Great topic and I struggle too! As artists we see potential in everything, even free stuff, and coupled with the 3ndowment effect we attribute move value to things we own making it hard to part with it. As an art supply reviewer I get lots of products in which adds to it (I bet you can relate!) And the price hikes and supply chain issues have made me wary to get rid of decent supplies. It's a whole thing! 😆
I recognize it too. I did get rid of half a few years ago and to me, it felt like a relief. Since, my stock grew again...things were sent, etc. But I'm not buying anymore. Only refills/replacements of necessary badics and paper. It's a challenge, but it feels good. I appreciate what I have more now and I am "building a relationship" with some of my supies. It'slovely. Finally my jar of pencil stumps is filling up😊
Hoarding is definitely a problem for many artists out there (especially for me). For example I own a huge set of Polycromos (I think it's the biggest one Faber Castell is selling) which I used just once or twice. Thank you for talking about it Theo!
Oh, I SO recognize this. Because of my youtube reviews I had WAY too much. I gave away more than half to charity a few years ago. It was a huge relief. Since, my stock has begun to pile up again. And it's a weight on my shoulders. For me, inspiration comes with having space and a slightly limited stash of art supplies...although in my case that means that I don't have full ranges of supplies and that I "only" have like 10 brands of watercolor, for example. I am on a no-buy regime now and the only things I allow myself to purchase are replacements of necessary things, like an eraser, and paper plus notebooks. No new paints! I broke through the addiction 😁 It's just that every successful artist and illustrator I know personally laughs at my stash and says I own a store. They work with a limited amount of supplies and wouldn't want to own that much as it would inhibit their work process. I am taking that lesson to heart. I'm going to use it all up and try not to buy. I am going to let myself - at some point - be limited by what I have to work with.
Great video. I don’t paint with watercolor but oils and yes, I buy supplies quite often. Mostly panels and paint but I don’t use them as much. For a while I had an obsession for brushes, not anymore. Other items I bought are easels to display in progress paintings. I finally found a couple I really like and use to keep the mess away. I mainly buy on sale stuff that I know I will need. So, at this moment, I have decided not to buy anymore. At times when I find I don’t have a particular oil color, instead of buying it, I look for a similar color and I’m happy with it. Very interesting video. I appreciate your time and effort. Blessings and take care.
I'm on a no buy/budgeted buy since last year. I've literally started using my stuff more and buying minimally every since I realised that I was hoarding things. It hit me last year when I was moving that I have too much stuff and a lot of it is unused!!! I don't use my good supplies because I feel like I'll waste them or run out but I buy them and end up with dried up markers, acrylic paint etc or boxes of tube paint and pencils, some even duplicate sets and I understand how stupid that logic is now... They look beautiful but it's wasteful if they aren't used. I just tell myself that it hurts their feelings and they feel ignored if I don't use them now so I use them more 😂
@@emilyhoadley5625 yeah... I too found a decent quality paper at last and I enjoyed it.. So I'd neither buy super expensive paper nor would go back to using a terrible cheap paper just because it's cheap.
This is so timely. I bought a lot of supplies over the pandemic and I have to give some away and donate things I know I won't use, but I feel guilty because it seems like such a waste. But it's a bigger waste if I never use it and someone else will. I'm sometimes tempted to buy new things but there's only so much space. Also, having too many supplies and options sort of stunts my creativity, but I am also dazzled by beautiful packaging and vibrant colors.
Amazing supplies. I am not a hoarder, quite the opposite. It is hard for me to shop. So I am using my supplies in the sake of actually use the up. I bought 12 set of Polychromas and using them everyday since Christmas no regrets at all. I only care about expensive paper, I can't make myself use it on the daily bases. I have a set of White Nights watercolors sitting in my desk for 2 years, so I start using them since the beginning of the year and love them. I think I accumulated a good selection of art supplies I am happy about. So I don't need to shop untill I actually run out.
Thank you for creating this video as it was a must/reality check for me. I don’t think I’m a “hoarder” of art supplies but I do get influenced by art hauls. Recently, I’ve fallen in love with Roman Szmal watercolours and polychromos pencils but I’ve convinced myself to only buy them through open shelves instead of the whole set.
Going to an art supply store is a hoarder's dream. So many beautiful packaging of these art supplies...the suppliers know that if the packing is good it will catch your eye and u may buy it. So now when i go to an art supply store (which i don't do much often now) i bring a list and try to keep to it and i will only buy new stuff if it is related to or helps with what's on my list.
Yes, I have this problem. My painting/drawing stuff all fits into one large dresser drawer, but my textiles and fiber stash have reached SABLE (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy). I really ought to sell some.
I need to see my stuff out. I'm considering getting a digital photo frame just for the purpose of displaying a slideshow of my art supply photos. Perhaps I will mix in text slides of art project ideas/ notes that I make of what I hope to create when I buy a new supply. In addition, I could put up a traditional vision board with upcoming art project ideas & related supplies. I may also group some supplies with a chart of art projects for them. Finally, I plan to explore how to group my supply types and workspace(s), so as to reduce the friction in getting started using them on any given day. One last thing: I may put some of the supplies in a separate "wait and see" bin, in a separate room, and if I don't pull them to use in a year, donate them.
I learned long ago that it’s best to buy the best you can afford because you will be happiest using the product and will use more often. Shoes, clothes, art supplies. If you can afford all those crappy sets you can afford fewer premium quality art supplies and wouldn’t have so much junk….🤷🏻♀️
You have very nice “extra” supplies. I would definitely keep them all. I am trying to buy all of the things I think I need because my husband will be retiring soon and our income will be reduced. 😁
Me too!! My hubby talks about retiring in 8 years. Also, the prices are going through the roof...so I feel I need to get everything I need before I’m priced out. 🤦🏻♀️
I stopped drawing for more than a week after buying my first ever artist grade watercolor set. It only made me more stressed out tbh. So watching TH-camr's who do art supplies haul make me question if they ever finish all those supplies..
Last year and a half I bought more art supplies than ever before, and in January I decided to put a stop to my spending. It helped that I bought some stuff for the house, new dining table and chairs and new printer so had no money left for art supplies until I settle my card 😀 I have supplies to last me for a few years. Art books, though I'm still interested in. but I think I'll get them from my gift money.
So is it called sas? Yes I am sassy and I have no regrets *LoL*!! Jokings apart, yes, as your illustration on an old review of Daniel Smith essential set, I hoard art supplies! And I feel good to see at my goodies like a pair of M Graham watercolor and a small cache of Schmincke paints. I feel like it's a personal achievent because it's so hard/expensive to make art at my country. I devoted time and efford to grab good supplies and here is the reward, a fine watercolor paint that can do what I expect them to do, not to mention the wonderful mixes it can deliver (not fully explored yet). So at moment I'm happy with my small coloful treasure cache. Just need to keep my eyes out of art supply store... I shall not look at it very often 😅😅😅
Oh yes I relate way too much. I'm a collector of vintage art supplies and just can't leave a box of old pastels or watercolor tins sitting there forlorn on a resale shop shelf. Or charcoal, or drawing pencils, or color pencils, or paper.......Oh, dear Lord I need help. But I am happy to say I've repurposed the tins with my good watercolor paint, am using the supplies now to learn new mediums and really having fun. It has freed me to not worry about ruining my " professional " supplies and helping me learn and develop skills.
Dropping QoR (aquazol) into conventional watercolors (gum arabic) wet-in-wet gives spectacular results. The aquazol interacts with the gum arabic in unpredictable ways.
Haha I love your polychromos and caran dache colored pencils🥰 Yes, I do keep some extra supplies but not as many as yours. Mostly colored pencils and sketchbooks as Im using colored pencils for portraits. But I started to explore watercolor as I don't want to put them to waste
Oh, I’m laughing…so familiar! I got crazy with sketchbooks that I’ve never used because they are so nice I think I’ll wreck them. I could open a shop to sell brushes, too. I bought a set of liquid watercolors which I used once and now they’re separating and look old…I have a large box of Crayola Crayons…why? I like to smell them, reminds me of when I was a kid…they’re in pristine condition…I have 7 sets of watercolors and gouache…oh well, you get the picture..art supply hoarder. I’m doing almost no buying other than supplies I use nowadays. Whew.
Oh yes for sure! I've only been doing art for about two years now, and at first I definitely was always buying whatever new shiny thing I saw on TH-cam. But then, since I was just starting out, I do think it was legit for me to try a whole bunch of media. However, I've never suffered from "full set syndrome," where I have to buy the biggest set of a particular item. Early on I saw a video that said you really don't need more than a 36 set of colored pencils - and actually now I think 24 would be fine. Now what I do is I jhave a small set of something, then just buy a few additional colors open stock that I find useful - whether it's colored pencils, paints, etc. The great thing about this approach is that I can try out different brands. So if, for example, I want cobalt blue or perylene green, I'll buy one tube in a brand I haven't tried before.. I will say, though, that the only full set I've ever bought was the 48 Kuretake gansai tambi set about a year ago. I don't use it often, but oh -- it is SO PRETTY to look at!
Hi again Teoh, we are in the age of pisces, the last one was age of aquarius. And the sign of pisces brings very creative energy. Have you noticed the past two years or so many have become so creative, (and maybe blaming covid and staying in doors too, and that may be the case). But, We are in a beautiful creative time and if art supplies make you happy and bring out the creative soul in you then I say collect away! Eventually that paint brush will bring some good energy and get you painting, lol..Plus it will be shared, with kids or family, friends..making more people happy & creative. (ps. staying in budget is key tho..)
I bought some subscribtion boxes that I don't use(alcohol markers/guache..),I stopped the subscribtion,because I realised,even if there aren't that many things in the box,It's still to many if I don't use them.Sadly I don't have friends that do art,and I can't give the supplies to them or trade them. I really like working with watercolor and acrylic paint and colored pencils😊
Teoh!! Interesting subject -- it is hard not to get pulled into getting more supplies :-) I'm pretty frugal so that helps keep hoarding down to. minimum. Having supplies on hand though is a little freeing -- i tell myself -- USE iT! or else it might go bad !
I’d like to blame popular artists on social media, who push and “highly recommend” certain products. I’d also like to blame TH-cam for making things like “art supply haul” or “my favorite supplies” videos more popular that other content. I could also blame myself for wanting to be good as my favorite artists and thinking “well if I buy all the supplies they use, then I’ll certainly be as good as them!” I think it’s a mixture of many factors and they all feed into one another. Shout out to TH-camrs like Juicy Ink/Victoria Gedvallis for telling their viewers that you don’t need the supplies that your favorite TH-camr uses. Her art supply decluttering video are also very good.
My rule is if it can't fit in 2 drawers and I haven't used the supplies in more than 6 months - I'll gift them. Also, I stopped buying stuff I know I won't need. There's just so much that we buy just because we can/we like it at the time. Thankfully, after sorting out the supplies I don't use regularly and storing them, my daughter has taken them to use and is doing a much better job of it than me! :D I did a huge cleanout of art supplies about 3 years ago and gave it to a colleague of mine who wasn't really able to buy supplies. I just gifted it all to him and I know it's in better hands than mine. This video just reminded me I should probably go through my supplies during the holidays. I'm pretty sure there are things hiding away again that could go to a better home. Stuff I still have that I've noticed I'm not using as regularly as before: - Alcohol inks - Liquid watercolors (Aqua drops) - Watercolor pens from Faber Castell - Drawing inks from Rohrer & Klingner ...although, I DO use this, I don't really know if I use them often enough to warrant staying with me. The thing I know I have a problem with: Paper hoarding. I LOVE paper - especially watercolor paper and bristol. Then I also do paper hoarding in the form of sketchbooks. But as I said, my daughter tends to inherit a lot of stuff because she uses the supplies every day so I know these items will be loved when she's ready.
