For all my students and fellow creators interested in exploring the materials I use during my gatherings and workshops, I’ve put together a list of my go-to painting supplies and products! Here ae some examples of my frames for works on canvas and paper:
Having the right tools can make all the difference in your watercolor journey, and these are the items I trust and use in my own studio every day. If you have any questions about specific brands, papers, or mixing techniques, please feel free to email me anytime! I’m always happy to help because that is what I am passionate about.
My most used Painting Supplies
| My most used painting supplies (please click the link to purchase): | ||
| Arches 140 lb Cold Pressed Watercolor Paper | ||
| Strathmore Canson 140 lb Cold Pressed Watercolor Blocks | ||
| Fuumuui Watercolor Paper Block 9×12 Inch | ||
| Winsor Newton Cotman and some Professional watercolors (Hookers Green Light, Cadmium Yellow, Burnt Sienna, Raw Umber, Sepia, Purple, Ultramarine Blue, Cerulean Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Permanent rose | ||
| Variety of brushes. I have favorites, but I don’t have any favorite brands, in fact some of my cheaper brushes made by Crayola are my favorites. One that I like is Princeton Aqua Elite and this is a great starter set of brushes! | ||
| Exacto Knife | ||
| Collage materials include, a variety of tissue paper, old paintings, some magazines, stickers, paper napkins and more. I have them sorted in lateral files. | ||
| Acrylic paints: I buy the Michaels store brand. I am sure the more expensive ones have better consistency, but the store brands work for me. | ||
| Canvas: I buy store brand canvases and I buy used canvases from second hand stores and prepare them with gesso or watercolor ground depending on what I plan to create. | ||
| Frames I purchase from Michael’s online or at our local second hand store. When shopping for frames like that I take along my tape measure and I look for gently used wooden frames. Usually I take out whatever is mounted in them and then I place my work in them. |
Framing Wisdom: Learning the Value of Standard Sizes
When I first started painting nearly 30 years ago, I gave zero consideration to the size of my artwork or frames, which meant endless expensive trips for custom matting and framing. After years of that, I finally got smart! I began painting more intentionally, sizing my work specifically for standard 11×14 or 16×20 frames. These can easily be found off-the-shelf at large hobby stores or picked up very affordably at second-hand shops—and over time, I’ve built quite a collection of frames ready for new art.
My Archival Framing Process
Today, I frame all my works on paper myself, ensuring museum-quality care for every collector:
- Archival Foundation: I use strictly acid-free mats and backing boards.
- Secure Mounting: The artwork is carefully mounted to the mat to keep it securely in place.
- Assembly & Protection: The piece goes behind glass, sealed with an acid-free backing, and secured using framing pins depending on the frame style.
- The Professional Finish: I seal the back with white or kraft paper using double-sided tape to create a clean dust cover. Finally, as a creative entrepreneur, I attach my official logo label and artwork description to the back.