121 creative resources every artist should know about

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If you need new tools, apps, and other resources to take your creative game to the next level, I got you.

Here’s a list of some of my favorite picks, covering everything from art supplies and books to digital painting apps and beyond.

No matter what you’re making, you’ll find something here to help you get it done. So, grab a notepad, and let’s dive into this arsenal of artistic goodies!

Tools And Supplies

1. Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Illustrator, And After Effects For Digital Artwork And Design.
2. Procreate: A Popular Digital Painting App For IPad Users.
3. Corel Painter: Software For Digital Painting With A Natural Brush Feel.
4. Wacom Tablets: Essential For Digital Artists For Precision Drawing.
5. Prismacolor Pencils: High-Quality Colored Pencils For Detailed Work.
6. Winsor & Newton: Renowned For Their Range Of Paints And Brushes.
7. Copic Markers: High-Quality Markers Favored By Illustrators And Comic Artists For Their Blendability And Range Of Colors.
8. Strathmore Paper: Renowned For High-Quality Paper Suitable For Various Media.
9. Golden Acrylics: Professional-Grade Acrylic Paints Known For Their Vibrancy And Consistency.
10. Faber-Castell: Offers A Wide Range Of Art Supplies Including Pencils, Pastels, And Markers.
11. Liquitex: Known For Their Range Of Acrylic Paints And Mediums.
12. Sakura Pigma Micron Pens: Popular For Their Precision And Archival-Quality Ink, Perfect For Sketching And Inking.
13. Daniel Smith Watercolors: Renowned For Their Exceptional Quality And Range Of Unique Pigments.
14. Caran D’Ache Luminance Colored Pencils: Known For Their Lightfastness And Smooth Application.
15. Holbein Artists’ Gouache: Offers A Wide Range Of Colors With A Velvety Matte Finish.
16. Montana Spray Paints: High-Quality Spray Paints Popular Among Street Artists And Muralists.
17. Speedball Art Products: Includes Screen Printing Kits, Inks, And Calligraphy Tools.
18. Derwent Graphite Pencils: Trusted For Their Consistency And Range, Suitable For Sketching And Detailed Work.
19. Pilot Hi-Tec-C Pens: Precision Pens Popular Among Illustrators For Fine Line Work.
20. Pentel Pocket Brush Pen: A Versatile Brush Pen That Is A Favorite For Dynamic Sketching And Calligraphy.
21. Rotring Isograph Technical Pens: Known For Their Precision And Reliability In Technical And Architectural Drawing.
22. Posca Paint Markers: Water-Based Markers That Work On A Variety Of Surfaces, Great For Mixed Media And Street Art.
23. Schmincke Watercolors: Professional-Grade Watercolors With Excellent Lightfastness And A Smooth Consistency.
24. Arches Watercolor Paper: Top-Quality, Durable Watercolor Paper That Withstands Multiple Washes Without Warping.

Apps And Software

1. Sketchbook: Autodesk’s App For Sketching And Painting On The Go.
2. Affinity Designer & Photo: Alternatives To Adobe’s Products For Vector And Raster Design.
3. Krita: A Free, Open-Source Digital Painting Application.
4. Blender: For 3D Modeling, Animation, And Rendering.
5. Inkscape: A Free Vector Graphics Editor Similar To Illustrator.
6. Clip Studio Paint: Popular Among Manga And Comic Artists For Its Brush Engine And Comic Panel Tools.
7. ArtRage: Simulates Traditional Painting And Drawing With Realistic Tools.
8. ZBrush: A Powerful Tool For Digital Sculpting In The 3D Industry.
9. Tayasui Sketches: A Drawing App Known For Its Simplicity And Elegant Interface.
10. Adobe Fresco: Designed For Drawing And Painting On Touch Devices With Live Brushes That Simulate Watercolor And Oils.
11. Affinity Publisher: A Powerful Tool For Layout Design And Desktop Publishing.
12. MediBang Paint: A Free Digital Painting And Comic Creation Software Popular Among Manga Artists.
13. Mischief: Known For Its Infinite Canvas, Making It Ideal For Brainstorming And Freeform Drawing.
14. PaintTool SAI: Lightweight Digital Painting Software Favored For Its Simplicity And Stabilizer Feature For Smooth Lines.
15. Rebelle: Simulates Watercolor And Acrylic Painting With Realistic Color Blending And Wet Diffusion.
16. Rhino 3D: An Advanced 3D Modeling Tool Favored By Architects And Industrial Designers.
17. Hexels: A Unique Grid-Based Painting Tool That Lets Artists Create Complex Pixel And Vector Designs With Ease.
18. Tilt Brush By Google: A VR App That Lets Artists Paint In Three-Dimensional Space With Virtual Reality.
19. Quixel Mixer: Allows Artists To Create And Paint 3D Materials And Textures.
20. Gravity Sketch: A 3D Design Platform That Enables Artists To Create Immersive Sketches In Virtual Reality.

