My Go-To Art Supplies for Abstract & Mixed Media Painting

This is a living list of the mixed media art supplies I personally use and love in my abstract and mixed media practice. I plan to update this post over time and add affiliate links as I go. For now, consider this a behind-the-scenes look at what actually works for me in the studio.

Disclosure: I am not currently affiliated with or sponsored by any of the brands mentioned below. I do not receive commissions for recommending these products at this time. These are simply tools I use regularly and have had good experiences with.

Paper & Substrates

Heavyweight Mixed Media Paper

I primarily work on heavyweight mixed media paper—ideally 150–200 lb or heavier. The brand hasn’t made a huge difference for me, but I’ve been fairly loyal to Canson.

Why I like it:

• Holds up well under multiple layers of acrylic paint

• Minimal buckling compared to lighter papers

• Durable unless I aggressively rework or scrape layers (in which case, canvas is usually the better choice)

Arches Watercolor Paper Block (Used for Mixed Media)

Even though this is technically watercolor paper, I love using an Arches watercolor paper block for mixed media.

What makes it special:

• Extremely heavyweight and durable

• The block format gives a canvas-like feel

• Can be painted taped or untaped, even right up to the edges

• Layers are separated by gently sliding a palette knife between sheets

It’s an investment, but mine has lasted a long time with casual studio use. I don’t use it for daily sketching, but for intentional pieces, it’s absolutely worth it.

Tape & Surface Prep

Tape (What Works—and What Doesn’t)

• Artist tape (Blick brand): I’ve had poor luck with this—it simply didn’t stick well for me.

• Painter’s tape: Works better, but use cautiously on paper—it can tear fibers if removed too aggressively.

  • Green Frog tape

  • Standard blue painter’s tape

• Scotch purple tape: Recently added to my rotation. So far, so good—but I need more time before fully recommending it. Updates coming.

Acrylic Paint

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/2dd249_536b1536289e41599b71a4f29183199c/720p/mp4/file.mp4

Heavy Body Acrylics

I’m a Golden Heavy Body Acrylic loyalist, especially for work I plan to sell.

Why I choose them:

• Rich, consistent pigmentation

• Excellent mixing capabilities

• Plays beautifully with acrylic mediums

When practicing, I’ve also used Liquitex Basics and had good experiences with them, but my finished work is primarily done with Golden.

Favorite colors (for now):

• Quinacridone Red

• Cadmium Yellow Dark

• Prussian Blue

That said, I’m increasingly moving toward working from primary colors + black + white, since I love mixing my own custom palette.

Golden OPEN Acrylics

I’ve slowly been incorporating Golden OPEN Acrylics into my work.

• Longer working time

• Excellent for blending and top layers

• Especially useful for whites and finishing layers

I recently added a tube of black carbon OPEN acrylic and am excited to experiment more.

Gesso

I use gesso constantly:

• White gesso: Applied to all canvases—even pre-primed ones—before I begin

• Black gesso: Used for base layers and early mark-making

Brushes & Tools

Brushes

I gravitate toward Princeton brushes, especially synthetic bristles.

Why synthetic:

• Less shedding (loose bristles drive me crazy)

• More consistent feel

Brush shapes I use most:

• Angular brushes

• Round brushes

• Riggers (long, thin brushes)

Riggers are essential in my work, They are perfect for floral lines, outlining shapes, and expressive mark making.

Found & Alternative Tools

• Old kitchen spatulas (repurposed for texture and scraping)

• Palette knives

Mediums & Additives

Acrylic Mediums

I rotate between Golden and Liquitex mediums depending on the effect I want.

Most used:

• Satin medium – my favorite balance between gloss and matte

I don’t add mediums every time I paint. I tend to use them more in later layers, when I’m focused on transparency, depth, and finish.

Other mediums I’ve experimented with:

• Pouring medium

• (Haven’t tried airbrush medium yet)

Gel Medium

Recently added to my practice for attaching paint skins and dry acrylic textures.

• Used to adhere dried paint to canvas or paper

• I currently use liquitex gel medium and plan to keep experimenting

Water & Extenders

• Spray bottle for re-wetting paint and creating drips (a must!)

