Supply Recommendations for Graphic Design Students
Hello! It’s been a while since I’ve posted something like this… so bear with me! It was requested by an anon that’s entering a university as a Graphic Design major, so here are some supplies I recommend and why! (I may do a spoken and visual extended version as a video, so let me know what you guys think!)
(disclaimer: this is my opinion and I haven’t tried everything in the world, so if you have your own recommendations definitely reblog and say so in your caption! I’d love to check out your favorite supplies!)
You can find them basically anywhere
Great for black and white abstractions/sketches with different marker thicknesses
They also have pretty colors for note-taking!
In most art and office stores and even in places like Walmart
If you cut something sticky and ruin your blade, just replace it!
Goes with a ruler to cut in a straight line
Holds things down without ripping it
Keep one with you or at home
Always have a USB drive ready for use!
Turn in files, take files to the printer, or even just taking files to a different machine to work on is always a possibility.
If you make it a habit to keep it on you, then you won’t forget it on the days that really matter.
Noise canceling headphones (or at least ear buds)
Helps blast music in your ears to help you focus
Marshmallow buds that go in your ears works best for this
A drink that makes you happy
That morning coffee before a 9AM studio 3-hour class, or that water bottle during an afternoon session can really help you out.
I know it sounds small, but your mood definitely affects your productivity!
A sketchbook (any kind will do!)
Literally, can by any paper quality, based on what you usually draw with or sketch with (like to use marker? Either have an extra page behind it or get marker paper)
Any price, any color, any size (try to aim for letter-size/A4)
Make sure it fits with what you usually carry around (backpacks can hold a 9″x12″, but purses would carry a Moleskine size or smaller)
Have 15 minutes before English starts and you thought of something? Take out that handy dandy sketchbook! Bored in said English class? Handy dandy sketchbook strikes again!
More than just for typical note taking!
Good for recording feedback
Track any last-minute changes to projects or deadlines
To-do lists will help understand what’s due next class and not get super anxious!
A great companion for that X-Acto knife!
Cork back helps not slide around
Metal means you can’t accidentally carve off the edge (like you would a plastic or wooden ruler)
Found in most art stores and can get pricey for bigger ones, but if you take care of it then it’ll last forever
Make sure to get at least two sizes (a longer one for trimming cover sheets for 16″x20″ mounts and a smaller one-foot ruler for trimming business cards and smaller things like that)
Great for making notes on things that you don’t want to directly mark.
Good for just keeping in mind anything you don’t want to forget (especially if you stick them to your laptop, they’ll be hard to miss).
These art markers are my personal favorite.
You’ll hear all kinds of brands, preferences, and prices.
Copics are nice and are very aesthetic, but they’re also about $7-$8 per marker. Concept markers from Jerry’s Artarama are very cheap at about $2 per marker, but the colors on their caps are sometimes misleading, and Prisma Markers are a happy medium at about $4 - $5 per marker.
They’re at most art stores
For me, they’re a happy medium price-wise and I like working with them. (Concept markers maybe I’d get the black because it’s cheaper)
Keep sketches and randomly sized and trimmed papers together
I prefer binder clips over paper clips because they can hold more and group things nicely
You can also hang things with these if you want on a thumbtack
Keeps hair out of the way when creating mock-ups that include glue and X-acto knives
Groups things up (markers and other utensils)
Rubber bands are a little meaner, especially to hair or trying to get them off a long paper roll.
Basically, something that makes perfect circles.
This can either be a circle template, a compass, or some other device that you find that makes different sized circles.
You can go cheap on these
All these little things that I keep mentioning to bring with you need to be contained somewhere!
I like putting what I’m using for a current project in a toolbox and bringing that to school.
I suggest going with something that’ll fit in a backpack or that you don’t mind carrying around.
Really only carry it if you think you’ll need it.
You can carry a smaller version of typical tools (pens, pencils, markers, scissors, x-acto, etc.) and leave the rest at home, too.
Not the emotional kind, but the one that carries all of these crazy supplies I’m recommending.
In university, you don’t have all of your graphic design classes in one day (I would hope), so having a typical backpack works fine for the smaller supplies.
If a project is due the next day and you’re planning to work at the school and you need to bring everything, then I highly suggest a rolling backpack!
Don’t kill your back!! Messenger bags only work if you’re not bringing much, otherwise, do a backpack (or a rolling one).
Almost all graphic designers will tell you to use a Mac, but of course, not all graphic designers can afford one.
If you can afford a Mac, I’d recommend it.
If you can’t afford a Mac, go with a cheaper alternative, but not TOO cheap. It still needs to last 4 years and run all of your programs.
Wait until you actually need to buy one (that way you can get the latest models or earlier models at cheaper prices).
External Hard Drives (BACK EVERYTHING UP!)
I would even say have at least two (current semester and archive(s))
You never know when previously mentioned laptop may die, malfunction, or wipe everything.
Keep a back-up for sending to competitions, putting in portfolios, and just for safe keeping.
