How to Store my Art Supplies?


How to store my art supplies? You have spent all this money on art supplies, it would be a waste to have to throw away those art supplies because they haven’t been stored properly. Let me help so you know how to store your art supplies. Read more about how to store my art supplies below.


How to store my art supplies:

Having proper storage of art supplies is important so that you don’t damage your art supplies -having them be wasted and so that your art supplies stay organized and you know where everything is. 


Keep Your Studio Space Clean

  • Make sure the storage area is clean and free from dust, moisture, and direct sunlight

  • This will prevent art and art supplies from becoming damaged.


Categorize and Sort Your Art Supplies

  • Group similar items together. For example, keep paints with paints, brushes with brushes, and sketching tools with sketching tools.

  • This will help keep your art supplies organized and so that you know where to put things when you are done. This prevents your art studio from becoming a dumping ground and cluttered. Now you will know that everything has a “home” and a special spot to go! 



Use Containers to Store Art Supplies

    • Invest in containers or boxes to keep your supplies organized. Clear containers can help you see what's inside without opening them. You could also use boxes with labels, baskets or jars. I like plastic containers because it keeps art and supplies dry and protected.



Consider Accessibility:

    • Store frequently used items in easily accessible places like on your desk or workstation. Less frequently used items can be stored in less accessible areas like in a box or closet. 


Protect from Light and Moisture:

    • Some art supplies, such as paints and paper, can be sensitive to light and moisture. Store them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.

    • This keeps the art supplies in good condition and lasting longer! 


Make Use of Shelves:

    • Shelving can save space and make it easier to see and access your supplies.



Purge and Declutter:

    • Regularly go through your art supplies and get rid of items that are no longer in good condition or that you no longer use. This keeps your art studio organized and it will be easier to find the art supplies you are looking for! 




Rolling Carts or Drawers:

    • Rolling carts or drawers can be a convenient solution, especially if you like to move your art supplies from one place to another.


Protective Cases for Fragile Items:

    • For delicate items like pastels or graphite sticks, consider using protective cases to prevent breakage.


Store Canvases and Papers Flat:

    • If possible, store canvases and papers flat to prevent warping or damage.


Temperature Consideration:

    • Some art supplies may have specific temperature requirements. Check the product labels for any special instructions and store accordingly.


Create a Dedicated Workspace:

    • If you have the space, create a dedicated art workspace where you can store and access your supplies easily.



Do you have any tips for how you like to store your art supplies? Let me know in the comments below! 



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What to Buy Someone Who Likes Art

What to buy someone who likes art? This may be hard if you don’t like art yourself but as an artist and someone who loves art. I want to help you out! Below is a list of ideas for what to buy someone who likes art! Feel confident in buying the right gift for someone who likes art.


What to Buy Someone Who Likes Art - for the Walls


Rainbow Field 4
CA$110.00
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What to Buy Someone Who Likes Art - for the artist or aspiring artist

  • A great sketchbook

  • A fancy paint brush

  • Golden acrylic paint - a great company with luxurious paint and rich colours!

  • Easel 

  • A nice journal and pen from Indigo or Staples

What to Buy Someone Who Likes Art - for the reader



What to Buy Someone Who Likes Art - for the viewer 

  • A camera or nice camera bag 

  • Camera cleaning kit 

  • Tripod 

  • A book of art from their favourite artist 

  • A calendar made by their favourite artist


Some of My Favourite Cyanotype Print Designs

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I hope you like these ideas of what to buy someone who loves art. Leave a comment below if you have other ideas of what to buy someone who loves art. For more ideas connect with me on social media by clicking on one of the icons below! Check out my shop for original -handmade art here!


My Top 10 List of Favourite Painting Supplies

Here is my top 10 list of favourite painting supplies to help elevate your acrylic painting! Learn what Jackie Partridge likes to paint with. What I love about art is being able to test and try new materials. I love experimenting with art supplies and often make great discoveries that way! New painting supplies can allow you to feel creative again in your art practice. Here is a look at my top ten list of favourite painting supplies! I wrote a basic list of supplies you need to get started with acrylic painting - you can read that here!

