Hello Friends, and thank you for popping back in. I thought this would be a great topic for my first blog of 2019. One of my students who took one of my acrylic classes for the first time, asked me a great question “What would be required for a novice painter to supply themselves with on a budget?” This is a great question and to be honest l often get asked, so it made sense that l would write a blog about it. Now keep in mind that my suggestions are not written in stone and there is a vast variety of supplies that you can get. If you are on a budget and not sure if this is going to be a long term adventure, here is a list of my honest recommendations of acrylic painting supplies that you can start with. Remember that you don’t have to purchase all your supplies at once, as l tend to be frugal and enjoy a sale or a deal on the items l require, or want. Waiting for coupons or sales will help you get the most for your money. Here is a list of what l would start off with and where to find them. Brushes I like to use acrylic taklon brushes and ones that are made from synthetic fibres. Taklon brushes have very smooth bristles allowing for smooth acrylic paint application and l find them perfect for detail work. You do not need to grab top of the line brushes. Michaels sells some excellent value packs, in different sizes that are perfect to start with. Dollar stores sometimes also sell taklon brushes, l have purchased them myself and use them on a regular basis. Although there are so many different sizes and shapes used for all types of techniques, you don’t need a handful of brushes to start off with, you only need a few. In time you will develop preferences for sizes and shapes. Mop brushes are a must for my style of acrylic painting and they are used for blending your colours and to soften your brush strokes. You can find mop brushes at most art stores, l tend to look for a mop brush with the softest bristles. Make-up blush brushes work great as a mop brush for blending, so if you have one that you aren’t using, make sure it is clean and dry and you can start using it. The following brushes are ones that l recommend you start with: #1 liner brush/rigger, for detailing. #4 and #8 filbert are versatile brushes, great for different brush strokes. Medium size mop brush/blush brush, which assists in blending your colours and softening your brush strokes. #12 Flat brush for applying paint to your backgrounds and larger areas. Palette You will require a palette on which to mix your paints. This can be made of plastic, non-porous surfaces are highly preferred. Disposable foam plates work great and make clean up easy. Most art stores sell a variety of wonderful pallets even ones with lids to store unused paint. Don't forget to visit your local Dollar store, they may sell some inexpensive palettes. Brush Tub You will need plenty of water, and l always recommend having two containers, one available to clean your brushes and one for diluting paint and just rinsing. Large plastic cups will work, but what l prefer are brush tubs because, they usually have separate areas with ridges to asset in cleaning your brushes. Canvas, Wood Boards and Canvas boards Canvas, canvas boards, wood boards are all great surfaces for acrylic painting. Value packs of canvas are available to purchase at Michaels and are perfect to use for a great value. Prices all depend on the size you are looking for. Dollar stores also sell inexpensive painting surfaces such are canvas boards, wood boards and canvas in all sizes, that you can practice with. You can also find at your local art store canvas paper that has texture and makes an ideal surface to practice your brush strokes. Acrylic Paints Your paints can help greatly in your progress as a painter, what usually happens is a hesitancy on investing in the ‘good quality’ paints until you yourself become a better painter. Although there is so much to learn with paints, l will have to write a more in-depth blog about the differences between student and artist grade paints, which brands and colours l prefer and why?, so stay tuned as this might be my next blog topic. I recommend two brands that l absolutely love, for the value and quality, “Liquitex Basics” and “Grumbacher Academy” acrylics. Both brands offer different starter colour sets as well as individual tubes in different sizes. You can find these brands at Michaels, Amazon and most art stores, prices vary, depending on the size of tube and set you desire. Other Useful Supplies Here are some other useful supplies that you may already have. Q-tips are helpful for cleaning a tiny mistake on your painting, blow dryer to help your paint dry quickly if needed, masking tape for covering a surface, and a pencil to draw your design on your painting surface if desired. Lastly paper towels, for easy cleaning of your brushes, absorbing extra water and cleanup. I hope that you have enjoyed this blog and for those of you who want to try acrylic painting, don't wait. It is so much fun and rewarding. Click my "Classes" page and join one of my painting classes. See what appeals to you. You will learn so many useful painting tips and tricks. Click the links below to follow me on my social media platforms. Until next time my friends, wishing you all a beautiful and creative day.
Alice
1 Comment
Sandi Krause
1/10/2019 05:52:57 pm
Thanks for the information. I appreciate it. I would also love to obtain the same information of starting water colours if you could in the future.
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AuthorAlice is a realistic full time visual artist with over 25 years of experience in her art career. Passionate about helping others grow in their creative process. Alice shares invaluable tips and strategies on her blog to help readers improve their art practice. When not in her studio, Alice enjoys teaching and cooking. Connect with Alice on Instagram, Facebook or visit her website at www.alicemelofineart.com Archives
August 2024
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