When I was younger I would hoard like it was no one’s business. Now that I am older I a, forcing myself not to just overly buy supplies but use them first (for the most part). I’m usually content with what I have even if it’s a bit lower quality
I definitely have this problem, and it’s not limited to art supplies. Ask any sewer to show you their fabric collection. That’s even worse! Others have commented that it makes them feel less worried about making “bad art” knowing they won’t use up the last of their good supplies. This is definitely part of it. There’s also that feeling of “if only I had that colour, brand or product, that’s what I need to get to the next level”. Even as I write this I know it’s ridiculous. Maybe you could do a video on what an optimum studio set up might look like? Yeah, I know, different for everyone. 😔
Since buying the iPad to draw I don’t seem to have that problem much anymore. I still have sets of pencils and markers I have been gifted or I’ve bought over the years, but I’m not adding much to the “art spot” in my drawer.
Thank you for this video. It makes me feel less alone in my “addiction “. I found watercolor and art during the pandemic and realized it helped me control my anxiety and depression. Colors make me happy so I found myself acquiring more than I’m able to use. Working on downsizing and using my supplies.
Same here! I love mixing colors on the paper and see what happens. There is nothing figurative, it's more like a chemistry/physics experiment with pigments.
Basically, I cannot describe me as a hoarder, but sometimes it comes to an additional visit to the local art store when I think "oh, I might probably need another liner/ink bottle/brush, cause who knows if it will be available by my next visit here". Therefore some things that were supposed to replace old supplies wait another 2 to 4 months for their moment of luck :D What I do and try to do to prevent a art store shopping urge, is just compare my actual skills to the amount and quality of supplies that I already have/use. And I am generally not a hoarder person and try to get rid of not used/unnecessary things in the household (clothes, tableware, of course some art supplies) by giving them away to family (they're also hobby painters) or donating. Hope it will stays on the same level as it is now.
I enjoy the process of looking at art supplies online, reading, and watching reviews. However, last year I realized my purchases were getting out of hand, and there came a point where I wasn’t going to be able to use my purchases as fast as I was buying them. So I reigned in the purchases. The want monster is still there but I keep it under control by occasionally feeding it a slow drip of products I need. Number one rule: the product must be something I need and use rather than obsess over. My problem is I like to have a little bit of everything. I have so many professional supplies from alcohol markers, coloring pencils, watercolor pencils, soft pastels, oil pastels, and card making supplies like stamps, ink pads, card stock etc. Luckily I don’t have full set syndrome. I’m into watercolor right now, and I have some nice watercolors, but I really don’t need anything else except Daniel Smith PBk11 to make DIY granulating watercolors. I have ultramarine so just PBk11, and may be PG50 by Sennelier because I love the color so much, would make me complete. Oh I also would like to buy some watercolor sketchbooks then my life really will be complete, but the price puts me off, so I use loose sheets of watercolor paper instead.
I should have added watercolor artist Oliver Pyle said in a recent video there isn’t any magic in art supplies. I’ve been feeling this way for months, as the beauty is what we create with the supplies. A professional watercolor artist saying it out loud was gave me a bit of a jolt. However, the want monster is still there.
@@jennw6809 yes! And of course the watercolor sketchbooks I want are the expensive ones. I’ve been thinking about DIY watercolor sketchbooks too. I think about it but I don’t do anything about it. I think at the very least I could punch a hole in the paper and put a metal paper ring through the hole to keep my papers together. If I did urban sketching or create en plein air then I would definitely buy a sketchbook. Then I wouldn’t want to deal with loose sheets of paper.
@@SketchesnScrubs Hello Sketches! Fun bumping into you 🤗. I can totally relate to what you’re saying about searching, buying and using new art supplies. It’s never ending 😆. Big problem is just when I think I have everything I need I see something interesting and I think hmmmm, can I use that?! If it’s something I can truly use then it’s goes into my cart for me to think about some more. If I really can’t use it then it goes on my wishlist. I’ve got to do what you do for organizing loose sheets, thanks for sharing! ❤️
So, yes I have this problem, and I do think TH-cam and the algorithm doesn't help because the most popular videos are always product reviews. That said -- as far as future reviews from you - I do think the 100% cotton Hahnemuhle sketchbook is a product many people will want to see, and it's not too expensive. (Not everyone wants to make custom sketchbooks, and there are not enough cotton sketchbooks on the market, especially at a good price.) I would also love to see reviews on the products you already have (I don't think you've reviewed the White Knights tube paint, for instance).
This issue isn't just limited to artists; if you are person who is creative (knitter, sewer, paper crafter etc.) you could definitely have this problem; I know I do, all my supplies have projects in mind it's just that there's not enough hours in the day to do them all! LOL!!
I don’t really buy a lot of stuff now-a-days because I realized I had enough and just stopped buying. I don’t like a lot of “stuff” around. However I still love to watch products/studio/art videos!
Guilty!!!! I hoard entirely way too many products! From Blackwing pencils to fountain pens, entirely too many palettes and soooo much paper. It's a problem.
Oh wow I luckily have not gotten to this stage, at least I don’t think 🤔 so. I am just getting to the point of having many amounts of supplies that I do use like watercolor paper, & color pencils. Maybe you should try to have a giveaway contest for the next few months of supplies you don’t want any more.
You should definitely review those Irojiten pencils, I’ve been dreaming of these for years but never had the courage to pay for them - Japanese products are way too expensive where I live.
I definitely have S.A.S. I didn't realize how bad it was until I moved and had to rent a storage unit to store some of them because I didn't have room in my new house. I have vowed, like you, not to buy anymore until I've used up what I have or have donated some to a local art school. And prices are too high. Thank you!
I’m looking for that brush set now lol I have been buy a lot of gouache n acrylic paint here lately I got m graham’s n arteza, Himi, Miya sets just this week alone lol
I have too much art supplies. Ones I know I will not use I’ve given them away. Others I would like to use up and not buy again. I’m one of those people that like to try out many different mediums. I don’t know if I would like them until I try it for my self. I think too much is when you have no where to store them, thankfully I have managed to store mine with my clothes in my clothes draws, under the bed and in my wardrobe with my clothes. So I guess this means I don’t have too much yet 😄
The way you talk about the polychromos is like wine 😅I love art with different mediums. You try some, you loose some. Like oil painting was not for me. Especially the drying time, the cleaning, the products... I like watercolour but really don´t use them that often 🙈I use coloured pencils the most and acrylic & gouache paint. Some things are good cheap but some I regret
Teoh, have you tried the Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper since they changed it to "enhanced" and "vegan friendly"? Just wondering how it performs. Thanks for the reviews!
There is a little bit part of the world where there is a lot of much, because there is the other part, the rest one, where every day that pass, there is always less and less.
I have a couple of sets of colored pencils and watercolor pencils that I am afraid to use because I don't want to damage them with sharpening. So they sit pretty on the shelf.
I mentioned elsewhere so I’m repeating myself, but I’ve found it’s helpful to remind myself that it’s much more wasteful NOT to use an art supply than to use it up making bad/mediocre art. Alternatively, maybe you could create a sculpture from the pretty pencils and display it? (I’m actually serious here.)
The latest thing I want as of yesterday is Tom Norton Walnut Ink with darkener. I wish I could just walk to a store and buy it...but noooo I live far far far away from the city. Which means I'll end up buying a bunch of things to justify the postal cost. I am trying very hard to resist A. Gallo water colours at the moment. Far too expensive and I already have a nice collection of the usual brands. Some people barely have enough to eat, I feel like a rich jerk.
For me, the problem with having nice and expensive art supplies like those is that I can't bring myself to use them, fearing I would "ruin" them lol. Nowadays I just get the cheapest but decent stuff I can find. Also I used to hoard art supplies a little bit, now I do it with art books.
I totally understand that feeling.. I never used my good paper or paints because of the same feeling but I'm trying to understand that I shouldn't get it if I'm not going to use it... So I'll not buy it either unless I use it... Because ultimately they're tools to bring joy in form of art, not stress in form of negative emotions.
Getting over art books should be easier since there is the library and half the books from the library you can see instantly online. It’s great. Best to you. :)
Luckily now, there's ton of decent quality art supplies on the market for a good price. I see a lot of youtube comments saying that supplies don't matter if you're a "true" artist and that makes me quite frustrated. You don't need top of the line artist grade products to make good art, but using the lowest quality products won't help you either. Finding a middle ground can be satisfying enough. Plus, a lot of artist grade supplies have changed in quality over the years, while most of their prices have been marked up.
Yeah, I get my expensive stuff out and sniff them occasionally. It’s really difficult to use the stuff I saved for. Polychromos…great, love them and I use them when I need a boost. I must admit I do have a bit of an art supply habit but I get everything at a discount, in sales or if I save up. I may have a bit of an addiction but it’s small fry as yet…yet 😉🌺💃
The haul videos are exhausting to me, so much so that I have unsubscribed from a LOT of art channels. Art channels used to be about doing art and sharing it, or teaching a technique. Now most videos feel like long commercials. Thanks for this video, Teoh! You’re one of my favorite channels
Yeah i agree too... I've noticed that when I don't come across haul videos and reviews i don't feel urge to buy more stuff. I came across the idea of stationery no buy last year from a channel called tbhstudying and though it was about stationery not art supplies, the problem of consumerism was same. It's all over social media now and it's really harmful to everyone.
@@cetriyasArtnComicsChannel Yeah! I agree! You know you shouldn't watch them for the obvious reasons but are still drawn/attracted to the "poison" (to watch them!)
For me, I had bought a lot of paint, paper and large brushes, but I was timid about using them (especially the large brushes) until I started thinking of my painting as art therapy, rather than "creating art." If I can stop caring about how it looks, and just concentrate on how it FEELS to paint, it's super fun to make big marks on big paper!! So ironically I am using my supplies more now that I care less about making good art. I know Teoh will like this attitude, I love when he says "who cares if I make bad art?"
YES. With the prices of everything (food, fuel, art supplies!) increasing so much (including shipping fees and free shipping requirements), I'm realizing that not only have I bought too many art supplies, previously, but buying more just is not wise. The prices are much higher, and I need that money for other, necessary, expenses. So I've been gathering my stuff (I'm not very organized), and sorting out my favorites. The rest I will store nicely, and when I have the urge to use something different, I will "shop" from my stash. I did get great prices on what I have, but those days are over.
Good idea shopping from your own stash. I might try that. I just got a load of paintbrushes I hardly used and hid my other ones away hoping to use these ones for a while and learn to work with them. And did same with some rare paints. I put all my least used paints in a palette to try. It’s funny how hard it is to not have my commonly used paints meaning these extras really are useless to me and once gone won’t be replaced.
@@ohbli_oh I tried something different with my "oddball" colors.....I put them all in their own metal palette, with a painted swatch card in the lid, and I open it near my usual working palette. Because they are nearby, it helps me consider using them.....I have discovered that maroon, shell pink, davy's grey, and spring green are actually pretty useful for adding a speck to my usual colors, and now I really like them!
