When it comes to being an artist, there is more than just paint and brushes, there are tools that you will need for hanging canvases and other odd little jobs that crop up. My favourite tools to keep on hand are: hammer, pliers (both heavy duty and light weight), wire cutters, staple gun, various sized screwdrivers and an electric screw driver.
My MVP has to be the handheld Ryobi electric screwdriver that my daughter gave me for Mother’s Day. It’s light weight, holds it charge for quite some time, charges quickly, has a light to see where you are working, and my favourite feature is that the shape can be changed from straight to angled. When you are adding d-rings into the back of canvases, although the wood is generally light weight, it takes a bit of effort to get the screw all the way in, and if you have several to do, your hands/wrists get surprisingly tired. Starting the screw with a regular screwdriver and then switching to the electric one helps to make sure the screw is going in straight.
Most of my tools are used for hanging canvases. Wire cutters are absolutely essential for cutting the hanging wire, although some wires are thin enough to be cut with regular scissors, you will find your scissors blunt in no time. Small pliers are used to pull the wire through d-rings otherwise you can end up cutting yourself with the wires, and blood on the back of the canvas really spoils the artwork, the pliers also help to create tension ensuring the wire is nice and taught. Sometimes you will need larger pliers to help bend rings and hangers into shape, I recommend having a light and heavy weight pair in your tool kit.
Often in the studio I will be reaching for a hammer, this will be to hang an artwork for drying, to get it on the wall, etc, however, a hammer helps to put any wayward staples on the back of the canvas into place and to gently tap in any stretcher bars into the back of the canvas (tap lightly or they will puncture the canvas). Speaking of staples, sometimes the factory set staples in your ready made canvas are not in place properly and you may need to remove them, I use a flat headed screwdriver to lever out the staple and then replace the staple with a staple gun.
When I first started setting up my studio, I was quite surprised by how many tools I found myself needing and as my studio is away from home, I started up a little kit that I keep there. I’m also fortunate that the studio has a workshop so if I need anything else, it’s just a rummage away.
These are my personal basics that I can’t live without. What are the tools you use most?