This list includes 15 Art supplies that start with Y, from “Yak hair” to “Yupo paper”. These items range from natural brush hairs to synthetic papers and cover painting, drawing, printmaking, and mixed media.
Art supplies that start with Y are tangible tools and materials artists use to make visual work. Yupo paper, a waterproof synthetic sheet invented in Japan, is now widely used for experimental watercolor effects.
Below you’ll find the table with Item, Usage, and Popular brands.
Item: The supply name as commonly used, so you can identify and search for the exact material or tool.
Usage: A concise description of how the supply is typically used, helping you choose items suited to your project.
Popular brands: One to three well-known manufacturers or labels, so you can compare quality and availability quickly.
Art supplies that start with Y
| Name | Category | Typical use | Popular brands |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yarn | Textile | Knitting, weaving, mixed-media, fiber art | Lion Brand, Red Heart, Drops |
| Yarn needle | Tool | Sewing yarn ends and seaming knitted pieces | Clover, Bohin, Dritz |
| Yarn winder | Tool | Wind skeins into center-pull balls for easy use | KnitPicks, Stanwood, Ashford |
| Yarn swift | Tool | Hold skeins steady while winding yarn | Ashford, KnitPicks, Schacht |
| Yarn bowl | Tool | Contain and guide yarn while knitting or crocheting | Bosworth, KnitPicks, Susan Bates |
| Yarn bobbin | Tool | Manage small yarn lengths for lace, tatting, and weaving | Prym, Clover, Dritz |
| Yarn tensioner | Tool | Regulate yarn tension during weaving or warping | Kromski, Ashford, Schacht |
| Yarn creel | Tool | Organize many skeins when warping or winding | Schacht, Louet, Ashford |
| Yak hair brush | Brush | Soft washes, blending in watercolor and sumi-e | Da Vinci, Raphael, Isabey |
| Yak hair | Fiber | Raw fiber for brushmaking, textile accents, and stuffing | The Woolery, Paradise Fibers, Ashford |
| Yupo paper | Paper | Watercolor, inks, alcohol inks, mixed-media on nonabsorbent surface | Yupo |
| Yellow ochre | Pigment/Paint | Underpainting, landscapes, skin tones in many media | Winsor & Newton, Gamblin, Rembrandt |
| Yardstick | Tool | Measure and mark large dimensions; straight edges for cutting | Westcott, Lufkin, Fiskars |
| Yew wood | Material | Carving, small sculpture, woodturning, toolmaking | Lee Valley, Rockler, Woodcraft |
| Yellow glaze | Glaze/Ceramics | Coloring pottery, ceramic finishes at various firing ranges | Amaco, Mayco, Spectrum Glazes |
Descriptions
Yarn
Plied or single-ply strands of fiber—wool, cotton, acrylic, and blends—used for textiles, mixed-media textures, and structural elements.
Yarn needle
Large, blunt tapestry needles with oversized eyes designed to pass bulky yarn for finishing, seaming, and woven-in ends.
Yarn winder
Hand-crank or tabletop device that transforms loose hanks into tidy, center-pull balls to prevent tangles while working.
Yarn swift
Adjustable, often umbrella-style frame that holds a hank of yarn open so winding by hand or machine is smooth and tangle-free.
Yarn bowl
Hollowed wooden or ceramic bowl with a curved slot or spiral to keep a yarn ball from rolling and tangling during use.
Yarn bobbin
Small spools or tubes that organize and feed yarn in bobbin lace, tatting, or shuttle weaving, keeping threads separated and tidy.
Yarn tensioner
Clamp or mechanical device that applies consistent tension to yarn as it feeds to a loom or winder for even fabric and warps.
Yarn creel
A multi-spool frame that holds cones or hanks to feed yarns simultaneously for weaving, warping, and large winding tasks.
Yak hair brush
Brushes made from yak hair offer a soft, slightly springy tip prized for delicate washes, soft blending, and traditional East Asian painting.
Yak hair
Natural animal hair used by brushmakers and textile artists for rustic textures, brush construction, and specialty mixed-media effects.
Yupo paper
Smooth, waterproof polypropylene paper prized for vibrant washes and liftability; its nonabsorbent surface enables unique effects and reworking.
Yellow ochre
Natural earth pigment with a warm, muted yellow-brown tone, used across oils, acrylics, and watercolors for subtle, earthy color.
Yardstick
36-inch measuring stick used for layout, framing, cutting straight lines, and aligning compositions in studios and classrooms.
Yew wood
Fine-grained hardwood valued by carvers and turners for its density, smooth finish, and attractive yellow-brown heartwood.
Yellow glaze
Ceramic glaze formulations labeled “yellow” used on low- to high-fire pottery; appearance varies by recipe and kiln temperature.