These Are a Few of My Favourite Things…

These Are a Few of My Favourite Things…

I get asked all the time for recommendations for creative art supplies so we’ve created your one stop shop for my favourite pencils, markers, paper and everything in between!

This content is NOT sponsored or endorsed by any of the brands mentioned on this page. Some items have been given to us by brands over time, but this does not affect my rating of them in my favorites list. This post contains affiliate links (mostly Amazon) and I may earn a commission if you click them (at no cost to you).

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Sarah’s Favorite Art Products

  • Coloured Pencils
  • Alcohol Markers
  • Best Pencil Sharpeners
  • Best Erasers
  • Other Media Sarah Uses Regularly
  • Favourite Art Paper

Sarah’s Most Popular Coloring & Art Resources

  • Ultimate Reviews & Product Comparisons
  • How to Blend Colored Pencils
  • Learn Shading, Lighting Techniques & Textures
  • Tips for Beginners
  • Coloring on a Budget

Sarah’s Studio Setup

  • Studio Layout
  • Recording Equipment
  • Editing Software

Sarah’s Favourite Art Products

Sarah’s Favourite Coloured Pencils

Caran d’Ache Luminance Coloured Pencils

They’re expensive, but they’ve been my favourite coloured pencils for many years. They don’t work the best on cheaper paper, but I love pulling them out whenever I’m wanting to create something special, or working with higher quality supplies. They are beautiful coloured pencils, and I don’t use mine nearly enough!

Buy at Amazon: 20 | 40 | 76 | 100
Buy at Blick

See them in action on YouTube:

Prismacolor Premier Soft-Core Colored Pencils

Prismacolor Premier Colored Pencils

Prismacolor Premier are still my go-to pencil for most of my colouring, even though I don’t quite consider them to be my absolute favourite. If I’m wanting a pencil on top of markers or any other media, I know my Prismacolour will work better than any brand. They are very versatile and handle layering more than most coloured pencils. They do break… a lot. And I’ve been disappointed in the quality control in the most recent set I purchased. But even with this, they are still my go-to and live permanently within arms reach of my studio art desk.

Buy at Amazon: 1 | 12 | 23 | 24 | 36 | 132 | 150
Buy at Blick

See them in action on YouTube:

Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils

Faber-Castell Polychromos Colored Pencils

The Polychromos are possibly the best quality oil-based pencils you can buy. They have beautiful colours and keep a wonderfully sharp point for details like hair or fur. I don’t use mine as much as my Prismacolors or Luminance, but I still keep some close by. They are still one of my favourites, and I’m excited that they’re bringing out new colours in 2026!

Buy at Amazon: Set of 12 | 24 | 36 | 60 | 68 | 120
Buy at Blick

See them in action on YouTube:

Derwent Lightfast Colored Pencils

I’ll admit, even though these are incredibly similar to the Caran d’Ache Luminance, I still find myself grabbing the Luminance out of habit. But these are AMAZING pencils. They are one of the only coloured pencils that are truly lightfast (I tested it!) and I love Derwent as a brand overall. I need to set aside some time to sit with these pencils and use them to their full potential!

Buy at Amazon: 12 | 24 | 36 | 72

Buy at Blick

See them in Action on Youtube:

My Budget-Friendly Pick: Star Joy Gold Edition Colored Pencils

Star Joy Gold Edition Pencils are a good quality option at an affordable price. After testing every coloured pencil brand on my YouTube channel, these were a step above everything I could find at a similar price. They are easy to use, they blend really well, and they won’t leave you broke!

Buy at Amazon: 72 | 120

See them in Action on YouTube Here:

Special Mention: Derwent Inktense Pencils

These are in a bit of a different category, being more like a permanent watercolour pencil – but I couldn’t NOT include them in this list! I have loved these pencils every time I’ve used them. They work like normal coloured pencils, until water transforms them into vibrant watercolours. The difference to watercolour pencils is that these become permanent once they’ve been wet then dried – so you can get creative in completely different ways to traditional watercolour. They also come in blocks, and you can even use them in colouring books with an alcohol blender marker to create a watercolour effect (although not as vibrant) that won’t go through the page!

