As a beginner, purchasing three different sized, high quality brushes is a great starting point. Each type of brush is recommended to be used with a certain kind of paint. Try out this set of watercolor brushes to start with or try a larger brush for covering bigger areas while using acrylics. It’s best to start by working on small canvases or even paint on paper while you are trying out your paints. A small canvas allows you to experiment with color combinations and techniques without investing a lot of time or materials into the painting. Sets of small canvases are fairly inexpensive (try these), and the end result can be fun hung up on a wall together. When you’re sketching and practicing, work on a drawing pad. Once it’s time for the final piece, working on a much thicker paper is preferable (drawing pad, thick watercolor paper). I draw all of my final illustrations on 11×17″ 140 lb (paper weight is really important to me and watercolor paper is much thicker than most drawing paper) watercolor paper that I linked. It just goes to show you, sometimes you don’t have to use the supplies for what they say they’re for.

Paints

Watercolor, oil, acrylic, and gouache paints are all fun to experiment with, but it is best to focus on one medium at first to keep costs down. It’s smart to start off with acrylics because they are considerably more affordable than oils, easier to control than watercolors, and they dry quickly (unlike oils). A good starter acrylic brand is Basics which costs about $4 per tube. If this is your first set, try a primary set of five.

Before you choose a medium, do some research about the type of paint so you’re prepared for all of the other supplies you will need to invest in. For example, when painting with oils, you’ll need to prime the canvas with gesso so the oil paints adhere better. Typically, you get what you pay for with watercolor sets. This is the one area where buying the professional paint set is definitely worth it. Reeves student watercolor sets are a great brand to start with, but Winsor & Newton professional watercolor is going to be the best pigment at $9 per tube. Skimping on watercolors will leave you with a very light and faded color once it has dried. For years, I was using the wrong watercolors and now I always buy one tiny tube of Reeves depending on what I’m working on. If you want to experiment with many colors of watercolors, I recommend this half pan travel set to start with. Gouache paint is similar to watercolor paint but it’s a bit thicker and it will cost you.

Remember, painting takes many years to master so if it doesn’t match your vision, that’s normal. It’s all part of the magic of creating and it’s best to enjoy the mistakes and embrace the creative process until you find your style.

Artist Tip: The sooner you understand color mixing, the better. This knowledge will allow you to know how certain colors look together and you will be able to mix up the perfect shade you’re looking for, rather than buying it in a tube.

If you have any specific questions about the supplies I use for my work, I’m always happy to share that knowledge! Please let me know if this was helpful for you.

 

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