When beginners start painting with acrylics, they often rush to the store and buy the wrong supplies or too many supplies. However, as with anything, simple is always best. You don’t need to buy hundreds of art supplies to start your art career. In the beginning, you just need a few simple tools to get you started.
Acrylic paint
The first thing you need will obviously be acrylic paint. There are several brands available on the market, but not all are created equal. Many beginners will buy inexpensive paint, but these have little pigment to cove the canvas. As a result, it takes multiple layers to get the color down. We recommend getting only about six colors plus white in the best quality that you can afford.
Paintbrushes
Once you’ve found your paint, it’s time to buy your paintbrushes. We recommend getting synthetic brushes over natural brushes, as they work better with acrylic paint. From there, you’ll want to get a few flat or rectangular brushes, and then a few round and pointed brushes. You can start off with mid-sized brushes (sizes 6 to 8) and then continue to branch out from there.
Canvas
Next, you need your canvas. While you can paint acrylic on various surfaces, it’s usually best to stick with canvas as a beginner. Then, once you become more confident, you can try wood, paper, and more. Just make sure your canvas is thick enough to handle acrylic paints.
Palette
A palette is where you’ll hold and mix your paints. While we usually think of palettes as circular with a small hole on the side, they actually come in many varieties. Go to the store and try a few out to see which version you prefer. You can also opt for paper plates in place of traditional palettes to reduce clean-up time.
Rags/paper towels
Painting can get messy. Be sure you have some old rags or paper towels to clean up after yourself or to blot excess water from your paintbrushes. You can also use them to wipe your brushes clean before switching colors.
Soap for paintbrushes
Once you’ve finished painting for the day, you’ll need to wash your paintbrushes. Ordinary soap can work, but you can also get paintbrush soap for a more thorough cleaning.
Varnish
Finally, there’s varnish. This adds an extra layer of protection for your recently finished painting. You can get varnish in matte, satin, or gloss depending on the look you want to achieve.
At Creative Ventures Gallery, our beginner art classes can help you decide what acrylic art supplies you need the most. Look through our classes today to get started!