Art Supplies Every Beginner Artist Needs

They say that painting and drawing are supposed to calm your nerves and ease your mind. While I’m not much of an artist myself, I find scribbling random lines quite soothing. Sure, it doesn’t have to be a jaw-dropping masterpiece but it’s still some form of art. This is why you shouldn’t feel any pressure to create the perfect artwork when you’re first starting out. Artwork is a great way to let your creativity run wild in the quest for freedom of expression. After all, what matters is that you enjoy yourself and what you do, the rest is not that important. Who cares anyway?

If you’re only just entering the artwork waters, you might feel at a loss as to what kinds of supplies you’ll need. And that’s totally normal. In time, you’ll figure out what type of art supplies work best for you. What art supplies does a beginner need? To start off, we’ve prepared a checklist of every essential art supply we could think of so that you don’t have to do all the hard work by yourself. These days, with the help of the internet, it’s never been easier to look up high-quality online art supplies and have them delivered to you right at your doorstep. You don’t even have to leave the house.

Choose the Right Art Surface

The type of surface you go for depends greatly on the kind of drawing or painting you intend to do. The most popular materials include canvas, paper and wood.

Canvas

Canvases are probably the most “professional-looking” material out there. When most people think of artwork, a canvas is the first thing that pops into their heads.

Their durable and long-lasting design makes them sturdy enough to handle all kinds of endeavours. Plus, they already come with a piece of cloth already stretched over a stiff panel so finding a steady and flat surface to draw on shouldn’t be too much of a hassle.

Paper

Paper is probably the most affordable and accessible material out there. If you’re not ready to splurge on overly expensive art supplies just yet then paper is your go-to option here.

Another great thing about paper is that it works well with just about any painting or drawing technique. It’s incredibly versatile and convenient which means you won’t be running into unexpected issues in the process.

Wood

And finally, wood is a lot sturdier than the other materials. Unfortunately, it’s a little more challenging to paint on since the colours absorb into the wood quite easily. This isn’t anything too serious in itself, it just means that you’ll have to use more of your supplies as you go.

Add a Pop of Colour With Paint

If you’ve already decided on using paint, make sure the colours are vibrant enough to satisfy your needs. You can even add extra saturation by using colourful paint pigments. This will make your colours really pop and appear pleasing to the eye.

Don’t be afraid to play around with the colours to see what combinations you get. In time, you might find a shade you actually like.

Use a Variety of Brushes

Brushes come in a whole bunch of shapes and sizes. And each one has a particular purpose. When it comes to the material of the bristles, you can choose between synthetic and animal brushes. The former is usually less expensive and lower quality, but if you’re not an experienced painter, you probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.

In terms of form, flat brushes are generally used to make strong, bold lines across a greater white space. On the other end of the spectrum, round brushes with a pointed tip are great for adding details and drawing subtle lines. Filbert brushes are a common favourite among artists because they’re basically a blend of round and flat brushes. It’s this kind of versatility and convenience that makes them universally loved and widely used.

Additional Art Supplies

So far, we’ve had a quick breakdown of the fundamental art supplies you should have in order to take up your new hobby. But, there are a few others that might come in handy. Once again, all of the online art supplies are conveniently only a click away so you don’t have to put in too much effort to get them.

Start Off With a Sketchbook

Sometimes, you might have a general idea of what kind of art you’d like to do but you’re unsure of which direction to take it in.

That’s where sketchbooks come to the rescue. You could have a bunch of possible ways to execute an art piece and jotting them down on a piece of paper to fully visualise their potential could be exactly what helps you out. Once you’re satisfied with the way it looks, you can transfer it onto your drawing surface of choice for the best outcome.

Artist Tape

Also known as masking tape, this is a very convenient way to keep paint off of surfaces you don’t want to be painted. You don’t have to worry about messing up the edges or accidentally mixing the paint if you just cover up the area using tape. In the end, you can easily remove it when you’ve finished your work of art.

Easel

If you really want to get your artist game on strong, then your art supply arsenal isn’t complete without an easel.

It’s convenient because you just set the surface and begin crafting your art straight away. It also doesn’t put too much of a strain on your back since most models are eye level.