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!

My Top 10 List of Favourite Painting Supplies

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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July 2020 YouTube Painting Tutorials Recap!

Check out my Jackie Partridge Art YouTube Channel. Here is a list of YouTube videos that were posted to my channel this month as a little recap. To see some acrylic painting tutorials you might’ve missed!

You can read the descriptions of the videos before clicking the link to see the video.

Read this blog post about what supplies you need to get started with acrylic painting! Click here to read!

You can watch these videos for free at anytime. If you have a YouTube account you can click the clock in the top right corner of the video to save it to your “Watch List” to watch it for later.

Be sure to subscribe to my channel —you can click the bell beside the subscribe button on YouTube to receive notifications of when new videos are added! - I release NEW videos every month!

If you like a video be sure to hit the “thumbs up” to like it or share it with a friend!

Let’s take a look at the videos for this month!

Art Supplies

I recommend watching this video first! It is a great introduction to acrylic painting and I will show you and explain the different acrylic painting supplies you need to get started. It’s nice to visually see the supplies you need. Buying art supplies can be a bit overwhelming at first but I help guide you to make this process easier!

Watch the Art Supplies Video- HERE

Video Length: 11 min. 40 sec.

In this video I go over basic supplies needed for acrylic painting to get you started! Check it out here:

https://youtu.be/r3LPp25h9mI

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You can also read this blog post here if you prefer seeing a written copy of art supplies you need!

Check out my blog post on my favourite painting supplies here!

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.

Grab a FREE Guide to Mixing Green/Grey here!

Mixing 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 then you will be able to mix a variety of greens and will be able to paint more realistic landscape paintings.

Watch the Mixing Greens Video- HERE

Video Length: 13 min. 20 sec.

Mixing 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.

Mixing Brown

You have probably made brown before when mixing a bunch of colours together on your palette. Maybe it was even on accident! There is such a difference between mixing your own brown and using brown straight from the tube. Learn more about colour mixing and improve your paintings with this video!

Watch the Mixing Browns Video- HERE

Video Length: 6 min. 15 sec.

How to Paint a Campfire

Learn how to paint a campfire! This video is a workshop I have ran with kids as young as 7 and adults. This video tutorial is recommended for kids age 7 and up! (it can be challenging for the younger ones but if a child is creative and loves learning -this is for them) Learn how to paint trees, paint a night sky and of course a campfire. This is a great introductory painting for a beginner to try!

Watch the Campfire Painting Video- HERE

Video Length: 40 min. 41 sec.

Painting a Mermaid Tail

This is the perfect video lesson for age 7+ an amazing painting for beginners to try! This fun painting will explore mixing greens, printing with household objects to create texture and more! Learn how to paint this fun underwater mermaid tail!

Watch the Mermaid Tail Painting Video- HERE

Video Length: 28 min. 38 sec.

Painting Clouds

This video is a bit more challenging than some of the other videos. I recommend trying some other painting tutorials first. This video is great for an intermediate painter but of course beginner painters are welcome to give this a try! Painting clouds can be hard! In this video you will learn to paint more realistic clouds, how to paint a sky and creating highlights and shadows.

Watch the Painting Clouds Video- HERE

Video Length: 16 min. 46 sec.

This is a Painting Tutorial all about painting Skies and Clouds - Perfect for an intermediate acrylic painter! Check it out here: https://youtu.be/RNGKfQ2B20k

Painting Round Realistic Forms

In this video I show how to paint round forms and use the example of eggs in a nest. You will learn about brushstrokes and direction of shading. Learn about colour mixing, shadows and highlights to create a realistic round form. This is the perfect video for beginners or youth to try!

Watch the Painting Round Realistic Forms Video- HERE

Video Length: 15 min. 5 sec.

Painting a Lemon

This video is about painting a still life or a lemon in this case. Learn colour mixing, painting texture, highlights and shadows, choosing a background colour and more. This is a great video for beginners or intermediate painters.

Watch the Painting a Lemon Video- HERE

Video Length: 29 min. 41 sec.

If you have an idea of a video you would like me to do- let me know in the comments.

I release a new video every week- so be sure to subscribe to my channel so you don’t miss a thing!

Check out my YouTube Channel and Subscribe to see new video tutorials every week!

Do you want to get better at your acrylic painting? Learn how you can avoid the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make - by clicking the button below and downloading the FREE 16 page guide!

Happy Painting!

Paint Tutorials - Full Videos on my New Youtube Channel

View painting tutorials for beginner acrylic painters on my YouTube Channel. Check out my New YouTube channel where you can access free painting video lessons including small short videos on tips and techniques like colour mixing. Learning about what art supplies you need to get started. As well as full painting tutorials from start to finish that are creative and simple for beginners.

I am a trained painter in acrylics. I have my Master of Fine Arts and I am also a certified teacher. With my teaching experience, I make my painting tutorials easy and simple to understand. My videos are perfect for beginner painters and there are even videos that are easy enough for kids to do!

Click the links under the images to access these YouTube videos!

Paint a campfire from start to finish - easy enough for kids age 7+ to do! https://youtu.be/EjcHdErkTyQ

If you like these videos be sure to subscribe new videos come out each month!

You can view my channel here - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJQ33KVL3NJpZ7ahIeLEpeA

Paint a Mermaid Tail perfect for beginner artists age 7 and up! https://youtu.be/bIdw1EcqEQo

Not sure about what art supplies you need to get started? Check out this blog post! I share all the painting supplies you need before you watch any of my acrylic painting tutorials!

If you complete a painting I would love to see it and give you feedback and a virtual hug! Tag me on Instagram @jackiepartridgeart or use the hashtag #jackiepartridgeartclasses

Click the Image to Pin it for Later! Learn acrylic painting by watching these painting tutorials

If you are new to acrylic painting and you would like to improve your painting skills - click the button below where you can download my FREE guide on how to become a better acrylic painter by avoiding the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make!

Is there something you are dying to learn about painting with acrylics. Leave me a comment below!

Happy Painting!

Check out more of my kids acrylic painting lessons on my blog!

Other Popular Painting Lessons for Kids:

How to Paint a Simple Bee

How to Paint a Halloween Pumpkin

Painting Desserts

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)

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.

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

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!

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.

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.

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.

Watch helpful acrylic painting tutorials and check out my acrylic painting tips by clicking the button below!

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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