Programs

Clip Studio Paint

Platforms: Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Chromebook

I've been using Clip Studio Paint since 2017 or 2018. Since then, they've introduced a new pricing strategy that I really, really don't agree with (read my CSP blog post for more information), but I continue to use it because I really like the program, was already paying for a subscription before the change anyway, and still find the pricing model to be less egregious than a lot of alternatives. Also, the iPad version, which I use, is the only iPad drawing program that I've found that actually gives you a complete desktop-level interface.

Anyway, here's what I like about it: it's ridiculously feature-rich — think Photoshop, but more art-specific — and you can tell the developers really understand what artists would want in a program. The brush engine is really good and highly customizable down to the level of anti-aliasing. (And you can import Photoshop brushes!) There's also an official asset library, where you can download brushes and patterns other people have made. The built-in 3D models are really nice to have as well.

Version 2 introduced more realistic color mixing so your colors don't turn to mud, although I wish you could toggle this globally instead of having it be restricted to specific brushes (and limited to automatic color mixing, which I don't like).

Paint Tool SAI

Platforms: Windows

I used SAI extensively during the early 2010s, and it does not appear to have received any significant updates since then, so I think what I say will still hold true now. SAI is great for beginners because the interface is intuitive, and there are options like brush stabilizers that make your life easier. There are a lot of different brushes that come with it out of the box, and they're super easy to customize. Art made in SAI is distinctively crisp-looking due to how its anti-aliasing works. It lacks some of the photo editing features that other programs have, and the layer blend modes work a bit differently.

Photoshop

Platforms: Windows, Mac

I use a very legal copy of Photoshop CS6. I'm not sure if it's possible to get your own legal copy anymore due to the way Adobe has wiped all its older software versions off the face of the planet. I also haven't tried Photoshop CC, so my thoughts here are sort of moot, but here they are anyway.

Photoshop has gotten a lot of bad press for not being a very good digital art tool, mainly because it doesn't have a lot of art specific features like color blending. I actually like this because I want my art to look as fake as possible. Photoshop (or at least CS6) has my favorite brush engine to date as well. Other programs supporting Photoshop brush files has given me less reason to use it, though, so now I seldom use it for art.

Procreate

Platforms: iOS

Procreate is fine. It's a good program for people who want an organic digital drawing and painting experience that still has some modern features like layers and filters. The built-in brushes are nice, and it runs well even with large canvas and brush sizes. It's not for me because the interface is pretty minimal, and it lacks the precision that other programs offer (for instance, no magic wand tool). I usually use it if I want to do big, loose paintings that CSP doesn't handle as well. It's also handy to have for field or observational drawings where you want to do things quickly and without distractions.

Rebelle

Platforms: Windows, Mac

I mainly use Rebelle as an accessory program, but it's feature-rich enough to stand on its own as well. It's designed to emulate traditional media, and it does it better than any other program I've seen. Its pièce de résistance is the watercolor engine, which actually behaves realistically (you can wet or dry the paper, blow it around, drip it, layer colors, and so on). It's intuitive enough that you can get good use out of it even if you haven't done much traditional painting, but if you do paint traditionally, you'll find that you can use the same general workflow with Rebelle's tools.

Tablets

Apple iPad (and Pencil)

The iPad is an unbelievably good drawing tool with an unbelievably good stylus. The pressure responsiveness is great, the stylus is comfortable to hold and use, and I wouldn't trade being able to draw in bed for anything. I don't like Apple as a company, but I will give them this win.

I used an iPad Air for several years until I got an iPad Pro as a gift a few years ago. The bigger size of the Pro is a perk, but I haven't experienced any tangible performance differences between it and the Air model. (The newer Air models are essentially just slightly smaller iPad Pros at this point anyway.) The standard iPad models are also very good and are pretty affordable nowadays.

