Daily Art is our super popular done-for-you art appreciation program that comes to you via email.
One of the fun things about this program is that there are some suggested art projects included. Most are pretty easy to do at home with items you probably already have around, but just in case you need to fill in the gaps, I’ve made up a list of the tools and supplies that we use here and have found worthwhile.
Not being a natural artist myself, it took my until I was an adult to discover the huge difference that having quality materials makes in creating art. If you have paint colors that are thin and weak, brushes that shed bristles, and paper that falls apart, painting isn’t much fun! Once I got introduced to The Good Stuff my enjoyment of creating things went way up. And best of all, these items really aren’t expensive. It’s more a matter of knowing what’s worth getting.
Here are links to the recommended items for following along with the art projects included in Daily Art: Renaissance. Amazon affiliate links are used.
watercolor paints: This set gives vibrant colors that I absolutely love! SO much better than those weak little trays of blah that most of us have had. Quality matters so much and these will inspire and delight your kids at a very reasonable price.
watercolor paper: Yes, you need watercolor paper, not regular paper. Watercolor paper provides a thickness that can stand up to the wetness of watercolors without tearing, warping, and soaking through. Having the right materials makes a big difference in how much your children will enjoy art.
paint brushes: I love this set both for quality and variety. You get 12 different brushes in this set, so there’s enough for a few kids to share. Better yet–they are junky and won’t lose bristles left and right like others do. They hold up nicely to washing after use, and store in their own zip pouch.
acrylic paint set: I like this set of washable paints because you get 18 different colors in 2 ounce bottles, so it’s plenty for kids to share and to cover just about any painting project your little artists will want to do. I also like the box it comes in, which still serves as storage for my set 4 years after I bought it.
colored pencils: Invest in one high-quality colored pencils set that’s large enough for your children to share, and stores in it’s own tin box! These can’t be beat for great saturated color, smoothness going on paper, thick leads so they don’t break every five minutes, and nice ability for shading and blending. Get as large a set as you can afford. They are so nice!
brayer/paint roller: Easy to use, easy to clean. You can get one or two and have the kids share.
clay tools: For Daily Art: Renaissance, you can get away with using dull pencils, toothpicks, or sticks. But if you have kids that like to do more precise work, and if you don’t already have some tools for clay or sculpey around, you might enjoy this set. I like it that they are double sided, so you get 12 tools in one set. Beware, some are sharp!
regular pencils and paper
crayons
markers
Ivory soap: grocery store pickup
styrofoam plates: grocery store pickup
permanent markers like sharpie (regular and a thin tip black one)
old toothbrush
paper plates