Aaah the luscious colors of capitalism ^^' I'm actually working on a disposable pen project, but I feel art supplies in general just look so pretty, so buying them is between a collection and actually using them. You have to fight of the temptation of buying more. It's really a sort of trap. You have to consciously fill your life with others things (using the supplies you have for instance XD) instead of buying more stuff. I think I have too much, however I use what I have, so I suppose it's debatable :)
I first became self-conscious about hoarding art supplies when I noticed I had more supplies than some professional artists whose studios I visited. But I think that might be natural since I'm just starting to experiment with mediums on my own as a hobby, whereas they probably tried lots of different things in art school/during their training. My supply is not too overwhelming yet, but I've learned to stop buying full sets of things when I want to try out a new product. 😆
I’m the same as you 😂 although I haven’t learned to buy smaller sets. I have a thing about having the whole collection haha. But I think buying art supplies is a completely different hobby to actually using them 😂
Yes, agree with both of you. Hopefully as I discover my preferences, I will be able to pass on some of my supplies to others. But yeah, when I see a pro artist on YT with less brushes than I have... uhhhh.... Thankfully I do tend to buy individual things instead of plunging in with sets!
This is pretty much where I've settled on the subject, too. I think once you get comfortable and knowledgeable about a medium, you figure out what you like/don't like/is or isn't necessary/etc.. And since we have no children and never go anywhere and I don't have many other hobbies that require Stuff...a lot of my free cash has gone straight into the art supply stash while I'm learning. It means I've got way more than I need, and more than I could probably comfortably use in a lifetime, but I'm considering it to be education over hoarding. (Plus, we do have a semi-local place that buys used supplies, which I take advantage of once I figure out my likes/dislikes, which is very nice too.) I know I sometimes get the All The Colors Syndrome™, where if I like a thing, I seem to think I need ALL the colors of that thing, and I'm prone to that urge to *collect things*, but I'm getting better about that. We have a small house; not much more is gonna fit in here soon. :D
Some artist just know what they like after years of searching, which can look intimidating when you see someone you admire with just 3 supples. In comparison to yourself with 100 ( i know, I’ve been there), but they too went through a journey of discovery to get to that point. Enjoy your time with playing and exploring. Plus, some artists even after years of searching find they love to use all different kinds of supplies. Never limiting themselves to just a handful. Keep enjoying your creative journey and exploration of art supplies :)
Dear Teoh, we need to consider that sketching, drawing, and painting are actually separate and entirely different hobbies from collecting art supplies. Once I see anything laid out in rainbow order (ROYGBIV) I'm compelled to stare at it, salivating.
I have art supplies from several decades ago. When I bought them I had an actual vision of what I would use them for, and in most cases did use them, but the thing no one ever tells you about art supplies is that you are ALWAYS buying far more than you need, for instance buying a full set of something when realistically you will only use a few colours to the end, if that. Art supplies go a long way mostly, and making art is hours of your life. The ratio of use to supply is therefore completely out of whack! I love to look at vintage art supplies too and it is really common to see a watercolour box that has been bought for a specific purpose, but then never used again, maybe someone made Christmas cards or wedding invitations and only the colours they needed for it are gone, the worst things in this respect are any type of pencils, coloured and graphite. I have several sets of them unused for several years. I tend only to buy on offer or a good dupe. My best advice is do not buy in sets, buy open stock and for purpose. Those sets are too perfect and untouchable. My next best advice is whatever you get allow them to get messy. Then you will not have fear of using them. I have two very expensive pastels sets I have never used because I fear failure with them, but have older scruffy pastels I have used very successfully. If you love the packing and image of your art supply more than you love the thought of using them then really you are collecting (hoarding) them. The way prices of art materials are going up be sure to look after the ones you have collected and make sure they will be mentioned in your will and will have a recipient! Actually using good art supplies is one of the hardest things in the world, they bring out all the worst in procrastination and self doubt. Make them messy and unprecious then you will get somewhere with them. If in doubt try and make art alongside other artists, it helps with the addiction, and while you are making art you are not shopping for supplies. Lastly of all sign off from all your favourite online art supply vendors. Break the habit.
I HAD that problem. It was getting out of control. So, months ago I sat down and decided to retest every single art supply I had. Then I began to identify many tools that I didn't really need, or I had duplicates. Like for example, why do I need two sets of palette knives? I had the plastic ones that were the first ones I ever bought, and at some point I upgraded them to metal, but kept the plastic ones. That made me decide to keep quality instead of quantity. That conclusion led me to: colored pencils! I HAD SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MANY BRANDS OF COLORED PENCILS!!!! SOOOOO MANY IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE! So, I started there. I keep only 4 wax based pencils brands, 1 oil based brand, 4 water soluble brands, and 3 pastels pencils brands. All the rest, I either donated or sell. Then, more time passed by (this was a VERY difficult process), I realized that I wasn't really enjoying painting with acrylics anymore, and to keep my acrylics and acrylic tools was nonsense. So I got rid of all, also either by donating or selling. I also discovered that I enjoy so much more using watercolor based products than wax, oil, or pastels pencils... and here was when I had to make a tough choice. The wax/oil/pastel brands that I kept, from that HUGE amount of brands, I had, were: Luminance, Derwent Drawing, Pablo, Polychromos, Prismacolors, Pitt Pastels, CarbOthello, and the Conté a Paris... well, I created a personal palette from the Luminance and kept this as my main set, kept the Derwent Drawing as a complementary set, created a portrait set with the polychromos, kept my favorite colors from the Prismacolors, created one set of pastel pencils by combining the 3 sets I had, and finally created a small, very concise, color range with the Pablos, and all the pencils that I wasn't needing anymore, I gift away. That led me with a total of 292 pencils (between wax, oil, and pastels) and they all fit together perfectly in one 300 slots pencils case. I can't begin to explain the comfort I feel to just have that one pencil case. I had more that 5 thousands pencils!!! So I am proud of myself! 🥰 Now, the watercolor pencils are a different beast. Those are my babies and those I won't give away. But I did gave away many brands I had. But these 4, I have the full sets of each and I won't cut back. Albrecht Dürer, General Kimberly, Inktense and Graphitint... and I do have a some (not even 10) single pencils from other brands. Then there were the other art supplies that, like the acrylics, I really wasn't enjoying anymore. And I used to use them, just cause they were there, but I wasn't happy and I felt I was wasting my time, working with something just because I had it, instead of using my water based supplies which are my cup of tea! So I let go of the soft pastels, the gouache, the charcoal, the markers, and the gel pens. I also minimized my watercolor collection, cause I rather use the watercolor pencils, the Neocolor II, and the Daniel Smith Watercolor Sticks. Now, all of this wasn't possible for me to do quickly, it took me almost a year to be able to get rid of all that stuff! Now I only have: 1. A fairly decent amount of wax/oil/pastels colored pencils in a single pencils case. 2. My beloved watercolor pencils 3. The Neocolor II full set 4. Some Daniel Smith Watercolor Sticks 5. A 18 watercolor set, that includes the Daniel Smith Essentials and the rest I picked to my liking. 6. And a drawer with a mix of oil pastels that includes the 2 sets of Paul Rubens, the Cray Pas, and the Pentel.... Oh and some whites from Sennelier cause that is the best white. The feeling of cleanliness, accessibility, and space I have in my craft room, I wouldn't change for anything. Now I only spend on the supplies I run out of and on paper! I'm sorry for the LOOOOONNNGGGGG comment, but I hadn't had the opportunity to share this experience with anyone! Thanks for the opportunity... love your videos!!! By the way, one of your videos was the reason I bought some of the Daniel Smith Watercolor Sticks! 😅😅😅😅 Man! Are they expensive! Thanks for that! 😂😂😂😂😂 But I love them! 🥰
Yes, I definitely have this problem, BUT you mentioned a few times in the video how happy looking at a few of your supplies makes you feel, and I have that same thing over here. My art supplies make me happy. I am NOT going to buy any more this year, but I do have a few things on my wish list for Christmas-time. Great video subject, Teoh!
Musicians have a similar thing, it's called 'GAS' - Gear Acquisition Syndrome. "With that amp, I will sound better. That octaver effect pedal will add so much punch. While I'm at it, I might as well order an Auto-Wah. I must have a P-bass and a J-bass as well for versatility. Wait! I need fretless versions of both, too!"
I do not have an art supply hoarding issue. I'm a professional artist. I do however occasionally purchase products for a project and they don't work for me at all and would end up stuck with them wasting space. So about 6 or 7yrs ago I started keeping all the supplies that don't work for me in one spot in my studio. Then when I would come across someone who was just getting into art I would give them a set of supplies to get started with. Someone will soon be getting a full set of intense pencils.🤣
As long as they bring you joy, I think it’s not a bad thing. More like a collection than hoarding. Once you feel bad about buying art supplies, then it’s time to cut back, I think.
Personally I think it's a compulsion that stems from childhood. Whereby these stuff used to be scarce/novel to have when one was a child. This in turn causes an innate desire to collect and hoard said stuff when one is an adult and is capable of acquire said sacred goods. Part nostalgia, part compulsion. At least, that's what some of my hobbies usually entails
Actually, when I was in art school, I never had enough money to buy "new" things, but when I finally got my new studio (almost 50 years later), I purchased all the things I always wanted to try but didn't have the space for. For the first time in my life, I'm finally doing the art that makes me happy and not producing art for pay. It was a hard transition, but now I don't worry about the commodity of art, rather I'm more concerned with the feelings my art evokes, and like Bob Burridge, another successful artist says, "It's never too late to be what you should have been!"
I think same with me on the compulsion. Having a lean childhood in terms of things meant I like to have lots of ‘possibility’ around me with art supplies, seeing, books, cooking stuff you name it. In the end it all causes me more stress but I couldn’t let go of it. In a good mood I love knowing I have anything I need art wise to make whatever I want.
This is probably partly why I 'hoard'. My mum was a widow so getting new things were rare unless we were on summer holidays, or it was Christmas time, or birthdays. I was pretty content most of the time though. But she passed away when I was 14 and then having stuff for Christmas and birthdays was rarer. When a parent dies you don't just lose them, you lose a lot of other things to. If I had more money than I have accumulating things and not using them would be worse, just because of that period of scarcity. I also think that the way Christmas's are done as kids they give us an expectation of having lots and lots of things at once so that habit can continue into adulthood. There needs to be a balance of where we have enough things to feel happy, but not too many that we just don't use them and it becomes a waste.
Growing up, I remember getting my first watercolors (Prang) and my very first set of Prismacolors (8th grade). My mom insisted they were too expensive, but I begged for them as they were a required art supply to take art class. I cherished those pencils so much. Now that I am an adult, I definitely think I hoard artist grade supplies, because we really couldn't afford them when I was a kid.
I stopped buying art supplies altogether. I told myself that I should use up at least 1 of my art supplies to completion (I chose the 72 prism a color set) and got stressed out. Art supplies are like gaining weight: easy to accumulate, difficult to get rid of.
Omygawd, so true! I sketch and paint like a 10 year old yet I have two art rooms in my house with so much stuff until I’ll never be able to use it!!!!!!
Years ago, when my local art shop closed, I found myself looking to TH-cam reviews for new products. Needless to say this sent me down a rabbit hole of buying mediums I never tried (or would ever use) and new watercolor products I didn't really need. You see, at my local art shop I was able to try the products out before I bought them. This saved me a lot of money and space because I rarely had "buyer's remorse". My art supplies went from a small box to a wall of supplies in just a few years. I probably now have enough for several lifetimes. Tfs.
@@jennw6809 It's not the darkside. Blaming TH-camrs is using them as a scapegoat for a lack of control if one has an issue in their mind. I watch hauls, reviews and swatching videos yet I don't go buy everything nor do I collect. I don't judge those who collect but I think blaming someone else for a lack of control on one's part is simply not taking responsibility for one's own actions.
