subject: Oil Painting Supplies - A Guide For The Beginner [print this page] Oil Painting Supplies - A Guide For The Beginner
For a budding new artist, the first acquisition of oil painting supplies can be an exciting event. Unfortunately, it is also easy to lose oneself in the moment, and end up spending much more than necessary. With a little advance information, you can make good purchasing decisions, and still end up with quality oil painting supplies. I've written this article to be a resource for anyone who desires to buy the best possible supplies, and to stay within their budget.
I remember my first trip to my local art supply store, many years ago. This particular establishment had every tube of paint, brush, medium and canvas known to man, far too many choices for a confused beginner like me. A sales person eventually came to my assistance, and helped me fill up the shopping cart. I left that store with a box full of supplies, most of which I had absolutely no idea what to do with and many of which I never used. Hopefully this article will prepare you to make better initial purchasing decisions than I did!
Canvas:
Canvases can be found at neighborhood art and craft shops, but there may be better prices found at the big box stores. One large advantage of the smaller, neighborhood establishments is that they may give you a deal if you ask them. Some of them offer as much as a 20% discount for students, for example.
Cotton canvas tend to be the most popular choice, but there are other options available. For example: linen canvas, boards, canvas paper, paint on plywood, MDF board, and even hardboard. You could also buy rolled canvas and stretch your own if desired. The best bet is to experiment with these choices until you find what works the best for you.
Oil Paints:
Of all the oil painting supplies listed here, the price and quality of the paints themselves have the widest varience. My preference is Winsor & Newton oil paints, and I pretty much have standardized on them. However, there are other good alternatives on the market, such as Grumbacher Artist Oils. My advice is to try them both and see which one you like.
The next decision is on grades. There are typically student grade paints and professional grade paints to choose from. I prefer the the professional grades as the colors seem to be more brilliant than student grade paints. Of course this is a personal preference, and you might form a different opinion.
As regards colors, here are my initial recommendations:
Lamp Black
Titanium White
Flake Yellow (or Cadmium Yellow)
Ultramarine Blue
Alizarin Crimson
Burnt Umber
Raw Sienna
Yellow Ochre
These would probably be sufficient for most painting you will need to do.
Brushes
I have purchased expensive brushes and middle price ranged brushes in my life, and have found no discernible difference in their use. The really cheap brushes are to be avoided however, as their quality level is unacceptable (at least in my opinion).
Over the years I have collected dozens of brushes but at best only ever use about six to complete a painting, and one of those is a fan brush used for softening edges.
Whenever possible I would buy brushes marketed as student or mid-priced brushes. They should be more than sufficient in quality terms.
Easels
Easels can be found in most of the same retail establishments as the other oil painting supplies that we previously discussed. And of course they are offered in various sizes and price ranges. The most important feature for an easel is its stability. Otherwise your canvas will wobble around when you paint.
The other major decision when choosing an easel is its intended location. If you plan to use it in a studio, you'll want a different model than if you plan to paint primarily out of doors. If outdoors, you should consider purchasing a French easel. The JACK RICHESON Academy Verona Half French Easel is probably the best alternative. If you work primarily in-studio, then the choices are considerably more plentiful. I personally use a STANRITE 500 Classic Aluminum Easel because of its lightweight and sturdy nature. It sets up easily and can be folded for easy transport.
I hope you find this article to be of interest to you. Please feel free to use it as a resource as you begin your new hobby as on oil painter!
Dick is an oil painting fanatic. He likes nothing better to read about it, write about it and (of course) create it. He has a website with literally hundreds of articles, videos, etc on the subject of oil painting. Please feel free to browse the site. http://www.richardgroskopf.com/