KEEP IT ORGANIZED. You need to know what you have and don’t have so you don’t “double save” something in two separate folders.
A decent phone with decent camera quality
Nowadays most people do have this phone already on them, but if you’re one of the low-budget phone holders, then I highly suggest to get a higher quality phone.
Picture taking for process photos can actually be done with a phone camera if it’s good enough, you can just fix things up in photoshop.
Having a decent phone will let you also use helpful and productive apps such as camscanner, schedule makers, and Adobe apps
Raising your mood with a higher quality of life will help raise productivity!
If you can’t open snapchat without it force closing then you miss out on your friend’s lives or whenever they get an update on a project and you don’t. Social media can honestly be helpful sometimes as people post their process online!
Wacom works well enough for me!
You don’t have to go super expensive with all the bells and whistles for this… you just need something that draws.
These can get a little pricey (mine being at $90 and I got one step-up from the cheapest one at the time)
You don’t absolutely need a tablet, but it is very handy.
If you don’t do illustration often I would not recommend it.
You can also hold off on getting a tablet and just hand-draw something, scan it, and fix it in whatever program (or vectorize/image trace in illustrator and mess with it that way)
Helps trace things when abstracting
Covers mounted work with a protective sheet
I prefer the rolls, but they’re way more expensive than the 9″x12″ pad (maybe not per foot, but it’s initially more expensive)
Spray mount/Adhesive spray
One way to stick two things together
You need a lot of space and throw away paper under what you’re spraying
You’ll definitely get all of it everywhere (which is good if you want to make sure corners don’t stick up on a mounted piece, but it’s bad if your garage floor is suddenly sticky)
Another way to stick things together and is a little more forgiving.
Elmer’s brand is the one that I have, and basically, if you mess up or “over-glue” something, you can rub the excess off (like you would the typical white Elmer’s glue).
When you’ve rubbed it off, it basically becomes those little gray things that erasers produce that you can just brush away.
It comes with a designated brush attached to the lid on the inside (super convenient) and it’s easy to apply and store (smaller bottle than the adhesive spray can).
For when you’re carrying larger pieces from one place to another (such as a mounted piece or a large editorial) like turning in your final presentation of your project.
You can get a big fancy one if you really want to, but at least get the bare minimum to carry something from one place to another without it getting folded or wet. (especially you commuters/bus-riders)
Even I don’t have this one, but whenever I use the one at school or at FedEx it makes trimming things down so much easier!
You line it up, you drag the blade across, and then you’ve got a perfectly straight line.
Again, if you can afford the money and space for it I recommend it, but my school provides one for us.
It’s kind of one of those things that you don’t NEED if you have an X-acto knife, but it speeds things up a bit
Similar to the phone concept… taking nice photos of your work is always a plus.
The camera I would reserve for mock-up photos for submitting pieces or getting photography for an editorial work.
Someone in your class ought to have one that you can borrow (and maybe even the program will offer one to borrow), but it’s always good to have your own things.
Also, being able to stage your own photos instead of photoshopping mock-up templates always feels more authentic and looks better in a portfolio. (you’re not the only one looking up Photoshop mock-up templates in the design world)
You can either buy one or make one (easier than you think)
Very helpful when you’re tracing!
This is the most useful when you’re doing abstractions or you’re trying to refine hand-drawn ideas.
You can make one with a shadow-box frame and some LED lights.
Again, not necessary since programs might actually have some at school that you can borrow.
Programs like Brackets do live-preview, so when you code the changes apply immediately to a chrome preview window, so seeing the changes as you code is helpful!
Putting up inspiration or just other documents to keep in mind on the other screen makes things easier to work with.
Fancy keyboard with custom keys
This one was actually a recommendation from my boyfriend (who is a tech geek).
Basically, there are keyboards that you can map shortcuts to specific keys on the keyboard.
There are some shortcut keys that you’ll use a million times in a project and if you feel that a function key being assigned to it would be easier instead, and you have money to splurge, this is the keyboard to go with!
This is totally unnecessary, but could be lots of fun and helpful!
Digitally drawing on a tablet with a stylus can be good for digital note taking or just drawing in general (as an alternative to the drawing tablet).
My professor uses his for sketch notes (which is always fun) and sometimes I see people doing illustrations straight into the tablet or just concepts.
Sketching concepts digitally allows you to put down ideas quickly, but also be able to save them without having to worry about scanning or taking pictures of the drawings.
Another splurge option that obviously has other uses than this, but is completely unnecessary.
Remember when I said Prisma Markers before?
You really only need a basic color set and maybe a gray set. Any more than that then you’re falling into a fun and fancy category for supplies.
They’re not the cheapest things in the world, but using markers definitely brings your sketches up a level versus pencil or black and white sketches.
It’s also good for making preliminary color schemes and other illustrations.
Have several blacks because those are usually the first marker to go dry.
That’s all I got! I hope that helped and I’m sorry it was so long, I tried to condense… but I’ll make a visual/audio version that might be easier to digest!
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