21 Tools You Need To Have In Your Artist's Studio

'Behold! My stuff.'

So we have a client at the agency who’s a hardware store, and last Friday I was preparing an article for them. The article was basically a list of tools for beginner DIY’ers so I thought, I could so make a list like that ~ for artists ^^

So here’s a list of things you’ll find at your local hardware that you’re bound to find real handy in your studio ~ if you paint (more or less like me), that is ^^ I’m aware that your practice may be different so you may need different tools or hardly anything on this list ~
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~ but, just sharing the babies without which I’d’ve found it well nigh impossible to live over the years (okay, some, just recently ^^). Just on the off chance that anyone might find this useful ^^; See if you can find numbers 1 to 17 in the photo above (*answer key* comes after the list) ^_^
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1. Long nose pliers

I’m pretty sure I’ve had this guy since my first year at art school and I’m super sure I’m not using him now for what I originally got him for. (So sorry, all my tools are male ~ and I originally got him for wire sculpture in materials class.)

He is indispensable to me for a whole bunch of things, but I think what I use him for the most is squeezing as much as I possibly can out of a tube of paint. (You can see how I do that here in this post about weird things starving artists do (where I also happen to mention weird tools they use ^^)
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2. Short nose pliers

Also in the photo are my short-nose combination pliers which are handy for cutting wire, not sure if I got that pair at around the same time as my long-nose. Also, please pardon the deplorable state they’re both in ~ they both look rusty but are still very much serviceable.
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3. Slip joint pliers

An aunt who also does art gave me these pliers as a present (don’t remember if it was for my birthday or for Christmas but I do remember they came in a case that was meant for glasses). I use  this guy for opening my immortal bottle of linseed oil ~
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4. Measuring tape

I love my measuring tape so much because it was my grandfather’s. Idiotically I used to use it as a ruler while painting on large-ish canvases (like 3 x 4-footers (91.44 x 121.92 cm) so most of the numbers are obscured by paint now ~ but again, still super serviceable.(Incidentally, here’s a cool video about tape measure hacks you might find helpful. ^^)
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5. Metal rulers

I. Cannot. LIVE without my metal rulers. (Especially the smallest one which is 12 inches (30 cm).) I really should get a 3-foot one (91.44 cm) which I haven’t seen around lately (I knew I shoulda bought one when I had the chance) (and now you know why I have paint all over my lolo’s tape measure).

Right now I’ve got my handy-dandy 2-footer (60.96 cm) which is still alive after several years of abuse ~ and my newer 18-incher (45.72 cm) which has come in very handy, as well.
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6. Cutter

So elsewhere they’re called box cutters, utility knives, craft knives or retractable knives ~ back here, we just call `em plain ol’ cutters.

Apart from it being a cheery yellow (although yeah he’s kind of grungy now ^^) I love my cutter because I remember I bought him with a gift certificate my famous grand uncle gave me. I have injured myself horribly with that cutter ~ but I love him all the same.

By the way, I like to use my long-nose pliers (which I always have with him within arm’s reach right here on my desk) to sharpen him (i.e. break off the blade tip).
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7. Acrylic Cutter

This guy looks a lot like a cutter-cutter until you get a load of his blade. I use this baby for cutting the acrylic sheets I use when I want to protect my work and I’m told I can’t frame it. Thankfully that rarely happens because you do need an exuberant amount of force (and patience) to use this thing (and honestly I’m always nervous x extra careful when I do).
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8. Hammer

I LOVE this little hammer forever not just because it’s small and adorable but also because my dad gave him to me <3 So even after I finally broke him (to my horror, his head just came off one day) I still used him (I am never throwing him out).

I don’t think I used him for building my own canvas stretchers back at art school. (I was using my dad’s tools a lot back then and that included his big old hammer) (which is probably why he got me my little one ^^) But that’s what you’re most likely going to need a hammer for.

Of course, if you don’t build your own (heck I don’t anymore, for sure) you may still find having a hammer handy. Like I used to use mine for hammering paint tins and buckets shut tight, or hammering in canvas pegs…
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9. Rubber mallet

…but now I finally got myself my new favourite toy, my handy-dandy rubber mallet. I’m pretty sure my neighbours are glad I got this baby because I unfortunately can only do my *whanging* in the wee hours or on weekends.
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10. Scraper

Again, you’ll have to pardon the deplorable state of my scrapers ~ as you can see I haven’t used the big one yet, so he’s still in pretty good shape.