@@rayne6737 I didn't blame the TH-camrs. I blame the algorithm. I'm so glad you have such perfect self control that you're able to rise above all the messages to buy in our culture. Great for you. Thanks for scolding everyone else who doesn't have perfect willpower like you.
@@jennw6809 Blaming algorithms is no different. Defecting because of your own issues is your problem not mine. I didn't scold anyone I said DON'T BLAME OTHERS! I literally said that in my comment. Take your guilty subconscious elsewhere!
I had this issue about a year ago when I started knowing and doing more art. The joy of having a lot of supplies and using them... let's say they can be separate hobbies. 😅 However, due to limited space and budget, shopping and watching reviews of art supplies aren't much my thing anymore. I get overwhelmed when I have a lot of art supplies. Oh btw, one art supply I bought and haven't used is the famous Himi Miya gouache. I bought those a year and a half ago and I feel intimidated using them. I'm worried they'll dry out as I don't paint much often.
I have too much!. I have FULL SETS OF: Polychromos, Luminance, Museum Aquarelles and the Wooden box full sex of Neo Color ll. I just started with Sennelier soft pastels and of course I’m buying the 120 $300 set. It’s insanity. Don’t get me started on my Daniel Smith watercolor paint. I’m about 90 markers short of the 358 full set of Copic Markers. I’m OBSESSED with everything.
I don't have a huge collection or anything, but I definitely have more than necessary. That said, having extras of everything has made me a lot more comfortable to use my art supplies since I'm no longer worried of running out. So imo it's good to have a mountain of art supplies in the background 🤣
I also like to have a bit more of a supply, if I have just one block or just one set of paint I feel precious about it. small 5 ml tubes are not good for me. i prefere 15 ml tubes, that I know won't run out fast.
Every once in a while, I pack my unused art supplies in boxes and take them to a young art teacher at the local high school. She is always so grateful to have them for her students to try.
Excellent video!!! Polychromos are my most prized possession also, along with the albrecht durer watercolor pencils. I get that same feeling when I open the pack! I think in general, my art supplies bring me that same happiness you feel when you hold some of yours, and that's all that matters to me. I don't get to use them all very often, and some are brand new, but I am happy they are in my collection and I didnt go into debt buying them. Now that have them, it's much easier to watch videos without feeling FOMO, and I can focus on the art being created instead of the tools being used to create art.
@@sedamcclurg9699 Well I have sold ceramic palettes, watercolours and even empty palettes on eBay. Art supplies are expensive. I think everyone likes a bargain!
I cant imagine having wonderful expensive art supplies and then not using them!! I have about 15 fabulous premium palettes and i rotate them and use them all. Life is good 😌.
I am an art professor and a professional printmaker. And growing up I was super frugal except with art supplies because I needed them for my career. So I kind of have a blind spot when it comes to art supplies. But I am realizing that there are different categories of art supplies. The tried and true "boring" quality supplies. Like your charcoal, your kneaded erasers, black sumi ink, a set of oil based printmaking inks. And then the "fun" art supplies that feel like an addiction. Look I can mix any color I want from a very basic color set. I LITERALLY do a drawing assignment where I make the students render in full color by just layering 3 primary colored pencils. But still I like to hoard supplies T_T Side Note: Teoh. I love it when you use your battered old paint sets and dirty old pens that work great. I think that for some of us we try to keep everything pristine and that gets in the way of actually making art. So as much as you have a little extra stuff. You have other things that you use all the way up. I am trying to embrace the look of used art supplies because it's better than it sitting in a drawer looking perfect.
My perception of you Teoh, has been that you only have supplies that you need-This video showed me that you own just as many supplies as I do-for the same reason-it makes me happy. I’m a professional artist. I have my supplies narrowed down to one medium-watercolor. And I have two categories of watercolor supplies-professional archival grade paper & paint that I use for commission and commercial work. Then I have practice paint & paper for experimenting and practice. So I have that under control but I do love colored pencils-it’s a problem-there is something addictive about the full spectrum of colors and that smell of the wood…..I never saw a colored pencil I didn’t like.
We seem to be living through the golden age of watercolor art. There are so many great watercolor set manufacturers. I have about 20 different sets. They are really affordable as well. Which is why I have so many. I also have many graphite and charcoal pencil sets. A lifetime supply of brushes etc. It can get crazy.
Yes, I think particularly when you are new to painting and excited you can go way overboard and think that somehow a product will make your advancement quicker - it's a trap - it still comes down to hard work and practice. I've stopped doing that, too. Note to self: enjoy the journey! Also, Teoh, did you have a video that showed an exercise connecting rich, juicy strokes into a rainbow of colors. I loved the different strokes you made to connect them and would like to watch the video again. Any idea which one I might have watched? Your work is so nice!
I went on an year-long art supply no-buy to help end my hoarding and it was so helpful. I really got to know my existing supplies during that time and appreciate them more. I decided to go with a low-buy this year, to grant myself one new small palette and one new sketchbook but nothing else. There's just too many shiny, exciting supplies and media out there that distracts me from putting in that brush mileage and improving with my current supplies. So yeah, recovering hoarder here 😆
I'm a hoarder trying to get to the stage where I can call myself recovering. Congratulations on all your work and what you have achieved. I broke a low-buy promise to myself so I could get that new Schmincke slim palette, only to realize when it arrived that there's not even enough room to keep a brush in it because of the poorly designed inside tray and nd the paint is the lower quality Academie and not the Horadam. Plus, it's scratched right out of the box. And I paid shipping for that?! So that's sort of taught me a lesson. I'm hoping it will help me maintain my promise for the rest of the year.
I'm a minimalist by nature and don't like having too many things. When I started getting into watercolor I did buy more things because just because some TH-camr recommends something doesn't mean it's going to be a good fit for you and I didn't realize this at first. I learned my lesson and became more selective and started asking myself the same question I do with everything else I might want. That is "will I use this" or "do I really need this". Also, I only buy things I can get open stalk unless it's really cheap to begin with. However, I have noticed this trend of people being judgemental and down right rude to other average people about what they "collect". My thought is that if your not going to go tell the rich people that way too many idolize, who seem to think they can tell the average people what is good for them or what they need to give up, that they need to give up the 16 cars parked in their 4th mansions garage or the shoes collections that is so big it has its own specialized temperature controlled closet then you should just leave the average person alone. Personally, I don't care what people collect. Just because I don't like a lot of things doesn't mean I'm going to tell others what to do with their money, rich or not. I watch art hauls, reviews and swatching videos. I like them. I get multiple opinions, get to see the products in use and get to see some get so happy about their new items. Now that I have a small list of favorite supplies I generally only replace items I've used up and when I get the rare urge to buy something I've seen I ask myself my buying questions and if I'm not sure after that I buy one or two to try. For instance, I have polychromos and I like them and I also have Caran 'd Ache Museum watercolor pencils but I didn't have their Luminance so I bought a few in my favorite colors from the Museum. They aren't really my thing. I will use them, the few I have, but I won't replace them. Sample before you go all out and you will have far less things you won't use if one is worried about that.
I have sketchbooks from years I didn't use them yet and now the color of the papers of these sketchbooks is becoming yellow instead of white I don't like to draw on them like this, and I don't like to buy lot of art supplies because this is like throwing your money for nothing I buy only the things that I need
I love that you admit that you feel good just looking at your art supplies, and some of them have "aged well." I was going to suggest that you give away some of the unused sets to your viewers, but I guess that would be difficult in terms of shipping. The one supply I'm surprised to see here is the Daniel Smith set since you do use your DS paints! I would love to see a review on the set.
Gosh, after reading the comments, I must be one of the few who truly can’t overbuy. In fact, it drives me nuts watching TH-cam art videos when it is just about pushing supplies as I don’t have the dollars for anything but the basics, and cheap basics at that. For example, I have to use the cheapest watercolour paper, crappy Cotman watercolours, Walmart brushes, etc. But I guess this topic is about hoarding, right? I guess what I am saying is consider yourself fortunate if you have the opportunity to hoard. Be grateful for your supplies.
I'm definitely an art supply hoarder. They always make me happy and content. Just so attracted to color and trying new brands out. I used to just look at them and they gathered dust. Those days are over though because I've been putting most of the supplies to use drawing and painting as my hobby again. I think I just got caught up in this perfection phase and grew afraid of having to draw to a perfect degree. I can draw or paint anything I see in meticulous detail and likeness. Then I got busy with a career, then kids and still wanted to feed the art, but had no time for it due to these demands. Now my kids are teens and I'm coming back into my own as a means of self expression and learning new methods like painting gouache. Never did that before. I own probably most supplies on the market and I enjoy collecting them. Husband complains there is no room and he's right, so I have to set up a dedicated studio in the next year or so. Artist daughter will sure get a strange inheritance!
Great topic and I struggle too! As artists we see potential in everything, even free stuff, and coupled with the 3ndowment effect we attribute move value to things we own making it hard to part with it. As an art supply reviewer I get lots of products in which adds to it (I bet you can relate!) And the price hikes and supply chain issues have made me wary to get rid of decent supplies. It's a whole thing! 😆
That just led to an hour of reading about the endowment effect. Fascinating. I seem to have an ownership problem with my art things. 😅
@@ohbli_oh join the club (we meet every week at the art supply store 😆)
@@ohbli_oh - did the reading too. Now I have a name for it 🙂
I recognize it too. I did get rid of half a few years ago and to me, it felt like a relief. Since, my stock grew again...things were sent, etc. But I'm not buying anymore. Only refills/replacements of necessary badics and paper. It's a challenge, but it feels good. I appreciate what I have more now and I am "building a relationship" with some of my supies. It'slovely. Finally my jar of pencil stumps is filling up😊
Hoarding is definitely a problem for many artists out there (especially for me). For example I own a huge set of Polycromos (I think it's the biggest one Faber Castell is selling) which I used just once or twice. Thank you for talking about it Theo!
I can't imagine not using something I've spent so much money on.
But I also can't imagine myself using something that costs that much lol.
Oh, I SO recognize this. Because of my youtube reviews I had WAY too much. I gave away more than half to charity a few years ago. It was a huge relief. Since, my stock has begun to pile up again. And it's a weight on my shoulders. For me, inspiration comes with having space and a slightly limited stash of art supplies...although in my case that means that I don't have full ranges of supplies and that I "only" have like 10 brands of watercolor, for example. I am on a no-buy regime now and the only things I allow myself to purchase are replacements of necessary things, like an eraser, and paper plus notebooks. No new paints! I broke through the addiction 😁 It's just that every successful artist and illustrator I know personally laughs at my stash and says I own a store. They work with a limited amount of supplies and wouldn't want to own that much as it would inhibit their work process. I am taking that lesson to heart. I'm going to use it all up and try not to buy. I am going to let myself - at some point - be limited by what I have to work with.
Love your channel too Mandy! Would love to see a video on how your no-buy is going if that's something you're considering making! :)
@@tricialeach1125 Thank you, Tricia. And yes, that's something I'm absolutely working on... :-)
@@MandyvanGoeije
Great video. I don’t paint with watercolor but oils and yes, I buy supplies quite often. Mostly panels and paint but I don’t use them as much. For a while I had an obsession for brushes, not anymore. Other items I bought are easels to display in progress paintings. I finally found a couple I really like and use to keep the mess away. I mainly buy on sale stuff that I know I will need. So, at this moment, I have decided not to buy anymore. At times when I find I don’t have a particular oil color, instead of buying it, I look for a similar color and I’m happy with it. Very interesting video. I appreciate your time and effort. Blessings and take care.
