Best Art Supplies for Beginners

It's tough to find good art supplies that won't break the bank. Maybe you want to try to learn something new without investing a ton of money. This is the guide for you. I teach a community education class and have helped many students figure out which supplies will work best for them.

Oil Painting Supply List

So you want to start painting? I hope you've thought this through because once you start, it's pretty addicting. There are lots of kits available with cheap paint and even worse brushes but here are our suggestions to begin your painting habit:

1. Oil Paint

A quick search will bring up all kinds of random paint brands with suspect quality, but I've always recommended Winton by Winsor and Newton for my beginner students because it offers professional quality for student prices. In fact, many professionals will buy large quantities of specific Winton brand colors to save money. If you want more than 10 colors for about the same price, then check out the Arteza Oil Paint Set. There will be a small trade-off in quality but you'll get more colors to learn with and test out. If you’re searching on Amazon, you’ll likely run across the MyArtscape brand of paints. In my experience, each tube is a little hit-or-miss in quality but they seem to be well-reviewed and could be worth the savings, especially for a beginner.

2. Brushes

This is the most difficult category to recommend because it's difficult to find good brushes for cheap. I personally have about 10 different brands of brushes lying around that I've picked up randomly for different purposes. This Artist Paint Brush Set has a good variety of brushes to learn with, as well as a palette knife (very useful) and a case to keep it all organized. When it really comes down to it, brushes are simply a tool used to apply paint to a surface and every artist will have different preferences. I will often buy cheap brushes that I consider to be virtually disposable, while other brushes will be well taken care of and cleaned diligently.

3. Canvas

If you're truly a beginner and your interests involve training to improve your skills, then I highly recommend starting with Strathmore Canvas Pads. At only 9"x12", it is perfect for experimenting and sketching, but you should know that it is a canvas embossed paper, not an actual canvas. If you're looking for something sturdier, the next step up would be canvas boards. After that, you might be interested in a traditional stretched canvas. My beginner students love the canvas pads because they feel more at ease to make mistakes and can learn a lot, but if you already have some experience then the boards or stretched canvas might be best. 

4. Mediums & Solvents

With oil paint there are really only two mediums that I recommend for beginners. The first is Odorless Turpenoid that can be used to clean brushes and thin down the paint. It's odorless and safer than harsher mineral spirits or turpentine that you might find in your grandpa's garage. The other medium is Winsor and Newton's Liquin Original. It's totally optional as you learn more about how to use oil paints but it does two things that I love: makes the paint dry faster and improves the flow. 

5. Easel

We have a list of easels that you might be interested in here, but a low cost, low risk entry level easel would be the Art Alternatives Desk Easel. It won't break the bank if you decide that painting just isn't your thing and it has plenty of storage. An easel isn't necessary for true beginners since you can always paint with your surface flat on a table but I'm including it on this list for anyone who's interested.

6. Books

There are tons of great resources out there for painters of every experience level. You should really look for tutorials on Youtube, watch some Bob Ross on Netflix, or sign up for a community painting class, if one is available. In fact, when you're just getting started it's best to just paint anything! Don't worry if it's right or wrong, just put some paint on the canvas, mix some colors, and make some mistakes because that's how learning really happens. With that said, the Daily Painting book can offer some good inspiration and instruction. And who doesn't like adding a new book to their collection?

7. Miscellaneous

It might seem like there's a lot on this list already, but believe me, there's always more stuff to buy as anyone with a hobby can attest to. For example, you'll probably want a palette to mix paint on, but you can make your own with cardboard wrapped in wax paper. Or you can pick up a Paper Palette like this one that comes with 40 sheets. Keep an eye out for good deals and things around the house that can be repurposed. And don't forget to keep practicing!

Drawing Supplies

Want to try your hand at something a little less involved than painting? Drawing can be a great way to make art that doesn't require drying time and can be done almost anywhere.

1. Charcoal and pencils

2. Paper

3. Drawing Board

4. Pens

Mixed Media Supplies

Can't decide on just one thing? Neither can we. Here are some other suggestions for a variety of different approaches.

1. Pastels

2. Colored Pencils

3. Watercolor