RECOMMENDED SUPPLIES
FOR MARKER+PENCIL MIXED MEDIA ART
IMPORTANT: Amy is not sponsored by any art or craft companies and does not accept free products.
All materials listed below are things she uses regularly in the studio. We know you will find them useful and reliable too.
We do not recommend products we’ve never tried.
This page contains affiliate links to Amazon, Dick Blick, Scrapbook Pal, and other reputable retailers.
The use of affiliate links does not affect your purchase price.
Alcohol Markers:
We only recommend Copic Markers at this time.
After multiple tests of several brands, we strongly encourage you to avoid wasting money on economy brands— they’re worst than student grade!
Update, Spring 2025: We are currently testing Olo Markers and things are looking good. Olo may be our alternative suggestion in the future.
COPIC SKETCH MARKERS: Amy uses Copic Markers for their unmatched ink quality and for the Copic Super Brush Nib. The Super Brush nib is essential for blending and for coloring the large size images in Amy’s classes. Both Sketch and Ciao style Copics feature the Super Brush Nib.
Classic Copics with the square barrel are NOT recommended for Amy’s classes and courses.
PRO TIP: While it’s tempting to purchase a big set of Copics, the large sets do not contain blending combinations. Amy recommends beginning with the smaller 3-marker packs called “Color Fusion”, or purchase blending combinations open-stock. You’ll pay more per marker but you also won’t be stuck with a box of unrelated colors.
Best Paper for Alcohol Markers:
BEST FOR BEGINNERS
BEST FOR INTERMEDIATE & ADVANCED
X-PRESS IT BLENDING CARD - Invented for use with Copics. This is the only self-blending paper we know of. XPI smooths your blends as the paper dries and cures.
XPI is mandatory in Amy’s beginner level classes and The Blend.
STRATHMORE BRISTOL 300 SMOOTH - Amy’s intermediate and advanced classes use Strathmore Bristol 300 Smooth.
Some of Amy’s older classes call for discontinued Cryogen. If you purchase a class mentioning Cryogen, please substitute Strathmore Bristol 300 Smooth.
Coloring Surfaces:
Amy draws and colors on the Martin Universal board.
Slanted surfaces are ideal for those with the bad habit of hunching over their projects. Slants encourage you to sit taller, viewing your project from a normal distance and allowing free arm & torso movement.
Slanted surfaces also prevent pressing too hard.
The Martin is an investment but it’s a quality surface.
PRO TIP: Do not color with a sheet of scrap paper below your project. Scrap paper is absorbent and dries your marker blends faster.
You’ll get smoother blends instantly, simply by switching to a non-porous surface.
For an economical slant board, we recommend the Visual Edge.
This board is popular with Amy’s retreat students because it’s portable and easily fits into luggage.
This is sold as a child’s magnetic desk. Don’t let the Amazon listing fool you, it’s great for adult coloring too.
OTHER NON-POROUS OPTIONS:
Copic-Safe Fineline Pens:
Details & Paint Pens:
NOT COPIC SAFE BUT CAN BE USED AS THE TOP LAYER, AFTER THE COPIC LAYERS ARE COMPLETE
Looking for a Copic-safe ink?
When Amy teaches local stamp coloring classes, we use Memento London Fog.
Other recommended colors: Angel Pink and Desert Sand.
Amy never stamps in black.
Colored Pencils:
Amy teaches all beginner classes with Prismacolor Premier Soft Core Pencils. Purchase the largest set your budget will allow. For more info see article here.
Holbein and Pablo pencils are used in combination. Holbein for smooth fills and Pablo for crisp details.
Best White Colored Pencils:
Derwent Lightfast Purple & Violet
Prismacolor 931 Dark Purple has chemistry issues. We need the color for Amy’s classes but it’d be nice to use a pencil which didn’t leak hot pink into other areas.
Derwent makes two similar colors with no pink issues. Derwent “Purple” is the closest but Amy may use “Violet” for a cooler push. Purchase openstock and substitute whenever an older course or class calls for Prismacolor 931.
Amy uses assorted Lightfast colors but not the entire set.
Amy’s Most-Used Prismacolors:
All pencils shown are Prismacolor Premier Soft Core pencils. (Not Col-Erase, Scholar, or Verithin).
More Pencil Options:
Amy teaches advanced and intermediate classes with these pencils. Students are also welcome to use Prismacolor Premier.
Paper for Colored Pencils:
For Marker + Pencil project, Amy recommends Strathmore 300 or 400 Bristol. 400 is better for pencil focused projects. Make sure it is Smooth, not Vellum surface.
For 100% colored pencil projects, Amy uses Fabriano Artistico Hot Press 140lb. DO NOT buy the blocks if tracing line art.
Pencil Tools:
used as a gentle eraser
A note on lightpads: I’ve been through several lightpads in the last decade. The cheaper pads at Amazon are tempting but they’ve all died within 2 years— a ridiculously short lifespan.
I’m currently using Cricut BrightPad— It has lasted 3 years as of 3/2025
Amy’s Colored Pencil Drawers:
Her drawers were painted white to match the cabinetry.
Studio Lights:
Amy’s overhead desk lights for drawing and coloring are also her studio lights for filming class videos. They’re controlled by her Mac Desktop.
This setup is likely overkill for anyone not creating videos.
For hobby studios, look for daylight bulbs with dimmers for adjustable brightness. Flexible neck lights are very handy.