I'm on a no buy/budgeted buy since last year. I've literally started using my stuff more and buying minimally every since I realised that I was hoarding things. It hit me last year when I was moving that I have too much stuff and a lot of it is unused!!! I don't use my good supplies because I feel like I'll waste them or run out but I buy them and end up with dried up markers, acrylic paint etc or boxes of tube paint and pencils, some even duplicate sets and I understand how stupid that logic is now... They look beautiful but it's wasteful if they aren't used. I just tell myself that it hurts their feelings and they feel ignored if I don't use them now so I use them more 😂
I thought I was the only one who didn’t want to make my art supplies feel lonely by not using them 🤣
@@emilyhoadley5625 yeah... I too found a decent quality paper at last and I enjoyed it.. So I'd neither buy super expensive paper nor would go back to using a terrible cheap paper just because it's cheap.
@@HumdrumCurio 😂😂😂😂no you're not... We understand them better because we love them and they love us so they don't like being ignored lol
This is so timely. I bought a lot of supplies over the pandemic and I have to give some away and donate things I know I won't use, but I feel guilty because it seems like such a waste. But it's a bigger waste if I never use it and someone else will. I'm sometimes tempted to buy new things but there's only so much space. Also, having too many supplies and options sort of stunts my creativity, but I am also dazzled by beautiful packaging and vibrant colors.
I remember you saying something like "if I see a pretty watercolor set I buy it" 😄
A friend recently suggested to me that acquiring art and craft supplies is a whole different hobbie to actually creating art
Amazing supplies. I am not a hoarder, quite the opposite. It is hard for me to shop. So I am using my supplies in the sake of actually use the up. I bought 12 set of Polychromas and using them everyday since Christmas no regrets at all. I only care about expensive paper, I can't make myself use it on the daily bases. I have a set of White Nights watercolors sitting in my desk for 2 years, so I start using them since the beginning of the year and love them. I think I accumulated a good selection of art supplies I am happy about. So I don't need to shop untill I actually run out.
Thank you for creating this video as it was a must/reality check for me.
I don’t think I’m a “hoarder” of art supplies but I do get influenced by art hauls.
Recently, I’ve fallen in love with Roman Szmal watercolours and polychromos pencils but I’ve convinced myself to only buy them through open shelves instead of the whole set.
Going to an art supply store is a hoarder's dream. So many beautiful packaging of these art supplies...the suppliers know that if the packing is good it will catch your eye and u may buy it. So now when i go to an art supply store (which i don't do much often now) i bring a list and try to keep to it and i will only buy new stuff if it is related to or helps with what's on my list.
Yes, I have this problem. My painting/drawing stuff all fits into one large dresser drawer, but my textiles and fiber stash have reached SABLE (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy). I really ought to sell some.
Ironically, I want to buy more art supplies after watching your video! Especially those things of yours that I think I need!! I definitely have SAS
I need to see my stuff out. I'm considering getting a digital photo frame just for the purpose of displaying a slideshow of my art supply photos. Perhaps I will mix in text slides of art project ideas/ notes that I make of what I hope to create when I buy a new supply.
In addition, I could put up a traditional vision board with upcoming art project ideas & related supplies.
I may also group some supplies with a chart of art projects for them. Finally, I plan to explore how to group my supply types and workspace(s), so as to reduce the friction in getting started using them on any given day.
One last thing: I may put some of the supplies in a separate "wait and see" bin, in a separate room, and if I don't pull them to use in a year, donate them.
I learned long ago that it’s best to buy the best you can afford because you will be happiest using the product and will use more often. Shoes, clothes, art supplies. If you can afford all those crappy sets you can afford fewer premium quality art supplies and wouldn’t have so much junk….🤷🏻♀️
You have very nice “extra” supplies. I would definitely keep them all. I am trying to buy all of the things I think I need because my husband will be retiring soon and our income will be reduced. 😁
I am in the same boat!! Lol Have a great day!❤️
Me too!! My hubby talks about retiring in 8 years. Also, the prices are going through the roof...so I feel I need to get everything I need before I’m priced out. 🤦🏻♀️
I stopped drawing for more than a week after buying my first ever artist grade watercolor set. It only made me more stressed out tbh. So watching TH-camr's who do art supplies haul make me question if they ever finish all those supplies..
But... Why the heck haven't you yet tried and reviewed the Roman Szmal watercolours?! Please Teoh, use them and make a nice review! ;)
Last year and a half I bought more art supplies than ever before, and in January I decided to put a stop to my spending. It helped that I bought some stuff for the house, new dining table and chairs and new printer so had no money left for art supplies until I settle my card 😀 I have supplies to last me for a few years. Art books, though I'm still interested in. but I think I'll get them from my gift money.
So is it called sas? Yes I am sassy and I have no regrets *LoL*!! Jokings apart, yes, as your illustration on an old review of Daniel Smith essential set, I hoard art supplies! And I feel good to see at my goodies like a pair of M Graham watercolor and a small cache of Schmincke paints. I feel like it's a personal achievent because it's so hard/expensive to make art at my country. I devoted time and efford to grab good supplies and here is the reward, a fine watercolor paint that can do what I expect them to do, not to mention the wonderful mixes it can deliver (not fully explored yet). So at moment I'm happy with my small coloful treasure cache. Just need to keep my eyes out of art supply store... I shall not look at it very often 😅😅😅
Oh yes I relate way too much. I'm a collector of vintage art supplies and just can't leave a box of old pastels or watercolor tins sitting there forlorn on a resale shop shelf. Or charcoal, or drawing pencils, or color pencils, or paper.......Oh, dear Lord I need help. But I am happy to say I've repurposed the tins with my good watercolor paint, am using the supplies now to learn new mediums and really having fun. It has freed me to not worry about ruining my " professional " supplies and helping me learn and develop skills.
Yep. Coloured pencils. I have so many and never use them! It is on my list for this year to figure them out.
that qor palette is my dream! enjoy all your art supplies, for you and for us!
Dropping QoR (aquazol) into conventional watercolors (gum arabic) wet-in-wet gives spectacular results. The aquazol interacts with the gum arabic in unpredictable ways.
Haha I love your polychromos and caran dache colored pencils🥰 Yes, I do keep some extra supplies but not as many as yours. Mostly colored pencils and sketchbooks as Im using colored pencils for portraits. But I started to explore watercolor as I don't want to put them to waste
Oh, I’m laughing…so familiar! I got crazy with sketchbooks that I’ve never used because they are so nice I think I’ll wreck them. I could open a shop to sell brushes, too. I bought a set of liquid watercolors which I used once and now they’re separating and look old…I have a large box of Crayola Crayons…why? I like to smell them, reminds me of when I was a kid…they’re in pristine condition…I have 7 sets of watercolors and gouache…oh well, you get the picture..art supply hoarder. I’m doing almost no buying other than supplies I use nowadays. Whew.
Oh yes for sure! I've only been doing art for about two years now, and at first I definitely was always buying whatever new shiny thing I saw on TH-cam. But then, since I was just starting out, I do think it was legit for me to try a whole bunch of media. However, I've never suffered from "full set syndrome," where I have to buy the biggest set of a particular item. Early on I saw a video that said you really don't need more than a 36 set of colored pencils - and actually now I think 24 would be fine. Now what I do is I jhave a small set of something, then just buy a few additional colors open stock that I find useful - whether it's colored pencils, paints, etc. The great thing about this approach is that I can try out different brands. So if, for example, I want cobalt blue or perylene green, I'll buy one tube in a brand I haven't tried before.. I will say, though, that the only full set I've ever bought was the 48 Kuretake gansai tambi set about a year ago. I don't use it often, but oh -- it is SO PRETTY to look at!
Hi again Teoh, we are in the age of pisces, the last one was age of aquarius. And the sign of pisces brings very creative energy. Have you noticed the past two years or so many have become so creative, (and maybe blaming covid and staying in doors too, and that may be the case). But, We are in a beautiful creative time and if art supplies make you happy and bring out the creative soul in you then I say collect away! Eventually that paint brush will bring some good energy and get you painting, lol..Plus it will be shared, with kids or family, friends..making more people happy & creative. (ps. staying in budget is key tho..)
I bought some subscribtion boxes that I don't use(alcohol markers/guache..),I stopped the subscribtion,because I realised,even if there aren't that many things in the box,It's still to many if I don't use them.Sadly I don't have friends that do art,and I can't give the supplies to them or trade them. I really like working with watercolor and acrylic paint and colored pencils😊
Teoh!! Interesting subject -- it is hard not to get pulled into getting more supplies :-) I'm pretty frugal so that helps keep hoarding down to. minimum. Having supplies on hand though is a little freeing -- i tell myself -- USE iT! or else it might go bad !
I’d like to blame popular artists on social media, who push and “highly recommend” certain products. I’d also like to blame TH-cam for making things like “art supply haul” or “my favorite supplies” videos more popular that other content. I could also blame myself for wanting to be good as my favorite artists and thinking “well if I buy all the supplies they use, then I’ll certainly be as good as them!”
I think it’s a mixture of many factors and they all feed into one another. Shout out to TH-camrs like Juicy Ink/Victoria Gedvallis for telling their viewers that you don’t need the supplies that your favorite TH-camr uses. Her art supply decluttering video are also very good.
Yea I love art supplies, they bring me jou so I tend to over buy when i have the money:( anyway great video and thanks for sharing. Much love
My rule is if it can't fit in 2 drawers and I haven't used the supplies in more than 6 months - I'll gift them.
Also, I stopped buying stuff I know I won't need. There's just so much that we buy just because we can/we like it at the time. Thankfully, after sorting out the supplies I don't use regularly and storing them, my daughter has taken them to use and is doing a much better job of it than me! :D I did a huge cleanout of art supplies about 3 years ago and gave it to a colleague of mine who wasn't really able to buy supplies. I just gifted it all to him and I know it's in better hands than mine.
This video just reminded me I should probably go through my supplies during the holidays. I'm pretty sure there are things hiding away again that could go to a better home. Stuff I still have that I've noticed I'm not using as regularly as before:
- Alcohol inks
- Liquid watercolors (Aqua drops)
- Watercolor pens from Faber Castell
- Drawing inks from Rohrer & Klingner ...although, I DO use this, I don't really know if I use them often enough to warrant staying with me.
The thing I know I have a problem with: Paper hoarding. I LOVE paper - especially watercolor paper and bristol. Then I also do paper hoarding in the form of sketchbooks. But as I said, my daughter tends to inherit a lot of stuff because she uses the supplies every day so I know these items will be loved when she's ready.
When I was younger I would hoard like it was no one’s business. Now that I am older I a, forcing myself not to just overly buy supplies but use them first (for the most part). I’m usually content with what I have even if it’s a bit lower quality
Always! I’m glad others deal with this too. Thanks Teoh
I definitely have this problem, and it’s not limited to art supplies. Ask any sewer to show you their fabric collection. That’s even worse! Others have commented that it makes them feel less worried about making “bad art” knowing they won’t use up the last of their good supplies. This is definitely part of it. There’s also that feeling of “if only I had that colour, brand or product, that’s what I need to get to the next level”. Even as I write this I know it’s ridiculous. Maybe you could do a video on what an optimum studio set up might look like? Yeah, I know, different for everyone. 😔
Since buying the iPad to draw I don’t seem to have that problem much anymore.
I still have sets of pencils and markers I have been gifted or I’ve bought over the years, but I’m not adding much to the “art spot” in my drawer.
Thank you for this video. It makes me feel less alone in my “addiction “. I found watercolor and art during the pandemic and realized it helped me control my anxiety and depression. Colors make me happy so I found myself acquiring more than I’m able to use. Working on downsizing and using my supplies.
