My Supply List
I’m often asked, what do I use to paint with or what supplies do I want my students to have and this is the list I’ve compiled. I don’t ever say, “now run right out and buy all this stuff”. These are the paints on my palette, the brushes I use and the miscellaneous supplies I use. You’ll need to decide how deep into this you want to get. Look over the list and read my recommendations on what you need to get started below.
Paints:
Titanium White
Cadmium Free Yellow Light
Cadmium Free Orange Light
Cadmium Free Red Light
Hookers Green
Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber
Ultramarine Blue
Dioxazine Purple
Turquoise Deep
Lime Green
Alizarin Crimson
Brushes:
Natural Bristle Brushes: #12 or 10, # 6 or 8, #2
Synthetic Flats: same sizes as bristle brushes
Script Liner: size 0
Natural bristle hake brush – ( can get along without this)
Supplies
Stay Wet Palette Box – It might come with a sponge
Sponge for inside the box if yours didn’t come with one
Palette Paper (you can use freezer paper)
Spray bottle
Color Wheel
Paper Towels
Soft vine charcoal
Water Basin
PAINT
When looking for acrylic paints to buy, you should look for something that says “student grade” at the least. You don’t need professional grade paint when you’re just starting out, but you don’t want to use craft paint.
Craft paints do not have as much pigment and they are already diluted. You will not get the vibrant colors your looking for and it does not flow or move the same. You will have a hard time painting with your work on an easel because it will run.
Buy a student grade paint in only the primary colors and black and white if that’s what the budget will allow. You can actually create any color using just the 3 primary colors of red, blue and yellow.
Brushes
You can buy some decent synthetic flat or round brushes (I seldom use round but they are good for some things) in a pack of 8-12 brushes, but do not buy the cheapest brushes either online or in a store. A decent package of synthetic brushes should cost between $15 and $20.
I have never found a package of natural bristle brushes. You can buy a package of synthetic bristle brushes, but I have never found any of them that are any where near as good as natural bristle brushes. If you can only buy two, then get a #10 and a #4 but try to find natural bristle brushes. They are the workhorse of your art kit and they will hold up much better to the abuse they are going to take. I have been using the same natural bristle brushes for 20 years.
Extras
I use a Sta-Wett palette box because it’s enclosed and it will keep your paints fresh for well over a week or longer. I won’t tell you how long I’ve had some of mine going, but it’s much longer. You don’t feel like your wasting paint if you can put the lid on your box and walk away.
I use soft-vine charcoal for drawing what I want to paint on the canvas. Word of caution, use very light pressure when using it. When you’re finished you can use a bit of water on a paper towel and wipe off anything of your drawing left. You also don’t want to draw too heavy because it will mix with your paint and muddy it.
A color wheel has tons of info on it and you can buy a small one like the one I use for about $5. You can and should also make your own color wheel.