What I Use for My Mixed Media (Analog and Digital) Illustration Process: A List of My Favorite Tools
As a graphic designer and illustrator, I’ve spent most of my career working digitally on my iPad and computer. But over the past few years, I’ve found ways to incorporate more analog techniques and handmade processes into my creative work. It’s been so much more fun, and it’s given my art a whole new look and style. I’ve always been obsessed with vintage paper and mid-century prints, and bringing that genuine, tactile quality into my own art has been incredibly rewarding.
I wanted to share a list of the tools and materials I’m currently using for my analog and digital mixed-media illustrations. Most of these are easily accessible and affordable. This is the kind of list I wish I had when I was just starting out, and I hope it helps someone else find their way.
Just a note: You don’t need everything at once to get started! These are tools I’ve gathered over the years.
Let’s start with the digital stuff:
Computer with Photoshop and iPad + Apple Pencil with Procreate (Of course, you don’t need both.)
A scanner (But a decent mobile phone works, too.)
A mouse for illustrating on the computer
Now for the fun part, the analog tools:
A sketchbook to keep all my sketches and textures in one place for future reference.
Light table (You can also use tracing paper or a window). I recently bought a $20 light table, and it’s such a joy to use.
Liquid India ink and an ink pad for making textures.
Different brushes and sponges (I use cheap brushes from IKEA and Winsor & Newton Graduate brushes) for creating ink textures.
A nib pen (If you want to feel like a boss lady from the 1800s).
Stamps and types — I found mine at a thrift store and my local art shop.
Pens and markers in different sizes to create various line qualities. I’ll list my current favorites down below.
Paper – I use both cheap copy paper and thicker paper with a bit of texture for different effects.
A place to display current inspiration, like a bulletin board.
An archive for physical inspiration and references (like old tickets, packaging, ephemera, etc.). I use an old photo album from the thrift store.
Different tools and brushes for making ink marks and textures.
My favorite markers and pens: Faber-castell goldfaber aqua dual marker, Pentel sign pen, Uni-Ball Signo Broad Gel Pen, Pilot Hi-Tecpoint V5.
Very old type stamps found at the thrift store.
I used these stamps and pink copy paper to create the "Inky Notes" logo. My goal was to capture the vibe of a love letter from a '90s high school movie.
The vision boards in my home studio were an easy DIY. I simply picked up two bulletin boards and some fabric from the thrift store, then stapled them together.
I hope you found this helpful, but remember — the most important thing is discovering the tools and tricks that work best for you and that you enjoy using.
Happy creating!
/Linnea