Same here! I love mixing colors on the paper and see what happens. There is nothing figurative, it's more like a chemistry/physics experiment with pigments.
Basically, I cannot describe me as a hoarder, but sometimes it comes to an additional visit to the local art store when I think "oh, I might probably need another liner/ink bottle/brush, cause who knows if it will be available by my next visit here". Therefore some things that were supposed to replace old supplies wait another 2 to 4 months for their moment of luck :D
What I do and try to do to prevent a art store shopping urge, is just compare my actual skills to the amount and quality of supplies that I already have/use. And I am generally not a hoarder person and try to get rid of not used/unnecessary things in the household (clothes, tableware, of course some art supplies) by giving them away to family (they're also hobby painters) or donating. Hope it will stays on the same level as it is now.
I enjoy the process of looking at art supplies online, reading, and watching reviews. However, last year I realized my purchases were getting out of hand, and there came a point where I wasn’t going to be able to use my purchases as fast as I was buying them. So I reigned in the purchases. The want monster is still there but I keep it under control by occasionally feeding it a slow drip of products I need. Number one rule: the product must be something I need and use rather than obsess over. My problem is I like to have a little bit of everything. I have so many professional supplies from alcohol markers, coloring pencils, watercolor pencils, soft pastels, oil pastels, and card making supplies like stamps, ink pads, card stock etc. Luckily I don’t have full set syndrome. I’m into watercolor right now, and I have some nice watercolors, but I really don’t need anything else except Daniel Smith PBk11 to make DIY granulating watercolors. I have ultramarine so just PBk11, and may be PG50 by Sennelier because I love the color so much, would make me complete. Oh I also would like to buy some watercolor sketchbooks then my life really will be complete, but the price puts me off, so I use loose sheets of watercolor paper instead.
I should have added watercolor artist Oliver Pyle said in a recent video there isn’t any magic in art supplies. I’ve been feeling this way for months, as the beauty is what we create with the supplies. A professional watercolor artist saying it out loud was gave me a bit of a jolt. However, the want monster is still there.
I really want to try making my own sketchbooks from my favorite loose sheets! Most watercolor sketchbooks either have terrible paper or cost $$$.
@@jennw6809 yes! And of course the watercolor sketchbooks I want are the expensive ones. I’ve been thinking about DIY watercolor sketchbooks too. I think about it but I don’t do anything about it. I think at the very least I could punch a hole in the paper and put a metal paper ring through the hole to keep my papers together. If I did urban sketching or create en plein air then I would definitely buy a sketchbook. Then I wouldn’t want to deal with loose sheets of paper.
I learned from my sketchbook mistakes. No more pulp paper for me. Only 100% cotton and thick gauge paper.
@@SketchesnScrubs Hello Sketches! Fun bumping into you 🤗. I can totally relate to what you’re saying about searching, buying and using new art supplies. It’s never ending 😆. Big problem is just when I think I have everything I need I see something interesting and I think hmmmm, can I use that?! If it’s something I can truly use then it’s goes into my cart for me to think about some more. If I really can’t use it then it goes on my wishlist. I’ve got to do what you do for organizing loose sheets, thanks for sharing! ❤️
So, yes I have this problem, and I do think TH-cam and the algorithm doesn't help because the most popular videos are always product reviews. That said -- as far as future reviews from you - I do think the 100% cotton Hahnemuhle sketchbook is a product many people will want to see, and it's not too expensive. (Not everyone wants to make custom sketchbooks, and there are not enough cotton sketchbooks on the market, especially at a good price.) I would also love to see reviews on the products you already have (I don't think you've reviewed the White Knights tube paint, for instance).
I’ve not reviewed the White Nights tube set because I’ve not used it. 😂
I would like a review on the 100% cotton sketchbook by Hahnemule as well.
This issue isn't just limited to artists; if you are person who is creative (knitter, sewer, paper crafter etc.) you could definitely have this problem; I know I do, all my supplies have projects in mind it's just that there's not enough hours in the day to do them all! LOL!!
I don’t really buy a lot of stuff now-a-days because I realized I had enough and just stopped buying. I don’t like a lot of “stuff” around. However I still love to watch products/studio/art videos!
Guilty!!!! I hoard entirely way too many products! From Blackwing pencils to fountain pens, entirely too many palettes and soooo much paper. It's a problem.
Oh wow I luckily have not gotten to this stage, at least I don’t think 🤔 so. I am just getting to the point of having many amounts of supplies that I do use like watercolor paper, & color pencils. Maybe you should try to have a giveaway contest for the next few months of supplies you don’t want any more.
You should definitely review those Irojiten pencils, I’ve been dreaming of these for years but never had the courage to pay for them - Japanese products are way too expensive where I live.
I definitely have S.A.S. I didn't realize how bad it was until I moved and had to rent a storage unit to store some of them because I didn't have room in my new house. I have vowed, like you, not to buy anymore until I've used up what I have or have donated some to a local art school. And prices are too high. Thank you!
I’m looking for that brush set now lol I have been buy a lot of gouache n acrylic paint here lately I got m graham’s n arteza, Himi, Miya sets just this week alone lol
I have too much art supplies. Ones I know I will not use I’ve given them away. Others I would like to use up and not buy again. I’m one of those people that like to try out many different mediums. I don’t know if I would like them until I try it for my self. I think too much is when you have no where to store them, thankfully I have managed to store mine with my clothes in my clothes draws, under the bed and in my wardrobe with my clothes. So I guess this means I don’t have too much yet 😄
For me, I hoard sketchbooks. Bought more than I can use. Haha.
LOL, very recognizable. I was going through my supplies the other day and wondered why I need 12 graphite pencils ;-)
The way you talk about the polychromos is like wine 😅I love art with different mediums. You try some, you loose some. Like oil painting was not for me. Especially the drying time, the cleaning, the products... I like watercolour but really don´t use them that often 🙈I use coloured pencils the most and acrylic & gouache paint. Some things are good cheap but some I regret
Teoh, have you tried the Fabriano Artistico watercolor paper since they changed it to "enhanced" and "vegan friendly"? Just wondering how it performs. Thanks for the reviews!
Oh yes, I realized I have an art supply hoarding problem so I've banned myself from buying any more art supplies until I use up what I already have.
I bought a watcom tablet 7-8 years ago. I have never use it.
There is a little bit part of the world where there is a lot of much, because there is the other part, the rest one, where every day that pass, there is always less and less.
Oh yeah I have a lot and I love art supplies but I use thwm
I have a couple of sets of colored pencils and watercolor pencils that I am afraid to use because I don't want to damage them with sharpening. So they sit pretty on the shelf.
Isn't it funny how we turn "use" into "damage?" I can't use nice sketchbooks because I can't bear to "mess them up."
@@jennw6809 We do the same thing with our "nice" clothes or the "fine" dinnerware, etc. It's really something to think about.
@@jennw6809 That's why I like to use ring-bound sketchbooks. When I 'mess up' a page, I can easily rip it out.
I mentioned elsewhere so I’m repeating myself, but I’ve found it’s helpful to remind myself that it’s much more wasteful NOT to use an art supply than to use it up making bad/mediocre art. Alternatively, maybe you could create a sculpture from the pretty pencils and display it? (I’m actually serious here.)
@@marynorby9530 I have to learn to walk before I can run.
Guilty as charged… buying restrain has been applied for some time already….
why dont you sell the excess with a good discount?
Toeh what size are your Muji storage boxes, just wanted to know for reference guide ?
isnt it correct to say too many not too much?
The latest thing I want as of yesterday is Tom Norton Walnut Ink with darkener. I wish I could just walk to a store and buy it...but noooo I live far far far away from the city. Which means I'll end up buying a bunch of things to justify the postal cost.
I am trying very hard to resist A. Gallo water colours at the moment. Far too expensive and I already have a nice collection of the usual brands. Some people barely have enough to eat, I feel like a rich jerk.
10 months later....Tom Norton Walnut ink is dreamy and totally worth it.
I managed to resist the $300 A Gallo paints!
For me, the problem with having nice and expensive art supplies like those is that I can't bring myself to use them, fearing I would "ruin" them lol. Nowadays I just get the cheapest but decent stuff I can find. Also I used to hoard art supplies a little bit, now I do it with art books.
I totally understand that feeling.. I never used my good paper or paints because of the same feeling but I'm trying to understand that I shouldn't get it if I'm not going to use it... So I'll not buy it either unless I use it... Because ultimately they're tools to bring joy in form of art, not stress in form of negative emotions.
Getting over art books should be easier since there is the library and half the books from the library you can see instantly online. It’s great. Best to you. :)
Luckily now, there's ton of decent quality art supplies on the market for a good price. I see a lot of youtube comments saying that supplies don't matter if you're a "true" artist and that makes me quite frustrated. You don't need top of the line artist grade products to make good art, but using the lowest quality products won't help you either. Finding a middle ground can be satisfying enough. Plus, a lot of artist grade supplies have changed in quality over the years, while most of their prices have been marked up.
Yeah, I get my expensive stuff out and sniff them occasionally. It’s really difficult to use the stuff I saved for. Polychromos…great, love them and I use them when I need a boost. I must admit I do have a bit of an art supply habit but I get everything at a discount, in sales or if I save up. I may have a bit of an addiction but it’s small fry as yet…yet 😉🌺💃
I have that syndrome too.
The haul videos are exhausting to me, so much so that I have unsubscribed from a LOT of art channels. Art channels used to be about doing art and sharing it, or teaching a technique. Now most videos feel like long commercials. Thanks for this video, Teoh! You’re one of my favorite channels
I agree. I have to avoid revews for the same reason.
Yeah i agree too... I've noticed that when I don't come across haul videos and reviews i don't feel urge to buy more stuff.
I came across the idea of stationery no buy last year from a channel called tbhstudying and though it was about stationery not art supplies, the problem of consumerism was same. It's all over social media now and it's really harmful to everyone.
It's cause of the algorithm. I just make art with tutorials sprinkled in and by far my art supply reviews get much more views
They make content that get clicks. The hustle is real.
@@cetriyasArtnComicsChannel Yeah! I agree! You know you shouldn't watch them for the obvious reasons but are still drawn/attracted to the "poison" (to watch them!)
For me, I had bought a lot of paint, paper and large brushes, but I was timid about using them (especially the large brushes) until I started thinking of my painting as art therapy, rather than "creating art." If I can stop caring about how it looks, and just concentrate on how it FEELS to paint, it's super fun to make big marks on big paper!! So ironically I am using my supplies more now that I care less about making good art. I know Teoh will like this attitude, I love when he says "who cares if I make bad art?"
Watercolor is a great medium to throw some pigments down and let them mix on the paper in unexpected but beautiful ways.
I am trying to get to this point, but still struggle with it.
You are so right! We all need to remember this :)
I need this tattooed to my forehead.
I too use art as a therapy! It works wonders and it actually does take the pressure away! 🥰
YES. With the prices of everything (food, fuel, art supplies!) increasing so much (including shipping fees and free shipping requirements), I'm realizing that not only have I bought too many art supplies, previously, but buying more just is not wise. The prices are much higher, and I need that money for other, necessary, expenses. So I've been gathering my stuff (I'm not very organized), and sorting out my favorites. The rest I will store nicely, and when I have the urge to use something different, I will "shop" from my stash. I did get great prices on what I have, but those days are over.
I have the feeling I have enough supplies to last me the rest of my life.
I hear you 👍
Good idea shopping from your own stash. I might try that. I just got a load of paintbrushes I hardly used and hid my other ones away hoping to use these ones for a while and learn to work with them. And did same with some rare paints. I put all my least used paints in a palette to try. It’s funny how hard it is to not have my commonly used paints meaning these extras really are useless to me and once gone won’t be replaced.
