Art Supplies; A Guide to, For Non Artists.

Believe me, I feel for all those non artists who are married, related or in anyway connected to somebody who has discovered their artistic side, you will never understand the need (it is a need) to possess every piece of art equipment your local art supply shop or online art shop offers. This sketchbook page is dedicated to you and is a kind of self-help guide for non-artists. 

Sketchbooks, of course I have 10 but they come in all different sizes and weights of paper; bound, spiral bound, you can't seriously expect me to only have one ? Not to mention all those new ones with coloured paper, everybody else is using them too, no paper isn't just paper! New pens, well of course I need new pens ...... to go with the new sketchbooks silly, there are rollerballs, fineliners, fountain pens, art pens, dip pens, you just don't know which one will suit you until you have tried them all. 

Gouache, why do I need gouache, well because it's an opaque kind of watercolour .......... yes of course I've just bought watercolours but it isn't the same, it's opaque ...... don't you ever listen. Acrylic is a paint which dries quickly and is similar to oil but synthetic, it can be thinned to be used like watercolour ..... yes but it isn't watercolour. Do I use acrylic? Well, no not really, I don't like the plasticky feel, why am I buying it ...... well I might need it someday!!!!!!!!! 10 tubes, well seriously what do you expect me to do with one tube of acrylic paint, the same goes for the gouache. A palette, of course I need a palette and brushes, you're not a proper artist without them. I've already got 10 brushes yes, are you joking? You don't think I can use the same brushes for acrylic and watercolour ........ there are flat brushes, dagger brushes, fan brushes ...... I'll just pop a wee selection into the cart so we won't have to come back next week. 

Watercolour pans ...... No, blue isn't just blue ..... there is halcyon blue, prussian blue, cobalt blue, ultramarine ...... should I continue? No,I thought not. A couple of watercolour pencils and .... 

Aaaaahhhhhh, pastels, pure pigment sticks bound with a binder; I know I bought some last week but to find the best, you have to test the rest!!!!! Did Degas have to discuss how many pastels he bought, no I didn' t think so! Just need some more blues, yes they were blue last week too but these are different blues, do we need to start the blue discussion again? Soft or hard, of course there is a difference otherwise they wouldn't be offering them separately would they? 

 So I'm just popping into the pottery department ...... Ooh look at that wee kiln, what do you mean by "You've never tried pottery" but I might, maybe next week I'll be overcome by the need to create something in clay and if I haven't got any that will mean us coming back again next weekend, now you wouldn't want that would you ...... of course I can always go online ...... nice little G&T, the art supply site and me! 

Thank you for heaving it into the shopping trolley for me, so off to the checkout! How wonderful to have somebody who is so supportive and appreciates my artistic needs!