Tools of the trade
Here’s a list of the tools + resources I genuinely use and love—whether I’m illustrating a picture book, filming a video, or running my business.
Some links may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!).
✸ Quick Links ✸
✸ Art Supplies ✸
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Holbein Designer Gouache
Creamy, vibrant, and a joy to work with. I use both regular and acryla-gouache
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Sugarhouse Ceramics co. Palette
This small biz makes gorgeous and functional paint palettes
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Arches Hot Press Watercolor Paper
Incredible paper; I use this for my book projects. I prefer hot-press for mixed media
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Fabriano Watercolor Paper
A great budget-friendly alternative. I alternate between both paper brands
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Faber-Castell Water Cup
Easy to clean, portable and ideal for travel or small spaces
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Prismacolor Pencils
Beautiful layering, buttery soft texture + vivid colors
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Posca Paint Markers
I use these for adding details to my paintings
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Winsor & Newton Watercolor Brushes
Honestly I’m not picky about brushes! These work for me and are a budget option
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Rendr No Show Sketchbook
My daily sketchbook; great for ink with zero bleed
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Faber-Castell Pitt Fine-liner Pens
My preferred pens; has a wide range of tip sizes and waterproof so they work well with Copics
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Pentel Slicci Gel Pen
Lovely pen with a super fine tip! Makes all my inking look so elegant and neat
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Copic Markers
Vivid alcohol markers that I use for sketchbooking
✸ Tech ✸
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iPad Pro
Can’t live without it. I have an older model: 12.9-inch | 512GB | year 2020
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Apple Pencil
Necessary for digital art
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iMac
My desktop computer!
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Tablet Stand
Portable, super adjustable and sturdy against drawing pressure.
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Epson v600 Scanner
Perfect for digitizing artwork at high quality. Has software for editing and stitching together large art
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LaCie Hard Drive
Don’t forget to backup your files! I store all my video editing files on two of these
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Lightbox
I use this to transfer my digital sketches onto my watercolor paper to paint over
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Lumina Webcam
For zoom calls, virtual school visits, podcast interviews and more. 4K quality and great color/light control
✸ content creation ✸
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Sony a6400
I use this DSLR for my Youtube videos with two lenses (one for talking heads, and one wide lens)
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moft portable tripod
Attaches to my phone and is perfect for on-the-go filming like drawing at a coffee shop
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Canon g7x ii
My vlogging camera. Lightweight, easy to use, and fits into my pocket!
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Canvas Lamp
Overhead desk tripod with ring-light. I use this for Reels/Tiktoks and overhead filming
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Neewer 72" Tripod
Super adjustable and sturdy tripod for my camera. It can also do overhead shots!
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Desview Teleprompter
It’s impossible for me to memorize my Youtube scripts, so I use a teleprompter! A bit of a pain to set up, but is a life-saver
✸ Studio ✸
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Branch Chair
A comfortable ergonomic office chair
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Ikea Alex Drawers
I use the wide one to store my original art pieces, and the regular for my art supplies
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Flexispot Standing Desk
Makes sure I’m not sitting down for hours at my desk
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Drafting Table
Where I do my painting. Comes with a slide out tabletop, a little caddy, and two cloth drawers for material storage
✸ Smallbiz Essentials ✸
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Adobe Creative Suite
Photoshop for art creation, Lightroom for photo editing, & Premiere Pro for my Youtube videos
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Quickbooks Online
As someone who hates the math parts of running a business, QB has been a lifesaver. I do my bookkeeping and keep track of my finances here.
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Canva
Great for quick content creation—especially for social media graphics and quick photo editing.
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Notion
I use Notion for planning everything—projects, to-do lists, content calendars, and more.
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Procreate
I have illustrated dozens of picture books and other projects on this affordable yet powerful app
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Squarespace
My website builder for the past 10 years!
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iCloud
My entire computer is stored on here as a backup! Also makes it super easy to access everything no matter what device I’m using
✸ Books ✸
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The Graphic Artists Guild Guide
The holy grail for pricing your work and understanding your creative rights. Every freelancer should own this!
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Draw Stronger
Back paint, carpal tunnel, weak eyes… this guide helps you take care of your body so you can keep drawing
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Understanding Comics
All of Scott’s books are incredible. His whole series breaks down sequential art; a must for comic and publishing artists
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Color and Light
James Gurney is a master in color theory. Brush up on your art fundamentals with this definitive handbook
Curious how I actually use these tools in my process?
Check out Behind the Scenes: How I Illustrate My Books