"shop" from your stash idea is brilliant! I will have to do that as well! Good idea Jodi!
@@ohbli_oh I tried something different with my "oddball" colors.....I put them all in their own metal palette, with a painted swatch card in the lid, and I open it near my usual working palette. Because they are nearby, it helps me consider using them.....I have discovered that maroon, shell pink, davy's grey, and spring green are actually pretty useful for adding a speck to my usual colors, and now I really like them!
Aaah the luscious colors of capitalism ^^'
I'm actually working on a disposable pen project, but I feel art supplies in general just look so pretty, so buying them is between a collection and actually using them. You have to fight of the temptation of buying more. It's really a sort of trap.
You have to consciously fill your life with others things (using the supplies you have for instance XD) instead of buying more stuff.
I think I have too much, however I use what I have, so I suppose it's debatable :)
Nicely said!
I first became self-conscious about hoarding art supplies when I noticed I had more supplies than some professional artists whose studios I visited. But I think that might be natural since I'm just starting to experiment with mediums on my own as a hobby, whereas they probably tried lots of different things in art school/during their training. My supply is not too overwhelming yet, but I've learned to stop buying full sets of things when I want to try out a new product. 😆
I’m the same as you 😂 although I haven’t learned to buy smaller sets. I have a thing about having the whole collection haha. But I think buying art supplies is a completely different hobby to actually using them 😂
Yes, agree with both of you. Hopefully as I discover my preferences, I will be able to pass on some of my supplies to others. But yeah, when I see a pro artist on YT with less brushes than I have... uhhhh.... Thankfully I do tend to buy individual things instead of plunging in with sets!
This is pretty much where I've settled on the subject, too. I think once you get comfortable and knowledgeable about a medium, you figure out what you like/don't like/is or isn't necessary/etc.. And since we have no children and never go anywhere and I don't have many other hobbies that require Stuff...a lot of my free cash has gone straight into the art supply stash while I'm learning. It means I've got way more than I need, and more than I could probably comfortably use in a lifetime, but I'm considering it to be education over hoarding.
(Plus, we do have a semi-local place that buys used supplies, which I take advantage of once I figure out my likes/dislikes, which is very nice too.)
I know I sometimes get the All The Colors Syndrome™, where if I like a thing, I seem to think I need ALL the colors of that thing, and I'm prone to that urge to *collect things*, but I'm getting better about that. We have a small house; not much more is gonna fit in here soon. :D
Some artist just know what they like after years of searching, which can look intimidating when you see someone you admire with just 3 supples. In comparison to yourself with 100 ( i know, I’ve been there), but they too went through a journey of discovery to get to that point. Enjoy your time with playing and exploring. Plus, some artists even after years of searching find they love to use all different kinds of supplies. Never limiting themselves to just a handful. Keep enjoying your creative journey and exploration of art supplies :)
That's my problem. Full set syndrome. It doesn't matter what it is. I have to have all the colors 😩
Dear Teoh, we need to consider that sketching, drawing, and painting are actually separate and entirely different hobbies from collecting art supplies. Once I see anything laid out in rainbow order (ROYGBIV) I'm compelled to stare at it, salivating.
yes, the rainbow! especially Daniel Smith's 238 colors, rainbow on steroids. ha. and anything packaged beautifully
I have art supplies from several decades ago. When I bought them I had an actual vision of what I would use them for, and in most cases did use them, but the thing no one ever tells you about art supplies is that you are ALWAYS buying far more than you need, for instance buying a full set of something when realistically you will only use a few colours to the end, if that. Art supplies go a long way mostly, and making art is hours of your life. The ratio of use to supply is therefore completely out of whack! I love to look at vintage art supplies too and it is really common to see a watercolour box that has been bought for a specific purpose, but then never used again, maybe someone made Christmas cards or wedding invitations and only the colours they needed for it are gone, the worst things in this respect are any type of pencils, coloured and graphite. I have several sets of them unused for several years. I tend only to buy on offer or a good dupe. My best advice is do not buy in sets, buy open stock and for purpose. Those sets are too perfect and untouchable. My next best advice is whatever you get allow them to get messy. Then you will not have fear of using them. I have two very expensive pastels sets I have never used because I fear failure with them, but have older scruffy pastels I have used very successfully. If you love the packing and image of your art supply more than you love the thought of using them then really you are collecting (hoarding) them. The way prices of art materials are going up be sure to look after the ones you have collected and make sure they will be mentioned in your will and will have a recipient! Actually using good art supplies is one of the hardest things in the world, they bring out all the worst in procrastination and self doubt. Make them messy and unprecious then you will get somewhere with them. If in doubt try and make art alongside other artists, it helps with the addiction, and while you are making art you are not shopping for supplies. Lastly of all sign off from all your favourite online art supply vendors. Break the habit.
I HAD that problem. It was getting out of control. So, months ago I sat down and decided to retest every single art supply I had. Then I began to identify many tools that I didn't really need, or I had duplicates. Like for example, why do I need two sets of palette knives? I had the plastic ones that were the first ones I ever bought, and at some point I upgraded them to metal, but kept the plastic ones. That made me decide to keep quality instead of quantity. That conclusion led me to: colored pencils! I HAD SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MANY BRANDS OF COLORED PENCILS!!!! SOOOOO MANY IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE! So, I started there. I keep only 4 wax based pencils brands, 1 oil based brand, 4 water soluble brands, and 3 pastels pencils brands. All the rest, I either donated or sell.
Then, more time passed by (this was a VERY difficult process), I realized that I wasn't really enjoying painting with acrylics anymore, and to keep my acrylics and acrylic tools was nonsense. So I got rid of all, also either by donating or selling.
I also discovered that I enjoy so much more using watercolor based products than wax, oil, or pastels pencils... and here was when I had to make a tough choice.
The wax/oil/pastel brands that I kept, from that HUGE amount of brands, I had, were: Luminance, Derwent Drawing, Pablo, Polychromos, Prismacolors, Pitt Pastels, CarbOthello, and the Conté a Paris... well, I created a personal palette from the Luminance and kept this as my main set, kept the Derwent Drawing as a complementary set, created a portrait set with the polychromos, kept my favorite colors from the Prismacolors, created one set of pastel pencils by combining the 3 sets I had, and finally created a small, very concise, color range with the Pablos, and all the pencils that I wasn't needing anymore, I gift away. That led me with a total of 292 pencils (between wax, oil, and pastels) and they all fit together perfectly in one 300 slots pencils case. I can't begin to explain the comfort I feel to just have that one pencil case. I had more that 5 thousands pencils!!! So I am proud of myself! 🥰
Now, the watercolor pencils are a different beast. Those are my babies and those I won't give away. But I did gave away many brands I had. But these 4, I have the full sets of each and I won't cut back. Albrecht Dürer, General Kimberly, Inktense and Graphitint... and I do have a some (not even 10) single pencils from other brands.
Then there were the other art supplies that, like the acrylics, I really wasn't enjoying anymore. And I used to use them, just cause they were there, but I wasn't happy and I felt I was wasting my time, working with something just because I had it, instead of using my water based supplies which are my cup of tea! So I let go of the soft pastels, the gouache, the charcoal, the markers, and the gel pens.
I also minimized my watercolor collection, cause I rather use the watercolor pencils, the Neocolor II, and the Daniel Smith Watercolor Sticks.
Now, all of this wasn't possible for me to do quickly, it took me almost a year to be able to get rid of all that stuff!
Now I only have:
1. A fairly decent amount of wax/oil/pastels colored pencils in a single pencils case.
2. My beloved watercolor pencils
3. The Neocolor II full set
4. Some Daniel Smith Watercolor Sticks
5. A 18 watercolor set, that includes the Daniel Smith Essentials and the rest I picked to my liking.
6. And a drawer with a mix of oil pastels that includes the 2 sets of Paul Rubens, the Cray Pas, and the Pentel.... Oh and some whites from Sennelier cause that is the best white.
The feeling of cleanliness, accessibility, and space I have in my craft room, I wouldn't change for anything.
Now I only spend on the supplies I run out of and on paper!
I'm sorry for the LOOOOONNNGGGGG comment, but I hadn't had the opportunity to share this experience with anyone!
Thanks for the opportunity... love your videos!!! By the way, one of your videos was the reason I bought some of the Daniel Smith Watercolor Sticks! 😅😅😅😅 Man! Are they expensive! Thanks for that! 😂😂😂😂😂 But I love them! 🥰
Yes, I definitely have this problem, BUT you mentioned a few times in the video how happy looking at a few of your supplies makes you feel, and I have that same thing over here. My art supplies make me happy. I am NOT going to buy any more this year, but I do have a few things on my wish list for Christmas-time. Great video subject, Teoh!
Musicians have a similar thing, it's called 'GAS' - Gear Acquisition Syndrome. "With that amp, I will sound better. That octaver effect pedal will add so much punch. While I'm at it, I might as well order an Auto-Wah. I must have a P-bass and a J-bass as well for versatility. Wait! I need fretless versions of both, too!"
@@SketchesnScrubs hey there!
I do not have an art supply hoarding issue. I'm a professional artist. I do however occasionally purchase products for a project and they don't work for me at all and would end up stuck with them wasting space. So about 6 or 7yrs ago I started keeping all the supplies that don't work for me in one spot in my studio. Then when I would come across someone who was just getting into art I would give them a set of supplies to get started with. Someone will soon be getting a full set of intense pencils.🤣
Perfect 🙌❤️
It’s good to get the perspective from a professional artist.
I agree about the inktense pencils, once I started using the blocks, wasn't prone to pick those anymore. The inktense blocks? I love!!
@@purity2706 I have a different experience with inktense blocks. I find the colors rather chalky (compared to ordinary watercolors).
Inktense pencils were some of my first supplies I bought as an adult and the first and only supply I ever gave away. 😅
As long as they bring you joy, I think it’s not a bad thing. More like a collection than hoarding. Once you feel bad about buying art supplies, then it’s time to cut back, I think.
Personally I think it's a compulsion that stems from childhood.
Whereby these stuff used to be scarce/novel to have when one was a child. This in turn causes an innate desire to collect and hoard said stuff when one is an adult and is capable of acquire said sacred goods.
Part nostalgia, part compulsion.
At least, that's what some of my hobbies usually entails
Actually, when I was in art school, I never had enough money to buy "new" things, but when I finally got my new studio (almost 50 years later), I purchased all the things I always wanted to try but didn't have the space for. For the first time in my life, I'm finally doing the art that makes me happy and not producing art for pay. It was a hard transition, but now I don't worry about the commodity of art, rather I'm more concerned with the feelings my art evokes, and like Bob Burridge, another successful artist says, "It's never too late to be what you should have been!"
I think same with me on the compulsion. Having a lean childhood in terms of things meant I like to have lots of ‘possibility’ around me with art supplies, seeing, books, cooking stuff you name it. In the end it all causes me more stress but I couldn’t let go of it. In a good mood I love knowing I have anything I need art wise to make whatever I want.
And because we were told no so much as a child, we now want all the things we want and don't want to be told we can't have it LOL.
This is probably partly why I 'hoard'. My mum was a widow so getting new things were rare unless we were on summer holidays, or it was Christmas time, or birthdays. I was pretty content most of the time though. But she passed away when I was 14 and then having stuff for Christmas and birthdays was rarer. When a parent dies you don't just lose them, you lose a lot of other things to. If I had more money than I have accumulating things and not using them would be worse, just because of that period of scarcity. I also think that the way Christmas's are done as kids they give us an expectation of having lots and lots of things at once so that habit can continue into adulthood. There needs to be a balance of where we have enough things to feel happy, but not too many that we just don't use them and it becomes a waste.
