Painting Supplies List

For your convenience, I've compiled a list of the recommended painting supplies that I regularly use. I hope this helps save you time and money! Each of these products links to Blick, Michaels, or Amazon, whoever has the lowest price. (Please note that this page contains affiliate links. Click here to see my affiliate link disclosure.)

Surfaces

Michaels Artist’s Loft Level 3 Gallery Wrapped heavy duty cotton canvas review.

$ Best of the affordable canvases

Every teacher and professional artist I know will tell you the same thing: buy the best quality supplies that you can afford. Artist’s Loft Level 3 canvases are good all-purpose canvases that I use mainly for abstract paintings. If you are looking for something to practice on, check out the Level 1 canvases, which are the least expensive.

Specs: cotton, 15 oz primed, 1.5 inches deep, archival and acid free.

Note: if you are looking for something even sturdier and with a smoother surface ideal for realistic work, check out the Masterpiece Tahoe and Elite Heavyweight canvases also listed here.

$$ Best of the middle priced canvases

Masterpiece canvases are built to last. The Tahoe canvases have a supple and smooth finish, which is great for more detailed paintings. Unlike the Level 3 canvas, the Tahoe canvas is stapled on the back, which makes it easier to remove and restrech later on if necessary. These canvases also have superior construction to the Level 3 canvases with increased frame support.

Specs: cotton, 14.6 oz primed, 2.5 inches deep, archival and acid free.

Note: these canvases are about twice the price of the Level 3 canvases. They are definitely worth the money depending on what you are working on and where your painting might end up. If you aren't sure what canvas is the best fit for what you are trying to accomplish, go to a speciality art store and talk to someone there and tell them what you want to do. Take canvases off of the shelves and compare them, see how they are constructed and how the different surfaces feel.

Masterpiece Elite Heavyweight Oil Primed Linen Canvas review.

$$$ Best of the expensive canvases

Masterpiece Elite Heavyweight Oil Primed Linen canvases are similarly constructed to the Tahoe canvases but are made with linen rather than cotton. Linen - especially Belgian linen - is more expensive than cotton and some artists prefer linen for its greater historical durability. Linen is made from flax fibers, which are longer, stronger, and more flexible than cotton fibers and have more natural oil in them, making them less prone to damage from humidity. Combined with modern sizes and priming, however, the difference between linen and cotton is apparently minimal. That said, the Elite canvases are about twice the price of the Tahoe canvases. If you are looking for a very smooth linen canvas surface of the highest quality, go with the Masterpiece Elite Portrait Smooth Linen canvases.

Specs: linen, 18.3 oz primed, 1.5 inches deep, archival and acid free. Suitable for oils and water mixable oils.

Note that there is also an acrylic primed version of this canvas, which is suitable for both acrylic and oil paint.

Alternatively: Masterpiece sells stretcher kits, so for a lower price you can assemble their frames and purchase canvas separately: https://bit.ly/masterpiece-stretcher-kits. Aluminum frame canvases are also used by some professional artists I know because they are strong, rarely warp, and are lightweight. With a linen canvas they can be about as expensive as the Masterpiece Elite Heavyweight Linen canvases. Some artists feel the expense is well worth it. You can learn more about aluminum frame canvases here: https://bit.ly/aluminum-frame-canvas and mix and match aluminum stretcher bars here if you wish to construct your own: https://bit.ly/aluminum-stretcher-bars

Blick Premier Wood Panels

Hardwood panels can be a great alternative to canvases. Blick's basswood panels are well-constructed, acid free, offer a smooth surface for painting, and hold up well with heavy applications of paint and other mediums.

Note: Prior to painting, seal (with Golden Gloss Medium) and gesso (with Golden Gesso) panels in order to increase moisture resistance and even out the tension caused by the application of paint. If you are planning to paint with oils, do three coats of gesso.

Learn more here:
https://ampersandart.com/full/priming-wood-panels-with-acrylic-gesso-or-oil-grounds

Ampersand Hardbord

Hardboard panels are a highly dense painting surface, composed of shredded and compressed wood fibers. These panels are acid free and moisture resistant, held together with lignin (the natural adhesive found in wood) rather than glue. This is a solid alternative to canvases but is only available in smaller sizes.

Note: Prior to painting, seal (with Golden Gloss Medium) and gesso (with Golden Gesso) panels in order to increase moisture resistance and even out the tension caused by the application of paint. If you are planning to paint with oils, do three coats of gesso.

