For a student grade mixed media paper notebook, I really like Grumbacher's mixed media (sold at Walmart in the US). The spiral bound with pages that you can remove and put back is a plus for me, pages can dry while I continue to work on the next page. I can work wet enough for granulating watercolor to easily do its thing, just not big heavy washes (only 160 gsm) and light tooth, perfect for graphite and colored pencils.
If you would like trying a new, not expensive watercolor, you could try Van Gogh watercolor from Royal Talens. Absolute recommendable. Wrote this comment a month ago. Now, I do want to add that I live in Europa and as Van Gogh is made in the Netherlands, the watercolors are affordable here. For 12 + 3 colors I paid around 20 Euro which is cheap for this quality 🙂
I have a lot of the same supplies. I do own many different watercolor sets but started with the W&N cotman sets. I like carrying a tube of white designers gouache for highlights as well as a white Sakura pen and Posca marker. I also made some smaller towels-cut up an old towel to about an 8x8 and sewed some fabric onto the other side and use that instead of paper towels.
I know everyone on UA-cam seems to like Art Creations sketchbooks, but I must admit, I tried one based on the hype and I don’t get it. I guess they don’t work for the type of art that I like to make. For everyone who loves them? They are VERY lucky to have such an inexpensive sketchbook they enjoy (I am honestly jealous 😅). I soooo wish they had worked out for me because the price is great. (I don’t even like them for gouache, which is typically my fallback for paper that I don’t like using for watercolour.) My sketchbooks are Etchr, Stillman & Birn and Strathmore travel (discontinued) which are all too expensive for just playing around or trying things out; so, I keep Fabriano and Canson cellulose / partial cotton pads on hand for that purpose. Great video, always enjoy seeing supplies that people love!!
I am a big fan of cheap "unimportant" sketchbooks to experimenting! Takes away that fear of the first page, ya know? Occasionally, I'll put down a layer of gesso to give to some more tooth (which tbh is NOT great in the Art Creations one and way better in the Moleskine). I really enjoy Stonehenge's range, too, and I've heard great things about Etchr!
The products you use are certainly more expensive for you, over here in Europe the Cotman set cost me about 12 euros, and moleskine are also cheaper (but still super expensive regardless, lets be real)
They are. I've seen other artists visit Japan and been very jealous of the open shelving and low price for Copics or Holbein gauche. Here, they're all in a locked case.
Fun stuff; I enjoy these things too. But Art Creation paper is NOT better quality than Moleskine! Quite the opposite which accounts for much of the price difference. I know many people dislike the brand, but objectively, Moleskine paper is thicker and heavier and their watercolor notebook paper includes cotton. I enjoy Art Creation notebooks + they are a terrific value and great for casual sketching. But working on Moleskine paper with ink, pencil or markers is next level; smoother, less bleed through, etc.
I don't think I've seen a Moleskine watercolor notebook! Good to know! Admittedly, I'll slap some gesso on there to give the page more tooth, but you're right; the Art Creations one doesn't hold up as well with a lot of layering. It's just a nice cheaper option for practice/thumbnailing/playing around.
If we're counting way back, like 25 years XD. I drew a ton as a kid, but fell off around the end of high school and I did next to nothing post college. I started getting back into things around 2019.
For a student grade mixed media paper notebook, I really like Grumbacher's mixed media (sold at Walmart in the US). The spiral bound with pages that you can remove and put back is a plus for me, pages can dry while I continue to work on the next page. I can work wet enough for granulating watercolor to easily do its thing, just not big heavy washes (only 160 gsm) and light tooth, perfect for graphite and colored pencils.
Great video and channel. You are very talented and a great presenter. Looking forward to more awesome art videos. 😁
Thank you so much 😀
If you would like trying a new, not expensive watercolor, you could try Van Gogh watercolor from Royal Talens. Absolute recommendable. Wrote this comment a month ago. Now, I do want to add that I live in Europa and as Van Gogh is made in the Netherlands, the watercolors are affordable here. For 12 + 3 colors I paid around 20 Euro which is cheap for this quality 🙂
I have a few pans I got in a subscription box! They're very nice. I think they're midrange here in the states, but I do enjoy the two I have.
Great Video - we do seem to like a lot of the same art material 😄. Thank you so much for showing 😘
I have a lot of the same supplies. I do own many different watercolor sets but started with the W&N cotman sets. I like carrying a tube of white designers gouache for highlights as well as a white Sakura pen and Posca marker. I also made some smaller towels-cut up an old towel to about an 8x8 and sewed some fabric onto the other side and use that instead of paper towels.
That's an excellent idea!
I know everyone on UA-cam seems to like Art Creations sketchbooks, but I must admit, I tried one based on the hype and I don’t get it. I guess they don’t work for the type of art that I like to make. For everyone who loves them? They are VERY lucky to have such an inexpensive sketchbook they enjoy (I am honestly jealous 😅). I soooo wish they had worked out for me because the price is great. (I don’t even like them for gouache, which is typically my fallback for paper that I don’t like using for watercolour.) My sketchbooks are Etchr, Stillman & Birn and Strathmore travel (discontinued) which are all too expensive for just playing around or trying things out; so, I keep Fabriano and Canson cellulose / partial cotton pads on hand for that purpose.
Great video, always enjoy seeing supplies that people love!!
I am a big fan of cheap "unimportant" sketchbooks to experimenting! Takes away that fear of the first page, ya know? Occasionally, I'll put down a layer of gesso to give to some more tooth (which tbh is NOT great in the Art Creations one and way better in the Moleskine). I really enjoy Stonehenge's range, too, and I've heard great things about Etchr!
The products you use are certainly more expensive for you, over here in Europe the Cotman set cost me about 12 euros, and moleskine are also cheaper (but still super expensive regardless, lets be real)
They are. I've seen other artists visit Japan and been very jealous of the open shelving and low price for Copics or Holbein gauche. Here, they're all in a locked case.
@@MeghanHarker lol yes, why do we want and need everything lol
Fun stuff; I enjoy these things too. But Art Creation paper is NOT better quality than Moleskine! Quite the opposite which accounts for much of the price difference. I know many people dislike the brand, but objectively, Moleskine paper is thicker and heavier and their watercolor notebook paper includes cotton. I enjoy Art Creation notebooks + they are a terrific value and great for casual sketching. But working on Moleskine paper with ink, pencil or markers is next level; smoother, less bleed through, etc.
I don't think I've seen a Moleskine watercolor notebook! Good to know! Admittedly, I'll slap some gesso on there to give the page more tooth, but you're right; the Art Creations one doesn't hold up as well with a lot of layering. It's just a nice cheaper option for practice/thumbnailing/playing around.
How many years have you been an artist?
If we're counting way back, like 25 years XD. I drew a ton as a kid, but fell off around the end of high school and I did next to nothing post college. I started getting back into things around 2019.