Growing up, I remember getting my first watercolors (Prang) and my very first set of Prismacolors (8th grade). My mom insisted they were too expensive, but I begged for them as they were a required art supply to take art class. I cherished those pencils so much. Now that I am an adult, I definitely think I hoard artist grade supplies, because we really couldn't afford them when I was a kid.
I stopped buying art supplies altogether. I told myself that I should use up at least 1 of my art supplies to completion (I chose the 72 prism a color set) and got stressed out. Art supplies are like gaining weight: easy to accumulate, difficult to get rid of.
😂 true.
Omygawd, so true! I sketch and paint like a 10 year old yet I have two art rooms in my house with so much stuff until I’ll never be able to use it!!!!!!
Hoarding art supplies, you say…*Quietly closes the door to my overflowing studio*…nope, nothing to see here! 😂
Id say I'm an art supply collector, they give me much joy
Years ago, when my local art shop closed, I found myself looking to TH-cam reviews for new products. Needless to say this sent me down a rabbit hole of buying mediums I never tried (or would ever use) and new watercolor products I didn't really need.
You see, at my local art shop I was able to try the products out before I bought them. This saved me a lot of money and space because I rarely had "buyer's remorse". My art supplies went from a small box to a wall of supplies in just a few years. I probably now have enough for several lifetimes.
Tfs.
This is the dark side of TH-cam nobody talks about!
@@jennw6809 It's not the darkside. Blaming TH-camrs is using them as a scapegoat for a lack of control if one has an issue in their mind. I watch hauls, reviews and swatching videos yet I don't go buy everything nor do I collect. I don't judge those who collect but I think blaming someone else for a lack of control on one's part is simply not taking responsibility for one's own actions.
@@rayne6737 I didn't blame the TH-camrs. I blame the algorithm. I'm so glad you have such perfect self control that you're able to rise above all the messages to buy in our culture. Great for you. Thanks for scolding everyone else who doesn't have perfect willpower like you.
@@jennw6809 Blaming algorithms is no different. Defecting because of your own issues is your problem not mine. I didn't scold anyone I said DON'T BLAME OTHERS! I literally said that in my comment. Take your guilty subconscious elsewhere!
@@rayne6737 Take your sanctimoniusness elsewhere
I had this issue about a year ago when I started knowing and doing more art. The joy of having a lot of supplies and using them... let's say they can be separate hobbies. 😅 However, due to limited space and budget, shopping and watching reviews of art supplies aren't much my thing anymore. I get overwhelmed when I have a lot of art supplies.
Oh btw, one art supply I bought and haven't used is the famous Himi Miya gouache. I bought those a year and a half ago and I feel intimidated using them. I'm worried they'll dry out as I don't paint much often.
For himi miya, I have heard people spray it with water to make it stay jiggly
I have too much!. I have FULL SETS OF: Polychromos, Luminance, Museum Aquarelles and the Wooden box full sex of Neo Color ll. I just started with Sennelier soft pastels and of course I’m buying the 120 $300 set. It’s insanity. Don’t get me started on my Daniel Smith watercolor paint. I’m about 90 markers short of the 358 full set of Copic Markers. I’m OBSESSED with everything.
I like buying just one colour to mess around with the new product. Comparatively speaking, we haven’t seen any great advances in products.
I don't have a huge collection or anything, but I definitely have more than necessary. That said, having extras of everything has made me a lot more comfortable to use my art supplies since I'm no longer worried of running out.
So imo it's good to have a mountain of art supplies in the background 🤣
I also like to have a bit more of a supply, if I have just one block or just one set of paint I feel precious about it. small 5 ml tubes are not good for me. i prefere 15 ml tubes, that I know won't run out fast.
Every once in a while, I pack my unused art supplies in boxes and take them to a young art teacher at the local high school. She is always so grateful to have them for her students to try.
Excellent video!!! Polychromos are my most prized possession also, along with the albrecht durer watercolor pencils. I get that same feeling when I open the pack! I think in general, my art supplies bring me that same happiness you feel when you hold some of yours, and that's all that matters to me. I don't get to use them all very often, and some are brand new, but I am happy they are in my collection and I didnt go into debt buying them. Now that have them, it's much easier to watch videos without feeling FOMO, and I can focus on the art being created instead of the tools being used to create art.
There’s a lot of people out there that would be very happy to buy everyone’s unwanted and unused supplies second hand
Do you think so - for example second hand? it sounds like someone should build a swap shop, second hand shop for art supplies! :)
@@sedamcclurg9699 Well I have sold ceramic palettes, watercolours and even empty palettes on eBay. Art supplies are expensive. I think everyone likes a bargain!
I cant imagine having wonderful expensive art supplies and then not using them!! I have about 15 fabulous premium palettes and i rotate them and use them all. Life is good 😌.
I am an art professor and a professional printmaker. And growing up I was super frugal except with art supplies because I needed them for my career. So I kind of have a blind spot when it comes to art supplies. But I am realizing that there are different categories of art supplies. The tried and true "boring" quality supplies. Like your charcoal, your kneaded erasers, black sumi ink, a set of oil based printmaking inks. And then the "fun" art supplies that feel like an addiction. Look I can mix any color I want from a very basic color set. I LITERALLY do a drawing assignment where I make the students render in full color by just layering 3 primary colored pencils. But still I like to hoard supplies T_T
Side Note: Teoh. I love it when you use your battered old paint sets and dirty old pens that work great. I think that for some of us we try to keep everything pristine and that gets in the way of actually making art. So as much as you have a little extra stuff. You have other things that you use all the way up. I am trying to embrace the look of used art supplies because it's better than it sitting in a drawer looking perfect.
My perception of you Teoh, has been that you only have supplies that you need-This video showed me that you own just as many supplies as I do-for the same reason-it makes me happy. I’m a professional artist. I have my supplies narrowed down to one medium-watercolor. And I have two categories of watercolor supplies-professional archival grade paper & paint that I use for commission and commercial work. Then I have practice paint & paper for experimenting and practice. So I have that under control but I do love colored pencils-it’s a problem-there is something addictive about the full spectrum of colors and that smell of the wood…..I never saw a colored pencil I didn’t like.
We seem to be living through the golden age of watercolor art. There are so many great watercolor set manufacturers. I have about 20 different sets. They are really affordable as well. Which is why I have so many. I also have many graphite and charcoal pencil sets. A lifetime supply of brushes etc. It can get crazy.
Yes, I think particularly when you are new to painting and excited you can go way overboard and think that somehow a product will make your advancement quicker - it's a trap - it still comes down to hard work and practice. I've stopped doing that, too. Note to self: enjoy the journey! Also, Teoh, did you have a video that showed an exercise connecting rich, juicy strokes into a rainbow of colors. I loved the different strokes you made to connect them and would like to watch the video again. Any idea which one I might have watched? Your work is so nice!
Was that perhaps th-cam.com/video/XhZ_DYv2wz0/w-d-xo.html ?
I went on an year-long art supply no-buy to help end my hoarding and it was so helpful. I really got to know my existing supplies during that time and appreciate them more. I decided to go with a low-buy this year, to grant myself one new small palette and one new sketchbook but nothing else. There's just too many shiny, exciting supplies and media out there that distracts me from putting in that brush mileage and improving with my current supplies. So yeah, recovering hoarder here 😆
I'm a hoarder trying to get to the stage where I can call myself recovering. Congratulations on all your work and what you have achieved.
I broke a low-buy promise to myself so I could get that new Schmincke slim palette, only to realize when it arrived that there's not even enough room to keep a brush in it because of the poorly designed inside tray and nd the paint is the lower quality Academie and not the Horadam. Plus, it's scratched right out of the box. And I paid shipping for that?! So that's sort of taught me a lesson. I'm hoping it will help me maintain my promise for the rest of the year.
@@lamargot2201 oh, no! That sounds so disappointing 😭
I'm a minimalist by nature and don't like having too many things. When I started getting into watercolor I did buy more things because just because some TH-camr recommends something doesn't mean it's going to be a good fit for you and I didn't realize this at first. I learned my lesson and became more selective and started asking myself the same question I do with everything else I might want. That is "will I use this" or "do I really need this". Also, I only buy things I can get open stalk unless it's really cheap to begin with.
However, I have noticed this trend of people being judgemental and down right rude to other average people about what they "collect". My thought is that if your not going to go tell the rich people that way too many idolize, who seem to think they can tell the average people what is good for them or what they need to give up, that they need to give up the 16 cars parked in their 4th mansions garage or the shoes collections that is so big it has its own specialized temperature controlled closet then you should just leave the average person alone.
Personally, I don't care what people collect. Just because I don't like a lot of things doesn't mean I'm going to tell others what to do with their money, rich or not. I watch art hauls, reviews and swatching videos. I like them. I get multiple opinions, get to see the products in use and get to see some get so happy about their new items. Now that I have a small list of favorite supplies I generally only replace items I've used up and when I get the rare urge to buy something I've seen I ask myself my buying questions and if I'm not sure after that I buy one or two to try. For instance, I have polychromos and I like them and I also have Caran 'd Ache Museum watercolor pencils but I didn't have their Luminance so I bought a few in my favorite colors from the Museum. They aren't really my thing. I will use them, the few I have, but I won't replace them. Sample before you go all out and you will have far less things you won't use if one is worried about that.
I have sketchbooks from years I didn't use them yet and now the color of the papers of these sketchbooks is becoming yellow instead of white I don't like to draw on them like this, and I don't like to buy lot of art supplies because this is like throwing your money for nothing I buy only the things that I need
gave you a like as soon as you said “there is no reason to sugarcoat this” 👍
It's never enough. My Szmal collection is an investment.
I love my Szmals!😊
FOUNTAIN PEN INK!!! I have enough for 22 lifetimes 🤣 those iroshizuku bottles are just so beautiful. I’ll try to cure my ASAS next year. 🥳
I have those too but sold them away eventually 😂
I love that you admit that you feel good just looking at your art supplies, and some of them have "aged well." I was going to suggest that you give away some of the unused sets to your viewers, but I guess that would be difficult in terms of shipping. The one supply I'm surprised to see here is the Daniel Smith set since you do use your DS paints! I would love to see a review on the set.
Gosh, after reading the comments, I must be one of the few who truly can’t overbuy. In fact, it drives me nuts watching TH-cam art videos when it is just about pushing supplies as I don’t have the dollars for anything but the basics, and cheap basics at that. For example, I have to use the cheapest watercolour paper, crappy Cotman watercolours, Walmart brushes, etc. But I guess this topic is about hoarding, right? I guess what I am saying is consider yourself fortunate if you have the opportunity to hoard. Be grateful for your supplies.
I'm definitely an art supply hoarder. They always make me happy and content. Just so attracted to color and trying new brands out. I used to just look at them and they gathered dust. Those days are over though because I've been putting most of the supplies to use drawing and painting as my hobby again. I think I just got caught up in this perfection phase and grew afraid of having to draw to a perfect degree. I can draw or paint anything I see in meticulous detail and likeness. Then I got busy with a career, then kids and still wanted to feed the art, but had no time for it due to these demands. Now my kids are teens and I'm coming back into my own as a means of self expression and learning new methods like painting gouache. Never did that before. I own probably most supplies on the market and I enjoy collecting them. Husband complains there is no room and he's right, so I have to set up a dedicated studio in the next year or so. Artist daughter will sure get a strange inheritance!
Still wanted to feed the art ☺️