost off-focus quality type of blending around the edges. What I find is that water control is especially important for hot press papers, and I don't use a lot of water for it. Maybe I'll try wet-on-wet technique one of these days to see what type of result one gets from it. Over the years I bought my BH papers from Amazon, Aliexpress and Temu, and they are consistently the same. I have only used Baohong's Academy and Artist grade papers, and haven't seen a master's series (I doubt it even exists. Possibly some Temu vendors use that term to distinguish Artist grade from Academy grade). My watercolor block covers are exactly the same as the ones you display.

[@meikahidenori]

I have a rule where if an art supply doesn't get used within 4 months, I give it to my kids. That way they don't get wasted & my kids love them because they're better quality than anything they get giving off family members for Christmas. My family do like supporting creativity, but even since I was a kid they always got the cheapest stuff - i was the kid that BEGGED for crayolas & fabers and never got them, so I'm always excited to see my kids give these expensive supplies I don't use a real work out and enjoy them in a way I never got to as a kid. My first REAL good pencils off my grandmother was some Carendache watercolours and I used them until they were stubbs and they went EVERYWHERE with me as a teen so yes, good products are appreciated by younger artists too! As for that paper, I might try that brand since I absolutely hate Fabriano😂 I use Gansi paints and the Fabriano just doesn't play nice with it at all. I do a lot of comic art so it might be more suited to what I do than the Fabriano.

[@winterwoodsstudio]

I donate to our local school or young artists i know! They always seem to need art supplies

[@roxyroller9268]

Thank you for the reviews .

[@marycollier1293]

I also invested $ for Copic Sketch markers and have found many of them dried out. I am very disappointed in this company. I am also disappointed in my local art supply store for selling these markers with known issues.

[@nolagloyd6691]

They also fade badly. My Copic swatch sheet from a few years ago looks nothing like it did when it was first done. They are too expensive to have all these issues.

[@kimgoranson9954]

This info was super helpful to me. Especially the cancer warning about soft pastels

[@winterwoodsstudio]

I’m glad it was helpful! It’s a bummer to have to think about things like that, but so important to protect ourselves!cadmium and cobalt in any art supplies that can be a problem, but especially pastels because they are so airborne and get in the human airway to easily. Thank you for watching!

[@saundraweed9738]

Hot press is usually a smooth , slick surface and is not good for wet in wet techniques. It is better used with ink drawings with water color washes, or dry brush techniques. Just because it says it’s good for watercolor doesn’t mean it’s appropriate for your style of painting. There are three surfaces,smooth, medium, and rough. Also a selection of weights of paper that affect drying time.

[@winterwoodsstudio]

I'm a professional illustrator and do watercolor illustrations on hot press. It's perfect for what I do. If you look through some of the 180 videos up on my channel you can see lots and lots of watercolor illustration done on hot press paper. I go through a lot of it and know a ton about it. The baohong paper isn't good paper. That is an experienced professionals opinion. Of course you are more than welcome to your own opnion!

[@saundraweed9738]

@ thank you for your insight

[@louisebacon-ogden5032]

I like to hear these kinds of comments. However, I think we all gravitate to certain things. I started water color with a "child's" rainbow color set. I was taking an art tour and wanted to pack SIMPLY! The palette is is the cover and the included brush was (not anymore) decent. Believe it or not, I still love the paints. I have 2 other sets (brands) which there are things about them that I like. BUT, if I hit the road, my kiddie set comes with me! I love mixing my own colors and can do just fine with a minimal number of colors and 1 brush. Thank you for sharing your experiences!

[@JringArt]

Amazingly, the child's Prang watercolor set can produce professional-looking results. Every once in a while I get mine out just for fun. There's a guy on utube that does tutorials with Prang. I think they're probably not lightfast, though.

[@michelel3372]

I'm so sorry to hear about your health challenges and hope all will be well. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on products that didn't work for you. It's always helpful to hear why things didn't work out. I bought Posca's too and haven't used them. Thought I would but like you, the colors aren't what I want. Thank you for sharing.

[@winterwoodsstudio]

Thank you for the kind words and support! And for taking the time to watch!

[@beckyd3140]

Ask for an SDS for the pastels from the manufacturer. They have to list hazardous materials. You may not get a lot of information, but you may get some.

[@sw6118]

MSDS material safety data sheet

[@beckyd3140]

@@sw6118 SDS have replaced MSDS.

[@carollegros6304]

Thanks for the great review I also had regrets on things I bought, mostly papers Once I bought Arches 640 gm very thick paper. Didn’t know how to use it. Even with using more water Probably me, but I regret buying it. I think it was on sake at the time. I will not buy Daniel Smith tubes anymore, but the sticks are great.

