Whether a skilled or would-be artist, jumpstarting your creative journey with acrylics requires having the right tools for the job. Knowing the right acrylic art supplies can be overwhelming, especially if you're a beginner. There are so many options nowadays so it’s hard to know which ones are necessary.
Must-Have Acrylic Painting Supplies
Turn your acrylic painting into a masterpiece with a premium selection of acrylic paint supplies. The three most significant artist supplies are acrylic paint, paintbrushes, and a painting surface like canvas or wood panels.
Acrylic Paint
Most brands offer two versions: Student Quality and Artist Quality. What is the difference? Price and quality. Artist-grade acrylic paint provides higher coverage and punch, hence it's more expensive than student-quality ones. Yes, it is tempting to use student quality paints because they are less costly, but we would normally recommend that you avoid student paints. They have more filler and less pigment; thus, the results will be less pleasing than with the higher-quality artist-grade paints. Having said that, if you have a limited budget, go with what you can afford. However, if you can, get a tube or two of artist-quality paints to see and feel the difference for yourself.
Acrylic paints come in tubes, bottles, and jars. They also come in a variety of sizes, ranging from 2 to 32 ounces. If you're just starting, stick to the 2oz size. This way, you can see if you enjoy the brand before investing more. Those 2oz tubes can last a long time, depending on how large or little you paint. If you're a complete newbie trying out acrylics, opt for the smaller tubes or jars.
These acrylic paint supplies also come in sets, which may lower the cost per tube. This is an excellent investment for novices, as you are starting from scratch with your collection of paint colours.
You might be surprised to learn that you don't need a lot of colours to get started. You can freely mix ten basic colours to make many of the other colours you will require. This means that if you need to blend a certain colour, attempt to use the colours you already have on hand. If the results aren't what you are looking for, purchase the colour that most closely matches what you require. This way you can save money in the long run.
Brushes
One of the most important aspects to take into account when picking the right acrylic paintbrush is its size. Although this is where it gets into preference, every aspiring artist should have at least three different sizes: a large, medium, and small one.
The large brush should be large enough to paint a background. Square or circular are the shapes available. A little brush should be small and pointed enough to cover any detail in your painting. A medium-sized pointed brush is ideal for filling in larger areas where a large brush is not appropriate.
Also, make sure the brushes you pick are suitable for acrylic painting. Acrylic paints will not work with oil paint brushes or most watercolour brushes. Since you are as good as the tools you use, we recommend not purchasing the cheapest set of brushes and instead striking a decent balance in the middle. Reading reviews or feeling the brush's bristols can help determine whether or not they are a decent option.
Painting Surface
The most popular surface for painting with acrylics is gallery-wrapped canvas, which comes in a variety of sizes. Canvas boards or canvas paper, for example, are more affordable options. You can also paint on extremely thick paper, but it must be at least 300lb or the paper would buckle. If you're feeling sophisticated, wood panels are another choice, but they're harder to come by and more expensive. The type of painting surface you require is entirely determined by the subject of your painting. For those who want to take online painting classes, specific sizes are recommended.
Additional Essentials
If you choose to use a paint palette, make sure it is plastic so that you can rinse and reuse it. However, if you do not want to spend the money and have an extra paper platter hanging around, you can use that instead.
A water cup is essential for keeping your brushes in good condition and rinsing them between colours. You can use a plastic cup, a used glass jar, or even an old can. Additionally, you'll need something to dry your brush off. If you don't want to wastepaper towels, an old rag or cloth works perfectly.
Painting with acrylics can get messy, therefore it's always a good idea to be prepared rather than destroying your favourite clothes. You don't need an apron from the start, but if you paint regularly, then you should definitely consider investing in one. Otherwise, wear an old shirt or other apparel that you don't mind getting paint on. Back to painting can get messy, always make sure to cover your table or painting area with some sort of tablecloth or even newspaper will suffice.
