12 Things Every Art Studio Needs — Nicole Cicak | Chicago Freelance Illustrator (2024)

1. Great Lighting

The natural lighting in a studio space should be decent. While south prevailing light is ideal, it’s not essential. The windows in my new space face east and north, and that works fine. The keyword here is “windows” plural. My old space only had one window, and it didn’t produce enough light.

By great lighting, I don’t only mean the natural kind. I’ve always had a flush mount chandelier in my workspace and a work lamp on my desk for evening painting. I’m having can lights installed in my new space to amp up visibility. I also love dimmer switches on all ceiling lights, so I can adjust the light levels.

2. Plants

Most artists find nature grounding and inspiring. Almost every studio space I’ve seen has some plant life. It brings great vibes to a space. I’ve always had a money plant in my studio, because it’s supposed to bring wealth and good fortune. Want to hear something crazy? I purchased my money plant the same year my art business took off. A year later I was able to quit my freelance design gig and make art full-time. Coincidence? Maybe, but having a money plant around can’t hurt. I’m hoping to add some hanging plants to my studio too, since floor space is limited.

3. Neutral Walls

I used to have a studio space with teal paint, and all the items in my studio had a teal tint to them. It really threw off my perception of color. I realized then how important neutral walls are, especially when painting. Warm white walls are my preference, but grey or black could work too. Anything without a colorful tint is great.

4. The Perfect Desk

For me, an oversized desk is a must. I love spreading out my supplies while I work. I use up the entire surface of my workspace, always making a huge mess. A normal size desk doesn’t cut it for me anymore. The desk in my new space is 56 in. x 28 in. (142 cm x 71 cm), and it feels perfect.

I also like a desk that’s easy to clean. My last desk was white, and my paints were staining it. This time, I opted for a desk with a glass surface, so I can Windex paint off. While it’s not ideal for taking photos, the easy cleanup is most important.

5. Artwork on the Walls

This is a must. I have a pinboard of my art hanging in my space. I also have some of my framed art on display. It’s a great reminder of my brand as an artist, and it keeps my new work cohesive. Seeing my favorite pieces hanging up is also a great confidence booster. It serves as inspiration when I’m out of ideas. I have my artwork hanging throughout the rest of our home too, so I’m always inspired to make more.

6. Roller Cart

A few years ago, I interviewed a handful of artists about their studio spaces. You can find the interviews here if you’re interested. Almost all mentioned one essential item - a roller cart. Most of them had the same one from IKEA. I recently purchased two acrylic carts from The Container Store. They’re great for housing supplies. I love that I can roll them up to my desk when I need things. I chose acrylic carts because they don’t take up much visual space. Here is a good non-acrylic option.

7. Storage

Between art paper, my paints, brushes, and shipping supplies, I have many things to store in my space. I can’t imagine not having some sort of closet, cabinets or shelving. As my Etsy shop has grown, my need for storage has expanded. The room in our home with the most shelving suddenly seemed like a no brainer for my new studio.

8. Music

I listen to music all day long while I work. It inspires me to make better art. I couldn’t survive without my Echo show. It also gives me a hands-free way to check the weather and look up things without a computer.

9. Printers

I say printers plural, because I have so many I use. First, I have my HP color laserjet from Costco, which I use to print order slips and scan my artwork. Then I have my label printer. I used this Dymo one for years, which hooks up to a computer via USB. I recently upgraded to this wireless Brother label printer. Being able to move around while I print has changed my life. Lastly, I have my Canon printers that I use to print my artwork. Believe it or not, I use all of these printers on a daily basis.

10. Candles

I love burning candles while I make art. My favorite part of having candles in my studio is that I can swap them out seasonally. Smelling pumpkin in the fall and pine in the winter always inspires me to make seasonal art. While candles aren’t a must, they sure make a space cozy. Here is my favorite fall scent.

11. Paper Cutter

I hate that this is an essential item, because it takes up SO much space! However, I use my paper cutter daily - not only to cut paper for artwork, but to trim prints down. I can’t imagine how any artists work without one. I have this commercial paper cutter, and it’s my second of its kind. I had to upgrade to the 24x24 in. size last year to trim larger prints.

12. Postal Scale

I couldn’t run my print shop without this. While package weights are easy to standardize for one print, a scale makes it easy to calculate shipping on multiple prints of different sizes. I’ve had this postal scale for years, and it still works great.

So those are my essentials. Emphasis on the word essentials, because I think that’s all a studio space should have. It’s important that my space feels open, airy, and organized, because that’s when I create my best work. Too much clutter throws me off my game.

What items can’t you live without in your studio space? Let the rest of us know in the comments below!