• Liquitex flow-aid or extender (used sparingly)

• Careful not to over-dilute acrylics with water

Fixatives & Finishing

Workable Fixative

I regularly use Krylon Workable Fixative between layers and at the end of a mixed media piece—and go through it somewhat fast.

Best for:

• Fixing pencil marks

• Pastel

• Other mixed media layers between paint stages

Important safety note:

• Use outdoors or in a very well-ventilated area

• Follow can instructions carefully

• Multiple light coats may be needed

  
  

Final Varnish

When a painting is truly finished, I use a gloss gel medium and varnish to seal and protect the surface.

Mixed Media Art Supplies for Drawing & Mark-Making Materials

Colored Pencils

• Prismacolor – rich pigmentation and my long-time favorite

Water-Soluble Crayons

• Caran d’Ache Neocolor (water-soluble)

I love these on both canvas and paper. I’ve broken several from “enthusiastic” mark making (lol, I run on the anxious side) and will definitely be restocking soon.

Pens & Markers

• Micron pens (various nib sizes, including very fine)

• Sharpie China markers – especially black, white, and yellow

Pastels & Charcoal

• Pastel pencils and soft pastel sets (brand to be added)

• Beautiful, expressive—but very messy

Gloves & Studio Practicalities

Vinyl Gloves

I’ve recently started painting with vinyl gloves and won’t go back.

Pros:

• Protects skin

• Faster cleanup

• Especially helpful with pastels and mixed media

Cons:

• Not ideal for frequent on/off use—best to wear for an entire session

Easels, Canvases & Framing

Easel

I recently purchased a large studio easel to support bigger canvas work. This is absolutely not required—but it’s been helpful as I move into larger formats.

Canvas

• Started with student-grade canvases

• Now prioritizing gallery-depth canvases (1–1.5 inches+ thick)

I paint all sides of my canvases so they:

• Look finished unframed

• Are still easy to frame if desired

Framing

• I work with a local framer in Metro Atlanta for custom pieces

• I’ve also had great luck with metal frames from Amazon as a cost-effective alternative (with a bit of a learning curve to assemble)

Everyday Studio Items

• Old mason jars for water

• Glass cutting board (palette)

• Disposable vapor barrier roll (from Home Depot) used as a palette surface

Final Notes

This list will continue to evolve as my practice evolves. I’ll update this post with:

• Specific product links

• Affiliate disclosures when applicable

• New materials I’m testing

If you’re building your own supply list, my biggest advice is this: start simple, learn your materials, and add tools slowly as your work asks for them.

Yours in creativity,

Maria

Books that Inspire Creativity

This blog post, Books That Inspire Creativity, contains affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only share items I genuinely use and love.

There are certain books I return to when my creative energy feels scattered, too loud, or overly self-critical. They remind me that creativity is something to listen and surrender to.

These books have met me at different moments: when I felt blocked, unsure, or quietly questioning whether what I was making mattered at all. They always seemed to find me at the right time. If you’re here now, maybe this is a sign they’re finding you at the right time, too.

Below are a few creative books I return to again and again, for grounding and perspective.

Books That Inspire Creativity

The Artist’s Way — Julia Cameron

This is the book I return to when I need structure and permission.

The Artist’s Way reframes creativity as a practice rather than a performance. Morning pages, artist dates, and the idea that creative blocks are often rooted in fear, not lack of talent, fundamentally changed how I relate to my inner voice.

I once found morning pages intimidating, until I realized they don’t have to look one specific way. While there is a certain magic to handwriting, I’ve found a similar effect through voice-note “morning pages,” especially during longer commutes. What matters most is the act of showing up.

This book is especially helpful if you’re feeling disconnected from your instincts or waiting for confidence to arrive before you begin.

The Creative Act: A Way of Being — Rick Rubin

I wanted to highlight or bookmark nearly every page of this book. It feels less like instruction and more like philosophy.

The Creative Act invites you to see creativity as a way of moving through the world. It is something available to anyone paying attention and willing to stay open to it. Rubin writes often about receptivity, presence, and trust. Ideas are meant to arrive, not be chased down or forced.

I return to this book when I’m trying too hard, and when I’m overthinking outcomes instead of listening to what wants to emerge.

It’s full of great reminders that creativity doesn’t need to be loud or urgent to be meaningful.

