The Red and Black Average Cost of Art Supplies for an Art Student

I'1000 an creative person and writer who shares tutorials, tips, and information for anyone who wants to learn how to paint or draw.

A List of Essential Tools for Artists

© Carrie Kelley

If you want to learn how to draw or paint and are wondering what materials yous'll need, this list of art supplies for beginners covers ten products every new creative person should have. In this article, you'll learn about each supply and find out how to cull the best ones for a beginner, as well as where to buy them.

art-supplies-beginners — © Carrie Kelley

What Art Supplies Do I Need to Depict or Paint?

Here are the supplies you'll larn virtually in this article:

Sketchbook
Graphite Drawing Pencils
Kneaded Eraser
Art Pencil Sharpener
Ruler
Watercolor or Acrylic Pigment Ready
Paint Brushes
Watercolor Paper Pad or Sail Pad
Plastic Pigment Palette or Palette Newspaper Pad
Color Wheel

1. Sketchbook

A sketchbook is an essential supply for those learning to draw. Whether you plan to take a drawing course or learn on your own, this particular should exist the commencement on your list. Sketchbooks tin can be used for drawing shapes, practicing composition, shading, and other drawing skills. Even if your chief involvement is painting, a sketchbook is the perfect place to plan out a painting before working on other materials.

What kind of sketchbook should I get?

9x12" (22.9 ten 30.5 cm) is a adept size for beginners
Look for l to 65 lb. weight newspaper (74 to 96 GSM)

Tip: In one case you lot've learned the basics of cartoon, consider getting a drawing pad too. Cartoon pads are made with heavier weight paper, which is better for finished work.

2. Graphite Drawing Pencils

Graphite pencils tin exist used to draw everything from the simplest of sketches to highly detailed drawings. They tin be bought individually, or in sets. Sets are great for beginners because they have an assortment of pencil types for drawing and shading. The average six-pencil fix volition accept a 2H, HB, B, 2B, 4B, and a 6B. These numbers stand for with the hardness of the graphite.

Cartoon Pencils 101

Harder pencils make lighter lines (Pencil numbers with an "H")
Softer pencils make darker lines (Pencil numbers with a "B")

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three. Kneaded Eraser

A kneaded eraser is a must-have supply for removing pencil marks. This special type of art eraser won't damage newspaper or leave a residue behind. It tin can exist molded into diverse shapes and used to erase big or small areas.

Hand-held pencil sharpeners for artists

© Carrie Kelley

4. Art Pencil Sharpener

A pencil sharpener will go along your pencils sharp for your drawings. Metal hand-held sharpeners are piece of cake to use and allow you to come across the pencil tip as it's existence sharpened. This helps forestall over-sharpening and broken pencil tips.

What kind of pencil sharpener should I get for sketching?

An eight mm single (standard pencil size) or double sharpener with 8 mm and 10.5 mm holes for thicker pencils

Tip: Supercede the pencil sharpener or the blade when it's not sharpening well.

An 18" stainless steel cork-back ruler

five. Ruler

A ruler is a necessary tool for drawing horizon lines, streets, structures, or anything else with straight lines. Cull a 12 or 18" (xxx or 45 cm) ruler made with stainless steel or anodized aluminum. These types of rulers are easy to continue clean.

Tip: Some artists like "cork-back" rulers because they stay in identify on the paper or canvas.

Transparent Watercolor Set — Transparent Watercolor Prepare

© Carrie Kelley

6. Watercolor or Acrylic Paint Set

Watercolor and acrylic paints are 2 of the all-time choices for those learning to paint. They're both water-based, so paint thinners aren't needed for painting or make clean-upwards. Beginners can acquire basic painting skills by taking a form, or from books, videos, or online tutorials.

Here'southward some data about choosing watercolor paints:

What type of watercolors should I purchase?

Choose a transparent watercolor pan set up with eight to twelve colors.

What are transparent watercolors?

The three types of watercolor paints are transparent, semi-opaque, and opaque. Transparent watercolors have the sheer advent most people associate with this type of paint.

Acrylic Paint Colors — Acrylic Pigment Colors

Carrie Kelley

Choosing Acrylic Pigment

What kind of acrylic paints should I buy?

Expect for a set up of heavy body acrylics in tubes. Heavy trunk paint shows castor strokes but can exist thinned with water for a smoother advent.

What colors of acrylic paint should I buy?

Buy a beginner's set that includes at least six colors: red, yellow, green, blue, blackness, and white.

If y'all're ownership tubes of pigment individually, here's a choice of colors to start with:

Red (Cadmium Red Medium or Naphthol Cherry)
Xanthous (Cadmium Yellow Medium)
Light-green (Phthalocyanine Green, Blue Shade, a.g.a. "Phthalo Light-green")
Blue (Ultramarine Blue, Green Shade)
Purple (Dioxazine Purple)
Brown (Raw Umber)
Black (Mars Black)
White (Titanium White)

Tip: Buy 2 tubes of white considering information technology'south helpful to have extra for mixing colors.

