I have been making mixed media art since I was about 12 years old. I have combined watercolor pencils, waxed-based colored pencils, acrylic paint, archival pens, liquid acrylic, and more. Here are some of my favorite materials from years of exploration!
Watercolor Pencils
Derwent Watercolor Pencils are my favorite! While they are not inexpensive, good pigment rarely is. I have the giant 72-color box. If you are looking to experiment and get a taste for all that watercolor pencils have to offer, I suggest starting with the 12-pack. The pigments are vivid and layer up to create even more colors! These have lasted me many years and I have barely put a dent in my favorite colors. The application is always smooth and they blend fabulously when water is added to the paper.
Faber-Castell Soft Pastels have a nice, concentrated amount of pigment. This allows smooth, even application of color and consistency I can always count on. These pastels blend well and stick to pastel paper, or any paper with a good enough tooth. I have also found that they don’t crumble as much as other brands (such as the Blick studio pastels) so I truly feel like I am getting my money’s worth instead of half of the stick ending up on my studio floor. If you enjoy these, they have a wide selection of colors so you can continue to add to your pastel collection!
Prismacolor offers colored pencils with a soft core. They are excellent for shading. The lightfast pigments have depth and can be layered up to create value gradations. I have found that these stick to a lot of papers. Also, they are not water-soluble. So if you are like me and enjoy mixing media, these won’t get picked up when you apply water-based inks, acrylic, or add in watercolor pencils. Prismacolor offers 150 color varieties of these pencils, so you will never get bored with the selection. Although the leads are fairly soft and easy to use, they are thick enough to prevent breakage. I suggest matching these with the Prismacolor brand pencil sharpener or carefully making a point with a sharp blade.
Archival Quality Pens
Sakura brand Micron pens have been trusted by artists for over 30 years. Even the tiniest detail pens they have are fairly durable. Just like any marker pens, these can dry out if they sit around unused for too long so don’t forget: you don’t have to wait to use your art materials! Get out there and practice, doodle, draw, and explore. Micron pens come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are archival quality and waterproof, making them perfect for mixed media artwork.
Liquid Acrylic
When it comes to adding pearlescence, or just extra pigment in general, liquid acrylic is the way to go. It is super versatile, comes in a ton of colors, and can be mixed into acrylic paint or pretty much any water-soluble material. Daler-Rowney is my favorite brand. I have found that a lot of the other brands lack the amount of pigment that Daler-Rowney has. I particularly enjoy the texture of these liquid acrylics, they just have a bit more weight to them than other options. Their pearlescent colors are my favorite! These add such a special touch to artwork. I love to mix them in with an acrylic medium to stretch the pigment, but they can also be used on their own. They apply well to a variety of surfaces and I have found that they adhere particularly nicely to paper and over other materials, such as regular acrylic paint.
Mod Podge is a water-based sealant and glue that is great for practice collages. I love using this material in my sketchbooks to experiment with composition. While it is not considered archival (it does yellow slightly), it is an affordable option for people who use a lot of this kind of material. It can be used to collage onto many different materials such as paper and canvas. I love the affordability of this product and, having used it a lot, I have found that the yellowing is only apparent in certain contexts (such as being applied over white). Mod Podge comes in a variety of finishes including matte, satin, and gloss. You tend to see the brushstrokes from application in the Mod Podge at the end of the process, a textural detail I really enjoy. They do have an archival version, called Mod Podge Paper, if you are looking to use this on a finished product or if you are worried about yellowing effecting the look of your artwork.
Thank you for reading my article about some of my favorite art materials! I hope you enjoy these materials as much as I do.
Author: Kiara Perkins, Clumsy Bee Studio LLC