People usually want the best equipment for their line of work, good equipment equals a job well done. Keep in mind that fancy supplies don’t automatically make you a good artist but using the right products can help you improve your technique. A common issue plagues artists who are looking to keeping spending low, inexpensive supplies. It’s almost always a guarantee that cheaper and low-quality alternatives will be bought and struggled with. But like any other product, there are quality products with cheap price tags.

For these recommendations, I will be sticking with the basic art supplies that I use, pencils, colored pencils, erasers, and paper.

Good pencils that don’t cost an arm and a leg aren’t really that hard to find. Personally, a simple mechanical pencil serves its purpose well, but if you’re looking for something a little fancier because your medium is only graphite pencils, Derwent pencils are my recommendation to you. A professional brand with cheaper prices, Derwent has varied selection for all your sketching needs.

Good colored pencils like good graphite pencils are easy to find too. Your local Walmart will most likely carry Crayola brand pencils. Just because all your teachers have buckets of broken ones doesn’t mean they can’t be good pencils. You can buy a 50-count pack for usually around ten dollars.

Erasers really do matter. A normal eraser can easily smudge, rip, or wrinkle paper. Which is no good if you paid good money for that paper or spent hours on an art piece. Hi-Polymer erasers are the tools for the task, they’re latex-free, remain soft and crack free. They remove pencil with little pressure, decreasing the chances of wrinkles and tears. Pentel sells these wonderful erasers. You can buy a three-pack for around five dollars.

Copy paper is the starting point for almost everyone these days, but if you’re ready to upgrade on to sketchbooks, Canson is a widely used brand. While on the pricier side of the spectrum, you get what you pay for. Mix Media sketchbooks from Canson can handle all types of mediums from paint pens to watercolor they hold up no matter what. A 5.5 x 8.5 usually goes for around six dollars.

There are always cheaper alternatives that still have good quality. You can find some of the best deals shopping online for supplies. Even in thrift stores, you can find some kid’s art set they got for Christmas and never used. Keep on creating and saving!

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