Books And Learning Resources

1. “Steal Like An Artist” By Austin Kleon: A Book About Unlocking Creativity.
2. “Color And Light” By James Gurney: Essential Reading On Color Theory And Lighting For Artists.
3. “Drawing On The Right Side Of The Brain” By Betty Edwards: Techniques For Improving Drawing Skills.
4. Skillshare And Udemy: Online Platforms Offering Courses On A Wide Range Of Artistic Techniques.
5. “The Art Spirit” By Robert Henri: Timeless Wisdom On The Philosophy And Spirit Of Art.
6. “The Natural Way To Draw” By Kimon Nicolaides: A Classic Book With Exercises To Develop Drawing Skills.
7. “ImagineFX” Magazine: A Leading Magazine For Digital Artists, Packed With Tutorials And Inspiration.
8. “1000 Questions For Artists” By Blue Ratio: A Thoughtfully Curated Collection Of Questions Designed To Deepen Your Artistic Journey.
9. Lynda (LinkedIn Learning): Offers A Wide Variety Of Professional Courses, Including Many On Art And Design.
10. The Gnomon Workshop: Advanced Tutorials For Visual Effects And 3D Animation.
11. “Making Comics” By Scott McCloud: A Deep Dive Into The Art And Craft Of Creating Comics And Graphic Novels.
12. “Anatomy For Sculptors” By Uldis Zarins With Sandis Kondrats: A Visual Guide To Human Anatomy For Artists.
13. “Exploring Color Workshop” By Nita Leland: Techniques And Exercises For Using Color More Effectively In Artwork.
14. MasterClass: Offers Classes Taught By World-Renowned Artists And Creators In Various Disciplines.
15. Coursera: Provides Access To University-Level Courses In Art History, Theory, And Practice.
16. “Interaction Of Color” By Josef Albers: A Fundamental Text On Understanding And Using Color In Art.
17. “Art & Fear” By David Bayles And Ted Orland: Explores The Challenges Of Making Art And The Ways Artists Overcome Them.
18. “Graphic Artist’s Guild Handbook Of Pricing And Ethical Guidelines”: Essential For Artists Looking To Navigate The Business Side Of Art.
19. FutureLearn: Offers Courses In Partnership With Cultural Institutions And Universities On Topics Like Digital Arts And Media.
20. Artists Network TV: Streaming Video Workshops Covering A Wide Range Of Art Techniques.

Websites And Online Resources

1. Behance: A Platform To Showcase And Discover Creative Work.
2. ArtStation: A Hub For Game, Film, Media, And Entertainment Artists.
3. Dribbble: A Community For Showcasing User Interface Designs And Illustrations.
4. Pinterest: Great For Inspiration And Organizing Reference Images.
5. DeviantArt: One Of The Oldest Online Communities For Artists To Share And Sell Their Work.
6. Creative Boom: A Magazine And Network Offering Inspiration And Tips For The Creative Community.
7. Smashing Magazine: Focuses On Web Design And Graphic Design, Offering Tutorials And Articles.
8. CGSociety: A Global Platform For Digital Artists, With Forums, Portfolios, And Contests.
9. Concept Art World: Showcases Concept Art, Character Designs, And The Artists Behind Them.
10. Society6: A Platform For Artists To Sell Their Art As Prints, Apparel, And Other Products.
11. Art21: Provides Insight Into Contemporary Art And Artists Through Documentaries And Interviews.
12. The Art Assignment: An Educational Video Series From PBS That Explores Art History And Encourages Creative Assignments.
13. BOOOOOOOM: A Community And Platform Showcasing Contemporary Art And Photography.
14. Artist Network: Resources, Articles, And Online Galleries For Artists Of All Mediums.
15. ArtWeb: Helps Artists Build Their Own Websites And Sell Their Work Directly.
16. EmptyEasel: An Online Magazine Offering Practical Advice, Tips, And Tutorials For Artists.
17. DailyArt Magazine: Shares Daily Art History Stories And Articles About Masterpieces And Lesser-Known Works.
18. This Is Colossal: Features Innovative Art, Design, And Visual Culture From Artists Worldwide.
19. Art In America Guide: Comprehensive Guide To Galleries, Museums, And Artists.
20. Design Milk: Showcases Modern Design, Architecture, And Art.

