supply list

Recommended Journals

I like to use hardbound, blank sketchbooks for visual journals. They're inexpensive, simple, and easy to customize, and have the permanance of a bound book.

Paint & Mediums I've been a huge fan of Golden Paints since they first came out sometime back in the 80's. I recall I was wearing plaid mini-skirts with combat boots at the time. Not my best style statement. Anyway... Paint: Golden Fluid Acrylics are what I use. A drop goes a long way when mixed with water or any of the mediums. These are highly pigmented paints, and they are worth every penny. The fluid acrylics I add various mediums, depending upon what effect I am going for. Glazing Liquid extends the color and adds a nice shine. I prefer the gloss, but they make it in a less shiny matte. Matte Medium: I use the matte medium to paint over anything I want to protect from too much water or paint, like the text pages I use in my artwork, or my own writing from my journals. This works like a fixative, but is much less toxic that that spray stuff.

Paint for Travel When traveling, I don't travel with liquids. I use the Caran d'Ache Neocolor II Water-Soluable Oil Pastels. Don't ask me how they are oil pastels and water soluable. I don't know. I just love how these work. Mixed with water or medium, you get paint. Or you can just color with them. Amazing versatility. I break mine in half and just bring a handful of my favorite colors in a snack-sized ziplock when I travel.

Colored Pencils

The Lyra Color Giant pencils are my #1 tool besides paint, for all of my painting, and also working in visual journals. They are not water-soluable, and they make gorgeous impervious lines right on top of paint. These pencils do what markers cannot do. I buy them buy the boxes because I fear that they might someday be discontinued, which seems to happen to so many of my favorite supplies. I love these pencils. They are giant!

My Camera

I've had fancier digital cameras with changeable lenses and what-not, and since they were too heavy, bulky and ultimately too complicated for me too use: I didn't use them.

I learned that with cameras, I need to have something lightweight enough that I'll carry around everyday. The Canon SX1200 was a compromise only with weight: since it has such a long lens hidden in it's compact body, it's heavier than your average compact camera.

The reason I chose this is that I simply wanted manual settings on my camera. Still learning how to use them, but I'm really glad to have these options and get out of the auto mode in my camera.

I've traveled the world with this camera and it's proven to be sturdy. I don't even keep it in a case, just in the side pocket of my purse. I like to have it handy.