Welcome to my art tools & resources page! Here I’ve compiled my personal list of the very finest art supplies, computers and other technology, books, online resources and more – the best and most useful artist tools of all kinds for both traditional and digital art.
💡 Please note: Some of the links below may be affiliate links. When you buy through those links, we may earn an affiliate commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you! For more info, please read our disclosure.💡
This page will include lots of my own favorite products, the ones I absolutely love and use every day in my work.
It will also include other art tools, books and resources I have tried and thoroughly tested and found to be really great and really useful, as well as many recommendations from friends, colleagues and guest artists whom I’ve interviewed on my site’s (Art Side of Life) podcasts.
…and a lot more!
As you may already know, the Art Side of Life Blog also has many, many buyer’s guides, with a wider range of reviews and suggestions for specific types of art tools, and wherever it makes sense I will include links to those articles. But here, on this Resources Page, you will find the best of the best – my personally curated and approved list of the greatest artist tools and resources available today. Enjoy!
If you’re looking for gift ideas for that special artist in your life, you might also want to check out my new buyer’s guide – Best Gifts for Artists!
This section answers the following questions:
16-inch, 16GB RAM, 1TB Storage, 2.3GHz Intel Core i9
CPU: Apple M1 Chip: 8-core CPU; 16-core Neural Engine
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit): Apple 8-core GPU
CPU: AMD Ryzen™ 5 3580U or AMD Ryzen™ 7 3780U
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit): Radeon Vega 9 or RX Vega 11
CPU: 10th Gen Intel® Core™ i5 processor 1035G1
GPU (Graphics Processing Unit): Intel UHD Graphics
Make sure to also check out my artist’s guides:
Apple M1 chip for next-level performance
Brilliant 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR display with ProMotion, True Tone, and P3 wide color
10.9-inch Liquid Retina display with True Tone and P3 wide color
64GB | 256GB
Second Generation Apple Pencil
Compatible with iPad mini (6th generation), iPad Air (4th generation), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd, 4th, and 5th generations), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st, 2nd, and 3rd generations)
13.3 Inch WQHD Touchscreen Display, Windows 10, Intel Core i7, 512GB SSD
12.3" Touch-Screen
Intel Core i5; 8GB RAM Memory - 256GB SSD
For Surface Pro 7 Pro 6 Surface Laptop 3 Surface Book 2 Laptop 2 Surface Go Studio 2 Pro 5 Pro 4
4096 Pressure Points
Different colors
Creative Pen Display – 4K Graphic Drawing Monitor with 8192 Pen Pressure and 99% Adobe RGB
NEWEST MODEL: UHD Graphics Drawing Tablet, Full-Laminated Screen Anti-Glare Glass 140% sRGB - Battery-Free Stylus 8192 Pen Pressure and KD100 Wireless Express Key, 23.8 Inch
13.3 Inch Graphics Display for Art and Animation Beginners
Screen size: Large
Android Devices Supported 8192 Pen Pressure with Battery-Free Stylus 10 Shortcut Keys,Compatible with Chromebook, Android, Windows and Mac
Make sure to also check out my artist’s guides:
Printer Type: Inkjet Color Printer
Maximum Paper Size: 9 x 13 Inches
Resolution: 2400 x 4800 DPI
Airprint and Mobile Device Printing
Ambient Light Correction
8-ink dye based ChromaLife100+ system
Borderless prints up to 13x19 inches
Model in the UK / Germany - Pro-100S
Maximum Resolution 4800 x 6400 DPI
Bit Depth: Color: 48 bit :: B&W: 16 bit
Maximum Image Size 12. 2" X 17. 2"
3.8 Dmax for excellent detail in highlights and shadows
Maximum Resolution 2400 x 4800 DPI
Maximum Image Size 12. 2" X 17. 2"
There are lots and lots of software programs out there, for beginners or seasoned veterans, for every kind of art process, and at every price level from free to ridiculous, but here is a very short list of the apps I know and love.
This section answers the following questions:
Assorted Degrees, 12-Pack. Professional Quality Graphite Pencil Set with Eraser and Sharpener
Best Mechanical Pencil Overall for Sketching and Drawing
Best affordable mechanical pencil set for artists and My Favorite
Make sure to also check out my artist’s guides:
High-quality stainless steel nib in width M (medium)
Equipped with a cartridge/converter system
Staedtler Pigment Liner black fineliner pens, full professional 12 pieces artist drawing technical drafting sets
Micron Blister Card Ink Pen Set, Black, Set of 8
Make sure to also check out my artist’s guides:
A wide selection of colors for full expressive possibilities, perfect for the working commercial artist or serious fine artist
Full range Bundle Set , Mitsubishi Poster Colour ALL COLOR Marking Pen Medium Point ( PC-5M ) 29 Colours ( 22 Standard & 7 Natural )
Make sure to also check out my artist’s guides:
ZIG Cartoonist Opaque Sumi Ink, BLACK, for dip pen, brush, art, illustration, smooth flowing ink, Smudge proof with alcoholbased markers, professional artists and amateur hobbyists
Best Affordable Watercolors in Tubes Overall / Best Watercolor Set for Students
My Favorite Watercolor Paints in Pans
Lightweight Metal Sketchers Box Set : 24 Half Pans (24 Colors Set)
Best Premium Watercolor Paints in Pans
French Watercolor Paint, Metal Set of 48 Half Pans
Best Value Watercolor Paints in Pans Overall / Best Watercolor Set for Students
Make sure to also check out my artist’s guides:
Best Professional Grade Heavy Body Acrylic Paint
The basic acrylic painting experience and an affordable introduction to Golden quality
Best Value Liquid Acrylic Paint
Semi-Matte Finish, 12 Colors, Suitable for Canvas, Wood, Fabric, Leather, Cardboard, Paper, MDF and Crafts
Acrylic Gouache
Splendid paints with superior colors, finish and usability, and a real delight to use!
