What is the MVT (Most Valuable Tool) in Your Art-Making?

After asking seven professional artists to name an MVT in their art-making practice, we asked the Artists Network community the same question, and we heard from a bunch of you! In addition to brilliant responses like “a good attitude,” “a fresh eye,”  “my imagination,” “time” and a “a good night’s sleep,” you also told us about some of the equipment and supplies that aid your process. Here’s just a slice of the comments we received. To join in these conversations, be sure to follow us @ArtistsNetwork on social media.

Tools for Drawing 

 “Pentel’s Graphgear 1000 0.5mm mechanical pencil is, and always will be, my No. 1 go-to drawing tool.” — Adam Paige

“My MVT would have to me my mechanical pencil. I do all my sketching with them. I have them in .5, .7, and .9mm. I keep one to use in the sketchbook by my chair and another at one of the easels. And I carry another one with a sketchbook in the bag I take to work.  — Shaggy

Tools for Painting

“Having the right  paper (I use Arches rough) for my watercolors. So many papers make me struggle so much that I can’t express myself; it stops my flow.” — Heidi Andersen

“The lid of a Pringles chip can is the best small-batch mixing palette ever.” — Jeremy Cowden

“I would have to say my Artristic easel. The fact that it spins and tilts means I can work on any part of a painting without pastel dust dropping on my work. And less smudging.” — Nicola Reif

“I have a nice table easel that raises up and down easily. I think the ability to quickly and easily raise and lower the canvas makes it my most valuable tool.” — Lisa Byers

Tools of All Sorts

“My iPhone camera. I take photos of my work after each painting session. It helps me spot mistakes quickly.” — Marie Tellefsen

“The mahl stick is the most useful item I have. When I’m painting, it helps a lot to steady my painting hand when I need to add important details.” — Grandier Gil Bella

“An eraser. It’s more than just a tool for forgiveness.” — Nicole Karin

“I love my big, square PanPastel sponge!” — Laurie Basham

“Vinyl gloves (skintight) to wear while oil painting.” — Sheila Ann Munn

“I use a wooden kitchen skewer for manipulating soft pastels. It can be used to carve through to underlaying color layers, as a blending tool, to clean up edges and as a straight edge to check alignment and angles.” — Tracey Maras

Tools to Enhance the Process

“Using a Sharpie marker to make thumbnails ensures that the structure of a composition is sound before I even start.” — Catherine Lapointe-Vollmer

“A sketchbook to take notes, record concepts, best practices, etc. is incredibly valuable.” — Sarah Waldron Kimball

“Music and audiobooks help me get in different moods while I’m working.” — Rick Fairlamb