10 Art Mediums To Use in Your Art Therapy Sessions

The term art medium is an interchangeable term to explain some of the art processes and supplies that can be used when making art.

Below are some different definitions of the term art medium:

1. TYPE OF ART

Art medium can be used in the context of explaining the type of art being made such as painting, drawing, printmaking or sculpture. In this explanation, art medium refers to the category of art.

2. ART MATERIAL

The second definition of art medium is the broad type of art material that is used. This could be acrylic paints, pencils, oil, inks or papers.

Further to this broad definition, the term art medium can also apply to a subset of art mediums. For example, if a group of acrylic painters is discussing the art mediums they use, they can safely assume they are all referring to acrylic paints, gessos, gel mediums etc.

From these definitions, you can see that the term art medium can mean something different based on the context of the discussion.

For the purposes of this blog post, we’re going to list 10 drawing art mediums that can be used in an art therapy session.

1. Chalk pastels
2. Charcoal
3. Colour pencils
4. Crayons
5. Graphite
6. Ink
7. Markers
8. Oil pastels
9. Pens
10. Watercolour pencils

Each drawing medium has been tested on standard mixed media paper. Mixed media paper is a medium paper that exists between drawing/sketching paper and watercolour paper. It is not as robust as watercolour paper for withstanding wet substances, however, it can be used with wet substances where standard drawing/sketching paper would normally buckle and peel.

Mixed media paper is usually slightly less expensive than watercolour papers. Because of the lesser cost, most mixed media paper pads and journals can be bought with a larger quantity of sheets compared to drawing and watercolour pads.

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CHALK PASTELS

PANPASTELS:

• Panpastel colors are genuine artists quality pastels uniquely packed in a pan format
• Developed so that artists can easily lift, apply and control pastel color just like true painting
• The pan format holds the color like paint for easy application
• Loaded with the highest quality artists pigments and have a rich, ultra-soft, low-dust formulation
• Fully erasable and compatible with traditional pastel sticks, surfaces, conventional fixatives

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CHARCOAL PENCILS

DERWENT CHARCOAL PENCILS

• Easier to sharpen than traditional charcoal sticks
• Tone is similar to graphite
• A combination of natural charcoal particles with the finest clays
• Smooth lay down and blends easily

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COLOUR PENCILS

DERWENT ARTIST PENCILS

• Large diameter strip allows naturally broad strokes and strong lines
• Slightly waxed texture for easy blending and shading
• Good lightfastness; break resistant

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CRAYONS

Prima Marketing Water Soluble Color Crayons

• Contains 24 oil pastels in assorted colors
• Comes with carrying case
• Water-soluble
• Extra soft

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GRAPHITE

Derwent Watersoluble Graphitone Pencils

• Pure artist-quality graphite with the added advantage of being watersoluble
• Can be used as a traditional pencil, or remove the paper wrap use the side of the stick
• Unique easy to peel paper wrap
• Perfect for expressive sketching and drawing

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INK

Dr. Martin Bombay India Inks

• 1.0 oz glass bottles with droppers and mixing palette
• Vibrant India inks made from the finest ground pigments
• Lightfast, permanent, and waterproof when dry

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MARKERS

Faber Castell Big Brush Pens

• These PITT Pens work like a paintbrush – offering a thin line or a wide brush stroke on your stamp or paper. The brush nib easily bounces back into shape when bent for broad strokes.
• Packaged in a reusable, sturdy slide-out storage box, this set is great for the studio or on-the-go use
• India Ink pens that are archival, waterproof, permanent, acid-free, lightfast and odorless. India Ink allows images in most colors to last in excess of 25 years!

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OIL PASTELS

Shiva Oil Paintstik

• No offensive odor, rich creamy buttery consistency. easy clean up : soap, water, baby wipes
• Compatible with other oil paints and mediums
• Most Colors Dry Within 24 Hours
• Perfect for underpainting, fabric arts, craft projects, stenciling

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PENS

Gelly Roll Medium Black Pen

• Gelly roll fine point gel ink pen
• Medium is 0.4mm line / 0.8mm ball
• Ice cream smooth in a roller ball
• Archival quality ink chemically stable, waterproof, and fade resistant
• No smears, feathers, or bleed-through on most papers

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WATERCOLOUR PENCILS

Caran D’ache Museum Aquarelle Pencils

MUSEUM Aquarelle pencils are the fruit of research and innovation, a perfect union between drawing and painting. They give you the comfort and precision of a pencil with the strength and effects of watercolour. A range of techniques in a single pencil for excellent results.

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