Art Supplies and Tools for Artists
Carrie Cantwell is an illustrator, art brand and surface pattern designer whose art is licensed by Target, Pottery Barn and Urban Outfitters. These are the art supplies, digital drawing tools, apps and filming gear she uses every day to make her art, teach her Skillshare classes and run her art business.
This page contains affiliate links, which means if you purchase an item, Carrie Cantwell may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Carrie only recommends products she uses and loves.
Art Supplies
Tech Supplies
Apps & Classes
Filming Supplies
Apps & Classes
Learn Almost Anything
I credit SkillShare for teaching me everything I know about surface design, and I’m also a Top Teacher! My link gets you a free trial.
Online Portfolio Flipbook
I used Heyzine to create my Brand Book for free. I used a PDF created in Canva to make a beautiful flipbook I can embed right on my website.
Research Etsy Keywords
eRank helps you find the best keywords, track trends, and see what shoppers are searching for so you can make smarter listing choices.
Pattern Tester + Mockups
I love being able to test my pattern scales and preview them on tons of mockups with PatternPal Pro. It’s a great way to ensure print quality too.
Email Newsletters
Flodesk is easy, and has beautiful templates, countdown timers and much more. Use my link and get a huge discount on your first year!
Wall Art for Etsy & Shopify
Put your art on everything from tote bags to calendars with Gelato. It’s easy to link directly to Etsy and Shopify. Use my link for a discount!
Free Procreate Brushes
I can’t say enough good things about Gumroad, they’re the best place to buy and sell brushes for Procreate, and many of them are free!
Earn Money With Referrals
Earn affiliate income by promoting your shops like Spoonflower, Redbubble, Zazzle and more! It’s a quick, easy way to earn money.
Learn to Draw Faces
Charly Clements classes taught me fun exercises for nailing proportions and designing outfits, hairstyles and more. It’s her best-selling class!
POD Product Mockups
PlaceIt has thousands of beautiful photo and video lifestyle product mockups that make my art shine. They even have mockups with cats!
Social Media Scheduler
I use Publer, a cross platform social media scheduler, and it’s saved me tons of time! Upload CSVs, see engagement analytics + more.
Art Assets Galore
I use Creative Market for brushes, textures, mockups, fonts, and more! It’s a great place to find creative assets that can streamline your workflow.
Draw Amazing Portraits
Out of This World Portraits is an advanced class that taught me everything from anatomy to how to draw portraits that get art directors’ attention.
Products for Etsy & Shopify
I use Printify to sell my art on Etsy, on products from tees to stickers. I don’t have to have stock or ship, they fulfill my orders and handle everything.
Portfolio Quality Mockups
Creatsy is my go-to for portfolio mockups that get the attention of art directors. They’re perfect for surface pattern designers to show off collections!
Art Supplies
Sketch Pencils
With a variety of hardness options, I can choose the look of sketches and fine-tune my drawings. These high-quality sketching pencils are my faves.
Art Markers
Sometimes I just want to draw with paint, and for that, I adore these Arteza acrylic markers. The colors are vibrant and the flow is smooth.
Precision Eraser
Everyone makes mistakes, but erasing without precision makes a mess. I love this eraser for removing watercolor outlines with no stray marks.
Sta-Wet Palette
I can’t always finish my paintings in a day, but this handy palette saves my color mixes with no drying out or loss of vibrancy or quality.
Acrylics
I love color options, and I often use these acrylic paints right out of the tube. They also blend wonderfully, and go on smoothly and evenly.
Mixed Media Pad
I use these multi-purpose sheets all the time. They’re a cost-effective option for a variety of mediums that stand the test of time.
Small Brushes
Using good brushes makes a big difference for my art. These detail paintbrushes give me lots of control, and Arteza’s quality is excellent.
Paint Pencils
These watercolor pencils are amazing! They’re perfect for tracing and blending and the line look disappears with a light water wash.
Water Pens
I’ve tried several water brush pens, and this set by Arteza is the best. They never leak, and give me more control with my watercolor illustrations.
Watercolors
Winsor & Newton is the industry standard for high-quality watercolors. This paint set was my first purchase, and I’ve bought many more since.
Sketchbook Pad
I care about the quality of my sketches, so I trust Arteza to give me a great price. I’ve even used this paper for finished paintings.
Paintbrushes
I love Arteza products, especially their brushes. This brush set fulfills most of my needs, and never lets me down. They’re also a cinch to clean.
Transfer Paper
I love this transfer paper because I can move my printed Procreate sketches onto paper, canvas, and wood, then paint! Plus I can reuse the sheets!
Gouache
Holbein is top-of-the-line gouache used by professionals. These gouache paints are an excellent starter set with a variety of rich colors.
Watercolor Pad
It’s all about the tools, and this is the best watercolor paper I’ve found. It’s high quality with great tooth, and no buckling with lots of water.
Tech Supplies
Apple iPad Tablet
I love my 13” iPad Pro for digital drawing. I can skip scanning drawings into my computer to save time, and it’s just really fun and easy to use.
Drawing Gloves
I love using Paperlike drawing gloves. They keep me from making any accidental stray marks, and they double as screen cleaners!
Device Cleaner
I only clean my laptop, monitor and phone screens with iKlear: it’s gentle, safe, and a powerful dirt and skin oil remover.
Laptop Bag
I love the retro style of my laptop backpack. It’s got tons of pockets, padding for protection, plus it’s easy on my back and shoulders.
Scanner
For incredibly accurate, highly detailed scans, I use an Epson Perfection V39 II. With a resolution up to 4800 dpi, I never lose quality.
