My Essential Acrylic Painting Supplies - Starter Pack
Over the years, I’ve tried many different materials in my studio, but there are a few supplies I return to again and again. In this guide, I’m sharing the acrylic painting essentials I personally use, what I look for when choosing them, and what I would recommend if you’re building your own setup.
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Paint · Canvas · Brushes/Palette Knives · Mediums · Tools
Acrylic Paint
Good acrylic paint should have strong pigmentation, a smooth consistency and enough body to work both in thin layers and more textured applications.
What I look for
pigmentation
consistency
drying behaviour
colour range
MY RECOMMENDATION:
I use these brands. I have tried many different brands but these are my favorites
AMSTERDAM - you can get a pretty good starter pack here
WINDSOR & NEWTON - they also have a starter pack here
Canvas
Canvas quality affects both the painting experience and the finished result. You can also buy some that are already framed, which I find really easy - så the finish will become super nice! A good tip is to spray some water on the back and the canvas will become even more tight.
MY RECOMMENDATION:
I would buy these ones
Stretched canvases smaller sizes
Stretches canvases bigger sizes
Stretched canvases with frames
Brushes/palette knives
I usually have a pretty wide selection of brushes. You need different brushed for different methods. But it is always good to have quite a few. Here is some nice packs
If I need to make a background color on my paintings I usually use a roller. I think the foam ones work best.
I have also used palette knives, they are good for trying other methods.
Mediums
We have different mediums for different kinds of methods. Here is a list:
Modelling paste - for making texture on your painting. You can mix with paint or paint it when it is dry. This modelling paste is really good.
Studio Essentials
Here are other studio essentials I use all the time
Spray bottles - spray water on your canvas to keep it from drying too fast
Jars - to keep a color you have mixed for another day
Old shirt
What I would buy first
If you’re just starting out, I wouldn’t buy everything at once. I would begin with a small selection of good-quality paint, a few versatile brushes, a medium-sized canvas and one palette knife.
Artist tip: Fewer good materials are often more useful than a large collection of inexpensive supplies. Learn how a small number of tools behave before adding more.