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My Go-To Goodies & Must-Have Treasures

(A.K.A. Stuff I Actually Use, Love, Splatter With and Occasionally Talk To)

BEHIND THE BRAND

Welcome to my creative chaos corner - where brushes go missing, palettes live dangerously close to catastrophe, and somehow, magic still happens. These aren’t just random supplies I thought looked cute; this blog post is basically a love letter to the materials I reach for over and over. The ones that help me bring color riots to life, the ones that rescue me from acrylic meltdowns, the ones that feel like a warm hug from the muse herself (but with better pigment control).

Whether I’m elbows-deep in primary colors or pretending to be an organized artist, these are the things I’ve smeared, squeezed dry, and replaced more times than I’d like to admit. I get loads of "What brush is that?" and "Which white do you use?!" kind of questions, so I figured: why not make a fun, messy, possibly glitter-covered list?

I only include stuff I’ve personally used, splattered, panicked over, or whispered sweet nothings to in moments of abstract doubt. If you’re looking for quality gear that holds up to bold strokes, aggressive layering, late-night marathons, and wild color choices - you're in the right place.

Paints I'd Marry (if that was a thing)

GOLDEN Heavy Body Acrylics
If you haven’t tried Golden’s heavy body paints yet, treat yourself. These beauties are thick with three C’s. Their pigment load? Chef’s kiss. The buttery texture, the lush colors, the velvety finish - I use everything from the iconic Titanium White (my forever BFF for mixing and layering) to those bold hues that help me yell on canvas without actually yelling.
🔗 Shop Golden Acrylics on Amazon.ca
🔗 Shop Golden Acrylics on Amazon.com

Liquitex Professional Soft Body Acrylic - Transparent Mixing White
Perfect for when I want a smoother blend without watering everything down. It sneaks in just enough transparency to keep the vibrancy intact, which is why I love using it in my color mixes.

Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylics
Golden's cool, dependable cousin. Liquitex heavy body paints are creamy, easy to layer, and play well with others (especially Golden). They blend beautifully, behave in layers, and always show up ready to work.
🔗 Liquitex Paints on Amazon.ca
🔗 Liquitex Paints on Amazon.com

Mediums, Gels & All the Extras

Liquitex Matte Gel
My go-to when I want to stretch the paint a bit, add body, or adjust texture without dulling the color. It glides, blends, and gives just the right feel when the canvas needs to chill out a little.
🔗 Amazon.ca
🔗 Amazon.com

Matte Medium
When I mix a small amount of paint with matte medium, it extends the paint and takes the shine down a notch - super helpful when I want a more muted finish.
🔗 Amazon.ca
🔗 Amazon.com

Liquitex & Golden Modeling/Molding Paste
Whether you call it modeling or molding, it’s the same glorious stuff. These pastes add incredible texture and depth. I use them for dramatic surfaces and effects. (Side note: I’m salty these are cheaper in the U.S. than here in Canada!)
🔗 Amazon.ca
🔗 Amazon.com

Liquitex Gloss Medium & Varnish
This one enhances color depth, increases gloss and flow, and can also act as a final varnish. It dries clear, flexible, and water-resistant. I use it for glazing, as a fixative, and as a binder in collages. You can thin it with a bit of water, but don’t go overboard with the brushing - it might fog a bit when dry. Test first, always. And no, don’t mix it with oils.
🔗 Amazon.ca
🔗 Amazon.com

Canvases & Palettes That Keep Me Sane(ish)

Canvas Paper Pads
Affordable, tough, and perfect for practice or finished works. I go through these fast - great for color testing, quick ideas, or slicing into mini pieces for gifts or fun experiments.
🔗 Amazon.ca
🔗 Amazon.com

Canvas Panel Boards
Another budget-friendly hero, especially for exercises and bold experiments. They’re great for testing colors, layering techniques, or trying something totally out there. I don’t recommend them for your best or final pieces though — they tend to warp over time, especially if you use a lot of paint or water. Keep them for the fun stuff, not the frame-worthy stuff.

🔗 Amazon.ca
🔗 Amazon.com

Gallery Wrapped Heavy Duty Canvases
These are my main canvas type - in various sizes and brands. Some can be found on Amazon, others in local shops. They’re sturdy, ready-to-hang, and make me feel like I have my life together (almost).
🔗 Amazon.ca
🔗 Amazon.com

Masterson Sta-Wet Palettes
This thing is a game-changer. I LOVE it! Keeps acrylics wet longer (hallelujah), saves paint, and lets me return to my work later without a crunchy mess. I use the largest one (12x16"), but they come in other sizes too. I even have two.

🔗 Amazon.ca
🔗 Amazon.com

For quick mixing, I also use disposable palette papers or plain ol' paper plates. No shame.

Brushes, Knives & Secret Weapons Brushes

I use a mix of good and so-so brushes. Good ones are great for detail; the cheap ones I can abuse guilt-free.

Liquitex Freestyle Large Scale Brush (4" Paddle)
This beast is bold. Ideal for backgrounds, sweeping strokes, or making dramatic movements and pretending I’m in a paint battle.
🔗 Amazon.ca
🔗 Amazon.com

Palette Knives
I use them for scraping, layering, texturing, and covering "happy accidents." Just a couple solid ones will do the trick. Metal lasts longer; plastic is fine too.

Princeton Catalyst Wedges & Blades
These silicone tools are seriously cool. Flexible but strong, they help move paint in totally new ways. The wedges fit nicely in hand for direct contact, and the blades give you that traditional-meets-modern vibe. They work with tons of media.
🔗 Amazon.ca
🔗 Amazon.com

Sponges & Paper Towels
Yes, really. Sponges help with soft blending, subtle textures, and, honestly, cleaning up the joyful chaos. Paper towels are the unsung heroes of my studio - blotting, dabbing, drying, cleaning or fixing mistakes I totally meant to make.

I also use stencils, tissue, bubble wrap, natural jute twine, even small gravel for texturing. Anything can be an art tool if you’re brave enough!

Why These? And Not 800 Others?
I get questions all the time like "What paint is that?" or "Do I need mediums?" And while everyone’s process is different, these are my ride-or-die picks. They let me work fast, loud, and intuitively. They support my creative chaos, my late-night breakthroughs, and all the things I don’t plan but somehow turn out.

Bonus Tip ☕️
Make yourself a strong cup of coffee or tea, lay out your materials like you’re about to take over the world, and don’t stress the mess. The mess is the magic.

Explore & Shop My Picks 🛍️
I rounded up all the links so you don’t have to go on an art supply scavenger hunt. Some are affiliate links; if you click and buy, I get a tiny thank-you in commission (at no extra cost to you). You get tried-and-true art goodies I genuinely love — and I get to keep testing more stuff so you don’t have to. Total win-win!

Final Words
If you’ve ever wanted to peek inside the toolkit of an abstract artist who lives for bold color and textural joy - this is it. These tools are my day-one supporters and midnight therapy crew. 💌

Got a favorite supply I haven’t mentioned? Or a weird texturing trick? Message me! I’m always down to expand the chaos.