Top 18 'Beyond-the-Kit' Craft Supplies to learn about for Developing Your Own Artistic Voice at home
We all remember the magic of our first art kit. That pristine box filled with neatly arranged colored pencils, a tidy watercolor palette, or a set of acrylics promising a world of creative potential. These kits are fantastic entry points, providing everything you need to get started on your artistic journey. But after a while, you might feel a creative ceiling. The colors are standard, the tools are basic, and your work starts to feel a bit... uniform.
This is a wonderful problem to have. It means you’re ready to evolve. Developing a unique artistic voice isn’t just about what you create; it's also about how you create it. It’s about discovering the specific tools and materials that resonate with your personal style and allow you to express ideas in ways a standard kit never could. Moving beyond the kit is like a chef graduating from a pre-packaged meal to stocking their own pantry with unique spices, oils, and grains. It’s where the real magic begins.
Here at the Goh Ling Yong blog, we believe that curating your own creative toolkit is one of the most empowering steps an artist can take. This list is your guide to that next level. We've compiled 18 "beyond-the-kit" art and craft supplies that will challenge you, expand your technical skills, and ultimately help you discover and refine your own artistic voice, right from your home studio.
1. Gesso (The Canvas's Best Friend)
You might have seen this thick, white paint-like substance in art stores and wondered what it was for. Gesso is a primer. Its main job is to prepare a surface (like canvas, wood, or even thick paper) for painting, making it slightly textured and less absorbent so your paint sits on top rather than soaking in. This makes your colors appear more vibrant and true.
But gesso is more than just a primer; it's a foundational texture tool. You can apply it smoothly for a perfect canvas, or you can apply it thickly with a palette knife or a coarse brush to create a textured, three-dimensional surface before you even start painting. You can even tint your gesso with a drop of acrylic paint to create a colored ground, which can unify your finished piece. Black gesso is particularly dramatic, providing a high-contrast base for metallic or neon paints.
Pro-Tip: Try rescuing an old, unsuccessful painting by covering it with one or two coats of gesso. It gives you a fresh, slightly textured canvas to work on, and hints of the underlying colors and textures might peek through, adding unexpected depth to your new piece.
2. Gouache Paint (The Opaque Watercolor)
If watercolor and acrylic paint had a baby, it would be gouache. Like watercolor, it's water-based and can be re-activated with water when dry. But like acrylics, it's opaque and has a rich, matte finish. This unique combination opens up a world of possibilities that neither medium can achieve on its own.
Because it's opaque, you can layer light colors on top of dark colors—something that's notoriously difficult with traditional watercolor. This makes it a favorite among illustrators and designers for creating bold, graphic artwork with flat, vibrant blocks of color. It forces you to think about layering and shape in a new way, pushing you beyond simple washes and blends.
Pro-Tip: Invest in a primary set (red, yellow, blue, black, and a large tube of white). You can mix almost any color from these, and you'll find that "titanium white" gouache is a secret weapon for adding highlights and details back into a watercolor painting.
3. Inktense Blocks or Pencils (Ink in a Stick)
At first glance, Inktense products look like vibrant watercolor pencils or crayons. You can draw with them dry, then activate them with a wet brush to release a flood of brilliant, transparent color. But here's the game-changing difference: once dry, the color is permanent ink.
This permanence is what makes them so versatile. You can layer colors on top of each other without muddying the layers beneath. You can draw on fabric, let it dry, and it becomes permanent (after heat-setting). Because they are so highly pigmented, you can also shave off a bit of the block into a palette, add water, and use them like traditional ink or intense watercolor paints.
Pro-Tip: Use Inktense pencils to draw a detailed image on watercolor paper. Activate only certain areas with a water brush to create a piece that beautifully combines sharp, dry pencil lines with soft, ink-like washes.
4. Water-Soluble Graphite (The Magical Sketching Tool)
Imagine being able to turn your pencil sketch into a moody, atmospheric watercolor painting with a single brushstroke. That's the power of water-soluble graphite. It comes in pencil or stick form and looks and feels just like a regular graphite pencil. You can sketch, shade, and create tones as you normally would.