Learn more here:
https://ampersandart.com/full/priming-wood-panels-with-acrylic-gesso-or-oil-grounds

Golden Gloss Medium

If you plan to paint on an unprimed hardwood or hardboard panel like those listed here, you need to seal and prime the panel prior to painting. The purpose of doing this is to minimize Support Induced Discoloration (SID). Surfaces (aka supports) such as hardwood and hardboard can cause yellow or brown discoloration over time. It is recommended that one or two coats of Golden Gloss Medium are applied, followed by at least three coats of gesso. Gesso by itself will not be sufficient to protect from SID.

Learn more about why and how to seal and prime here: https://ampersandart.com/full/priming-wood-panels-with-acrylic-gesso-or-oil-grounds

Golden Gesso

I use additional layers of gesso on canvases when I'm looking for a smoother surface to paint on and to prime hardwoods and hardboards prior to painting. I'm a big fan of Golden products and especially recommend their gesso and heavy body acrylic paint. If you're going to buy this you will also want to buy the assorted sandpaper pack to ensure an even surface after gessoing.

Note for those using hardwood or hardboard panels, apply sealer (Golden Gloss Medium) prior to applying gesso. Learn more here: https://ampersandart.com/full/priming-wood-panels-with-acrylic-gesso-or-oil-grounds

Note for those planning to paint with oils on top of acrylic gesso: over time oil paint becomes more brittle and less flexible than acrylic paint. If you are painting on a non-rigid support like a canvas the difference in flexibility may cause the oil paint layer to separate. This tends to be less of an issue with rigid supports such as hardboard. Golden maintains that their acrylic gesso is a perfectly fine foundation for oil painting and suggests applying at least three coats of gesso to control the penetration of oil paint.

Learn more here:
https://education.goldenpaints.com/technicalinfo_oil_over_acrylic

And here:
https://www.goldenpaints.com/technicalinfo/technicalinfo_gesso

3M Assorted Sandpaper

Buy this assorted sandpaper pack to smooth painting surfaces after applying additional coats of gesso. I would recommend using a medium grit first and then a fine or very grit after that, gently rubbing the painting surface in a circular motion to remove any ridges or bumps.

Strathmore Bristol Vellum Paper 300 Series

This is a lovely smooth paper that works well for any kind of illustration involving pencil or ink mediums. I use it primarily for gouache and pastel paintings. This paper is acid free.

Arches Cover Paper

Made from 100% cotton, acid free, and ph neutral, arches cover paper is a wonderful surface for gouache, ink, and pencil. You can even run the paper through some printers and use it for bookmaking.

Note: this paper has a slight texture. If you want a super smooth surface, go with the Strathmore Bristol Vellum paper.

Brushes & Mediums

If you're curious about what oil paint colors to use, I have created a chart of what I consider to be the best pigments available. You can access that chart and download it as a PDF here.

There are over 100 paints listed on that chart. You won’t need all of them. To simplify things, I’ve also created a couple of example palettes below. The first one is for anyone looking for a basic set of colors to get started with. The second lists the colors that I use to paint wildlife. I encourage you to test out different colors and different brands to get a sense of what you like.

Example Palette #1 (limited or beginner’s palette with just 8 colors)

Example Palette #2 (the 14 colors currently on my palette)

Best paintbrushes for artists. Royal and Langnickel Brushes review.

Royal and Langnickel Soft-Grip Brushes

Some artists prefer to use natural animal hair or bristle brushes, however, I find that while those may hold more paint they don't maintain their tips especially in the smaller sizes. They also tend to shed more hairs into my work. I prefer synthetic brushes because of this and Royal and Langnickel is the brand that I find myself coming back to. These brushes are not very expensive and have lasted me a long time. The smaller angular shader brushes in particular are superior to other brands. Short handled brushes are my preference - I find them easier to manipulate than long handle ones, which I find myself having to maneuver around. I also prefer plastic brushes to wood ones as over time the wood tends to chip off and create a mess.

Best oil paints for artists. Winsor and Newton Artists' Oil Colours review.

$$ Winsor and Newton Artists' Oil Paint

In my experience, Winsor and Newton has been a consistent and reliable brand. The Artists' Oil Colour line is my go-to for representational oil paintings along with Michael Harding's Artists Oil Colors.

