Art supplies get plenty of social media promotion.
But it's much harder to find experienced evaluations which actually help you understand what the product can do—
And what it can't do.
I’m a professional illustrator and art instructor. My goal here at the Lab is to help you find art supplies that suit your skill level, goals, and your personal artistic style.
But who are we kidding?
You probably already own a lot of art stuff. So I’ll also help you get to know what you already own before we go shopping for more, more, more.
When a product doesn't seem to work as advertised, we often blame our skills or technique… or we rush out and buy the New & Improved! version. But sometimes you’re asking a product to do something it simply wasn't designed to do.
And all of the skill in the world can't solve that.
I want to help save you time, money, and a whole lotta frustration.
No sponsored content.
Art Supply Test Lab does not publish paid reviews or sponsored articles. Manufacturers cannot purchase coverage, positive findings, or space on my ever-growing list of products to test next.
I test independently, not on behalf of a manufacturer.
Companies do not receive findings for approval before publication or contribute to the editorial content here at the Lab.
I'm also not a big follower of trends, so a product’s popularity doesn’t automatically give it a happy review and lots of coverage. I’m not here to promote the latest release or the hot new thing.
Where do I get art supplies for testing?
Over the years, I’ve accumulated a rather large collection of art supplies. Most of my stash is products I've used in illustration and teaching work. My big ol' collection is the starting point for Lab, supplemented by stuff that I’ve begged, borrowed, or stolen purchased used from friends.
Eventually, I'll have to break down and buy new stuff.
But here's the catch: Lab does not accept products directly from manufacturers.
Our sister site, OrganizedStudio.com may accept products for review and because I’m not independently wealthy, some of those supplies may later get tested by the Lab. If it happens, I’ll disclose the origin in the write-ups. And just like above with the no-sponsored content pledge, the source absolutely does not give the manufacturer control over Lab’s findings.
Reader donated supplies are considered individually. Please contact me before sending anything.
Who chooses what gets tested?
I do.
The little birdie on my shoulder may have some say-so and reader suggestions are welcome…
But testing takes time. There's no way I can cover everything everyone suggests.
My test priorities depend on several factors, including the type of testing, available supplies, what’s on my desk currently, what I’m interested in trying, and what I think you want to know about, plus the time and cost involved.
Financial donations support the project as a whole. They do not commission a particular test.
If you would like to fund a substantial purchase, such as a complete set for testing, contact me before donating so we can discuss the arrangement.
Affiliate links do not affect test results.
As much as I’d love to do this for free, this site has bills to pay.
Some articles contain affiliate links. If you purchase through my links, the Lab may earn a small commission.
But I test products whether or not an affiliate program is available.
And an opportunity to earn a commission doesn’t prevent me from reporting on disappointing results. I know people will want to lookie-loo, so I’d be silly not to link it.
Affiliate links help support the work. They do not buy a recommendation or raving review.
Experience, preferences, and individual results…
I have more than a few favorite supplies, but I also know their shortcomings.
If a product is part of my regular work routine, I’ll say so. Familiarity doesn't exempt it from criticism— and actually, the fact that I know a product really well means I probably have a few gripes. Everything has limitations and I’ll tell you about it.
Individual color tests focus on the pencil, marker, or pen being tested. Just because one color passes or fails my testing doesn't mean every color in that product line behaves the same way.
You'll find my broader opinions about the brand in the brand overviews, set summaries and product-line reviews.
Corrections and new information?
Sometimes I screw up. When I find an error, I’ll correct the affected articles and references, with a editor's note explaining what changed and why.
If a product reformulates, gets a makeover, or if new information becomes available, I'll note that in the original article as well.
I don’t want to memory-hole the mistakes but I also don’t want to waste your time reading expired information only to find a more-current article link at the end. So I’ll make it crystal clear when my crack team of editor elves have worked on something.
Bottom Line:
The purpose of Lab is to give you useful, independent information grounded in experience and testing rather than performative excitement or freshly-unboxed opinions. This includes telling you when a product falls short, when I think it’s ideal for a particular task, and when something you already own is more than enough.