The magic happens when you introduce water. A wet brush will dissolve the graphite, allowing you to pull the pigment into beautiful, silvery-grey washes. It’s perfect for creating quick value studies, expressive monochrome paintings, or adding a soft, painterly background to a detailed ink drawing. It bridges the gap between drawing and painting in the most intuitive way.
Pro-Tip: After creating a wash and letting it dry, go back in with the dry graphite pencil to add sharp details and dark accents. This contrast between the soft wash and the crisp lines creates incredible depth.
5. Masking Fluid (The White Space Saver)
Ever struggled to paint around a tiny, intricate detail or keep your whitest whites pure in a watercolor painting? Masking fluid is your solution. It’s a liquid latex that you paint onto the areas of your paper you want to protect. It dries to a rubbery film, creating a waterproof barrier.
You can then paint freely over your entire piece, even over the masked areas. Once your paint is completely dry, you simply rub the masking fluid off with your finger or a rubber cement pickup, revealing the pristine white paper underneath. It's essential for creating sharp highlights, delicate patterns like snowflakes or stars, or preserving the details of a subject against a loose background wash.
Pro-Tip: Never use your best brushes with masking fluid, as it can ruin them. Instead, use an old, cheap brush, a silicone tool, or the end of a wooden skewer. To protect your brush bristles, dip them in soapy water first—this prevents the fluid from sticking as stubbornly.
6. A High-Quality Brayer (The Versatile Roller)
A brayer is a small, handheld rubber roller that is essential for printmaking. But its usefulness extends far beyond that! It’s an incredible tool for creating unique backgrounds and applying paint in mixed media art.
Instead of a brush, try using a brayer to apply a thin, even layer of acrylic paint to your journal page or canvas. You can roll different colors over one another to create subtle gradients and textures that are impossible to achieve with a brush. It's also fantastic for applying paint to a Gelli plate (more on that next) or for pressing down collage papers to ensure a smooth, bubble-free application.
Pro-Tip: Apply a small amount of two different colors of paint next to each other on a palette. Roll your brayer back and forth over them a few times to create a beautiful, unpredictable gradient on the roller, then apply it to your surface.
7. Gelli Plate (Printmaking Without a Press)
Monoprinting used to require a large, expensive printing press. The Gelli plate changed all that. It's a soft, squishy slab of gelatin-like material that allows you to pull one-of-a-kind prints at your kitchen table. The process is incredibly intuitive and addictive.
You simply roll a thin layer of acrylic paint onto the plate, then press textures into it (leaves, bubble wrap, stencils, stamps) or draw into the paint with a cotton swab. Then, you press a piece of paper onto the plate, rub gently, and pull it off to reveal your unique print. It’s a process built on experimentation and happy accidents, perfect for creating collage papers, journal backgrounds, and abstract art.
Pro-Tip: A "ghost print" is the second, fainter print you can pull from the plate without adding more paint. These are often more subtle and detailed than the first print and are perfect for layering.
8. Heat Embossing Gun & Powders (Instant 3D Shine)
This is a tool straight from the papercrafting world that has incredible applications in mixed media art. The process is simple: you use a slow-drying ink (like a pigment ink pad) to stamp an image or write something. While the ink is still wet, you sprinkle on a special embossing powder. Tap off the excess, and then heat the remaining powder with a heat gun.
As it heats, the powder melts and fuses into a raised, glossy, and permanent design. It’s a fantastic way to add shiny, metallic accents, elegant text, or tactile texture to your artwork. The effect is stunningly professional and adds a "wow" factor that's hard to replicate.
Pro-Tip: Try using a clear embossing ink pen to draw your own designs or write your signature. Sprinkle with metallic gold or silver powder for a truly personalized and elegant touch on your finished pieces.
9. Bookbinding Awl & Waxed Thread (Craft Your Own Sketchbook)
There is nothing more personal to an artist than their sketchbook. Why not make your own? It’s surprisingly easy and deeply rewarding. All you really need is an awl (a sharp, pointed tool for piercing holes), a needle, some waxed linen thread, and your favorite papers.
