MY FAVOURITE PHYSICAL PRODUCTS
I put this directory together to give you total transparency on what actually holds up at any price point. Obviously the high you go the quality of the tools do improve but I know for a fact these tools are good.
Every item below has a direct link so you can grab what you need and get straight to work, broken down into four clear tiers.
TRUE BEGINNERS
If you are just staring out for the first time these are the packs I recommend. The Kmart sketching kit includes literally everything you need and the quality of the items aren’t awful at all, I still use the kneaded eraser from this kit to this day.
I got the items in this bundle the week they were released, and I genuinely really like them for the price, hence them also making it into the cost effective options individually.
I love this kit, the quality is decent for the price but I also like the variation of colours available in this kit. I was a hairdresser the specialised in vivid colours for 9 years, eventually leaving the industry in Nov 2024, but with that came learning how to make colours and mix colours, a skill I value highly. I recommend if you get this kit, before you open a new tube, look at the colours you have and see if you can make the colour.
COST EFFECTIVE OPTIONS
I still use this light pad to this day!
Amazing for something affordable.
I like this eraser as it truely is like a three in one eraser, you feel like you have so much control.
I definitely do lean more towards my ‘Uni Kuru Toga Mechanical Pencil’ but I still have lead in this one, and at the end of the day, it’s more about the lead you use in it, and the lead I recommend is below!
… Must I say more
PERSONAL FAVOURITES | LUXURY BUT NOT A MUST
I love these pencils so much, they are reliable yet to the point. I personally think it is still important to understand the differences between the graphite grades, so I would never recommend this to someone starting out, but they are brilliant.
WARNING ONCE YOU USE THESE PENCILS THERE IS NO GOING BACK SO IGNORANCE IS BLISS!!!
Matte | The Black Pencil
Matte is a soft and dark graphite similar to that of 4B. Very rich in tone.
Pearl | The White Pencil
What I would use to do 90% of my final sketch, comparable to 2B.
602 | The Blue Pencil
What I would use to do 90% of my first layer of a sketch, comparable to B.
Natural | The Wood Pencil
This is the pencil I use when doing my outlines and guides, very light, and not as moveable, similar to that of a HB.
WHY THIS KIT?
The reason I chose to link this kit is because it allows you to try the pencils (all of them) before you commit to the eye watering price tag of $79.99 for 12 of each.
Look, I really like Blackwing ok, but the reason I have added this sharpener is because while traditional sharpeners do the job, you typically need a really sharp tip for tiny details. Having a sharper that is built for that exact purpose means that it supports the pencil to prevent over sharpening and also does have that room to create the most precise tip needed for art.
BALLPOINT
Revert back to cost effective options because nothing is beating a BiC.
