art supplies for 2022

While gallerists and auction houses went online largely to escape the grip of the pandemic, so have art stores. One such is Hindustan Trading Company in Royapettah, Chennai, 33-year-old Amrita Venkatakrishnan, who has been running it for some time, is also busy with store activities online. HTC has attracted everyone from MF Hussain and fellow artists to art professors and students since his grandfather started it in 1974, but Venkatakrishnan has taken it further with his inventory, workshops, and Instagram takeovers. Workshops, especially on trends like acrylic pouring and calligraphy, have been known to sell out in seconds. Then the pandemic put an end to that and the store, like most others, had to remain closed during the lockdown.

Seeing the growing interest in art during the first wave, at a time when even organizations such as Amazon could not function, Venkatakrishnan began taking orders himself. “I was the only one who could probably reach the store,” she recalls, describing how she takes household supplies and delivers them to customers living within a five-kilometer radius. She also used the extra time to expand the business and focus on social media. The “Live at 5” on his Instagram page was a series of collaborations with renowned artists, including The Hindu’s cartoonist, Keshav Venkataraghavan. “Honestly, it was just mesmerizing,” she says, referring to her watercolor skills. “It’s great to see the finished artwork, but usually no one takes a close look at the process.”

While the third wave may affect plans for upcoming workshops – Sonali Singh Rao (@sonalisinghrao on Instagram), a resin artist, will hold a workshop, as will Tejo, a doodle artist (@tejo_oo on Instagram) – demanded Venkatakrishnan Know professional art supplies will continue. Here she keeps a list of bestsellers and new entrants, be it Edding Germany’s hobby paint markers or Jacquard USA’s steam-set silk dye.

Amit Kapoor’s Eskoda Brush Set

Escoda Barcelona has been making brushes since 1933 and is known for its Kolinski sable and hog bristle brushes. There are only synthetic bristle brushes available in India, but they are equally popular, especially by brand ambassadors like Amit Kapoor. “Most artists have their ‘favourite brushes’ and they only use three or four brushes at a time,” explains Venkatakrishnan. A leading master of the watercolor medium, Kapoor owns a signature set and his Escoda Barcelona brush costs ₹7160.

olive oil soap

Paintbrushes can be challenging to maintain, which is why brush soaps are essential to help them maintain their shape and extend their lifespan. Escoda’s olive oil soap costs around ₹800 each.

resin and aluminum pen holder

Eldorado Resin Pen Holders by Luis Creations are popular with calligraphy artists, especially those with crystal clear resin and embedded gold-colored foil. Featured here is the pastel Moblick Al Pen Holder from Louis Creations. Price from approx ₹2667.

remote controlled easel

Mabef easels are professional and yes, expensive. These remote-controlled beauties are ideal for restoration work with electrically operated lifting and tilting motions. Made of stain-resistant beech wood and lacquered walnut with an extensible sliding mast. There are tabletop and larger heavy duty versions, which range from ₹6000 to ₹1,00,000.

Fine Tech Paints

They contain a pure base made from gum arabic and high quality pearlescent pigments. Highly pigmented, they are great not only for painting but also for calligraphy and sketching. The colors also stick to wood and stone and are good for mixing. The price of single colors starts from ₹ 1256.

porcelain travel straps

Etchr Mini Palettes are neat travel companions. Designed by Stephanie Law, they are made of smooth porcelain and are thus easy to clean. Designed specifically for watercolors, but acrylic, gouache, and miniature paints also work well. The set of two palettes—one for storing paint and one for mixing colors—comes in a small, easy to pack steel tin. approx ₹5175