This list includes 20 Art supplies that start with N, ranging from “Nails” to “Nylon thread”. They are mostly tangible materials and tools used across drawing, painting, sculpture, printmaking, and mixed media.
Art supplies that start with N are physical tools and materials whose common names begin with the letter N. For example, nails feature in historic assemblage and contemporary mixed‑media pieces, showing how simple items gain artistic value.
Below you’ll find the table with Item, Usage, and Popular brands.
Item: The supply name as commonly used, helping you quickly identify the exact material or tool you need.
Usage: A concise description of how you would use the item in artwork or practical projects.
Popular brands: One to three widely available brand names to help you find reliable sources or compare options.
Art supplies that start with N
| Name | Category | Typical Use | Popular Brands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nib | drawing tool | Used with ink for lettering and drawing. | Speedball, Hunt, Brause |
| Nib holder | drawing tool | Holds dip pen nibs for ink drawing and calligraphy. | Tachikawa, Speedball, Manuscript |
| Newsprint | paper | Cheap paper for quick sketches and practice drawings. | Canson, Strathmore, Bienfang |
| Needle felting needle | sculpting tool | Joins and sculpts wool into firm shapes for felted art. | Clover, Hamanaka |
| Needle tool | sculpting tool | Scores, trims, and details clay and soft surfaces. | Kemper, Mudtools |
| Natural-bristle brush | brush | Applies oil or heavy-bodied paint with texture and coverage. | Winsor & Newton, Da Vinci, Escoda |
| Nylon brush | brush | Versatile synthetic brush for acrylics and washes. | Princeton, Royal & Langnickel, Blick |
| Nylon thread | medium | Sews, binds, and attaches elements in textile and mixed media. | Gutermann, Coats |
| Nylon monofilament | medium | Provides nearly invisible support for mobiles and hanging pieces. | Berkley, Maxima |
| Nails | sculpting tool | Fastens frames, armatures, and mixed-media constructions. | Grip-Rite, Hillman |
| Needle-nose pliers | sculpting tool | Bends wire and small metal for sculpture and jewelry. | Xuron, Knipex, Stanley |
| Naphtha | medium | Solvent for thinning oil paints and cleaning brushes. | Klean-Strip, Crown |
| Natural sponge | sculpting tool | Applies texture or lifts paint for washes and effects. | Sea Sponge Company, The Sponge Factory |
| Natural linen | medium | High-quality fabric support for painting and stretched canvases. | Fredrix, Claessens |
| Naples Yellow | paint | Opaque warm yellow used in oil and traditional painting. | Winsor & Newton, Gamblin, Rembrandt |
| Neutral tint | paint | Darkening or muting color mixtures in painting. | Winsor & Newton, Daniel Smith, Holbein |
| Non-woven interfacing | medium | Stabilizes fabric in bookbinding, textile, and mixed media projects. | Pellon, HeatnBond |
| Neutral density filter | medium | Controls light exposure for photography-based artwork and reference photos. | B+W, Hoya, Tiffen |
| Notebook | paper | Portable pad for sketches, notes, and quick studies. | Moleskine, Leuchtturm1917, Strathmore |
| Nitrile gloves | medium | Protect hands from solvents, paints, and adhesives in the studio. | Ansell, Kimberly-Clark, Medline |
Descriptions
Nib
Small metal tips for dip pens sold by size and shape. Common types: pointed, broad, italic, crowquill; sold loose or in packs.
Nib holder
Wooden or plastic holders, straight or oblique styles. Accepts removable nibs and often fits multiple nib sizes.
Newsprint
Lightweight sheets or pads, commonly 18 x 24 inches, 20–50 lb. Inexpensive and slightly toothy, ideal for charcoal and pencil studies.
Needle felting needle
Barbed, thin steel needles in sizes and gauges. Sold singly or in multi-needle holders for speed and varied effect.
Needle tool
Pointed metal pick often with wooden handle. Used in pottery, ceramics, and sgraffito work for fine lines and scoring.
Natural-bristle brush
Bristles made from hog or boar hair. Available in flats, filberts, brights and sizes from small to large for oils and acrylics.
Nylon brush
Synthetic nylon bristles that hold shape when wet. Comes in rounds, flats, filberts; durable and budget-friendly.
Nylon thread
Strong, smooth synthetic sewing thread; sold on spools in weights like 30 wt and 50 wt. Good for hand and machine sewing.
Nylon monofilament
Clear fishing line sold on spools in various test strengths. Used for suspending art, beading, and display.
Nails
Assorted heads, lengths and gauges; common sizes from 1 inch to 3 inches. Steel nails, finishing nails, and brads used in assembly.
Needle-nose pliers
Long, tapered jaws for precision. Available in various jaw lengths and with spring-action or insulated handles.
Naphtha
Fast-evaporating petroleum solvent sold in cans. Flammable; used for thinning oil paint, cleaning tools, and degreasing surfaces.
Natural sponge
Sea sponges sold in various sizes and densities. Used wet or dry for texture, glazing, and faux finishes.
Natural linen
Linen canvas sold primed or unprimed in rolls or pre-stretched panels. Weights listed in oz per square yard; prized for strength and feel.
Naples Yellow
Historic pigment sold in tubes and pans. Opaque, slightly muted yellow; available in oil, acrylic, and watercolor variants.
Neutral tint
A mixing color (warm gray/brown) sold as paint tube. Useful for creating subtle shadows and desaturating hues.
Non-woven interfacing
Lightweight bonded sheets available fusible or sew-in. Sold by yard or pre-cut pieces in varying stiffness.
Neutral density filter
Glass filters in screw-in or square formats that reduce light uniformly by stops (e.g., 1, 2, 3-stop), used with cameras and lenses.
Notebook
Bound or spiral notebooks in sizes like A5, A4. Paper weights vary; used as sketchbook or visual journal.
Nitrile gloves
Disposable synthetic gloves in sizes S–XL. Chemical-resistant and puncture-tolerant, sold in boxes of 50–1,000.