Acrylic Gouache
Surprisingly consistent and high quality colors, wet and dry, and quite long lasting and durable - best value!
Make sure to also check out my artist’s guides:
Best Affordable Oil Paint for Painting on Canvas
37ml Artist Oil Colors, Set of 12
Best Budget Oil Paint for Painting on Canvas
Set of 10x 37ml Tubes
Make sure to also check out my artist’s guides:
Chungking Hog Bristle Flats & Rounds, Size (Flat) 2, 8, 14 (Round) 2, 6, 12
Winton Long Handle Brush (5 Pack) (Round 6, Filbert 6, Flat 6, Bright 8, Fan 3)
Make sure to also check out my artist’s guides:
My Personal Choice for Best Watercolor Brush Set
100% Kolinsky Sable Hair Brushes for Watercolor Gouache Ink and More - Professional 4 pc Round Watercolor Brush Set Sizes 0 - 1 - 2 - 3
Best Premium Watercolor Brush Set Overall
Natural Hair and Synthetic Brushes with Wooden Storage Box and Brush Soap, Multiple Sizes, 5 Brushes (Series 36, 991, 5530, 5550)
Best Value Premium Watercolor Brush Set
Deluxe Gift Set of 5 Aquarelle Artist Brushes - Assorted Paint Brush Sizes
Make sure to also check out my artist’s guides:
Hot Pressed Watercolor Paper
9x12 12 Sheets | Made from 100% Cotton
Cold Pressed Watercolor Paper
9x12 12 Sheets | Made from 100% Cotton
Rough Paper for Watercolors
9x12 12 Sheets | Made from 100% Cotton
Cold Pressed Paper for Watercolors
300 lb / 640GSM, 11" x 15", 4 Sheets
Hot Pressed Paper for Watercolors
300 lb / 640GSM, 11" x 15", 4 Sheets
Rough Paper for Watercolors
300 lb / 640GSM, 11" x 15", 4 Sheets
Sized Heavyweight No-Buckle Paper, Fold Over, 185 Pound, 12 x 16 Inch, 10 Sheets
290gsm Paper Block Including 10 Sheets, Size:50x65cm~20x26 inches, Canvas-Like Texture
11 x 14 Inches, 16 Sheets Each, Heavy 246-lb Art Paper, Art Supplies for Acrylic Painting, Oil Painting, & Drawing, Pack of 2
Make sure to also check out my artist’s guides:
Make sure to also check out my artist’s guides:
This section answers the following questions:
If you like listening more than reading, Audible is for you!
Get your 1 FREE Audiobook and FREE access to Audible Originals library for 30-days with this special offer!
Make sure to also check out my artist’s guides:
Hugh Honour & John Fleming :: Laurence King Publishing :: 7th Edition :: 2013 :: 996 Pages
Helen Gardner & Fred Kleiner :: Cengage Learning :: 16th Edition :: 2019 :: 1264 Pages
Robert Cumming :: DK Publishing :: 2nd Edition :: 2020 :: 416 Pages
Vincent Pomarède :: Black Dog & Leventhal :: 1st Edition :: 2011 :: 784 Pages
Thomas Campbell & Kathryn Calley Galitz :: Skira Rizzoli Electa :: 1st Edition :: 2016 :: 544 Pages
Mikhail Piotrovsky :: Skira Rizzoli Electa :: 1st Edition :: 2014 :: 288 Pages
Discover simple step-by-step techniques for drawing a wide variety of subjects in pencil (Collector's Series)
Use Expressions, Poses, and Staging to Bring Your Characters to Life
Tom Bancroft
Art Side of Life – Best online resource for artists overall – ok, maybe I’m a little biased, but I do love my site, and it is definitely becoming one of the most complete and useful websites online today for professional and fine artists, art students and beginners, crafters and lots of other creative types!
Be sure to check out these great Art Side tools, articles, podcasts and buyer’s guides:
As you may already know, I am both a working commercial artist and an art teacher, and I think I do a pretty good job of teaching not only art techniques, processes and theory but also how to manage an art business. At my site, Art Side of Life, I have partnered with a couple of really great online learning platforms:
Move your creative journey forward with Skillshare - affordable online learning community with online classes for creative and curious people.
World’s Simplest Art Training Method with results guaranteed.
It works for 99% of students and gives you 100% of the training you need to create amazing art.
This way I can not only offer my courses right on my own site, but through their institutions as well, and hopefully reach and help as many people as possible. Here’s a list of some of the most popular and highly rated courses that I teach:
Improve your art skills and learn how to make money as an artist with my easy-to-follow online classes such as Making Money as an Artist, Color & Light, Color Palettes, Perspective & Composition, Instagram, and more!
FREE 2 weeks trial with this link
Specifically curated- and produced music designed to improve your focus on the work in front of you
If you like listening more than reading, Audible is for you!
Get your 1 FREE Audiobook and FREE access to Audible Originals library for 30-days with this special offer!
Become part of the
Art Side of Life Community
Join the growing community of artists and creatives who are improving their artistic skills and make money as artists!
Art Side of Life – your one-stop source for content related to improving your art skills and making money as an artist.
