TOOLS
Tools can be broken down into three categories: paper, drawing supplies, and painting supplies.
Tea is a useful tool as well.
PAPER
WATERCOLOR PAPER
I like to use heavier weight paper because the compass point is less likely to poke holes in it. Anything above 300GSM is good. Cold-pressed paper is also better if you plan to use a wet brush for painting.
My favorite paper is :
TRACING PAPER
Tracing paper is helpful for biomorphic patterns. I don't use tracing paper for any geometric patterns because I prefer drawing them. However, tracing paper helps with consistency for biomorphic shapes that tesselate.
DRAWING SUPPLIES
COMPASS
I typically rely on two compasses at a time while building a drawing with many circle measurements or to quickly switch between ink and pencil. It's also good to be able to adjust the medium, like to swap out a fine pen for a thicker pen. The compass should maintain a reliable circumference and not wiggle or come loose from a setting.
RULER
Rulers should have a solid straight edge. I tend to prefer clear plastic rulers because you can see the underlying pattern but I have some metal ones as well. Having different sized rulers is also helpful.
PENCILS & PENS
Mechanical pencils all day every day. I have tried graphite pencils H, F, HB, B, and 2B but have found that it's annoying to have to sharpen the pencil when it's in the compass. I prefer mechanical pencils because they always maintain a sharp point.
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For pens, I like Faber Castell artist pens and simple Sharpie pens for thicker lines, if I don't use Indian ink.
INDIAN INK
Indian ink is useful for creating permanent and beautiful black lines with a fine-tipped paint brush. It's also great for creating deep black areas. It's basically shellac and water.
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Here is an Indian ink that I have been using lately:
ERASERS
It seems silly but a good eraser is crucial. No eraser is as accurate and clean as the Tombow Mono Zero pen. I also use the mono eraser for larger edits.
PAINTING SUPPLIES
WATERCOLOR
So many excellent paints out there! You want paints with quality pigments. I I don't enjoy making my own paint because gum Arabic can get messy, but I mostly prefer handmade paints over mass-produced ones. The exception is Japanese sumi-e watercolors.
Here are some paints that I use the most lately:
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Any paints from Bristle and Brush
Esra is a truly fantastic person.
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Yasutomo Sumi-e Watercolor Pan Sets
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Handmade Watercolor Paints Set, Mica / Metallic Watercolors by mrbwatercolors on Etsy
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GOUACHE
Gouache has more pigment than watercolor and is great for bold forms.
PEARLEX PIGMENTS
I went through a PearlEx phase. These are fantastic and a lot of fun. They come in a powder that you mix with gum Arabic to create exciting metallic paints.
PAINT BRUSHES
Nothing beats sable brushes. However, a wide variety of synthetic brushes exist. It needs to hold water well and also have a fine-tipped point or a hard edge to work well with geometric patterns.
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Here is what I've been using lately:
WATER DROPPER
It took me a while to realize that I needed a water dropper. I was using the paintbrush to control the water consistency, which can be unreliable. A water dropper lets you put 1, 2,...10 drops of water into a pigment and it's the same every time.
WATER VESSEL
People often like to use a shell for their water or paint. I need more volume and found some small bowls at Daiso that I use all the time.
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TEA
BLACK TEA
Black tea serves as both a morning pick me up and an ingredient for tea staining. Here are my two favorite black teas:
Shamshiri Persian Ceylon Tea with Bergamot Oil
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