[@aboyd-y3m]

For your thinner wc papers try stretching them first. As a watercolourest for well over 60 years, I've seen and done lots with papers. I always suggest to artists to always check out different styles of painting. I've studied watercolour in medical illustration and also in landscapes. BUT, I really found my nich when I started learning Asian art. What a great change in papers, brushes, strokes and perspectives. Asian papers are very thin and absorb water fast. Your brushes do both line and shading, dark/light in one stroke. It's the amount of colour and water that you train yourself to use when working. I encourage everyone to try this form of working.

[@ALittleCreative]

This is a really helpful video. I hope your health improves. Regarding the pastels, I'm interested in finding the boxes you have for them. I don't use pastels, but could use those boxes for my gouache cups. If you have the details on them, I'd appreciate it! Thanks so much!

[@discohandgliding]

I regret buying so many Tombow dual markers. I like them but there are so many colors I just don’t use🤭

[@winterwoodsstudio]

Yeah. I hear you! You can buy them individually at Blick. I think that's what I am going to do if I get anymore! Thanks for taking the time to watch and leave a comment!

[@tara-lee]

Ebay, Ebay, Ebay! Sell that stuff. If you haven't done it before, it's super easy. People are always willing to buy at reduced prices, and you get some of your money back. BTW, I appreciate vids about things I probably shouldn't buy. I'd rather know before I spend the money.

[@Narja23]

So sorry for your health scare 😱 my fingers are crossed for you! i've banned cadmium and cobalt from my art supplies after a similar experience and a surgery (i mainly create with soft pastels and charcoals, so same issue with dust 😢)

[@sherrimclain1561]

Also, hugs, about your health. I love your channel. I'll keep u in my thoughts n prayers

[@MichisCrafts80]

Hello, maybe you can try a different block of the baohong's, or maybe you can try a little piece of the roll. The ones that don't work, can be used for color pencils with solvent or watercolor pencils

[@charla2026]

I sincerely hope you're okay and that is just a health scare and nothing more. Thank you so so SO much for the Copic tip. I have 1 (my favorite green copic) and it was drying out so fast, after your Copic segment I checked the cap and sure enough it was cracked. Gonna figure out how to reach out to Copic later to see if they'll swap it or something. Thank you so much!!!

[@lara-ce2kg]

Omg that watercolor paper with the green cover i love it

[@patriciaouellette9366]

I regret all my supplies, most are not even opened because I am losing my site and it is so hard to see up close.

[@winterwoodsstudio]

I am SO sorry to hear that! What a devastating blow! I can't even imagine! Monet and cezanne both were losing their sight at the end. Would it be possible to take any inpriration from how they altered their art to accommodate for their vision loss? Sending you lots of good thoughts!!

[@patriciaouellette9366]

Thank you. May all your issues be resolved through the grace of Christ.

[@melissaaldosari8024]

💜💜💜

[@corinnebaxter970]

So sorry 😢

[@dneel468]

You might want to add something to your water so your paper won’t dry as fast. If you still hate it maybe sell it so you can buy something you like. It would always work well for gouache. I kind of like the fact that colors look more vibrant on it but that’s just me.

[@winterwoodsstudio]

I plan to use it with my gouache. It won't go to waste even if I don't use mu watercolors on it! Thanks for watching!

[@hippieartist155]

@@winterwoodsstudio Hot press watercolor paper also works beautifully for colored pencil especially if you’re blending out with oms! 😊 ✌️🎨

[@Lala_B]

Sending warm thoughts as you face this health scare. Thank you for feeling safe to share with us💕Would the pastels be safe for use with surgical gloves? I bought a ton of them in the early pandemic months 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@winterwoodsstudio]

It's more the airborne dust than what you might absorb through your hands. If I wore a good respiratory and my studio wasn't a part of my house with no way to shut it off, it would be less of an issue. But it's a room that has like an archway into it and do door so I don't really feel safe. Maybe someday I might have own art studio! Thanks for watching!

[@gamewrit0058]

I bought two sets of COPIC markers year or two ago, used them for less than a month, and wish I'd spent my money elsewhere. They smell stronger than I expected, bleed more than I expected, and I don't want to bother with pricey refills. Plus, I'm finding that I enjoy working with brush pens much more, as a casual hobby artist. I'm loving the Sharpie Creative Markers (water-based acrylic) that I recently discovered, and their regular brush pens are still great a year after i got them. This past week, I bought dual-tipped water-based dot markers (with the other end a fine tip) and wish I'd either saved my money or bought more brush pens instead. One of the marker's dot ends arrived ripped, but the main problem is it's too easy to oversaturate, bleed through, and roughen my thick and slightly textured sketchbook paper.