So yeah I use these babies to scrape paint (duh) off my palette (although most of the time I’ll use my knives (palette, I mean). But I also use them when I give my pieces of plywood a bath to remove old paper tape before I stretch paper (which is likely why they look awful now). (But they still work, they serve me well and I love them for it just the same.)
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11. Screwdriver

Don’t laugh, but I have a thing for screwdrivers. Mainly because without them (and my beloved long nose pliers), opening those buckets of acrylic medium would be impossible.
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12. Screws, hooks, eyes, nails

For hanging things, mostly ~ I remember in art school we perfected how to screw in eyes with our bare hands ^^

You would also need the nails for building your own canvas stretchers (if you do). I remember back at school we were using tiny nails they called pakong bakya (bakya = wooden step-ins) (so the nails they’d use to make bakya).
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13. Gun tacker

AKA a staple gun ~ again, you may not have much use for this if you’re not building your own canvas stretchers, but these are pretty handy for a lot of things. An uncle and aunt got me the one I have and the nice thing about it is how it accommodates different sized staples ~

14. Glue gun

I was kind of surprised to see this on the hardware client’s list of DIY tools ~ like I always thought of this as more of a crafts thing than a hardware thing, but I guess it makes sense. I think some folks use this for art, as well (as crafts). I’m pretty sure I have one or two bigger ones somewheres but the one in the photo was the one I had handy ^^

15. Painter’s tape

This was also on the hardware client’s list of DIY tools where it was also called ‘decorator’s tape’ ~ a bit odd, if you think about it because (like one or two others on this list) this isn’t really a tool, is it? I mean not like a hammer, anyway, or…

Anyway I’m just glad I still have some left over right now because Liza, who has taken care of my family for, well, ever ~ has been using it to fix my broom and my laundry stand and my… and wondering why the fixes never seemed to last very long lol
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16. Sandpaper

Okay so I admit the sandpaper in the photo isn’t normally the grade of sandpaper I would use (and thankfully lately I haven’t had to use it) but you would use the sandpaper when you’re priming your canvas. Personally, I don’t because I like my canvas rough but, we were trained to sand between coats back at art school.

You would also use sandpaper if you wanted to recycle canvas, which again I’m kind of thankful I haven’t had to do in like, forever. (I think the last time I did was a demo canvas I was using for some art class I was teaching.)
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17. Ear Protection

These (along with safety goggles) were on the hardware client’s list, as well. I haven’t had to use these since I moved into the jillahouse, but back when I was still working out of my half of the bedroom at my father’s house, they helped me a lot when I was *arting*. I talk about that in an earlier post about how to get along with artists.
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18. Saw

Again, only if you’re the type who builds their own canvas stretcher. I haven’t got one in my photo because I used to use my dad’s. I guess it pays to have a dad who’s a DIY type and is mechanically minded. Thanks, Dad ^^

I’m fairly sure I actually did get my own bloody saw because I had to cut those plywood sheets for stretching paper. (But I guess someone borrowed it and never gave it back.) (Typical.)

19. Square Rule

I also don’t have this in my photo because again, I used to just use my dad’s. I wish I stole it from him when I finally moved out because I doubt anyone’s using it now.

Believe it or not, I learned to use this from a resident brother at our church. I was telling him how I was having such trouble with the corners when I was building my canvas stretchers and he told me to use a skwala ~ and he taught me how to use it, too. (Thank you and God bless you wherever you are now, Brother Ignatius ^^)

20. Contact Cement​

Also not in my photo ~ because I quite forgot the stash I had on the shelf directly above where the glue gun was LOOOL. To be honest I’m not sure whether I should be saying rubber cement, which apparently is not the same thing; in any case, I really only used to use it, again, for stretching canvas. (Anyhow, the stuff I’ve got on me now isn’t the same kind.)

But I remember (quite fondly, actually) how we used to use another kind back at my first day job to stick presentation materials to folders and foam boards. (Incidentally, it was also at that agency where I learned to use a metal ruler ^^)

21. Canvas Stretcher Tool ​

Finally, also not in my photo. What is there are these metal clamping pliers that my dad got me when I was whining to him about how my classmates had canvas stretcher tools and how I had to use my bare hands.

My dad, being the sweet guy he is, got me these thinking they would do the trick. They didn’t (as you can see, they’re still in the box ^^) ~ but like heck (and like the tiny hammer) I’ll ever give them up. Anyhow, while you may not find a canvas stretcher tool at the hardware, you’re more likely to find these pliers ^^;
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So obviously, I didn’t include house painting brushes, roller brushes or anything like that (although I did include painter’s tape). I didn’t include my carving tools (which are in an even worse state than my pliers or scrapers) because I figure those are just like brushes ~ you’re really bound to have them on you anyway.

I also didn’t include paint thinner (which I’m pretty sure you’ll find at your local hardware and) which I’m fairly sure some folks still use to clean up after oil paint because, well ~ I’ve explained that in my oil painting guide.

But if there’s anything you think I ought to have included on this list, which I hope you found even the slightest bit helpful ~ I’d be grateful if you could let me know.
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