How to Choose the Right Drawing Supplies for Beginners
Everyone has their own preference for drawing supplies. Some recommendations come directly from manufacturers, while others come from artists who have been using a specific brand for their whole career. I personally recommend different drawing supplies for beginners than I do for advanced artists. So who should you believe? Do you take the recommendation of an international business that’s trying to sell their products? Or the recommendation of a random YouTuber who you’ve never met before?
Neither. Don’t take anyone’s word for it. Try different supplies, and figure out what works best for YOU. That being said, if you’re a beginner artist who’s trying to get started without spending a ton of money, the recommendations below are specifically geared for you. Amazon’s sketchbook section is a great place to start, if you want more options than are listed below.
Watch My Video on Supplies for Beginners
The following supplies were shown in this video.
- Strathmore 300 Series glue-bound sketchbook
- Dixon Ticonderoga #2 pencils
- ArtBin Pencil Box
- Generals Drawing Pencil Set
- White Vinyl Eraser
- Pink Pearl Eraser
My Recommendations for Beginner Supplies
I have personally purchased these supplies in the past. I am not recommending any tools that I haven’t personally used. All of the items linked above or below are student-grade quality or higher, and they are perfect for beginner artists.
| TLDR - If you just want to have everything laid out for you plain and simple, this set includes literally everything you'll need to get started. Multiple sketchbooks, pencils, colored pencils, and a satchel to carry it all in. The only other thing you might need is an eraser or sharpener, and you'll be set! Important - the detailed description for this item says that it includes charcoals, erasers, and sharpeners... but it DOES NOT. Only the items in the picture are included. | |
| The first thing you need is a sketchbook. This Pentalic sketchbook is hardbound, has 110 pages, and still runs less than fifteen dollars! If you're looking for something smaller and/or cheaper, check out the Pro-Art Softcover Sketch Journal - half the size, and ranking in at under five bucks. To browse other options, check the sketchbooks section of Amazon. | |
| You probably already have some regular #2 pencils lying around your home that you could throw in a bag with your sketchbook and be done with your supply hunt. If you need to buy more, though, I strongly suggest these Dixon Ticonderoga pencils. I normally don't have brand-name recommendations for beginner artists, but there are reasons why these pencils market themselves as "The World's Best Pencil." They use springy wood, so they are flexible and don't break very easily - and the wood is also very easy to sharpen. Their graphite cores are smooth and consistent, without hard chunks like cheaper pencils often have. And most importantly for new artists - the Ticonderoga pencils have better erasers than any other #2 pencil on the market! | |
| What if you want a little more depth of value in your drawing, and you want a set of drawing pencils? This Sketching Set from Royal & Langnickel has more than enough to get you started, including a carrying case, sharpener, and eraser! If you want something with both graphite and charcoal, check out this Pro-Art set. Both of these sets come in under ten bucks, but feel free to browse around Amazon's pencil sets, and see if something else fits your needs better. | |
| Erasers... What about erasers? If you're just getting started, you probably won't need anything more than a standard Pink Pearl type of eraser. However, if your budget allows for it, I personally prefer to use a white plastic eraser for hard erasing and a kneaded eraser for lifting small amounts of value off the page at a time. Or you can get a set of three different erasers. |
* All links above are affiliate links, and purchasing from these links directly supports Newquii Studios. Thanks for your support! *
