This week is inventory week in my art studio. I usually perform this ritual twice a year – once in the fall and once in the spring – just making note of any supplies that are running low so I can keep an eye out for them when they go on sale. Anyhow, last night while I was jotting down my list, I came across an assortment of odd supplies that are truly staples in my collection. They didn’t fit neatly into one category – other than, well, odd. But these supplies are wonderful to have on hand when the time comes. So here it goes…
9 Odd Supplies You’ve Got to Own When It Comes to Watercolor
1. Birch Wood
This is probably the most recognizable supply on my list today, but I feel it’s important enough to include. As most of you probably know, when painting on watercolor paper, it’s always best to stretch your paper on some sort of flat surface. Over the years I’ve tried multiple different wooden boards, but this one tops them all. Plus it’s rather inexpensive – you can pick it up at your local Lowe’s or Home Depot and have them cut it down into whatever size you desire. So why use birch wood over other wood? Well, birch wood is highly resistant to water, so it’s less likely to warp while painting, and it means less water sopping under your paper.
2. Rust-Oleum Chalk Paint
The next supply goes with the birch wood above, and that’s chalk paint. Personally, I like to paint my wood boards white, but you can paint them any color you desire. The point of painting it with chalk paint is that it helps seal the wood and acts as an extra protective barrier. Chalk paint is also great because it isn’t sticky to the touch once dry – it has a smooth, even feel that’s great to paint on. And that’s why it’s number two on my list!
3. Spray Watercolor Bottle
My next random supply is a small travel-size spray bottle. You can pick one up at your local dollar store or even Target – just look in the travel section. So why is it good to have a small spray bottle for watercolor? Well, first, I use my spray bottle constantly to mist my paints and refresh them during my painting process. This way I’m not adding a ton of water, just a tad to wet my colors and get them ready for painting. I also love using a spray bottle for wetting my paper, especially when it comes to stretching it. So this one is a must!
4. Pipettes
Pipettes are great to have on hand, especially when mixing a large paint-to-water mixture for watercolor. Sometimes it’s really nice to add just a dab of water into a deep well with a pipette instead of getting my brush thoroughly saturated with paint while mixing. Pipettes are also great for adding texture to a painting with loose splatter marks.
5. Craft Paper Trimmer
I LOVE LOVE LOVE using my paper trimmer. Honestly, I bought this supply on a whim since I needed to cut a large stack of paper into smaller pieces. Since then, this supply has become something I use nearly daily. Recently, to save money, I’ve been buying larger sheets of watercolor paper and then cutting them down to size. This tool helps me make sure I get perfect edges every time, which for my perfectionist side makes me quite pleased. I’ve included the exact one I purchased below, but any craft trimmer will do.
Fiskars SureCut Deluxe Craft Paper Trimmer, 12 Inch
6. X-Acto Knife
X-Acto knives are quite handy when it comes to watercolor, and I think you’d be surprised how. Most people use an X-Acto knife for scoring, which is great, but I use mine in a different way. Recently I’ve been experimenting with placing a dab of paint on my paper and then, with my X-Acto knife, lightly pulling the ink or paint outward. The result is super tiny, intricate lines. Just be careful not to cut yourself or your paper – these guys are sharp!
7. Tooth Paste
I’m sure you already know this supply hack if you’ve been following me for some time, but toothpaste is great for roughing up the surface of a new metal palette so your paint pools instead of forming those awful little beads. So this supply is one of those random things that’s always lying around in the back of my storage bins.
8. Drawing Gloves
This is a new supply that I’ve come to love: drawing gloves! These are typically used when drawing on a tablet to help your hand glide across the surface easier. But I’ve found them so helpful while drawing and painting on my watercolor paper. Recently, I noticed these strange splotches of texture on my watercolor paper while I was painting. For the life of me, I could not figure out what it was or where it was coming from! Until one day I noticed a small fingerprint in the splotch – so apparently the oil from my hands was creating a resist with my paints. So I decided to try painting with my tablet gloves to see if that helped solve the problem. It did, and since then I’ve been using them quite frequently. Although I will say it has taken some time to get used to them on my hands while I paint. I’ve placed my glove in wet paint a couple of times without realizing it, until a small smudge appeared on my paper. So just something to keep in mind.
9. Magic Eraser
And finally, the last odd supply on the list is a Magic Eraser! As most of you know, I use porcelain plates as a mixing surface for my watercolors, inks, acrylics – you name it. And sometimes those paints can be pretty stubborn to remove once dried on my palette. That’s when these little guys come into play! I love cleaning my plates with a magic eraser because it cuts down on my clean-up time and makes my palettes slick and clean once again. So these little guys are great to have handy at the end of a painting, when the dreaded clean-up begins.
And that’s it! I hope you enjoyed my odd supply list! Are there any supplies you would classify as “odd” in your supply kit? If so let me know in the comments below, as well as how you use them! Thanks again, and happy painting!