What supplies do I need to start painting?

Whether you need an easel or not would mostly be dependent upon the size of painting you’ll be doing.

Smaller sizes can just be propped up on whatever you find handy or you could just lie them flat.

As far as the types of paints to use, you need to decide upon whether you want the ease of cleanup of water based paints or the longer drying time of oils.

Personally, I prefer Acrylics (water based) because they’re so much easier to use and I’m just not fond of the chemical smell of turpentine. But it’s your decision.

Also, acrylics come in varying thicknesses with tubes and jars so if you wanted an experience close to oils, you would use tube Acrylics. There are also varying thicknesses of clear gel medium to mix with the Acrylics for different effects.

Whatever you decide, DEFINITELY invest in good quality brushes and clean them and take proper care of them. If you cheap out on the brushes, you will never get the results you want and will not be happy.

If you decide on Acrylics, then you want to get nylon bristles or Taklon because natural hair brushes will swell too much from the water and will quickly be ruined. Good quality Taklon brushes can literally last a lifetime if properly cared for. I still have some which I bought about 20 or more years ago and they still work great.

Whichever medium you decide upon, you should get a good beginner book to guide you.

Also, consider water colors as you might find that appealing as well.

It’s up to you whether you paint on canvas or not. Stretched canvas is “traditional”, but is by no means the only media that can be painted. People paint wood in various forms (rough and finished lumber, hardboard, etc.) as well as paper, stone and other objects. You can even paint other “finished” products, including pottery, cans, barrels – pretty much whatever you have.

And “paint” is a universe of its own, from oils to acrylics to watercolors – even crayons, and even paint floated on top of other transfer media (such as oil paints floating on – but not mixing with – water).

So that leaves the transfer media: brushes, drops, sticks, feathers and even blown paint.

Finally you’ll need inspiration and a model, or at least a vision.

What medium do you want to use? The materials you’ll need for oil painting are very different from those you would need for watercolor.

Acrylic is really forgiving. It’s not always a preferred medium, since it dries quickly, but that’s kind of the nice thing for beginner painters. You have the option of easily painting over something or part of something if you decide that you don’t like it.

You need something to paint with and something to paint on. You can paint with ketchup on a paper plate if you want.

I like to use cheap acrylics, because they’re a) cheap, b) layerable, so I can choose whether I want something translucent or opaque, and can get a bunch of different effects. My craft area is small, so having my work dry quickly is important to me, since I might need that table for something else in a minute. I also use inexpensive brushes because I’m mean to brushes and often forget to clean them.

@Seek nailed it with “You need something to paint with and something to paint on.”

If you spend a bunch of money you have the pressure of producing something, IMO. From yourself, worst of all, if nowhere else.

If you want a formal start into painting, Bob Ross is my guy. Buy one of the kits or duplicate it in a cheaper way—Bob no longer gives a happy little poop.
:-)

Especially if you’re painting where you live, or will be keeping your just-finished work where you live, I like acrylics because there aren’t toxic fumes coming off the paint and thinners.They’re also somewhat easier for most people to start with.

Can you draw? Unless your style is ‘savage’ you’ll want to be able to render an image effectively. All the painters I know also go to drawing sessions regularly &/or draw casually at home and when out and about. A pencil and drawing pad are all you need for that.

Look! This guy is painting Eminem with spaghetti sauce!

As an artist, i would make suggestions but i would want to know what medium you are thinking of.

Inspire yourself.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/PLqtQ-8TkFw/TAkfaugfSyI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/F0q5f-nJ0k/s640/jimi-hendrix-by-iri5.jpg

(it’s worth a copy and paste if it doesn’t work)

@Seek Thanks. I’ve chosen mustard as my medium. It’s inexpensive and versatile. I have already created two dozen stunning portraits of my ficus tree, using a beautiful mixture of mustard yellow and ochre.

@dabbler “Can you draw?” Not well. You raise a good point. However, I’m not too concerned with results for now. I’ll try to keep this pressure-free, and just enjoy the activity.

@Everyone Thanks, all, this is very helpful. I’ve ruled out oil paints. In fact, I think I’ll go with acrylics. I thought about water colours, but the quick drying sounds great!

@longgone I have no need to change your mind but watercolors are really fast drying too. That is part of their frustration. What I would suggest as a general rule is treat yourself to the best quality of paint and paper you can afford and don’t worry about “wasting” it. Good quality paper, paints and brushes make a big difference in how well it goes.

I would suggest you go in to an art supply store and speak to a salesperson. They are often very helpful. If you want to cut expenses, start with only a few primary colors. You can learn a lot by mixing for secondaries.