My Favorite Art Supplies from 2024 and a Gift Guide for Watercolor Artists, too!

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Okay, I'm curious... did anyone run out and buy the Dina Wakley journal??? It's so rare that they re-released it! I gotta know!

[@WeblightDreamsStudio]

They used to sell them in Hobby Lobby but they were super expensive even with the 40% coupon. Always wanted to try one.

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

@WeblightDreamsStudio they're so unique.

[@Paintsplash4]

@@MirandaWatsonArt I've inadvertently collected many of Dina Wakley's products via Ranger "Mystery" bundles. They always expand my brain because I have trouble deciding what to do with them. Some of them are pretty out there. But she is respected and beloved as an art journalist and wrote some great books, really thought-provoking, about journaling. A true talent. I didn't buy the journal. I have enough Dina Wakley to last awhile. My brain can only handle so much stretching...wouldn't want it to break, ha-ha..

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

@Paintsplash4 makes sense!

[@rosalindoliva5777]

I bought 4 of them 🤦🏼‍♀️. I have no regrets. I absolutely love them.

[@ChantelleArts]

I always love seeing the supplies that other artists use 🥰

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Me, too!

[@stephaniewolfe2665]

These are the kind of videos I love! I find out about products I didn't know my soul desired. SPARKLE WATERCOLOR PAPER!!!

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

I love watching these kinds of videos, too. 😁 Yes, the sparkly watercolor paper is so fun!

[@terrilyon6825]

I adore the Rosa Gallery paints. They're definitely a firm favourite of mine!

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

I'm glad to hear that because I sure love them!

[@BeckyTregear]

I do love Paul Rebels glitter paper; I need to use it again now you’ve reminded me, haha! Sooo many supplies to use and never enough time. ❤

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Lol, always.

[@heathersherlock]

I love it too Becky, I used it for the front panels on all this years Christmas cards! I water coloured all my images, mostly baubles, and they all turned out very well.

[@dianethoroughman9541]

You have some pretty amazing paints. And paper. I have the fuumui (spelling) brushes. I love them. Right now I am making paint swatches for some of my paints.

[@attorneycarissa]

Omg! Ill buy your book!

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Thanks! 🤗

[@kayleighshaw21]

These videos are so fun! Thank you for sharing 😊

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

So glad you like it. Thanks!

[@attorneycarissa]

1. You are so talented! 2. I adore Roman Szmal, too!

[@NanaBeth1]

I can't wait any longer. Tell us about the watercolor book! (Stomping my feet like a petulant child!)

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Hahaha, if you're talking about my coloring book, I'm hoping to release a video about it this weekend. Fingers crossed! 🤞

[@NanaBeth1]

@@MirandaWatsonArt I will try to behave until then.

[@WeblightDreamsStudio]

Yes, love your gift guides. Even though my main medium is acrylics I love, love watercolors.

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

They're so fun!

[@Catsandcamera]

I'm getting papers together to make my own mixed surface sketchbook! Watercolour paper, black paper, craft paper, handmade paper, pastel paper - I even want to hunt down some old maps cause I've seen people draw or illustrate on maps and it looks so good!

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Ah, I did that too when I couldn't find her little book. It was so fun but I haven't used my sketchbook yet. I only glued the binding so I'm going it will stay together. I used only different kinds of paper. Yours sounds lovely! The map idea is fun!

[@ginistewart9636]

I love your paintings! So beautiful!

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Aw, thank you! 😊

[@NanaBeth1]

Hard to believe how expensive everything has gotten. The Qor 24 set was around $50 not that long ago. I'm getting the Ohuhu water based markers you just reviewed. Thinking I'll be buying a special coloring book soon.

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

😊🤗

[@beanbeanster7219]

Wow Miranda, you're an amazing artist. Thanks for showing us your favourite arty bits. I've got some of those watercolour tutorial books and I haven't done anything in them. Thanks again.

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Aw, thank you. It was fun showing what I love. Yeah, it can be hard to find time to work in the watercolor coloring books, but they're so fun!

[@BellaPlays]

I used to also shake my micro portable painter upside down to take the pallet out, but then i noticed theres a little lip to lift the palette from the water container thing!

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

I've done it that way a few times but it's easier to just tip it upside-down, lol.

[@BeckysJourneyWithArt]

How do you use the bright teals in your paintings?

[@BeckysJourneyWithArt]

And then I saw it in the background of a painting haha 😅

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

@@BeckysJourneyWithArt hahaha, nice. Yeah, I use it in several places. The Caribbean-type waters, some skies to lighten them up, and some highlight areas. Mostly water, though!

[@BeckysJourneyWithArt]

@ thank you. Also loved your lil velcro swatch card idea x

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

@BeckysJourneyWithArt thanks! It works surprisingly well.

[@gertietheduck]

I love my khadi fat book, but I think the sizing in the fat book is different to the sizing of their loose paper and other sketchbooks. I think the fat book is only internally sized (or with only very light external sizing. I find that some media go right through to the other side of fat book sheets and the surface leaves a lot of fibre behind on my putty erasers and tape. Which, for the price… not a problem, but worth knowing about!

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Oh, thank you! Hopefully others will see this. ❤️

[@gertietheduck]

@@MirandaWatsonArt they are still fantastic sketchbooks! Just… they have their quirks! 😊

[@cindybohl9593]

Miranda you are so cute! I already have a lot of the art products you mentioned and love them! However there were several things that I have never seen before and now must have😃 Thanks for another great video! Merry Christmas!

