I'm a strong believer in the premise that professional art should be produced with professional-grade products...a good thing since I'm so closely associated with Jack Richeson & Co., Inc. (which is one of the leading producers and distributors of quality art materials in the US).
Pastels - my first and most enduring love - About 80% of my (literally) thousands of pastels are Unisons. They're big and juicy with fabulous colorfastness and a consistent texture. The remainder are Nupastels (for underpaintings), Terry Ludwig pastels (mostly the delicious reds and darks), a few Sennelier, Schmincke and Pastels Girault.
Casein Paints - Shiva Caseins (made by Richeson's)
Acrylics - I used to use Goldens...until Richeson's discovered their new line of Stephen Quiller Signature Acrylic paints and mediums. The pigment load is truly incredible and used with the mediums in the line are, in my humble opinion, unrivaled in the industry. This isn't a company line either...these paints are quickly becoming the choice of just about every artist that tries them.
I use Stephen Quiller Signature Watercolors and Daniel Greene Signature oils.
Supports: I've been involved in producing a new premium sanded pastel surface that will carry the unison brand. It's a fabulous support that holds a great many layers of pastel. Wet underpaintings don't faze the surface at all. It will be produced on a heavy paper stock, gatorboard and masonite.
When I paint on canvas, I prefer St. Petersburg linen acrylic-primed canvas.
Richeson's 300 lb. cold-press watercolor paper is what I use for many of my pen-and-ink drawings as well as some of my casein paintings.
Framing: I know a lot of artists do their own framing. I also know there are a lot of bad framing jobs detracting from the perceived value of a piece of art. If you're an artist, BE an artist and let professional framers do their thing! Yes it will cost you more than doing it yourself, but if you have a good framer, you won't have overcuts, smudged mats and separating frame corners making your work look cheap and shabby. A good frame can make mediocre art look great and great art magnificent. A bad framing job can make a masterpiece look amateurish.
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