Art Materials for Painting

Painting is often seen as an elusive field. Would-be painters rarely know where to start. You can get started painting in acrylic, oil or watercolors with only a few standard items. If you want to start creating your own masterpieces out of paint, pick up these basic items.

Your canvas doesn't have to be a traditional canvas you find in an art gallery. You can paint on anything. You could paint on paper, on a piece of driftwood, or on your bedroom wall. If you want to go with the traditional method, a canvas stretched over a wooden frame is the best. These can cost anywhere from $10 to over $100, depending on the size of the canvas as well as the brand. For watercolor painters, paper is often the best medium. You can find watercolor sketchbooks for under $10 at most art supply stores.

While you could paint with your hands, finger painting is usually left up to younger, elementary school artists. Instead, you will want to get at least a few quality paintbrushes in several different sizes. At bare minimum, you need three different paintbrush sizes; small, medium and large. The smallest brush should have a fine point so you can get intricate details, while the big brush should be wide enough to paint an entire canvas in a short amount of time. While art supply stores sell paintbrushes individually, you can save money by buying a value pack. This way, you get every brush you need for a reduced price. You can get a set of five nice brushes for $10 or under.

The paint you choose depends entirely on the kind of painting you want to do. For artistic works with lots of color blending, oils are best. Oils are used by most professional painters. A wide range of brands, along with a wide range of prices, are available. Expect to pay between $9 and $40 per color tube of paint. Acrylic paint is a good medium for those who care more about bright color and less about blending. These paints are cheaper and easier to use, since they are naturally soluble in water. You can find these between $5 and $10 per color tube. Watercolor paints are solid as opposed to the creamy consistency of oil and acrylic paint. Instead, you mix water onto the solid paint and put it to your canvas. Watercolor paint is rarely sold separately and instead is found in a tin of 10 to 20 colors. A traditional watercolor palette can go for $5 and beyond.