My Favorite Art Supplies for Hand-Painted Designs

Hey there, fellow creatives! I get asked all the time about what art supplies I use to create my hand-painted textile and wallpaper designs. After years of experimenting with different materials and tools, I've settled on a collection of favorites that never let me down. Today, I'm excited to share my go-to art supply arsenal with you – from the paints that make my florals pop to the quirky water jars that keep my colors clean!

The Heart of My Palette: Acryla Gouache Paints

Let me start with my absolute favorite paint – Acryla Gouache. This stuff is pure magic! It combines the best of both worlds: the opacity and matte finish of traditional gouache with the permanence and water-resistance of acrylic once it dries.

What I love most about Acryla Gouache is how it handles on paper. It flows beautifully when wet but doesn't reactivate once dry, which means I can layer colors without muddying my previous work. This is crucial when I'm painting those delicate botanical details that end up becoming the foundation for designs like my floral patterns. The colors stay vibrant and true, and the coverage is incredibly even – perfect for creating those crisp, clean shapes that translate so well to digital printing.

Pro tip: to make my paint last longer, I always use a Stay-Wet palette. Otherwise, the gouache dries out within a few hours. Being able to re-use the paint in my palette for my next painting session save so much money on supplies!

My Canvas of Choice: Canson Watercolor Paper

Canson watercolor paper has become my favorite paper. I subscribe to the idea that you shouldn't buy paper that is too expensive or precious, because it can hold you back and stop you from feeling free to try things or to mess something up. I've even heard of artists who use copy paper specifically so they feel free to use as much as they want. I do like using something a little thicker than printer paper, which is why I buy big packs of this relatively inexpensive Canson paper. 

Since I often scan my original paintings to create digital prints, I need paper that scans cleanly without weird texture artifacts, and Canson delivers every time.

Brushes that feel like little luxuries

Natural fiber watercolor brushes are non-negotiable for me. I've tried synthetic brushes, and while they've improved over the years, nothing beats the way natural fibers hold and release paint. My collection includes a mix of kolinsky sable and squirrel hair brushes in various sizes.

For detailed work – like those tiny flower centers or delicate leaf veins – I reach for my size 2 and 4 round sables. They come to a perfect point and have just enough spring to give me control. For broader washes and larger areas, I love my squirrel hair mop brushes. They hold an incredible amount of paint and water, allowing me to lay down smooth, even color.

Here's something I learned the hard way: always clean your natural fiber brushes immediately after use and reshape the tip while damp. Also, don't leave your brushes in the water jar while you are working - instead, lie them flat on a paper towel to protect the delicate bristles. These brushes are an investment, but with proper care, they'll last for years.

The Cutest Water Containers: Bonne Maman Jam Jars

Okay, this might sound a bit quirky, but I'm completely obsessed with using empty Bonne Maman jam jars as my water containers! Not only are they adorable with their checkered lids and perfect size, but I've developed a system that has revolutionized my color mixing.

I use two jars – one for cool colors (blues, purples, greens) and one for warm colors (reds, yellows, oranges). This prevents color contamination and keeps my mixtures clean and vibrant. There's nothing worse than dipping your brush in muddy water and having it dull your carefully mixed color.

The wide mouth of these jars makes them perfect for cleaning brushes, and the glass lets me see exactly how clean (or dirty) my water is.

The Foundation: 2B Drawing Pencils

Before any paint touches paper, I start with pencil sketches. I'm not picky about the brand – whether it's Staedtler, Faber-Castell, or even a basic mechanical pencil – but I always reach for 2B hardness. It's soft enough to create smooth, flowing lines without being so soft that it smudges everywhere.

I love how 2B pencils allow me to vary line weight with pressure. Light strokes for initial construction lines, heavier pressure for defining important elements. When I'm designing florals, I need to capture the organic flow of petals and leaves, and 2B gives me that flexibility.

Before I start painting, I erase most of my pencil drawing, until you can just barely see a faint outline of the design. Any pencil that still shows through the paint washes gets edited out later on my iPad. 

Transfer Magic: Tracing Paper and Carbon Paper

Here's where my process gets a bit technical, but these tools are game-changers for creating repeating patterns. Tracing paper allows me to experiment with different arrangements of my painted elements without starting over each time. I can trace individual flowers, leaves, or motifs and move them around to create the perfect composition.

Carbon paper comes in handy when I need to transfer a design to fresh watercolor paper. Sometimes I'll paint a beautiful individual flower, but I need it in a different position or as part of a larger composition. Carbon paper lets me transfer my pencil sketches cleanly without damaging the original artwork.

Together, these two papers give me incredible flexibility in the design process. I can plan out entire wallpaper repeats, test different scales, and make sure everything flows beautifully before committing paint to my final paper.

Digital Bridge: Epson Scanner

Once my paintings are complete, my Epson scanner is what brings them into the digital realm. I've tried photographing my work, but nothing beats the consistency and accuracy of a high-quality flatbed scanner for color reproduction.

The key is scanning at high resolution – I typically scan at 600 DPI for work that will be printed as textiles or wallpaper. This gives me plenty of detail to work with when I'm creating the final digital files for production.

I love that I can scan sections of larger paintings and piece them together digitally, or scan individual elements that I'll later combine into new compositions. It's like having a bridge between my analog painting process and the digital world where my designs come to life as sustainable printed textiles and wallpapers.

Modern Magic: iPad Pro and Apple Pencil

While I'm definitely a traditional media girl at heart, my iPad Pro and Apple Pencil have become indispensable tools in my creative process. I use them primarily for refining scanned artwork, adjusting colors, and creating variations of existing designs.

The pressure sensitivity of the Apple Pencil feels remarkably natural, and the precision is incredible. I can clean up edges, adjust individual elements, or even paint entirely new sections that blend seamlessly with my hand-painted originals.

What I love most is the flexibility it gives me. I can create multiple colorways of a design, test different scales, or make client-requested adjustments without starting over with physical paint. It's the perfect complement to my analog process.

Bringing It All Together

Each of these tools plays a specific role in my creative process, and together they enable me to create the joyful, hand-painted designs that eventually become beautiful textiles and wallpapers. From the initial pencil sketch to the final digital file, every step is supported by tools I trust completely.

The beauty of having a refined set of go-to supplies is that I never have to think about the tools – I can focus entirely on the creative process. When inspiration strikes, I know exactly what to reach for, and I have confidence that these materials will help me bring my vision to life.

Whether you're just starting your artistic journey or looking to upgrade your current setup, I hope this peek into my art supply collection has been helpful. Remember, the best tools are the ones that feel right in your hands and support your unique creative process!