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Whether you are an architect, a ceramicist, or a freewheeling artist who subscribes to no labels, it can be helpful to keep a good supply of ready-to-sculpt blocks in your studio. Available in all kinds of material, from wood to foam, these blocks provide a low-stakes way to visualize ideas in 3D, create preliminary models, or just experiment. The best blocks strike the right balance between... | Read More

Whether you are an architect, a ceramicist, or a freewheeling artist who subscribes to no labels, it can be helpful to keep a good supply of ready-to-sculpt blocks in your studio. Available in all kinds of material, from wood to foam, these blocks provide a low-stakes way to visualize ideas in 3D, create preliminary models, or just experiment. The best blocks strike the right balance between... | Read More

A projector can be a useful device to keep in your studio. You can use one to exhibit digital art, preview your works, project designs for tracing, and much more. It can be handy to choose one that is compatible not only with computers but also smartphones, as that means you’ll have less tech to set up and carry around, if you plan to travel with your projector. Plus, projectors can be great... | Read More

One of the easiest ways to transfer designs for silk screening is to create stencils out of mylar or acetate. The finished designs serve as a film positive, which is placed atop a screen coated with photo emulsion, then exposed to light. To achieve a good-quality stencil, you’ll need a solid marker that won’t bead on the surface of your filmlike material. It should also deposit pigment... | Read More

Whether you thread your punch needle with yarn or embroidery floss, you’ll need a dependable foundation cloth. Because this fiber art, as its name suggests, relies on the repetition of a relatively vigorous gesture, it’s crucial that this cloth is durable, capable of maintaining its weave with every punch. You can use a variety of fabrics, from monk’s cloth—the most popular choice for... | Read More

Even the work of the most diligent punch needle artists can be ruined without the use of a proper frame, which is why it’s important that you take care to choose a sturdy one. Designed to grip backing fabric, these structures keep your work surface level and unwrinkled so you can punch continuously without facing the unpleasantness of a slack canvas. Most frames are reusable, while others... | Read More

Combining the dexterity and accessibility of embroidery with the instant gratification of rug tufting, punch needling is a traditional fiber art that’s making a comeback. Using a handheld tool with a tapered needle—the punch needle—artists push yarn or thread through a backing, then back up, to form a continuous loop stitch. Although they essentially perform the same gesture, punch... | Read More

The small but mighty latch hook makes knotting yarn a breeze. As its name indicates, these handheld tools consist of a latch and a hook: the former helps guide your fiber as it begins to form a knot, while the latter helps to pull and tighten the final hitch. Essential for making wall hangings and rugs using short pieces of yarn, latch hooks help keep your work consistent for a final, even... | Read More