What Do You Need To Start Painting – If you’re thinking about learning how to paint or have decided it’s time to learn, you may have an important question. “What materials do I need to start painting?”
Now, before you grab your keys and run to the store or start loading your Amazon cart, let me help you. I will show you exactly what you need to start painting.
What Do You Need To Start Painting
Whether you’re new to The Social Easel or have been around for a while and are just ready to start painting, you’ve come to the right place! I love sharing the joy of creating art and helping people discover the artists within them. We all have one!
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One of my main goals in teaching people how to paint is to avoid excess. And if you buy drawing supplies when you’re just starting out, it’s easy to get bogged down!
I keep things simple and straightforward. First, I’ll go over all the supplies you need to start your painting journey. Then you can see it all in action in the video below. I’ll show you a few different brush strokes so you know which brush to use depending on what you’re trying to do with your painting!
When shopping for brushes, the wide variety available can be confusing. I went through a lot of different brushes trying to figure out what I liked best. Let me share with you some things to look for when shopping and some of my favorite brushes. The best part is the brushes are not expensive!
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There are many affordable brush sets that will work well for you. No need to spend $30 on a brush! In fact, I took all the things I like in brushes and created my own brush. I’m proud of this collection – you get the brushes you need to get started at a reasonable price.
When buying acrylic brushes, it is important to choose brushes with synthetic fibers. You’ll often see “tackle” in the description. The color of the brush does not matter – you can see white or gold. Avoid choosing brushes with natural bristles. They don’t hold the color the way you want.
A set of paint brushes is essential for drawing fine lines and details. This is very important if you want to have a heavy hand when painting.
Again, no need for expensive materials! When buying acrylic paints, look for craft paint. Any kind of craft paint. It is very affordable and available at your local Walmart or craft stores. Some colors start as low as $0.50 per bottle!
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My favorite brand is Deco Art. I also use a lot of Michael’s Craft Smart brand paint as well as Apple Barrel that I get at Walmart. I have several colors listed in my Amazon store that you can check out here!
Before you start filling your basket with all the colors, it’s important to remember that it doesn’t matter if you have the right color for the project. You can mix colors to create the perfect shade. See how to match paint colors here.
I talk about color mixing in many of my lessons and I do it in depth in Christie’s Inner Tribe. Start with a small set of colors and add over time.
The acrylic paint you choose does not need a special finish. When shopping, look for those with a matte or satin finish. I just bought regular craft paint, nothing special.
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Think of a mixed media pad as a large sketchbook for drawing. Mine is 11 x 14 with tons of pages. my love!
We often think about painting, right? We said, “I’m not an actor. I haven’t done it yet so I can’t.” And that’s a big lie!
Inspired by the women in my inner tribe. Some of these women had never painted before, and now they were making art that they hung in their homes and sold to people. Some of them started their own business and taught others how to paint. Most of all, they will be proud of themselves for learning something new!
A mixed media pad is essential, especially if you are just starting out on your painting journey. You can’t just look at a picture and know exactly how to paint.
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When I teach painting, I show you many brushes. You might not succeed the first time, and that’s okay. That’s why it’s great to have a hybrid media pad. This will allow you to turn your head and say “this is art, I have to hang it on the wall”.
It is not a work of art. Use your mixed media pad as a drawing pad and discover that it doesn’t matter how many pages you use to get the brush touch just right. This is how you learn to be a better artist!
When I was in art college, we had to draft at least five pages before submitting an art piece as a final paper. That’s part of the assignment.
When you start painting, remember that you have to do the process. You can’t wait to pick up a brush and learn how to paint right away. Like anything else in life, it’s a process you have to get used to. And the mixed media block is the best place to practice.
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You might think that canvases are an expensive part of your art kit, but they don’t have to be. You don’t need expensive canvases. The ones that come in bulk packs from Hobby Lobby or Michael’s or the Amazon store are just what you need. And they came prepared and ready to go.
The two main sizes I use for most of my artwork are 11″x14″ and 16″x20″. If you find you need a few more sizes after you start, you can definitely add them, but I recommend starting with them.
Your brushes are working hard for you. It is important to clean and take care of them. It starts with cleaning them properly. You will find many brush cleaners to choose from. I’m sure they’re all great and do the job, but after trying a few over the years, this brush cleaner is my personal favorite.
Just wash your brushes, lather them with a little soap and wash them. This cleaner helps protect and repair the brush.
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Check out how I use it to keep my brushes looking their best on my brush care blog!
I love using pencils in my art. They are perfect for creating those pesky lines we all struggle with sometimes.
Colored pencils work better than sharpies and leave a color-like finish on your photo. I’m sharing some of my favorite color pens to consider adding to your stash when you start painting.
Multicolor Posca Color Pens – I’ve used these in many of my drawings to create unique accent lines!
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Others are Sharpie pencils for oil-based paints. I love them in white and black. However, find pencils and all kinds of colors and use them to enhance your photos!
Over the past few years, I’ve spent a lot of time researching and creating with palette knives. I love the texture and simple nature they give to photos. I may or may not be a little nervous about using them. LOL.
You will see many of my artworks made with palette knives. In fact, I love painting with palette knives so much that I have my own palette knife collection, The Social Easel! Contains everything you need to start painting with palette knives.
I may or may not be a little obsessed with using them! Lol! You can see many of my artworks made with these knives! This is a great starter set.
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Be sure to check out my other blog about painting palette knife flowers! He has a free lesson for you!
If you want a little more insight into the supplies you’ll need to start painting, jump over here to watch my Facebook Live!
If you’re ready to dive deep into basic acrylic painting techniques, check out my 4-Day Painting Series – Acrylic Basics!
Now that you have your inventory to start painting, you’re good to go!! If you want to let me know before I go live with a fun art tutorial on the Social Easel Facebook page.
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If you want to let me know before I go live on Facebook
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Hi, I am Erick Norman. A blogger specialist in Kitchen Design.