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Aw, thank you! 😊 Merry Christmas 🎅 🎄

[@BeginnersMind-ArtMind]

Really fun assortment of items, many new to me. Loved the silliness at the end 😊

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Thanks, Linda!

[@Azkademon]

:O :O I didn't realize how many different paint sets you had!! I have a 2 a W&N Cotman set and I get 2 DS tubes per year, (birthday/xmas) I loved the baohong paper never experienced cotton paper before and wow!! So many lovely art supplies in this video, thanks for taking the time to show them :)

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

I've collected quite a few over the years!

[@karenirving7088]

Are the travel brushes synthetic?

[@karenirving7088]

Ok answered thanks

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Nope

[@gertietheduck]

Baohong Academy is just as good as Masters/Artist Grade

[@gertietheduck]

I think the paper in their sketchbooks might actually be the Academy paper, in fact

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Sweet, thank you!

[@starr-starr]

Yeah I can’t tell any difference in them either😊

[@heathersherlock]

I agree, I've used Academy for a lot of my swatching and find it just as good as my Etchr Sketchbook.

[@gertietheduck]

@ I have never used Etchr but I have been wondering who makes their sketchbooks as they are made in China.

[@ventibonkbonk6610]

Saw the back wall and thought yeah im in the right area

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Hahaha, nice. 😀

[@heathersherlock]

Thanks Miranda for sharing your favourites. Many of them I have and enjoy. But..... FYI. I was very disappointed with the Sarah Simon Watercolor Workbook. Although I have been at it for a year or so, I consider I am still learning to watercolour, and was hoping to get a real kickstart with her books (I bought the big one too, "Modern Watercolor Botanicals"). I had a number of difficulties. Firstly the colours. I bought the Cotman paints because she recommended them. They are only just okay. (This did lead me to W&N Professional paints, which is another story - because I LOVE them.) She also recommend the Princeton Select Brushes. As I already had one of these I did not buy any more. They are also only just okay. The colour mixing recipes did not provide the colours as shown in the book, no matter how hard I tried. This could be user error, but honestly, I don't think so. And she uses PW6 in a lot of her mixes. Why? Her little example image of each project, did, in no way resemble the colours stipulated. Frustrating when you're trying to learn, obviously (IMO) you're trying to match the reference image. And after the first couple of projects most of the instructions were just cut and pasted. The print was small and light grey. I am nearly 70 and found it very hard to read. At times I had to resort to a magnifying glass. The paper was awful, IMO. It was advertised as high quality watercolour paper, and I felt this was false advertising. It felt okay, was a heavy weight, but was obviously wood pulp/cellulose. The results were nasty. The paint lay down was very streaky and blotchy. (I tested these paints in on my Baohong Academy paper and they worked fine.) For a couple of projects I transferred the images to the Baohong block, and while this worked, it seemed a bit pointless, so I put the book away. And as a last swipe (and I know I'm nit-picking here). The publisher or maybe the author decided that adding water to paint was 'animating' them, rather than 'activating'. As I was already irritated, well....nearly but not quite the right word. These books were NOT cheap. Over $40 Australian each. So disappointing, I couldn't recommend it for any painter, beginner, student or otherwise.

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Oh, this is all good information. At the same time, I feel so sad that you didn't get what you'd hoped for from the book. I've only painted the one picture in it, so I sincerely hope others read your comment and take it to heart. What a huge bummer. Thank you for letting me/us know!

[@jenneke2]

The stacked cups ❤…on the glitter paper! Did you paint them with watercolor!?

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Yes, that's watercolor. 😀

[@specialeffectsgraphicsdesi9066]

Hi Miranda, from where can one get the empty tin case you’ve used for Roman Szmal colours? I am going crazy searching for such cases. Please help 🙏🏻

[@rebeccah7689]

Great suggestions! I share your view of the Khadi sketchbooks - odd, but so much fun!

[@Craftamo]

Yay! Thank you so much for your support 😍 Feel free to tag and share your work with us using the Sarah Burns X Craftamo Brush Set 🎨✨

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

Okay 👍!

[@mjpete27]

Hullo Miranda, This is a sweet video~! The controversy surrounding brushes can be difficult to navigate, Like the Silver Black velvet brushes are a mixture of natural hair with synthetic hairs, now there have been some who have said because they are made in India and sable or weasels are NOT protected, like their cows, the hair is not ethically sourced. So be sure to READ the descriptions quite carefully! I have done quite a bit off research and I have found Princeton Brushes are very well marked and finding the Natural VS Synthetic hair brushes are well labeled! I have even taken part in a test at a local artist event and finding who can actually tell the difference between natural or synthetic hair brushes! I was amazed at the "old hands" who swore they would NOT be "fooled" and the Princeton Aqua Elite line was the "best" natural hair brush according to the event participants, THEY WERE WRONG! It is 100% synthetic and the most picked as a natural Kolinsky! I have picked up a good set of these brushes and they are wonderful brushes! My Gran told me more than once that all you really need is a #12 long belly brush for painting in watercolors! She painted 9x12 and on up to 17x22. I found I need a larger brush when painting over 3 feet or just 24 inches and beyond!

[@MirandaWatsonArt]

You know, now that you mention it, I did an entire painting about two weeks ago with JUST my Princeton Aqua Elite Round 12 Long and it was great! Maybe I should pick up a few more Long Rounds and call it good!

[@pamelaavery2483]

Love love love @a.gallo