My Favorite Tools Right Now (And Why They’re Simple)

I love tools, obviously, but I’m not the kind of artist who needs a giant collection of specialty supplies to feel productive. If anything, too many options slow me down. I start overthinking, second guessing, and suddenly I’m organizing drawers instead of making art.

What works best for me is keeping the tools simple and repeatable so I can get into that “zone-out” state where the work actually happens. When the tools aren’t precious, I take more risks. I experiment more. I make more pieces. And honestly, that’s where the good work comes from.

So here are the tools I’m using the most right now, and why I keep coming back to them.

1) A roller (brayer) and fluid acrylic paint

This is my number one.

I love working with a roller because it forces me to commit. Rolling paint across paper is fast, physical, and direct. It doesn’t let me fuss around. I squeeze fluid acrylic paint straight onto the paper in rows and roll it out in different directions. The first few passes create the basic mood of the piece, and then it becomes about balance, contrast, and composition.

I also like the cleanup. Acrylic is easy. I’m not in the mood to spend half my studio time scrubbing brushes. I want to paint, clean up, and move on.

A new image called Fragments of Motion

2) Heavy fine art paper

A lot of my newer work is on paper, and I love it.

Paper feels immediate. It’s less intimidating than a big canvas. It’s easier to experiment on. And it’s the perfect surface for what I’m doing right now with rolling paint, layering ink, and adding linework.

It also makes the whole process feel looser, which is exactly what I want. I’m not trying to make something “precious.” I’m trying to make something that feels alive.

3) Ink straight from the bottle

Ink is one of my favorite ways to add structure after the first wave of color.

Sometimes a piece needs something sharp. Sometimes it needs contrast. Sometimes it needs a little tension to keep the composition from feeling too soft or too blended. Ink is perfect for that.

I’ll use it for linework, quick marks, or to push certain areas back or forward. It’s simple, it’s bold, and it plays well with the kind of saturated color I like to use.

4) Watercolor markers and pens

These are my “refining” tools.

After the roller and paint do the heavy lifting, I’ll sometimes use watercolor markers to bring in smaller moments of color or to strengthen certain lines. I like how controlled they are compared to paint. They’re clean. They’re quick. And they help me make decisions without getting messy.

They’re also great when I want to add a little detail without turning the piece into something overly tight.

5) A gel plate (gelli printing)

This is where the playful part really kicks in.

I like starting a piece with a gel print because it creates texture and unexpected layers right away. I’ll pull a print, then use string or the back of a brush to create linework in the paint. Then I’ll come back in with watercolor markers or ink to emphasize what’s already there.

Gel printing is also perfect for my personality as an artist. It’s trial and error by design. You’re never fully in control, and that’s the point.

6) Collage papers that come from cleanup

This is one of my favorite little hacks.

When I’m cleaning off the gel plate, I’ll use paper to pick up leftover paint and ink. Those “cleanup” sheets end up having great textures and color combinations. I save them, tear them up, and use them as collage elements later.

It feels like nothing gets wasted. And it gives the work an extra layer without making it feel forced.

7) Texture pastes and gels (mostly for bigger hybrid pieces)

On my larger pieces, especially when I’m combining digital prints with paint, I’ll bring in texture with pastes and gels. I don’t use heavy texture on the smaller work I’ve been making lately, but when I scale up, texture adds another dimension.

It can break up flat areas, create contrast, and make the surface feel more physical, more real. It also plays nicely with the clean edges of digital elements, which is a contrast I really like.

8) Digital tools as a starting point (not the finish line)

I still use digital tools, but I treat them like a jumping-off point.

Digital work gives me clean lines and the ability to play with color palettes quickly. Sometimes I’ll create a digital print first, then paint on top of it and layer it with collage and texture. I like that tension between clean and imperfect. It reminds me of modern life. The online world versus real life experience.

But for me, the digital part is never the final answer. Real paint is where the piece becomes unique.

Why I like simple tools

The simple truth is this: I make better work when I’m not treating the process like a performance.

Simple tools keep me honest. They keep me moving. They help me stay loose enough to make mistakes, and mistakes are where the interesting stuff happens. If I’m too careful, the work gets stiff. If I’m too attached to the “right” outcome, I stop experimenting. And then nothing surprising happens.

I like tools that let me play. Tools that clean up fast. Tools that don’t require a ten-step setup. When it’s easy to start, I make more work. And the more I work, the more those happy accidents show up.

That’s basically my whole studio philosophy.

If you’re curious about any of these tools, or you want to know what I’m using for a specific piece, feel free to reach out. And if you want to see new work as it comes out, join my email list. I keep the updates occasional and simple. No spam. Just art.