Wacom Intuos Pro

I have had only two pen tablets: the Wacom Bamboo Fun (2010-2015) and the Wacom Intuos Pro (2015-present). The Bamboo line isn't sold anymore, but the Intuos Pro line is, with seemingly few major structural changes since I got mine almost 10 years ago, so I'll just talk about that one.

I'm convinced these tablets will last for all of eternity - I only had to replace my first one because I dropped the pen too much (and by that time couldn't get a replacement). My current pen has also rolled off the table a few times and has lost middle-click functionality as a result of this, but otherwise works great. It comes with a bunch of different nibs with different amounts of friction, with multiple copies of each once they wear out (which takes a while). I've always used the medium size, which is big enough to get the job done without engulfing my entire desk.

Paints

Caran d'Ache gouache pans

I use the Caran d'Ache gouache pans (the set of 15) for casual painting where I don't feel like mixing paint. They come in a nice metal box that doubles as a palette, and a small tube of white paint is included with the pans. These are student grade paints, so they're not mindblowingly good or anything, but they layer, mix, and generally behave pretty nicely.

Holbein artist's gouache

Holbein artist's gouache can be rewet, while the acrylic gouache can't. It applies like butter, and it's pigmented enough that a pea-sized drop of paint goes an incredibly long way. It mixes great, which is good because I mix all my own colors (I usually use cyan, magenta, and yellow). It also dries into cakes pretty well.

M. Graham gouache

I like M. Graham gouache a lot. It applies and mixes great. It's a hair thinner than Holbein paint — not a positive or a negative, just an observation. I've heard it dries into cakes well, but haven't tried to make pans with it yet.

Sakura Koi travel watercolor

The Sakura Koi travel set are slightly-more-expensive-than-budget watercolors that perform slightly better than budget watercolors. If you're serious about painting, you should aim higher, but if you just want to mess around with paint and want something that works better than a shitty kid watercolor set, this will be fine. They come in a sturdy plastic box that includes a removable mixing palette, water brush, and sponges to clean the brush on, so the only other thing you need is water to fill the brush with. They also mix fairly decently without losing too much vibrancy.

Winsor and Newton designer's gouache

The only gouache I have from W & N is the white. The performance is comparable to the Holbein paint. I've heard anecdotally that W & N paints get pretty crumbly if you try to dry them into pans.

Inks

Dr. Ph Martin Bombay India ink

The Bombay ink is amazing. I have a lot of colors, and they all perform consistently well. They behave like watercolors, so you can do some really cool art-y things with them. They have a lovely shiny finish and slight bit of texture when they're dry, at which point they're completely waterproof. The black and white are both very opaque. The white shows up perfectly well on black paper.

Dr. Ph Martin iridescent calligraphy color

I have one color, Copperplate Gold. Like with most glittery inks, the glitter forms sediment at the bottom, so it requires quite a bit of vigorous shaking to get going. It's well worth the effort, because this ink is so ridiculously opaque and so ridiculously glittery and I want to drink it. (Do not drink it.) It shows up great on colored paper. It's not quite as opaque with one pass of a brush, but it layers well, and the transparency means it's a great option for a glittery topcoat.

Speedball acrylic ink

Speedball inks are very thick and viscous, which makes them a little finicky to work with. They are very wet, but they're really pigmented and dry with a satisfying embossed-feeling texture. The solid colors are great and work on all paper colors, but the glitter finishes are watery and overall pretty disappointing. All of the finishes don't work as well watered down and used with brushes - the application isn't very even, and they dry down too fast for me to work with. Also, since the ink is so thick and dries so quickly, you need to clean it promptly before it gets stuck in your nibs.

Pens

Pens are now on their own page! See Pen Reviews.

Miscellaneous

DecoArt Galaxy varnish

The DecoArt Galaxy varnish is a clear base with glorious chunky holographic glitter in it. I love it so much. It goes on a bit white-looking, but it dries perfectly clear, and the glitter is distributed evenly. The only thing to note is that this is water-based paint, so it needs to be used carefully on top of watercolor.