My Painting Materials List
I was asked recently to share the materials I use in my art practice. So much of painting is focused on the end product that it’s easy to forget many young and new artists need guidance on what to buy, and what not to, when getting started.
Even the basic material list is pretty lengthy, too long for an Instagram reply, so I thought I’d share on here what I use to create an acrylic painting. That’s the medium I used exclusively in college and at the start of my career, and I think it’s a really nice paint for beginners.
When you start out painting, keeping it simple with materials is the key. Try not to get bogged down by all the various tools that artists have cited as “must haves” that you don’t have a use for. Start with the basics. These are mine:
Palette
You will need something to mix paint on. Any surface will do but I like to paint on glass, Sta-Wet palettes, or freezer paper. In college I used a glass picture pane with taped edges (for safety reasons) and GLAD press n seal to keep the paint from drying out. Again anything will do, but if you're looking to invest in your practice a Sta-Wet palette and palette paper is a great option.
Canvases/Surfaces
You can choose to paint on stretched canvas, canvas board, primed masonite board, primed wood panels and/or high end paper. For warm-ups and drills, I suggest buying a large pack of acrylic painting paper or canvas paper. For a cost-effective option, paper is a good tool to practice on, but you have to invest in a paper that will withstand acrylic paint so it won’t buckle and warp.
My two primary painting surfaces are Level 3 Gallery Wrapped Heavy Duty Canvas by Artist’s Loft and Da Vinci Pro Birch Wood Painting Panels. Of course this varies, but keep in mind that the higher quality surface that you use, the less priming you’ll need to do beforehand.
Paints
I strongly encourage you to buy the higher end paints as they will make your life so much easier. I prefer Golden and Liquitex Heavy Body Acrylic paints. If you know you tend to paint very slow you may want to look into the Golden Open series acrylic paints.
Obviously, you can paint with whichever colors you prefer, but this is the basic list I provide to my students when I teach workshops:
-titanium white
-cadmium yellow light
-yellow ochre or Naples yellow
-cadmium red
-quinacridone magenta
-ultramarine blue
-phthalo blue (green shade)
Optional but highly suggested:
-phthalo green
-dioxazine purple
-alizarin crimson
-hookers green/ Jenkins green
-burnt/raw umber
Brushes
I recommend starting out with at least five brushes. The more the merrier and the bigger the better. My favorite shapes are brights and flats and my preferred bristles are smooth synthetic brushes meant for acrylic paints.
Royal & Langnickel Long Handle flat brushes are some of my favorites. I also use the Artist’s Loft Firenze flat and bright brushes. Size four should be your smallest (you don’t need one that small though). Look for size 8, 12, and up and at least one jumbo brush. This can be a two or three inch house painting brush or my favorite, a Creative Mark mural flat brush in a size 40.
Priming paint
This is in regards to priming your painting surface. Nowadays, many canvases come pre-gessoed, however if you have raw canvas you will need to gesso your surface first. I suggest picking a mid-tone, lower budget paint in a color that you wish to use as your underpainting color. Some of my favorites are Liquitex Basics brand cadmium orange or magenta mid-tone.
Medium
I find having an acrylic flow improver is very helpful in combating the fast dry time of acrylic paint. I suggest using at least a small bottle of flow improver when you paint. The Golden Acrylic Retarder and the Liquitex Slow Dri Blending Medium are wonderful options.
If something must be cut from your budget, let it be medium. However, I will warn that you will have to work extremely fast during the re-draw phases if you choose to forgo medium.
Also, you will need a spray misting bottle. Find those on Amazon or another retailer.
Cans/Jars
You will need at least one jar for clean brushes, dirty brushes and water. If you’re willing to spend the extra cash, I suggest Mijello 2 Liter Water Bucket.
Palette scraper/knife
If you are using a glass or wood palette you will need a scaper for cleanup. I like the Unger brand paint scraper tool. Be aware you may have to buy additional razor blades on the side.
Rag/cloth/paper towel
I use old rags and t-shirts to dry brushes and for general cleanup. I also suggest investing in an apron, painting smock or a large, oversized T-shirt to protect your clothing.
Brush cleaner/dishwashing liquid
For this you can use anything from Dawn soap to Mona Lisa Pink Soap. If you get paint on your clothing, I recommend Grandma’s Secret Spot Remover. Don’t feel compelled to buy this, it’s just a free tip ;)
Sketchbook and pencil
I highly suggest buying a sketchbook of any quality (preferably unlined) to scribble out ideas, notes and potential compositions. I find some new painters enjoy this extra step. Either way, it’s a low cost investment and it may be really helpful to you.
I like the Strathmore brand sketchbooks, but there are certainly comparable brands.
Drop Cloth
If you want to avoid getting paint on…everything, a drop cloth is advised. There are plenty of low-cost options available here, including cheap bed sheets, plastic drop cloths or even trash bags cut and hung up/laid on the ground.
I’m currently using a bed sheet for my drop cloth, which I really like because I’m able to cut out paint marks and frame them in my framed drop cloth pieces.
Easel
As with a lot of art products, easels come in a wide variety of shapes and prices. When I first converted the living room of my one-room apartment into a studio, I simply hung a drop cloth and hammered nails into the wall to hold my canvas. I don’t mind painting vertically and I literally did not have room for an easel back then so it made sense for me. However, if you’re renting like I was when I started back in 2016, painting on a wall may not be your best option.
My first real easel was an H-Frame one I found on Craigslist for $100 and it worked perfectly well for two years or so. I’ve since upgraded to a Saint Remy Multi-Angle Studio Easel but you by no means have to invest in something that sophisticated when starting out.
Paint water disposal
The topic of proper paint water disposal among artists can be an uncomfortable one as doing it correctly isn’t always convenient and may not be the same for everyone based on location. My first recommendation is to contact your local water authority to see what they suggest when it comes to paint water.
Golden has a really good method for paint water cleaning called Crash which is displayed in this video.
For me, I use the Texas heat to my advantage by pouring my paint water into outdoor buckets and letting it evaporate. I have a small covering built on the side of my studio that prevents rainwater and debris from entering the buckets.
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Finally, if budget is your top concern, my YouTube video below shows you the best low-cost options for starting out in painting. Hope all this helps!