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My Favorite Illustration Supplies

October 14, 2025

This week I thought I'd mix things up a bit and share some of my favorite supplies with you! I get approached at markets by aspiring artists all the time with questions like "what medium is this?" and "how do you get such vibrant color?" After 8+ years of trial and error, I'm happy to share some of my most-loved tools that I find myself using up and buying again and again.

This blog is not sponsored, and while I'm sharing my favorite brands, I'm not providing links. If you'd like to give any of these fun supplies a try, I would encourage you to look for them at a local art supply store, if you have one nearby, or smaller online retailers. I bought online from PlazaArt recently and so far I like their story and somewhat local roots (they started in NYC in 1960 and now have stores throughout the northeast). They also have lower shipping costs than some of the larger online art supply retailers.

Canson - Bristol Smooth Paper

I find this paper in combination with the 2B pencils, micron pens, and alcohol ink markers works really well. The alcohol ink markers don't leave streaks on this paper (unless they are low on ink), and they also don't bleed.

A Compact Paper Cutter

Brands like Firbon and WorkLion work well. This is what I use to cut down my Canson paper to size.

Kimberly 2B Pencils

I like the softness of the 2B pencil. It layers and erases well on the Canson paper with the erasers I mention below, leaving no marks whatsoever unless I've been particularly heavy with pencil in a concentrated area.

Micron Pens

I honestly don't know what it is about Micron pens that allows them to work so well with alcohol ink. I love tracing pencil lines with Microns, erasing, and then applying alcohol ink markers over top. That's how I get the signature look of my prints. As long as you let the Micron ink dry, the alcohol ink won't smear your micron pen ink.

Factis Erasers

They're super cheap, they last forever, and they're simply the best.

A Clear Ruler

Any one will do! I use mine most often for house portraits to align one straight line with another that would otherwise be hidden by an opaque ruler.

Alcohol Ink Markers

The gold standard for alcohol ink markers has always been the Japanese brand Copic, and I still primarily use Copic's "Sketch" style for my own illustration. However, because they're the best and they're made halfway across the world, Copics are expensive (~$6 per marker). I recently discovered the U.S.-based brand Ohuhu which offers alcohol ink markers for about $1 each. For a long time, I didn't offer illustration classes because I couldn't find a way to provide enough markers for everyone while keeping the materials cost low. I'm pleased with the quality of Ohuhu alcohol ink markers (I recently took a small set on a trip abroad).