Winsor and Newton also makes a student-grade line called Winton, which is not meant for professional artists but can be fine for beginners.

$$$ Michael Harding Artists Oil Paint

Between Michael Harding's Artists Oil Paints and Winsor and Newton Artists' Oil Colours, I find that I am able to create a complete and wonderfully vivid palette. Formulas vary between manufacturers and you may prefer working with one over another or notice different results with the same pigments. Both lines are considered to have a more "buttery" consistency than other lines, which can be stiffer out of the tube. It's worth it to research different lines of artist's oil paint to figure out what you like and which lines suit the way that you paint.

Other lines to look at include:
- Blockx
- Daniel Smith
- Gamblin
- Grumbacher
- M. Graham
- Old Holland
- Rublev
- Schmincke Mussini
- Sennelier
- Williamsburg

When you're looking around, keep in mind that more expensive does not necessarily equate superior quality when it comes to artist lines of oil paints (all artist lines are meant to be professional-grade). It's more about your preferences.

Sennelier Refined Safflower Oil

I am moving towards solvent-free painting and have found safflower oil - especially refined safflower oil - to be an excellent choice for thinning paint. For hundreds of years, linseed oil has been the primary binder for oil paint. If you check out the ingredient list on the tubes of most oil paints, you will see it there along with safflower oil sometimes. Safflower oil is used as a binder especially in white oil paints because it does not yellow as much as linseed oil. I like safflower oil because: 1) unlike traditional solvents it does not break down the oil in oil paint (which weakens the paint), it just adds more of the existing binder, and 2) it has a lower viscosity than linseed oil, which means you can spread the paint a greater distance. Safflower oil is also a superb medium to create a glaze as the final layer on a painting.

Notes: safflower oil and linseed oil both slow down drying times, which can be good or a pain depending on what you are trying to accomplish. It’s generally not recommended to mix very much stand alone oil or any other medium in with oil paint. Also be sure to follow the fat-over-lean principle for best long-term results (i.e. the thinnest and least oily layer of paint should be on the bottom and the thickest and/or oiliest layer of paint should be on the top).

It’s also a good idea to get a designated oily metal trash can to dispose of rags or paper towels that are saturated with oil and oil paint. I have a good option listed below.

Winsor and Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oil Colours review. Water mixable paint vs standard oil paint. Oil paint comparison.

Winsor and Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oil Paint

I use Winsor and Newton Water Mixable Oil Colours in some of my abstract paintings, primarily the ones where I'm looking to create a batik effect. They are easier to clean up than traditional oil paints (soap and water is all you need) and water can be used in place of traditional solvents.

Notes: I've noticed that this line dries more quickly than the Artists' Oil Colours. I have found that certain water mixable colors, like raw sienna and burnt umber, dry more quickly - easily within a day - whereas the Artists' colors don't dry as quickly, which I prefer for realistic work. If you use water to dilute the water mixable colors they will dry even faster. The reason that I mostly use this line for abstract paintings is because I think their ability to turn into a watercolor type paint lends them to interesting applications.

I would not use water-mixable oil paint and traditional oil paint in the same painting because the linseed oil in water-mixable paint has been altered to become hydrophilic (allowing it to accept water), which makes it chemically incompatible with traditional oil paint.

Winsor and Newton Designers Gouache Paint

If you've never used gouache, it's like an opaque watercolor paint. The vivid colors lend themselves to all kinds of applications, such as dry brushing, though I use them mainly for smaller illustrations on the Strathmore Bristol Vellum paper.

Golden Heavy Body Acrylic Paint

Golden Heavy Body Acrylics are my favorite acrylic paint. Personally, I'd rather have a thick paint like this that I have to dilute than a lower quality paint that I would have to do multiple coats of to get the same effect. The colors are wonderfully rich and blend well together.

Caran d'Ache Neocolor II Water Soluble Wax Pastel Artists' Crayons

These are my absolute favorite pastels. They are not oily and work similarly as watercolor pencils do. You can use water to blend and spread the color or you can use them as you would normal pastels. Check out my fertility figure series to see examples of how I've used these. The Strathmore Bristol Vellum paper works very well with these crayons and is also listed here. Have a good pencil sharpener on hand to keep the tips pointy.

