My friends asked me what tools I use for my projects so here they are!
A. 300mm metal ruler: make sure it’s metal, not plastic. It’s handy if there is an interval of 0.5mm as well as an interval of 1mm.
B. Konishi Mokkoyo Bond (PVA glue): Konishi’s PVA glue is my favourite. It’s consistent & easy to handle and can be used for a variety of materials including paper, wood and fabric. The quick-dry type (‘Mokkoyo Bond Sokkan’) is also a good option.
C. 150mm metal ruler: a shorter metal ruler will be easier to use if you’re working on small scale works. The one I use is made to have one end slightly bent so that it’s easy to pick it up.
D. Drafting mechanical pencil: I’m currently using Pentel Graph Gear 1000 (0.3 lead) which covers the tip when you press the clip (so that the tip won’t be damaged). I also recommend Rotring series but they can be a bit expensive.
E. Papercutting scissors: although I don’t produce papercutting works using only scissors, having different kinds of scissors for details is beneficial. I have ones with a straight tip & curved tip. The newest addition to my collection is Canary Bond Free DSB-100 which is made by craftspeople and has the fluororesin coating that prevents the glue from sticking on it. And it’s so satisfying cutting paper.
F. OLFA SAC-1: this is my ABSOLUTE FAVOURITE. I had tried surgical knife (#11) but in terms of the durability, ease of use and suitability for various materials, this is the best so far. It was designed for graphic arts and it has got 30 degrees blades. It doesn’t make my hand tired of cutting as much compared to a surgical knife. Highly recommended.
G. tweezers: it’s definitely better to use tweezers to handle and fix details than to use your hands. Have a few tweezers with different tips if you want.
H. Zebra SARASA blue 0.7: a gel ballpoint pen for writing & drawing. The preference over pens is really up to you but this is the one I’ve been using for a while. I use fineliners like Artline too but they tend to be short-lived due to the fragility of the tips. I also like Muji ballpoint pens for fine drawing – it’s easy to represent a number of line weights using just a single pen.
I. 5mm double-sided tape: for cardmaking, I mostly use double-sided tape rather than stick glue (unless I do a complex papercutting). It’s so much quicker and cleaner than stick glue.
J. Cutting mat: definitely get one with scales (numbers) and 5mm intervals. If you can find one, I recommend the cutting mat that is larger than A4. I also care about the accuracy of the grid as often I use the grid to measure and cut orthogonally rather than measuring by a ruler (it saves so much time).
Updated on 1 December 2019
Saran Kim | Blog 