I am looking for suggestions for a quality art set for my high school freshman daughter for Christmas. She is interested in all types of painting and drawing. What brand(s) would you suggest?
Could you get her a gift certificate for an art supplies store instead? My older daughter did a lot of painting and drawing and knew a lot more about art than I did, so she was better able to select supplies for herself.
My DD’17 is a good artist- primarily colored pencil- and she really got going with these:
Prismacolor colored pencils
Copic markers
Strathmore sketch books
Sorry can’t help with painting.
For watercolors, I’d think there is no substitute for good quality paper, a decent brush and a palette.
I usually buy my stuff from Cheap Joe’s or Dick Blick on line. Cheap Joe’s has inexpensive student quality, but good enough to do serious painting with. Their paint is good as are their Golden Fleece brushes. I don’t know if they have their own paper - their site is blocked for me in Hong Kong. This is the paper I got for my students when I was teaching watercolor: https://www.dickblick.com/products/canson-watercolor-paper-packs/ I like Arches best for myself, and get watercolor blocks of paper like this: https://www.dickblick.com/products/arches-watercolor-blocks/ It looks like Canson also has watercolor blocks: https://www.dickblick.com/products/canson-montval-watercolor-blocks/ I hate Strathmore watercolor paper.
Pan watercolors are a little more convenient than tubes. I prefer my tubes with a large palette at home, but for the road I have a set of 1/2 size pans with a dozen colors. For paint the Cotman panset of 12 has the basic colors - from these you can mix anything: https://www.dickblick.com/products/winsor-and-newton-cotman-watercolor-pan-sets/ Except for the white, (I just use the paper for white) it’s pretty much what I look for - two yellows, two reds, two or three blues, two green, burnt umber and burnt sienna. Round it out with Payne’s Gray or a rose or purple.
I don’t like acrylic paint much though I used it in high school. It’s a lot easier to deal with and clean up after than oils. Personally I think learning to do watercolors is a way to learn to be really painterly before dealing with canvas. There are lots of great demos on youtube.
Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen Set - Black, Wallet Set, Various Nibs, Set of 8
My daughter and I like these pens for drawing. She likes Copic markers also.
An easel ?
We got my D a portable easel from Dick Blick one year - it had two sliding drawers for paints. She loved it, it’s such a difference to be able to paint at home and it packed up easily which was great for her not-huge room. You might just go into your local artists supply store and chat with a clerk - those stores are where art students and pros go for supplies so they only sell quality products.
Thank you all for the great suggestions! I really appreciate it.
My D is a fashion designer/illustrator and swears by Prismacolors, they’re not inexpensive but they’re the real deal.