Artist holding dirty paintbrushes. Lots of brushes are definitely great painting supplies

My Top 10 List of Favourite Painting Supplies

The best painting supplies. Click the image to save on Pinterest.
  1.  Besides a different variety of primary colours it can be nice to have special paint like a metallic gold or silver -these can be nice touches in a painting -buying a smaller amount is fine to try if you want. Metallic paint is usually more expensive than regular acrylic paint. I also love grabbing colours that I am drawn to or colours I love using like yellow ochre or different greens.

  2. A good easel for painting - I purchased a wooden table top easel from Michaels that folds away, making it nice and compact. I went for wood because it can be more durable than some of the cheaper metal or aluminum ones out there.

  3. Posca Pens - I love using Posca Pens in my paintings and to doodle with. You can learn more about Posca Pens in these videos on my YouTube channel: Posca Pen Introduction and Posca Pen Zentangle Technique

  4. Golden Acrylic Fluids- I enjoy using these as inks on paper, or to mix with my paint or gel mediums to make it more vibrant.

  5. Golden Matte Gel, Golden Modelling Paste and Golden Crackle Paste - with these products you can really enhance the quality of your acrylic paint you can make the paint thicker or crack like broken glass. Although the brand Golden is more expensive it is great quality and a brand I recommend.

  6. A great sketchbook- I prefer something smaller that I can carry in my bag. I usually buy mine at Michaels because they often have a BOGO sale. It’s great to have a sketchbook to store ideas of future art projects.

  7. A variety of brushes including plastic scrapers -just like having extra paint it is nice to have other options.

  8. Palette knives- I love abstract painting and the texture that palette knives allow you to get. You can see my palette knife painting videos here:

    How to choose a palette knife, palette knife painted sunset, palette knife river painting, palette knife painted poppy

  9. Watercolour paper and coloured drawing paper- I love painting on paper. It is a nice and affordable option to painting on canvases. Make sure to browse the paper aisle at your local art supply store to find something that calls out to you! 

  10. Handmade Paper -It can be really fun and beautiful to paint on you can check out some I have for sale in my shop here!

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Improve Your Acrylic Painting by downloading this FREE 12 page guide. Click the image to download!

Improve Your Acrylic Painting by downloading this FREE 12 page guide. Click the image to download!

Learn How to Improve Your Colour Mixing with Acrylic Paint with Colour Mixing Basics!

Learn how to improve your colour mixing with acrylic painting - this is a great start to improving your acrylic painting skills. You have to be able mix your own colours! Colour mixing is a skill that takes practice! I have highlighted some FREE acrylic painting tutorials below to help you get better at acrylic painting! Colour mixing can be challenging! It isn’t as simple as elementary school art lessons where you discover the magic of mixing two colours together to get a completely different colour. Check out my colour mixing basics resources linked below!

learn colour mixing with paint and a paint brush. Blue brush with blue paint.\

Learning to mix colours from scratch takes you from a beginner painter to an intermediate painter. If you mix your own colours, you will be able to paint more realistically and your paintings will be more visually appealing to look at!

Using brown paint straight from the tube doesn’t have the same effect as mixing your own brown. There is so much range and possibilities when it comes to mixing your own colours!

It is ESSENTIAL to learn the foundations of colour mixing to be successful at acrylic painting! I will show you how easy it is with step by step instruction with video paint lessons all about colour mixing with acrylic paint!

I have broken down colour mixing lessons into easy to understand paint tutorials perfect for beginner painters! (including children!)

Colour Mixing Basics

  • To make a colour lighter (a tint) add white

  • To make a colour darker (a shade) add black

  • To make a colour dull - add it’s complementary colour

  • Experiment and test - try to make as many colour with your primary colours (red, yellow and blue) plus black and white

Learn how to mix green with acrylic paint and a colour chart

Learn How to Mix Green

This video is great for developing your skills. Mixing green is not as simple as mixing yellow and blue paint. If you are great at mixing greens and able to mix a variety of greens then you will be able to paint more realistic landscape paintings. Once you have mastered mixing greens - you will be able to paint better landscapes - click here to read more tips on painting landscapes!



Watch the Mixing Greens Video- HERE

Video Length: 13 min. 20 sec.