Golden Taklon Paint Brush Set — Golden Taklon Pigment Brush Set

© Carrie Kelley

seven. Paint Brushes

Once you have paints, you'll need some brushes. If you visit an fine art supply store, you lot'll find many types to choose from: natural or synthetic bristle, long handle or brusk handle, and various shapes and sizes.

To go along things uncomplicated every bit you're learning how to paint, choose a beginner's brush set for watercolors or acrylics. Sets include an assortment of brushes for different painting techniques.

What type of pigment brushes should I use?

Both natural and constructed bristle brushes can exist used for watercolor and acrylics. Natural bristle brushes tend to show brush strokes, while constructed bristles leave smooth lines. If you lot're not sure which one to choose, try both to run into which you like all-time.
If you programme to paint with watercolors and acrylics, golden Taklon brushes are a good option. This synthetic brush fabric is durable and tin be used with many types of paint. One of my favorite sets is the Royal Langnickel Soft-Grip v-Piece Starter Set. They're well-made brushes for the price and piece of work with watercolors and acrylics.

Tip: As yous gain experience, experiment with different shapes and sizes of brushes.

A close-up showing the texture of a sheet of cold-pressed watercolor paper — A shut-upward showing the texture of a sheet of cold-pressed watercolor paper

© Carrie Kelley

A close-up showing the texture of canvas pad sheet — A close-upward showing the texture of sheet pad canvass

© Carrie Kelley

8. Watercolor Paper Pad or Sheet Pad

Watercolor and acrylic painting can be done on various surfaces, but pads are one of the easiest for a beginner learning how to paint.

Watercolor Paper Pad: Watercolor paper is thick enough to handle h2o without warping. Expect for a "common cold pressed" watercolor paper pad with 140 lb. (300 GSM) weight newspaper. Cold pressed paper has some texture, which makes it easier to paint on.
Canvas Pad: A sail pad is a skillful surface for those starting out with acrylic paints. Information technology has tear-out sheets which are primed and fix to paint on.

Tip: Start with a 9x12" (22.9 10 30.five cm) watercolor or canvas pad

Palette Paper and Plastic Paint Palette

© Carrie Kelley

9. Plastic Paint Palette or Palette Newspaper Pad

You'll need a pigment palette for mixing colors or diluting them with h2o for painting. Plastic palettes tin can be used with watercolors and acrylics. Choose i at to the lowest degree 7" (approx. 17.5 cm).

A pad of dispensable palette paper is another option for painting. It offers more infinite to mix colors and makes clean-upward a fiddling easier.

ten. Color Bike

A color wheel is some other helpful tool for new artists. Information technology explains some basic facts about colour and shows which colors to mix to create a new color.

Poll

Where to Buy Art Supplies

Local Art Supply Stores - The supplies listed in this commodity should exist available at local art supply stores. The advantages of buying locally are seeing the supplies before you buy them, having someone available to answer whatever questions you might have, and supporting local businesses.
Ownership Art Supplies Online - These supplies tin also be establish at online fine art supply stores and other online retailers. Some advantages of buying fine art supplies online include having access to more brands, reading customer reviews of products, and sometimes more competitive prices.

Brush Cleaner for acrylic, watercolor, and oil paint — Castor Cleaner for acrylic, watercolor, and oil paint

© Carrie Kelley

Other Helpful Supplies for Artists


Modest Water Container for Painting	Art Smock or Apron
Curlicue of Masking Tape	Newspaper Towels
Scissors	Paint Brush Cleaner
Articulate Tape	Art Supply Storage Box

Art Supply List — Fine art Supply List

© Carrie Kelley

This content is accurate and true to the best of the writer's noesis and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized communication from a qualified professional.

Carrie Kelley (author) from USA on July 06, 2020:

Thanks, JC. I hope you decide to get dorsum into information technology old if you bask it. Thanks for your comments :)

JC Scull on July 04, 2020:

Excellent article. You have virtually succeeded in convincing me to get back into cartoon and painting. I gave it up a couple of years ago. In addition to the fact I was making too big of a mess, the pieces I was producing weren't all that good. So I figured I would stick with writing. At to the lowest degree I don't destroy the garage!!

Debra on May thirty, 2020:

Hey im not that new to art but its difficult to find those essential materials were i live but i love your tips thanks

Barbara on April 07, 2020:

I have not drawn in a long fourth dimension and trying to get skills back. Drawing is my fav but i like painting too. Its been since highschool since i painted. Wish i knew where to start and minumum supplies i need. Too whatever great tips to start once more

Carrie Kelley (author) from USA on January 19, 2020:

Howdy Sarah, Y'all're welcome! I'm glad you institute information technology helpful :) Thank you for your comments.

Sarah on January eighteen, 2020:

this was very helpful and im kinda new to art and then this would assist alot

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