[@charofheart37]

Thank for this share, no doubt super invaluable 🤗❤️👍🏽💯

[@itsybitsyimaginarium8720]

Happy new year hope you had a wonderful Christmas ❤

[@Dita66]

I love the Posca’s. You can put them over acrylic. The white you can use on top of aquarel. Put some on a palet and after that on your aquarel. I am teacher and lot of my students are useing them. But specially the white posca. I don’t like the Graphitint pencils and the blocks. And I regret that I have bought them. Thanks for telling about the copic markers. A student using the watercolor markers, I agree with you! She is now working with them first on a special palet for watercolor pencils from Caran D’ache. Thank you, and I hope your health would be without any problems 🙏

[@E4Alabbasy]

I'm sooo happy that I bought the baohong artist watercolor paper sample before investing in a block. I was shocked at how different it was to their academy line 😅

[@kristiehowze6996]

Thank you so much for your honest review. So sorry to hear about your health concerns. Praying for positive findings and improvement. May I ask what you recommend for marker storage? I love the standing/slanted storage as zip storage is more difficult in small spaces.

[@Stephanie-Diehl]

Yeah, I feel the same about Copic. Sure wish I had that money back.

[@teresamazotti1315]

I love my Posca pens! They are great for adding detail. ❤ I do not like the Baohong paper either. I have always used Arches even though it's ridiculously expensive!

[@winterwoodsstudio]

I really wanted to love them, but the color is never quite right! I'll keep playing with them though. Maybe I will find something I like them for! Thanks for taking the time to watch!

[@Amanda-uc5jq]

I don’t mind their academy version of paper but don’t like the baohong artist version

[@MINISTRMOM83]

Wow, that's scary about cadmium in pastels, especially since they're dusty and we can inhale the dust. Baohong is my favorite watercolor paper and I find it more scrub-resistant than even Arches, even the "Academy." But I use cold or rough pressed and hate painting on hot pressed. Baohong uses a lot of sizing.

[@donnad7373]

Thanks for all the information. It's a drag that some art supplies can be harmful. Hope everything works out. I usually buy a small sets or just open stock to try new products. Everything good is so expensive and I'm just a hobbiest artist. But, I had bad experiences with really cheap stuff and ended up giving it away. Do splurge on good papers though. I have no regrets so far. Still experimenting though. Take care.

[@sophietielemans6034]

If you love pastels, it's supposedly pretty easy to make them yourself, and it gives you full control over which pigments you use (cadmium pigments aren't even sold to consumers, but the majority of modern and earth pigments are freely available)

[@our3acrehomestead]

The Windsor and Newton Watercolor markers looked like my Fabre-Castelle.

[@winterwoodsstudio]

I had mostly faber castell in the video and a couple of winsor and newton. I think I just send vwinsor and newton though! Whoops! Thanks for watching!

[@jicolourist]

Her comments confused me as well, those are faber castell markers.

[@faribaj.4619]

I was also waiting to hear about Winsor&Newton markers since I have heard some not good things about them. Thank you for honest information. I didn’t know that about soft pastels and I was about buying Schmincke ones. I will be careful.

[@Heart_lais]

I get that often we get carried away when it comes to art supplies, I think I regret buying so many watercolor sets lol present time me would be happy with a simple huge palette (which is a thought I only had after getting myself more than ten sets). But I got myself a roll of ballhong too, now I’m praying to all the sweet angels in heaven I enjoy it

[@winterwoodsstudio]

It's definitely easy to get carried away! You will have yo let me know what you think about the paper. I still haven't touched my roll of hot press. Too scared! Thanks for watching!

[@andreaharutunian3838]

Love your channel🎉🎉🎉 hope your health scare turns out to be nothing! I was VERY careful buying my art supplies this past yr after having some disappointments yrs pryor...I do more research now 😊

[@moonlightgator]

Well I have to agree with you on everything. I heard so many great reviews on Baohong especially hot press. I have Arches hot press and it just does not work for me. I prefer something with more texture. My paintings just look blah on it, not interesting.

[@aniamartaart]

Hope your health gets better, my lovely ❤

[@amandagloverart]

I hope you're ok... I really enjoyed working with soft pastels in school, (ohhhh... 30 years ago) but the dust irritated my skin, eyes, and lungs. I find alcohol markers very beautiful but the colors are fugitive and I need something that will stay beautiful over time. Winsor and Newton are my go to brand for professional watercolors... I didnt even know they had markers.

[@janice2992]

Thank you so much I will not buy Baohong paper. I have discovered markers although easier to use have too many limitations. As a lover of tertiary colours the best option for me is paints. Thank you for your video. ❤💐

[@freewoman4434]

For me it was the Indigo cotton rag sketchbook from Artway. Beautiful looking item, but the paper isn't sized which I didn't realise when I bought it, so it's no use for watercolour (which is what I bought it for) The pages can be primed though, so I did that and used it for gouache.

[@CirceLucas]

Hi, that”s good to know, I have purchased some of those books and will gesso pages first instead of only watercolour studies, thanks for sharing ;-)