What Do You Think is Essential to Start Painting?

Question

What do you think someone about to start painting and creating art art for the first time needs to have? What are the essential painting supplies, whether it's for oil painting, acrylics, watercolor, pastels, or mixed media? Is there anything you wish you'd discovered or started using earlier? Share what you think you need to start painting, your choices of the essential painting supplies. What Do You Think?

Answer 1

 

Essential to Start Painting: Ideas

For me the most important thing to start painting is/was an idea or a vision. I've been painting for years and years and have use everything from cardboard to cheap scrapbook paper to paint on and from the cheapest children's watercolour paints to some pretty good quality equipment. It didn't matter because without the spark of an idea I didn't even get off the ground.

Answer 2

I absolutely agree -- if you WANT to paint / create you HAVE to -- doesn't matter how little you can afford, you will find a way to produce paintings.

Answer 3

 

Beginner's It

When I started painting I began with a small kit and added on from there. I paint with acrylics on large canvasses so a few items listed here may be specific to the medium. Filbert, straight, angle brush and 2" wide brush. Stay-wet palette. Paint: red, blue, yellow, white, Payne's gray. White pencil, graphite pencil, eraser, flow aid, sturdy economical easel, t-bar. Buy the best paint and brushes that you can afford. You will definitely notice a difference.

Answer 4

 

Desire

The desire to create is foremost, the rest will follow. Exploring the various painting supplies available can be magical, limit buying too much, too soon. Find a beginner's class or instructional videos, and enjoy.

Answer 5

 

Supplies for Acrylics

A multipack of different brushes, palette knife, and a few colors that you like. You don't have to have too many to start out with. I make a stay wet palette with an old plate, wet paper towels, and parchment paper. Also, a water sprayer is good to mist over the paint to keep it workable, this is a trick I learned more recently.