Starting your art journey is exciting — but walking into an art supply store (or browsing online) can feel overwhelming. The good news? You don’t need everything. Here’s a practical guide to the essential supplies that will set you up for success without breaking the bank.
1. Choose Your Medium First
Before buying anything, decide which medium you want to explore. Your choice will determine which supplies you need:
- Acrylic paint – Most beginner-friendly, versatile, and affordable.
- Watercolor – Portable and great for loose, expressive work.
- Oil paint – Rich and blendable, but requires more setup and cleanup.
- Drawing/sketching – The simplest starting point — just pencils and paper.
2. Essential Brushes
You don’t need a full set to start. A small selection of quality brushes will serve you better than a large set of poor-quality ones. Our 7pcs Artist Paint Brush Set is a perfect starter kit, or go bigger with the 20pcs Artist Paint Brush Set that works across all mediums.
3. Paint: Quality Over Quantity
Start with a limited palette of 6–10 colours. Here are our top picks by medium:
- Acrylic: 12 Tubes Artist Acrylic Paint Set — a great all-in-one starter.
- Oil: Artist Oil Paint Set 12 Tubes or the complete Ferrario Van Dyck Set with brushes, canvas & palette.
- Watercolor: Watercolor Travel Paint Set — portable and beginner-friendly.
4. Surfaces and Supports
What you paint on matters:
- Acrylic & Oil: Pre-primed canvas boards or stretched canvas are ideal.
- Watercolor: Use quality paper like the Aquabee Artist Watercolor Pad (Made in USA) or Fabriano Artistico Watercolor Paper (Made in Italy).
- Drawing: A sketchbook with smooth or medium-tooth paper (80–100gsm).
5. Other Must-Haves
- Palette – The Watercolor Plastic Folding Palette is compact and easy to clean.
- Palette knife – For mixing paint and applying texture.
- Brush washer – Keep brushes clean with our Artist Aluminum Brush Washer.
- Brush storage – Protect your investment with a brush case or brush stand holder.
- Easel – The Portable Plein Air Folding Metal Easel (Made in Italy) is a great starter option for studio or outdoors.
6. What to Skip (For Now)
Avoid buying large sets, specialty mediums, or expensive tools until you know what you actually need. Start simple, paint regularly, and add to your toolkit as your practice grows.
Ready to Start?
Browse our curated selection of beginner-friendly art supplies — from starter brush sets and student-grade paints to quality canvases and sketchbooks. Everything you need to begin your creative journey is here.