Turpenoid Natural

I use Turpenoid Natural as a non-toxic turpentine substitute for cleaning my palette and excess oil paint off of brushes before using the Masters Brush Cleaner to get any remaining paint off the brushes.

Masters Brush Cleaner

Every artist I know has a big tub of this soap. It is great for cleaning water mixable oil paint (even regular oil paint), acrylic, gouache, and watercolors. A 24 oz tub can last years.

Gamblin Gamvar Varnish

This is a great varnish that can be removed with Gamsol if needed. It is available in Matte, Satin (aka semi-gloss), and Gloss. Some artists prefer Gloss to deepen colors and if a less glossy look is desired will use additional dry brushes to "paint" over the varnish once it's applied, which will absorb excess varnish. I personally prefer using the gloss varnish mixed with a bit of satin.

Note: do not use this varnish for works with unfixed mediums (i.e. charcoal, colored pencil). Instead, use spray varnish. Winsor & Newton make a professional spray can varnish that I've also listed here.

Winsor and Newton Artists' Fixative Spray

This is a superb fixative for works done with dry and unfixed mediums on paper, such as pastels or charcoal. It will keep these works from being smudged and offer a protective layer as well.

Art Studio Essentials

Resources for both beginning and seasoned artists who want to learn how to create a safe painting studio and artwork that will stand the test of time.

The Painter's Handbook: Revised and Expanded

Author Mark David Gottsegen has served as chairman on the ASTM's (American Society for Testing and Materials) subcommittee for painting supplies for artists, helping develop their standards for art materials. This book covers the suggested use of painting materials as well as potential health and safety issues. The book also includes how-to recipes for making paints, sizes, and varnishes, among other things. Much of the content is not taught in art school.

John Pike Palette

I use this palette for my oil paints mainly though it can also be used for watercolors. It is made from a durable and sturdy plastic that can handle solvents and doesn't stain. It helps my paints last for several days without drying up.

Mechanical Tube Squeezer

This tube squeezer helps ensure that no paint gets left behind. Works well for tubes up to 2 7/8 inches wide. A heavier-duty metal option is also available.

8 oz Spray Bottle

I keep a little spray bottle on hand for making sure my paints moist and preventing a "skin" from forming on the top of paint in open jars.

2 oz Glass Jars

Perfect for mixing smaller quantities of paint, especially suited for mixing gouache paints. I like this particular brand (Vivaplex) because it's less expensive than the usual glass jars sold at art stores but great quality. The shape makes for easy clean-up as well. I prefer glass jars over plastic containers because paints seem to dry out more quickly in the plastic containers, the colors themselves are not as visible, and the plastic sometimes absorbs color and looks stained. None of these are issues with glass jars.

8 oz Glass Jars

Perfect for mixing larger quantities of paint, especially suited for mixing and diluting acrylic paint. I like this particular brand (Vivaplex) because it's less expensive than the usual glass jars sold at art stores but great quality. The shape makes for easy clean-up as well. I prefer glass jars over plastic containers because paints seem to dry out more quickly in the plastic containers, the colors themselves are not as visible, and the plastic sometimes absorbs color and looks stained. None of these are issues with glass jars.

No 2 pencils

Another studio essential, Staedtler No 2 pencils are regular everyday pencils that are used for making sketches, outlines, marking measurements, etc.

Best erasers for artists. Precision erasing. Prismacolor kneaded rubber eraser review.

Prismacolor Kneaded Eraser

These erasers are superior to gum erasers in my experience and are great for removing pencil, charcoal, and pastel from canvas and paper. I like that I am able to mold the eraser into a specific shape or create a tip to allow for precision removal.

Mabef Basic Lyre Studio Easel

I use these A-Frame easels for canvases up to 36W x 48H inches. Bigger than this and things start to wobble plus you also run the risk of the weight of your canvas straining the adjustable bottom part of the easel that holds the canvas at a certain height. These easels are easy to assemble, lightweight, and travel easily (hey, if they can fit in my Prius they can probably fit in your car, too!). The Mabef revolving attachment that allows you to rotate your canvas is compatible with this easel.

Recommended artist easels. H-Frame easels for professional and beginner painters. Mabef Artist Plus M-07 Easel review.

Mabef Artist Plus Easel M-07

This H-frame easel is great for paintings larger than 36W x 48H inches and is one of the best around for the price point. The Mabef revolving attachment that allows you to rotate your canvas is compatible with this easel.