Here are a few tools, some of which are often overlooked by the novice. I believe the sketchbook is a top priority yet the most ignored. The sketchbook was one thing my College art teacher required and it proved to be the most valuable thing I got out of school. The sketchbook is you, it represents your private interests, explorations, fascinations, and is a place to work out your compositions, skills, abstract notions, color ideas, subject ideas, philosophical ideas etc. It is not a diary. I prefer hardbound, but some may find that intimidating. I value my bad ideas as much as the good ones. I have a large collection of sketchbooks over the years and buried in them is a goldmine of ideas I haven't yet begun to realize. A sketchbook is a snapshot of your soul, and does not need to be shared. It is for your eyes only, so if you are concerned about being judged , by all means don't put it out there. The binder is a collection of my favorite photos that I take myself then make prints and put into a book. When I am housebound and need to paint from a photo and need inspiration, it is my go-to resource. I am always working on that and weeding it out and freshening it up. Try to avoid using newspaper or magazine photos, though it is tempting at first. I would prefer you use your own photos. I like to keep lots of watercolor pads of different sizes and types so I can paint on any size and surface I wish. The Arches watercolor blocks are my favorite because they are good to go. I like to put a border of tape around the edge because I like the way it looks when finished, but it is not a requirement.
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