Big Magic — Elizabeth Gilbert

This book reframes fear in a way that feels honest and freeing.

Big Magic suggests continuing to pursue creativity anyway, even if you feel afraid. Fear can come along for the ride, but it doesn’t get to drive. That distinction stays with me through many seasons of hesitation.

What I appreciate most is the lightness. Creativity here is playful, curious, and alive. You’re encouraged to follow what interests you, without needing it to justify itself.

This book is especially grounding if you’re afraid of being seen.

I don’t believe there’s a single right way to create. But I do believe it helps to hear how others stay in relationship with their creative work, especially when motivation ebbs or doubt creeps in.

If you’re in a season of starting, restarting, or wondering whether to keep going, maybe one of these books will meet you where you are.

There’s a Zen teaching that says: “A flower does not think of competing with the flower next to it. It just blooms.”

I will continue to share the resources that have helped me in the hopes that they help you and others explore their creative potential.

Until then, stay curious and keep creating.

As a reminder, some links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a commission if you make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my work.

Stay With Me: On Returning to Work After a Break, Creativity, and Learning to Trust the Process

The first day back to work after a long break feels a little like being in the red on Jeopardy. You’ve just had precious, necessary time away from your regular routine—time that’s genuinely good for your mental health. Then you return, and before anything else, you have to re-enter that routine… even though it immediately demands the same level of attention and focus you were sustaining before the break.

There’s the logistics: the workout, getting the family out the door, the mental checklist. But more than that, there’s the internal shift—the transition from right-brain to left-brain thinking. From intuition and spaciousness to structure and output (though I believe there should always be room for both). I don’t usually sleep well on Monday nights, and I can feel the resistance in my body before I even name it.

What I’m noticing, though, is that this transition doesn’t have to be harsh. This week didn’t feel overwhelming. There was space to catch up, to move through emails, to finish reviews, to feel competent and grounded. I found myself hoping that something ordinary—or maybe even something unexpectedly good—might happen.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how creativity fits into all of this. Not as something separate from work or life, but as a practice that needs its own care and structure, especially when my energy is limited.

For me, creativity benefits from gentle, rather than rigid, planning. I want my creative practice to build on itself, not feel scattered. I also want to stay connected to something bigger than myself—what I think of as intuition, guidance, and discernment. I don’t ask for miracles so much as daily support. Help staying steady.

Earlier this week, I had a painting session that felt frustrating on the surface. I was working on a few abstract pieces that I couldn’t quite move forward. The palette was beautiful: turquoise, pink, cadmium yellow dark, all lightened with gesso white. I limited myself to white instead of adding darker tones, and while I loved how the colors blended, the pieces didn’t land the way I wanted. On paper, especially with marks underneath, too many layers quickly become muddy.

What I realized is that this isn’t failure—it’s information.

Next time, I’ll try the same palette with darker tones. I’ll start with white instead of trying to cover later. I’ll save heavier layering for canvas. While the session initially felt frustrating, these insights are already helping me the next time I sit down to paint.

I also noticed how easily I slip into urgency when I’m painting. Fear creeps in. There’s a desire not to waste paint. An impulse to push through instead of stepping back (this one matters). I realized I need to bring back a “dump sheet”—a place where excess paint can go without pressure.

There’s also the reality of time.

I painted too late one night and missed our family reading and wind-down time, and we all felt it the next morning. So I’m experimenting with boundaries: setting an alarm, winding down earlier, choosing focused 20-minute prompts instead of open-ended sessions (though there are important places for those, too). Constraint, I’m learning, can protect creativity rather than limit it.

The following night, I returned to a piece I’d gone too light on and added just a few darker marks. Suddenly, it looked alive again—back in the game. On a larger piece, Prussian blue shifted the energy completely. Other works in progress still feel unresolved, but they simply need a break. I had one, so it’s only fair they do too.

By the end of the week, I’d tried a smaller, fine-point brush and loved it. I stayed within a reasonable time window. I didn’t leave my space frustrated.

I’m learning that I can’t force outcomes. This should be obvious, but it’s worth repeating. Creativity is about staying with the process long enough to learn from it—and being kind enough to yourself to notice when something is working.

I came across this quote and felt it belonged here:

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”—Howard Thurman

Yours in creativity,

Maria