Pencils: Pencils are essential. You can prepare several pencils of HB, 2B, 4B, 6B and 8B. You can also prepare B, 3B, H, 2H, 3B, and 5B pens, but you don’t need too many.
Sketch paper: If you are a beginner, you don’t need to buy a good one. The ones from Zhongyi, Hangli and Monet are all pretty good. About 8 yuan per pack, 20 sheets per pack.
Erasers: You can buy "old man's" erasers, generally ranging from 1.5 yuan to 2.0 yuan. Prices vary from place to place, but it's very useful.
Plasticine: I don’t use much plasticine. In fact, it doesn’t matter if I don’t buy it. And don’t use too much plasticine, otherwise the painting will get tired easily. Plasticine is not easy to preserve and hardens easily. The one I bought is from AOWEN HUACAI, which costs 3 yuan a piece, which is slightly more expensive than others.
Tape: Generally speaking, beginners can just use transparent tape. Of course, you can also try buying a roll of water-soluble tape. In Beijing, it costs 4 yuan per roll. It is a large roll and not expensive.
Drawing board: You can prepare a 4-inch wooden board and a sketching board, preferably also 4-inch. About 15 yuan a piece.
You can buy thumbtacks or not. Like tape, they are used to fix the paper. 2 yuan per box.
Pocket knife: It’s best not to buy one with a plastic shell, the others are fine. At about 2 yuan a handful, some are expensive.
Books: Just buy one or two good books at the beginning. Don’t be too expensive, be sure to buy good ones. I recommend to you the books from the High School Affiliated to the Central Academy of Fine Arts. That series of books are very good and I use them all the time. A sketch costs more than 30 yuan a book.
Charcoal: In fact, you don’t need charcoal at all when you first start, but I’ll mention it anyway. Charcoal is easier to produce than pencil, but charcoal is not easy to make fine, unless you are very good at it. If you want to buy, just buy "Phil" and "Courbet". The ones from "Marco" are also good ~ about 20 yuan per box, and they are also 12 pieces per box.
Wiping pen: This can be replaced with a napkin, which can be used or not.
Easel: Generally there is no need to buy an easel, it will be provided by the studio. But if you want to go out to sketch or paint at home, you can buy a retractable one, which usually costs about 20-30 yuan. Mine is from Thorpe, which costs 22 yuan. It is very useful~ The process of imitating calligraphy and painting works according to the original is called Copy. Imitation means writing or painting according to the original work; copying uses thin paper (silk) to cover the original work to write or draw. In the broad sense of copying, what is imitated is not necessarily the original work, but may also be tablets, inscriptions, etc. Copying focuses on the process of copying in order to learn techniques. Acquisition of reproductions for preservation, restoration, exhibition, and sale, focusing on the results of copying.