Making your own journals and sketchbooks allows you to customize them completely. You can choose the size, the cover material, and most importantly, the type of paper inside. Want a sketchbook with a mix of watercolor paper, toned paper, and drawing paper? You can make it! This simple skill connects you more deeply to your creative process from the very first page.
Pro-Tip: Learn a simple stitch like the "pamphlet stitch" to start. It only requires three holes and is perfect for creating thin notebooks or zines. You can find countless free tutorials online.
10. Alcohol Inks (Vibrant & Unpredictable)
Alcohol inks are highly-pigmented, fast-drying, dye-based inks that are activated by isopropyl alcohol. They are primarily used on non-porous surfaces like synthetic Yupo paper, ceramic tiles, glass, or metal. When you drop the inks onto these surfaces, they spread and blend in mesmerizing, organic patterns.
Working with alcohol inks is less about precise control and more about embracing the process. You can tilt the surface, use an air blower to push the inks around, and drop alcohol on top to create beautiful blooms and textures. They are perfect for creating vibrant, abstract art that feels both energetic and ethereal.
Pro-Tip: Keep a bottle of 91% (or higher) isopropyl alcohol and some blending solution on hand. The alcohol is used to lighten colors and move the ink, while the blending solution helps the inks stay workable for longer and blend more smoothly.
11. Wood Burning Tool / Pyrography Pen (Drawing with Fire)
Pyrography, or wood-burning, is the art of decorating wood or other materials with burn marks. A pyrography pen is essentially a heated metal tool that allows you to draw with heat. It’s a completely different sensory experience that forces you to slow down and be deliberate with your marks.
This tool allows you to take your drawing skills to a new medium. You can create detailed illustrations on wooden plaques, add designs to picture frames, or even decorate leather goods. The resulting art has a rustic, permanent quality and a beautiful tactile feel. It’s a fantastic way to create unique, handmade gifts and décor.
Pro-Tip: Start on a scrap piece of the same wood to test the heat of your pen and get a feel for the pressure needed. Different tips create different lines, so experiment with them just as you would with different pencils.
12. Modeling Paste / Texture Paste (For 3D Effects)
If you love the thick, sculptural look of impasto oil paintings, you need to try modeling paste. It’s a thick, white acrylic medium that you can mix with your paint or apply directly to your canvas and paint over once it’s dry.
You can apply it with a palette knife to create rough, mountain-like peaks or smooth it out and carve into it while it's wet. It holds its shape perfectly as it dries, allowing you to add real, physical dimension to your 2D artwork. It’s a staple for mixed-media artists who want to break free from the flat canvas.
Pro-Tip: Press objects like lace, stencils, or stamps into wet modeling paste. When you remove them, they will leave a beautiful debossed impression. Once dry, you can highlight these textures with a thin wash of a contrasting color.
13. PanPastels (Pastels in a Pan)
If you've been put off by the dusty, messy nature of traditional stick pastels, PanPastels might be your perfect match. These are professional-quality artist pastels packed into a unique pan format, similar to makeup.
You apply them with special micropore sponge tools called Sofft Knives and Sponges. This gives you a remarkable level of control, allowing you to blend, layer, and apply color with a painterly feel. They are far less dusty than sticks and are erasable, making them much more forgiving. They are excellent for large-scale blending and creating soft, luminous effects.
Pro-Tip: PanPastels work beautifully with traditional pastel pencils. Use the PanPastels to block in large areas of soft color, then use the pencils to add fine lines and sharp details on top.
14. Posca Paint Markers (The Ultimate Opaque Marker)
Posca markers are filled with opaque, water-based acrylic paint. Think of them as having a paintbrush in the convenient form of a marker. They are beloved by artists for one simple reason: they can write on almost anything. Paper, canvas, wood, metal, glass, plastic, fabric—you name it.