Learn How to Mix Grey

Mixing grey is not as simple as black + white. The more variety you have in your colours the more interesting your paintings will be! This video is a quick way to develop your colour mixing skills and make more professional looking paintings!

Watch the Mixing Greys Video- HERE

Video Length: 8 min. 15 sec.

Want to Improve your acrylic painting? Download my FREE 12 Page Guide - I will show you the 10 common mistakes that acrylic painters make and how you can avoid them to become a better acrylic painter FASTER!!

Click the button below to download the FREE guide!


Colour wheel, value scale and a palette of acrylic paint. Learn How to Make a Colour Wheel and Value Scale.

Learn How to Make a Colour Wheel and Value Scale

If you haven’t painted before and don’t know much about mixing colours - I recommend watching this video. I explain the basics of colour theory. You will learn about primary, secondary and tertiary colours and how to mix them. You will also learn about making a tint or shade with a colour. This is a great educational video perfect for beginners, teachers, parents homeschooling and daycare providers. Colour mixing is the foundation of acrylic painting!

Watch the Colour Wheel and Value Scale Video- HERE

Video Length: 25 min. 9 sec.

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Getting Started with Acrylic Painting - the art supplies you need + how to save money!

Getting started with acrylic painting can be overwhelming. It can be challenging when you are new to acrylics and not knowing what supplies you need. Learn from me, Jackie Partridge - I am an acrylic painter with my Master of Fine Arts. I want to help you get better at acrylic painting and feel more confident as a painter!

Buying art supplies can be overwhelming -there are A LOT of options! I really encourage you to use what you have and to plan what you need before buying. Start with the basics then add to your art materials!

I have outlined some basic supplies to get you started with acrylic painting- if you have questions feel free to ask them in the comments! If you prefer to see a video of me explaining the art supplies you can check it out here!

Grab my FREE 16 Page guide for beginner painters- providing you with lots of tips to improve your painting!

Get it here!

How to Save Money on Art Supplies

  • Use supplies you may already own or try asking friends and family. They might have extra, or old supplies they are looking to get rid of

  • Take your time to do research before purchasing online or going to an art supply store. Read reviews and compare prices. Take your time to invest

  • Remember you don’t need everything - you can slowly add to your collection over time

  • Look for options to buy in bulk (they sell canvases in packs or pads of watercolour paper - buy in bulk for items you will use lots of (like white paint)

Save money on paint brushes. Bulk supply of paint brushes. Brushes with paint on them.

Getting Started with Acrylics - the Brushes

Brushes come in natural hair or synthetic. The synthetic brushes are easier to clean and the brushes are less expensive- these are what I recommend for beginner painters! Brushes also come in long or short handles - it is really up to your preference and what feels best to hold.

Getting started with acrylic includes a jar of paint brushes

Flat brush - have a flat edge to the bristles - I recommend getting a brush that is about 1-2 inches wide. These brushes are good for painting larger areas like a background or sky.

Round brush- these brushes come to a point. I recommend getting a small one for details and more of a medium brush like a size 6 for covering more area. The smallest brush will be for painting details like outlines, fine lines or small dots and the medium one is better for other areas like tree branches.

Tips To Save Money on Brushes:

I encourage you to use the brushes you have and look at price points. Usually you can get a set of small detail brushes that have even more types than the basics I have suggested -it’s good to have back up brushes as smaller brushes won’t last as long because they have less bristles. An affordable brand I recommend for brushes is Artist Loft.

Getting Started with Acrylics -Paint

When buying brands of paint consider your budget. If you are just starting out I recommend getting a student grade paint versus artist quality. What’s the difference?

Student grade- cheaper price, still a good consistency, good pigments for the price you are paying, colours will fade over time (hanging a painting in a sunny room for a decade…) however you can apply a coating to help prevent the paint from fading.

