Does the world really need more art supply reviews?
I've been asking myself this for the better part of a decade.
The answer was always no, but the problem I keep tripping over is:
If everything is recommended, then nothing is recommended.
I don't know about you but I'm drowning in art supply reviews. And every product is wonderful, every set is a must-have, and every demonstration ends with a balloon drop celebration and a link to buy it all.
Somewhere along the way, demonstrations became reviews and reviews became tests.
Watching someone make a beautiful drawing with a new set of pencils tells us almost nothing about the pencils.
This person knows how to draw doesn't help you one bit.
So after watching the 784th influencer blend colored pencils in a way nobody ever blends colored pencils...
Seriously, when was the last time you smushed blue and yellow pencils together???
Anyway, before they got to the confetti cannons and declaration of love, I finally surrendered to the little angel on my shoulder telling me to make better reviews.
... or was it a devil? Only time will tell.
The Art Supply Test Lab is my response to the world of happy reviews, providing actually useful information before you plunk down your hard earned cash on something sketchy.
Who cares if I like it?
The question is whether you will.
What materials do we test?
The Lab focuses on materials used for coloring and illustration.
And I'm thinking I'll limit this to stuff in stick form.
Pencils, pens, markers, and of course, the paper we use them on.
We're starting with colored pencils and alcohol markers because I own a bleep-ton of 'em, building a reference library that will gradually expand to include additional mediums and brands.
Occasionally I'll throw in a few excellent accessories— especially if I notice misinformation or knowledge gaps. But most accessory reviews, including sharpeners, erasers, storage, and studio equipment, belong at our equally new sister site, The Organized Studio.
The Lab's focus remains on the colorful sticks and the surfaces we scribble on.
Why test individual colors?
It seems like a lot of work, eh?
And that's exactly why most art supply reviews evaluate an entire brand with just a couple of colors.
But would you want to be judged on the actions of your neighbor?
Individual colors in the same set of pencils or markers don’t always act alike.
We've all noticed that pencil in the box which feels like nails down a chalkboard every time you use it. Or the one marker that won't blend with anything, not even if you pray. Every brand has both excellent and disappointing colors.
That's why we test individual colors instead of relying broad, over-generalized recommendations.
Suppose you're looking for a muted green pencil. Our color swatches can help you identify pretty greens across several brands. But finding the right hue is only the beginning.
Does the pencil color build gradually or reach full strength almost immediately? Does it maintain a sharp point? Does it have the opacity or transparency your project requires?
Two similar green pencils can look totally different on paper-- but you blame yourself, right?
The Lab is here to help you find the green that does what you want it to do.
Better supplies, better skills, better results
There's an unspoken relationship between artistic growth and quality art supplies.
It doesn't get discussed nearly enough.
Experienced artists can make mediocre supplies look amazing. But that's because they've developed the skills to compensate when a cheap pencil does weird stuff.
Then you buy the same pencils, expecting similar results, and blame yourself when the same pencil does the same weird thing.
Sometimes it's not you-- actually, a lot of the time, it's not you. It's the pencil.
The reverse problem is just as serious. Can you learn to draw, color, or paint using mediocre art supplies? Sure. But you also learn all the coping mechanisms required to make bad stuff look good. You learn to press too hard or hold the pencil funny or you color with the light marker first...
Sound familiar?
We learn lots of bad habits using bad art supplies.
Some people overcome these obstacles. Others spend years cementing bad habits, never realizing how much easier life can be with a better pencil.
This doesn't mean everyone needs expensive artist-grade supplies. Student-grade materials have legitimate uses, and the Lab will identify products that offer good performance for their intended audience.
But I’m not gonna pretend that every student-grade product is a bargain or that every artist-grade product is worth maxing out your credit card.
The right material is the one that supports your skills, your techniques, and gets the results you're trying to achieve.
Our job is to give you enough information to recognize that material when you find it.
We'll tell you who we think a product is best suited for, but also, I’m not shy about saying who should skip it.
What information will you find at the Lab?
Welp, we're building three interconnected resources. At least that's the plan.
1. Individual material tests
These are the foundation and the test results are always free.
We examine characteristics such as color, value, opacity, and other properties relevant to the material being tested.
Instead of relying on a couple sample tests or a coloring demonstration, we'll be using repeatable tests that allow YOU to see differences between individual colors.
And hey, you can test right along with me.
My goal is to show you what the pens, markers, and pencils actually do and show you where the problems lurk.
2. Brand, set, and color comparisons
As the test collection grows, we'll use that information to compare brands and sets.
Which brands offer the strongest selection of muted colors? Which pencil sets are full of duplicates? Does a larger set provide more useful colors or are they relying on the fact you're gonna buy the full rainbow no matter what?
These comparisons will also help you make better use of the stuff you already own.
You probably already own several versions of the same color. But maybe there's a gap you didn't even know you had.
Buying another set should be an informed decision, not an automated response to a pretty rainbow chart.
3. Educational articles
Testing tells us what happens. Real world experience explains why.
Alongside our tests, we'll publish articles about the properties of art supplies, the way ingredients interact, and the techniques that help us control them.
Why do some markers go down smooth while others go streaky or oily? Why do colors change overnight? And what's the deal with all these pastel pencils going muddy???
Let's understand your art supplies instead of fighting them.
The Lab isn't just about finding better supplies. It's about getting better results from the supplies you already have.
A growing reference library
I'm warning 'ya. The Lab here is a one-woman operation.
I'm a professional illustrator with a stupidly large collection of artist-grade supplies, years of experience working with them, and a regular testing routine.
I'm also human.
Every test takes time. So does photographing samples, researching product information, and writing it all up into articles you can actually use.
I'm working on it, but I can't test as quickly as you can read.
We'll begin with materials from my existing collection and gradually expand the archive. I'll also consider reader suggestions, popular new products, and economy brands that deserve a closer look.
Over time, individual tests will become a larger body of information, allowing us to make comparisons that aren't possible when evaluating only a handful of products.
The Lab will never be finished. That's the nature of working in a niche where manufacturers are always coming out with new colors, new products, and funky formulations.
How to use the Art Supply Test Lab
Start with the material or question that's been bugging you most.
Our Tests section organizes individual material evaluations by medium, brand, and color. Brands brings together information about manufacturers and product ranges. And here in Learn, you'll find explanations of materials, properties, techniques, testing methods, and the practical science behind art supplies.
You don't need to be an experienced artist to benefit from this information. Whether you're buying your first quality pencil set or evaluating the fifth collection on your studio shelf, the goal is the same.
Know what you're buying. Understand what you already own. Learn how to use it well.
And when a product is disappointing, we'll say so.
Because a useful test doesn't always end with a recommendation.
See what we're testing…
Start with our individual material tests, where we examine colors characteristics that ordinary product reviews overlook.
