Art supplies every beginner should have
Starting your own art journey is exciting but knowing what to buy is pretty overwhelming to begin with. You can get caught up in wanting to buy absolutely every art medium you try (trust me, it’s addictive) but the key is to buy the right things, not all the things! just a few basics will set you up for success. Here’s a list of essential art supplies every beginner should have to get started on your creative path:
If you are a student, I am always available for advice on different brands to suit your budget
1. Sketchbook
A good quality sketchbook is your art playground and paper is just as important as the medium your using. Choose one that has paper suitable for the medium you want to work with - a minimum of 200gsm is a good place to start. A mixed media sketchbook may be your best bet if your unsure on your preferred medium.
2. Graphite Pencils
Start with a basic set of pencils, ranging from hard (H) to soft (6-9B). H pencils are great for fine lines, while B pencils are perfect for shading and adding depth to your drawings. You could also grab some willow/vine charcoal while your there as this is a wonderful expressive medium and it’s cheap as chips (wait chips aren’t that cheap anymore, we need to update this saying)
3. Erasers
A kneaded eraser and a regular rubber eraser are essential. The kneaded eraser is great for lightening areas without damaging the paper or shaping it to different sizes for whatever you are ‘kneading’ it for (see what I did there 🤪) while a rubber eraser is good for sharper lines and corrections. I also find that a thin ‘pen type’ eraser comes in handy for thinner erasing.
4. Watercolors or Acrylic paints?
Acrylic paints are beginner-friendly, as they dry quickly and can be used on a variety of surfaces, clean up can be more difficult than watercolour but certainly not as difficult as oil paints. Watercolours are a wonderful medium to work with as a beginner - remember it is about translucent layers that you build. The technique with watercolours can take a little longer to get use to but everyone needs to start somewhere. TIP - try to use pan watercolours - using paint straight from a tube as a beginner can be tricky to know the amount and you will end up wasting a lot of paint.
6. Brushes
If you’re working with watercolors or acrylics, a small set of good-quality brushes will make a huge difference. For watercolours you want an absorbent brush that will hold water and pigment - neef or squirrel hair, for acrylic - hog hair and synthetic brushes are a good place to start. You will find what size and shape brushes you like best over time but a good place to start is it invest in a medium size (8-10) round and flat brush and a smaller detail brush to begin with.
7. Palette
A palette is essential for mixing your colors. A simple plastic palette for acrylics is fine (I’m sure you have a plastic lid with no bottom floating around) or a ceramic plate works well for both watercolors and acrylics - plates at the op shop start at .50c 😉 a spray bottle is also handy for keeping your acrylic moist (as they dry so fast) and wetting down your watercolour pans ready for use.
TIP - DIY stay wet palette - wet a paper towel or cloth and place it on your palette and but some baking paper on top - mix your acrylic paints on this and they will stay wet for a long period.
12. A Sharpener
I have tried every sharpener under the sun and I still don’t think you can beat the standard silver metal two hole sharpeners we used at school - they’re sturdy and cheap!
Bonus Tip: It’s easy to get caught up in buying every art supply under the sun, but remember, your creativity is your most important tool! Start with these basics, and once you feel comfortable, you can slowly add more advanced materials to your collection.
With these essentials, you’ll be ready to dive into the world of art and start exploring your creative potential!