Brands I recommend are: Liquitex -Basics, Rheotech, Amsterdam

Artist grade- paint is more expensive, paint is often thicker (less water in the consistency), the consistency is richer/smoother, the paint will not fade as much over time, the pigments are stronger, darker, deeper colours (there’s more real pigments in the paint which is why the price is higher)

Brands I recommend: Golden

Save money on paint. Use a paint palette and different graded paint to suit your needs. Blue paint on palette

Tips To Save Money on Paint:

If paint is too cheap - it might not be the best quality to use - you might need to add more paint/layers and it will probably not be as nice of a consistency to work with. If you are trying a new paint or different brand than what I list -try buying one paint tube from the brand and test it out - buy a smaller sample size and see if you like it. Make sure to do research and read product reviews or ask other artists. 

In my videos I show you how to only use the primary colours and black and white paint. 

With these basic colours you can mix everything you need: (these are the colours I recommend. You want to choose colours that are as close to the primary colours as possible). Sometimes brands will call them primary red etc. as long as it looks close to a real true primary red -that’s fine!

  • Cadmium Red

  • Cadmium Yellow

  • Cobalt Blue

  • Mars Black

  • Titanium White

Painting Surfaces

You can paint on a variety of surfaces including canvas, canvas board and watercolour paper.

Canvas- you can buy canvases in bulk packs for a lower price. They come already stretched on the wooden frame and primed in a white coating called Gesso. I recommend starting in a smaller size like 9”x12” or 11”x14.” You can buy them from an art supply store- you can get them from the dollar store but the quality won’t be as good.

Canvas board- Canvas board is cheaper than canvases and the boards are flat -if you are doing a lot of painting it will be easy to store them and stack them. Essentially they are the same canvas texture but on cardboard versus stretched over a wooden frame.

Watercolour Paper- if you are painting on a thick watercolour paper (close to 300 lb weighted paper) it will hold acrylics - it is fine to work on paper to save money and gain practice and confidence in your painting. Watercolour paper is one of the most affordable options! Make sure to tape your paper down using painter’s tape to keep the paper from curling. You can also flatten your paper after your painting has dried by placing a stack of heavy books on top!

Save money on art supplies. Art supplies for painting on the table.


Other Necessary Materials


  •  A container for your water to clean your brushes (an old jar or cup will work) - this container will get dirty and stained over time

  • An old rag (old towel or T-shirt is fine) something that you will dab your brushes with to clean them. You can also use paper towel - but I find a rag is a more environmentally friendly and a FREE option 

  • A palette - I bought mine several years ago and have been unable to find one similar to it. I use a reusable plastic palette. It’s long and has separate compartments to mix paint. It also has a lid to store the paint and keep it from drying out. Paint usually lasts about a week and half with the lid on. If you have a plastic palette without a lid any leftover paint will usually dry in a day. Using an old plastic container or old plastic lid would also be fine.

  • A tablecloth and old clothes- acrylic paints do stain so it’s important to protect the surface you are painting on as well as your clothes. Wear old clothes or an apron. I usually paint in a long lab coat that I bought at a thrift store for $10.

Palette Knife painting with a palette knife and paint palette.

Palette Knife painting with a palette knife and paint palette.


Extras to Have 

I really recommend an easel especially if you have back or neck problems/poor posture. When you are painting it is easy to get in the zone and often you don’t take breaks to stretch which can cause a lot of neck and back pain later on. Having an easel allows you not to be hunching over as much. You can purchase a floor easel that stands on the ground. These easels are adjustable so you can stand while painting or sitting on a stool/chair. You can also get a table top easel, they rest on a table and you can sit while painting. When buying an easel look for something that is not flimsy (some of the aluminum ones are). I find the wooden easels are usually good quality. I like to go to an art store like Curry’s or Michaels to buy easels to see the quality for myself unless there are lots of strong reviews online.

save-money-on-art-supplies.png


Extra paint - paint comes in a lot of colours and it can be overwhelming to choose. I suggest buying extra colours that you can’t mix like having a second blue or a second yellow or red. Having two different tones of these colours will allow you to mix a wider range of colours. Blues come in Cobalt, Ultramarine (these are two that I recommend) also other blues like Phthalo, Cerulean etc. 


Palette Knife- choose from a less expensive option of plastic or wood and metal palette knives. Palette knives are fun and easy to use and help add abstract texture to your paintings. Watch my popular video on choosing the right palette knife -here.




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There you have it! Your list of basic art supplies to get you started. If you have any questions please leave them in the comment section below. Have fun and Happy Painting!

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