Buy at Amazon: 12 | 24 | 36 | 72 

See them in action on YouTube:

Sarah’s Favourite Alcohol Markers

Ohuhu Alcohol Markers

Ohuhu alcohol markers are still some of my most used, most loved markers. I compared every alcohol marker brand and found that these were priced with the more affordable markers, but were comparable to the pricier brands in quality. Ohuhu have continued to develop more colours, bigger ranges, and more products – listening to customer feedback and constantly improving their products. My go-to is still the Honolulu alcohol marker range, which was their first marker, but has been revamped and re-numbered to match their newer alcohol marker ranges. 

See the Ohuhu alcohol markers and other products at Amazon

See them in action on YouTube:

OLO Alcohol Markers in marker storage

OLO Alcohol Markers

OLO markers are easily some of the highest quality alcohol markers I’ve ever used. They are amazing for blending, have a huge ink capacity (double compared to most other alcohol marker brands) and a wonderful colour range. If you were previously a fan of Copic, and haven’t quite found a good replacement (since Copic’s quality control has gone sideways) – give OLO a try. I’m confident you’ll love them. (P.S. They’re bringing out fine nibs soon! I can’t wait to try them)

Visit the OLO store

See them in action on YouTube:

Sarah’s Favourite Pencil Sharpeners

AfAfter testing a lot of pencil sharpeners a few years ago, these are the ones I still use today. However, even with all my intense coloured pencil testing, I haven’t yet tried an electric pencil sharper… so I’ll have to add that to my list!

Sarah’Sarah’s Favourite Erasers

  • Kneadable Eraser (any brand)  – This is my go-to for every project. Kneadable erasers don’t leave any mess (the biggest thing I like about them!) and are really easy to adjust to whatever size or shape you need. I haven’t used a “normal” eraser for years.
  • Derwent USB Rechargeable Eraser  – I don’t use this often, but it’s great for if you need to erase something with a bit more effort.
  • Tombow Mono Zero Eraser – I still use the kneadable eraser more than this, but it’s nice to have a small pen-like option for fine-detail erasing. This is still within arms reach!

Other Media Sarah Uses Regularly

Favorite Art Paper

  • Stonehenge 100% Cotton (My go-to for most projects) Amazon
  • Neenah Bristol Vellum (Best for printing, affordable): Amazon
  • Fabriano Hot-Pressed Watercolor Paper: Blick | Amazon
  • Fabriano Black Black Paper: Amazon
  • X-Press It Blending Card (for alcohol markers): Amazon

Colouring Tutorials & Art Resources

Ultimate Reviews & Product Comparisons

How to Blend Coloured Pencils

  • How to Blend Colored Pencils (Start Here!) – VIDEO | ARTICLE
  • 21 Rainbow Gradient Blends To Try – VIDEO | ARTICLE
  • 12 Ways to Blend Colored Pencils – VIDEO | ARTICLE
  • Blending Colored Pencils with Household Items – VIDEO

Learn Shading, Lighting Techniques & Textures

Tips for Beginners

  • Things I Wish I Knew as a Beginner Artist – VIDEO
  • How to Use Colored Pencils in Adult Coloring Pages – VIDEO | ARTICLE
  • How to Draw with Pencils & Markers Together – VIDEO | ARTICLE
  • 5 Easy Tips to Improve Your Coloring – VIDEO | ARTICLE
  • How to Choose the Best Paper for Coloring Pages – VIDEO | ARTICLE

Coloring on a Budget

  • The Best Prismacolor Alternatives – VIDEO | ARTICLE
  • The Best Holbein Alternatives – VIDEO | ARTICLE
  • Drawing Realism with Crayola (Challenge) – VIDEO
  • How to Color with Cheap Pencils – VIDEO | ARTICLE
  • How to Make Any Color with Just 12 Pencils – VIDEO | ARTICLE
  • Are these the best affordable colored pencils? – VIDEO | ARTICLE

Sarah’s Studio Setup

Studio Layout

Studio Recording Equipment

We’ve recently partnered with BlackMagic Design who have provided some of our recording equipment. We were already using their cameras and editing software beforehand. This is the equipment we currently use, but is not essential if you’re just starting out. A good phone camera records decent video, although I do recommend investing in a good microphone as early as you can.

Main Camera

Overhead Camera

Side Camera/Photography

Lighting

Microphone

Audio Recorder

Teleprompter

Video Monitoring/Streaming

Computer & Editing Equipment

Video Editing Software

Photo & Design Software