Inspiration And Community

1. Instagram And TikTok: Platforms To Share Artwork And Connect With A Global Audience.
2. Reddit (Subreddits Like R/Art, R/Design, Etc.): Communities For Sharing Work And Getting Feedback.
3. AIGA: The Professional Association For Design, Offering Resources And Networking.
4. The Artist’s Way By Julia Cameron: A Book Guiding Artists Through The Process Of Unlocking Their Creative Potential.
5. Artsy: An Online Platform For Collecting And Discovering Art, With Extensive Educational Content.
6. The Jealous Curator: A Blog Showcasing Contemporary Art That’s Sure To Inspire.
7. Creative Mornings: A Breakfast Lecture Series For The Creative Community With Local Chapters Worldwide.
8. National Gallery Of Art: Provides Free Access To Thousands Of Artworks And Educational Materials Online.
9. Colossal: An Art And Visual Culture Blog Covering A Range Of Creative Disciplines.
10. Hi-Fructose Magazine: Focuses On Contemporary Art That Transcends Genres And Trends.
11. 99U: Adobe’s Publication Delivering Insights On Creativity, Innovation, And Productivity.
12. Local Artist Meetups: Encourage Joining Or Forming Local Meetups And Art Collectives For Networking And Collaboration.
13. Art Battle: Live Competitive Painting Events Held In Cities Around The World.
14. Surface Design Association: A Community For Artists Who Work With Textiles And Surface Design.
15. It’s Nice That: Celebrates Creativity Across A Wide Spectrum Of Disciplines, Offering Inspiration And Interviews With Artists And Designers.
16. Lürzer’s Archive: A Magazine And Database Showcasing The Best In Advertising And Design.
17. Muddy Colors: An Illustrator Collective Providing Insights, Tutorials, And Discussions On The Craft Of Illustration.
18. Urban Sketchers: A Global Community Of Artists Who Practice On-Location Drawing.
19. Aesthetica Magazine: Covers Contemporary Art And Culture With Features, Interviews, And Reviews.

Miscellaneous

1. Canva: A User-Friendly Graphic Design Tool With Templates.
2. Etsy: A Marketplace For Artists To Sell Their Work.
3. Creative Market: Buy And Sell Digital Design Goods Like Fonts, Templates, And More.
4. Moleskine Art Notebooks: High-Quality Sketchbooks Favored By Many Artists.
5. Artlist: A Source For Royalty-Free Music And Sound Effects, Essential For Artists Working In Video Or Multimedia.
6. Unsplash And Pexels: Websites Offering High-Quality, Royalty-Free Photos For Reference Or Inspiration.
7. Artfinder: An Online Marketplace For Buying Original Art From Independent Artists.
8. Adobe Color: A Tool To Explore, Create, And Save Color Schemes, Ideal For Planning Color Palettes.
9. Vimeo: Ideal For Artists To Showcase Video Art Or Animations With Higher Quality Than Typical Social Platforms.
10. EyeEm: A Photography Community And Marketplace For Selling Photos And Connecting With Other Photographers.
11. ArtRabbit: An International Platform To Discover Contemporary Art Exhibitions, Events, And Openings.
12. RAW Artists: Showcases Independent Artists In Film, Fashion, Music, Visual Art, And More.
13. Doodle Addicts: A Community For Illustrators And Doodlers To Share Their Work And Participate In Drawing Challenges.
14. ArtStation Magazine: Offers Articles, Tutorials, And Interviews Focused On The Gaming, Film, And Animation Industries.
15. ArtMajeur: An Online Art Gallery Helping Artists Sell Their Work Globally.
16. The Sketchbook Project: A Crowd-Sourced Library Of Artists’ Sketchbooks That Anyone Can Join.
17. Threadless Artist Shops: Allows Artists To Sell Their Designs On Apparel And Other Products.
18. CreativeLive: Provides Live And On-Demand Courses On Art, Photography, And Creative Entrepreneurship.

That wraps up my roundup of must-have resources for artists. I hope you found something new to add to your creative toolkit or sparked an idea to explore further.

Art is all about experimentation and growth, so don’t hesitate to try out different tools and resources.

Until next time, keep pushing limits! ✌🏽

-Jay