GCSE Art - Equipment to help you get grade 9
- Nathan Hawthorne
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 21 hours ago
GCSE Art is as rigorous and tough as every other GCSE qualification out there. I've been teaching for over ten years, and got an A* in both my GCSEs and A-levels, so trust me when I say small things can make a big difference!
While your teachers and schools will do all they can to make sure you have everything you need, having your own set of materials that you can use both at home and at school is a great idea and often the sign of a dedicated and potentially very successful student.
Here's a list that I've put together, just click the title for my recommended product:
Pencil set
A set of standard pencils ranging from HB to 6B is the standard tool of the art student. These allow you to get a good range of tone, and really show of your technical skills and knowledge of the formal elements.
Mechanical pencils
Mechanical pencils are perfect for when you're on the go or jotting down ideas in your sketchbook. They are slightly less effective than a traditional pencil because they have a fixed diameter, but you'll never need a sharpener with these!
Standard eraser/rubber and sharpeners
You really shouldn't be turning up to school without your rubber and sharpeners anyway, but as an art student you need several because you'll burn through them faster than everyone else.
Electric sharpener
If you do a lot of pencil and colouring pencil work, then you might want to invest in an electric sharpener to save your hands the soreness.
Putty Erasers
Putty, kneaded, or mouldable erasers are amazing for those who work with pencil, charcoal and chalk. You can alter their shape, making them thinner or fatter to perfectly suit the your need. A must have - just keep it away from your friends, they often think its a type of blue tack.
A personal sketchbook
There's a good chance you chose art because you love the subject itself. That means you'll want space to keep drawing, painting etc. away from your coursework. Get a nice sketchbook that you can use for exactly that purpose - draw your OC's, your favourite anime character, that singer you're obsessed with- and make sure you never lose that love for the subject.
Pens
Pens are great for mark-making studies and experiments. Having a good reliable set of ball point pens will take you far. And remember: not all pens are created equally.
Acrylic paints
Acrylic is probably the most common painting material used in final outcomes for GCSE students. It's versatility, affordability and ability to dry fast makes it the perfect for everyone. There's a lot of starter sets, with a good assortments of colours, so rely on colour mixing and don't get too carried away buying too much.
Watercolour paints
Watercolour is the perfect tool for smaller scale painting, and can scale up fairly well if you know what you're doing as well. Get yourself a nice set with a good range of colours and you'll be able to go far.
Paint brushes
A set of paint brushes with a variety of sizes and shapes is a necessity, and you'll probably restock these at least once over the two year course as you learn to look after and maintain them.
Felt tips
Felt tips allow you to experiment with ink and wash pieces. It's a fun way to explore ideas and get the flexibility of pens and paint in one medium.
Colouring pencils
A good set of colouring pencils that are vibrant, feel soft, and blend well can be hard to find and expensive, but they're well worth it.
Charcoal, Oil pastels, Chalk Pastels
I always say it's worth giving at least one of these a go. Charcoal, oil pastels and chalk pastels can be difficult to control and make exciting work with, but once you've tamed them, you can work wonders.
A lightbox
Lightboxes are useful for tracing images, previous drawings, and doing other experiments that require light. They allow you to focus on improving your techniques and material control without spending too much time drawing freehand. At the same time, freehand/observational drawing and using processes such as the grid method are vital for all art students, so don't rely too much on this tool.
And that's our list! Hopefully you find this helpful as you embark on the first (or second) year of your GCSE Art and Design course. Remember: equipment will help but it won't guarantee you success - only hard work, resilience, and the right attitude will do that.
Enjoy, work hard, and have fun!
*Please note, the links provided in this blog are affiliate links.
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