Result = Skill + Tools

Owning every fancy cake decorating tool does not mean that someone who has never decorated a cake can make a masterpiece. Far from it. You can have all the best tools, but skill is crucial. Someone with skill can decorate a cake beautifully using nothing but a knife. Will that cake be as nice as if the expert had used high-quality, specialty equipment? Nope, but it will probably look better than the novice who uses the best supplies that exist.

Skill matters, and so do the tools. Without one or the other, the results are not going to be as good as if you had both. To continue the example of the cake decorator, not only do the tools matter, but the frosting does too. If it's too runny or too thick, grainy, or separated, the cake will suffer no matter what tools you have. 

So does this mean beginners should buy the all best tools and materials from the start? Yes and no. A cake decorating novice doesn't need 50 decorating tips, multiple shapes of cake combs, icing bag stands, an airbrushing kit, and special cutters for fondant and gum paste; you start with a few basics. But make sure that what you buy is a decent quality, or you'll be struggling unnecessarily and rebuying nicer ones later. (By the way, I've included affiliate links here, in case all this cake talk is motivating you to try decorating.)  

As you gain skill, you are better able to determine what supplies you need to get the results you want. That's the time to add more items to your collection. That said, there's nothing wrong with getting a particular tool or supply that interests you. If you can afford it and know that you'll use it (or can give it to someone who will), then go for it. 

I used cake decorating as an example for today's post, but it applies to all sorts of creative endeavors. Watercolor paint from a dollar store is not going to perform as well as artist-grade paint will, no matter who is using it. An expert painter can probably create a decent painting with it, but not nearly as nice as they could with the best watercolor paint. And a beginner using low-quality watercolors may be frustrated by their inability to do a certain technique that would be much easier to do with the pricier paint. 

Result = Skill + Tools.