The paint is incredibly opaque, meaning you can write light colors over dark backgrounds with ease. This makes them perfect for adding details, outlines, or lettering on top of finished paintings (acrylic, gouache, or watercolor). They are the perfect tool for when you need a crisp, clean, and completely opaque line.
Pro--Tip: To get the paint flowing, shake the marker well (with the cap on!) and then press the tip down a few times on a scrap piece of paper until the paint saturates the nib.
15. A Selection of Fine Art Papers
The surface you work on is just as important as the paint or pencils you use. Moving beyond a basic sketchbook and exploring different fine art papers can fundamentally change your artwork.
Start by exploring the difference between hot-press and cold-press watercolor paper. Cold-press has a noticeable texture (or "tooth"), while hot-press is smooth, which is ideal for fine detail and ink work. Try toned tan or grey paper to make your highlights pop. Experiment with Yupo paper for alcohol inks or super-smooth Bristol board for marker art. The paper itself becomes an active participant in your creative process.
Pro-Tip: Buy a few single large sheets of different types of paper from an art store and cut them down to a smaller size. This is a cost-effective way to create your own "sampler pack" and discover what you enjoy working on most.
16. Metal Palette Knives (A Mark-Making Tool)
The flimsy plastic knife that comes in a beginner paint set is fine for mixing, but a set of flexible metal palette knives is a true artistic tool. They aren't just for mixing paint on your palette; they are for applying it directly to the canvas.
Using a palette knife instead of a brush encourages a looser, more expressive style. You can create sharp, clean edges, scrape through wet paint to reveal colors underneath (a technique called sgraffito), or apply thick, buttery strokes of paint for incredible texture. Each knife shape creates a different kind of mark, turning you into a sculptor of paint.
Pro-Tip: Try creating an entire painting using only a palette knife. This exercise forces you to focus on shape, value, and texture rather than getting bogged down in tiny details.
17. A White Gel Pen (The Detailer's Dream)
This humble-looking pen is a secret weapon for countless artists. While masking fluid is for preserving large white areas, a good opaque white gel pen is for adding back in the tiny, final highlights that make an artwork pop.
Use it to add a sparkle to an eye, the glint of light on a water droplet, the delicate veins of a leaf, or tiny stars in a night sky. It works beautifully over watercolor, gouache, colored pencil, and marker. The Uni-ball Signo Broad and the Sakura Gelly Roll are two of the most popular choices for their brilliant opacity.
Pro-Tip: If your gel pen isn't working well over a waxy surface like colored pencil, try gently "scribbling" on a clean rubber eraser first. This can help clean the ballpoint and get the ink flowing again.
18. A Quality Sealant or Varnish (The Professional Finish)
You've spent hours pouring your heart into a piece. The final step is to protect it. A good sealant not only protects your artwork from dust, UV light, and moisture but also can unify the finish of the piece.
There are many options available. A spray varnish is easy to apply over textured surfaces. A brush-on polymer varnish can give a painting a glossy, professional sheen. For drawings, a spray fixative will prevent graphite or charcoal from smudging. Even a simple coat of Mod Podge can seal and protect mixed-media journal pages. This final step signals that the work is complete and honors the effort you put into it.
Pro-Tip: Always choose the right varnish for your medium (e.g., a specific varnish for acrylics vs. oils). Test it on a small, similar piece first to see if you prefer a matte, satin, or gloss finish before committing to your final artwork.
Your Studio, Your Voice
Your home art studio doesn't need to be filled with every supply on this list. The goal isn't to accumulate tools, but to intentionally choose them. Start by picking one or two that pique your curiosity—something that could solve a creative problem you've been having or simply looks like fun to try.
Every new material teaches you something. It pushes you to solve problems differently, to make new kinds of marks, and to see your own art through a fresh lens. This journey of experimentation is how an artistic voice is built: one curious, courageous step beyond the kit at a time.
Now it's your turn. Which of these supplies are you most excited to try? Do you have a favorite "beyond-the-kit" tool that we missed? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below! We'd love to learn alongside you.
About the Author
Goh Ling Yong is a content creator and digital strategist sharing insights across various topics. Connect and follow for more content:
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