USB Hub
I have devices that require a USB-A connection, but my laptop only has USB-C ports. I use this versatile hub as an adapter, and it works perfectly!
Lap Desk
Sometimes I want to be lazy and work from my sofa, or my bed. This great lap desk makes it easy and comfortable.
Apple Pencil Pro
The pressure sensitivity of the improved Apple Pencil Pro is super powerful. I also love the new squeeze and hover functionality!
iPad Case
My iPad case protects from drops and spills, and it doubles as a stand. It doesn’t interfere with the Apple Pencil Pro magnet either.
Drawing Tablet
When I draw on my laptop, I love my Wacom Intuos Pro Tablet. It’s wireless, and I can adjust for my personal preferences.
Laptop Stand
This laptop stand’s high-tilt angle is much more flattering for Zoom calls! It also keeps my laptop cool and off my desk for space optimization.
Phone Cases
I sell my art on phone cases at ArtsCase, I bought one and love it! I’ve dropped my phone many times without a scratch.
Printer
For vibrant, museum quality prints, I love my Canon Pixma. Plus it uses individual CMYK ink cartridges, so I save a lot of money!
Mouse Pad
I love my mouse pad with built-in gel wrist rest. I can spend hours on my computer without experiencing hand or arm fatigue.
Light Box
I appreciate a good light box. Sometimes I just want to trace on paper, and my LitEnergy is huge, bright, and slim for easy storage.
Task Lamp
I love the adjustable light and arm on this high-quality task lamp. I can control the brightness, and it clamps to my desk so it saves space.
Hard Drive
I trust my Western Digital external hard drive to ensure my files are backed up and safe. It also works seamlessly with Apple’s Time Machine.
Office Chair
I can sit in my Aeron Chair for hours and never get sore. They may be expensive, but my comfort while working is priceless.
Filming Supplies
Microphone
The sound quality with my studio microphone is crisp and balanced. It’s perfect for my podcast, which is important for good sound engineering.
Camera
You don’t need a fancy camera for filming. I use a Logitech 4K webcam for classes + Zoom. It’s affordable and really high quality audio and video.
Phone Tripod Mount
If you have any sort of traditional tripod, like the GorillaPod, you’ll want this handy little phone mount that just screws onto the top.
Overhead Lamp
I love the stability and lightweight portability of the Uniqu Lamp, plus it comes with a remote control that tucks away nicely!
Lapel Mic
SkillShare recommended this Lavalier lapel mic when I went through the teacher coaching program, the quality and portability is outstanding.
Flexible Filming Lamp
The Canvas Lamp is a game-changer for overhead phone filming. It’s easily repositionable, smooth, and super stable - no more shaky videos!
Key Light
Recommended by the SkillShare community is the Elgato Key Light, which has bright, even lighting. Color and temp can be adjusted too!
Soundproofing Tiles
My studio is in an open loft. While beautiful, I have little control over background noise. These soundproof tiles work great to muffle the world.
Light Diffuser
This light diffuser cloth is a life saver! It turns harsh window light into soft light, and it eliminates all glare and harsh shadows.
Tripod for Overhead Filming
This tripod is the most versatile, sturdy way to film using both my phone and a camera, especially overhead. No more wobbly desk footage!
Free Music
I get one free track a month from Uppbeat. Their library has music that’s great for classes, plus it’s allowed on YouTube with artist credit.
Bendy Tripod
I love being able to easily angle and wrap my GorillaPod around stuff, and the level really helps a lot. It’s great to travel with, and compact.
Art Supplies and Tools FAQ
-
Carrie Cantwell, an illustrator, art brand and surface pattern designer, paints with Winsor & Newton watercolors, Holbein gouache and Arteza acrylic markers and brushes. For digital art she draws on a 13 inch iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil Pro. She scans her paintings with an Epson Perfection V39 II. Everything on this page is a tool she uses herself for making art, teaching and running her art business.
-
Carrie Cantwell recommends starting with a good set of sketch pencils, an Arteza mixed media pad and a Winsor & Newton watercolor set, which was her own first paint purchase. For gouache, she suggests the Holbein starter set for its wide range of rich colors. Arteza water brush pens are an easy, mess free way to try watercolor.
-
Carrie Cantwell draws in Procreate on a 13 inch iPad Pro with an Apple Pencil Pro. She wears a Paperlike drawing glove to prevent stray marks. When she works on her laptop, she uses a wireless Wacom Intuos Pro tablet.
-
Carrie Cantwell scans her paintings with the Epson Perfection V39 II. It scans up to 4800 dpi, so her artwork keeps its detail for licensing and printing. For prints at home, she uses a Canon Pixma printer, which has individual color ink cartridges.
-
Carrie Cantwell films her Skillshare classes with a Logitech 4K webcam, a studio microphone and a lavalier lapel mic. For overhead shots of her hands while painting, she uses the Canvas Lamp or the Uniqu Lamp to hold her phone steady. An Elgato Key Light and a light diffuser cloth give her soft, even lighting. She gets free background music from Uppbeat.
-
Carrie Cantwell uses eRank to find the keywords shoppers are searching for. She uses Trendsetter and PlaceIt for product mockups, with Trendsetter's mockups photographed with real people and no AI. For print on demand products like tees and stickers, she uses Printify and Gelato, which fulfill and ship orders for her.
-
Carrie Cantwell credits Skillshare for teaching her surface pattern design, and she is a Skillshare Top Teacher. Her link gives new students a free trial. She also uses PatternPal Pro to test her pattern repeats and preview them on mockups.
-
Yes. Some links on this page are affiliate links, so Carrie Cantwell may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. She only recommends products she uses and loves.