Palette Knife Painting Tutorial

A  Palette Knife Painting Tutorial is the best way to learn palette knife painting quickly. You can watch my palette knife painting playlist on YouTube to see my palette knife painting tips! 

Check out these palette knife painting tutorials on my YouTube channel below: 

Palette Knife Painting Tips - In this short video I show you the difference between plastic and metal palette knives. I show you the basics of painting with palette knives and share my palette knife painting tips with you! 

 Palette Knife Painting Clouds- In this painting tutorial I show you how to paint a sky and clouds with a palette knife. This is an essential step to painting a successful landscape with a palette knife! 

Palette Knife Painting Farmhouse Pumpkin- Paint this cute farmhouse style pumpkin painting is perfect to hang in your home for fall! Learn how to paint a textured background with a palette knife! 

Abstract pumpkin painting by Jackie Partridge. Watch this palette knife painting tutorial!

Palette Knife Painting Winter Landscape (EASY)- Learn to paint snow with a palette knife and create wonderful texture - check out this easy landscape painting to try painting with both a brush and a palette knife! 

Palette Knife River Landscape Painting - Learn how to paint a sky, a river and some grass all with a palette knife!

Palette Knife Sunset Painting Easy- Learn to paint a sunset, clouds and water reflection by painting with a palette knife!

Here are some Palette Knife Painting Tips!

• Invest in different sizes and shapes of palette knives. I love my Liquitex painting knives and metal palette knives! 

• Experiment and practice first - try painting with a palette knife on a canvas board or thick paper to practice before starting on a canvas 

• Watch my palette knife painting tips video if you are completely new to palette knife painting - It’s a lot easier to learn by watching! 

• Try dabbing, scraping and dragging the palette knife on different edges to create different marks 

• Wash and dry your palette knife after use to keep it in great condition for years to come! 

Try this palette knife painting tutorial of an abstract sunset by Jackie Partridge -here!

I love palette knife painting because it creates such a fun abstract texture with the paint. I love the look of abstract painting and the freedom it gives me to paint in a more relaxed manner!

I am constantly updating my YouTube channel - be sure to subscribe to my channel to see when new videos come out - you can do that here! 

If you want to improve your acrylic painting - download my FREE guide where I show you the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make and how to avoid them! Click the button below!

Hope these tips are helpful! Happy Painting!

Related Articles

3 Steps to Painting a Better Landscape

Paint Better Landscapes by Painting Better Clouds

Learn Colour Mixing

Be sure to connect with me on social media by clicking one of the icons below!

Beginner Acrylic Painting Tutorial

For Summer 2021

Please note this painting tutorial is closed. To get access to next FREE painting tutorial make sure to join my mailing list by clicking on the button below!

Get access to this free beginner acrylic painting tutorial by signing up to join my mailing list. I send a free painting tutorial twice a year to my mailing list.

 Enjoy this free beginner acrylic painting tutorial to add some DIY summer art to your walls at home.

 In this free beginner acrylic painting tutorial, you will learn how to paint water lilies.

 I walk you through step-by-step instruction – this free painting tutorial is perfect for the beginner painter who is new to acrylic painting. An intermediate acrylic painter can still enjoy this acrylic painting lesson by learning helpful acrylic painting tips! 

Beginner Acrylic Painting Tutorials You Missed

Take a look at our Spring 2021 Painting Tutorial here!

Take a look at our Winter 2020 Painting Tutorial – Make sure to join my mailing list in the grey box below so you don’t miss another painting video lesson! 

 Is this painting tutorial right for you?

This beginner acrylic Painting tutorial is Perfect For You If:

1. You love art or painting

2. You want more time to yourself to be creative! 

3. You are interested in learning more about acrylic painting and developing your skills

4. You want a fun project to do by yourself or with friends or family (recommended age is 7 and up!)

5. You are a painter or want to give it a try!

6. You are beginner or experienced painter

7. You want to relax and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of painting

8. You want fun, simple and creative ideas to paint

 You can see some lovely examples of student work from last year on my summer painting tutorial here! They did such an awesome job and you can too! 

Not sure what supplies you need to get started with acrylics? Check out this post here!

My YouTube channel Jackie Partridge Art has lots of great free painting resources to help you become a confident acrylic painter. 

YOU CAN CHECK OUT MY YOUTUBE CHANNEL HERE!

So, If You Are Ready To Add Some Creative Fun To Your Life And Become A Better Acrylic Painter…

– sign up below to join my mailing list. I send a free acrylic painting tutorial to your inbox that is an exclusive video that is not visible on my YouTube Channel! 

Enter your email below to get access -so you don’t miss this video or the next one!

Do you struggle with acrylic painting? I will show you the 10 common mistakes beginner painters make and how you can avoid them!

You can download my FREE 16 page guide where I show you the 10 common painting mistakes and how you can avoid them.

How to Get Better at Acrylic Painting

How to get better at acrylic painting is a question I get asked all the time! I want to help you and share some of my tips! Ever wondered how you to get better at acrylic painting? You want to improve but are unsure where to begin and what acrylic painting tips to follow?

Learn from artist Jackie Partridge for how you can improve your acrylic painting fast with these acrylic painting tips!

I am a certified teacher and artist with my Master of Fine Arts. I have noticed common mistakes that beginner acrylic painters to make and want to help you so that you can avoid them! I want to help you improve your acrylic painting and transition you from a beginner painter to a more confident painter!

How to Get Better at Acrylic Painting

Mistake #1 -They use the paint straight out of the tube

By mixing your colours and not using them straight from the tube not only can you show off your colour mixing skills but you can create stronger paintings that have more detail, more colour, more variety and are more interesting.

In a painting, it is good to avoid having large solid areas of a plain flat colour especially if you are wanting a more realistic style or to capture something like a landscape. Think about a small patch of grass -there is more than one shade of green. There is light green with green+white, bright green with green+yellow, dull green with green+red, dark green with green+black and even blue green with green+blue. Make sure you practice and experiment with your colour mixing. Read this blog post on colour mixing!

Mistake #2 -They don’t vary their brushstrokes or types of brushes

Just like practicing colour mixing it is important to practice different brushstrokes. In a painting you can use a different brushstroke in a different area. For example you might want a smooth brush stroke in a sky and a textured brushstroke in the grass or leaves. Check out my YouTube channel for tips!

Although you don’t need a ton of brushes it is good to have options. I recommend starting with 1-2 small detail round brushes for fine details, a 1-2 inch flat brush for the painting large areas like backgrounds and a medium round brush size #6 for painting medium sized areas like tree branches and shading. These are the main brushes I use in my painting and they are great brushes to start with. As you continue painting you can add extra brushes to your collection to experiment with.

Mistake #3 -They buy a ton of supplies they won’t end up using

You don’t actually need a lot of art supplies to get started painting with acrylics. Read this blog post for a list I recommend you to use to get started. By purchasing only what you need, you will be able to save money and not have extra supplies sitting around waiting to be used!

10 Tips to Help You Become a Better Painter - click the image to download now!

If you like these tips I have created a FREE 12 page guide for you to download - that includes a list of 10 common mistakes beginner painters make and how to avoid them! I share a lot of great acrylic painting tips with you in this guide!

You can also check out my YouTube channel - where you can see helpful step by step painting tutorials for beginner painters! Subscribe to my channel here!

Helpful Blog Posts

Read this blog post to help with landscape painting

Read this to help with still life painting!

Learn how to paint better clouds

Try painting coaching to improve your skills quickly!

click the image to download this free guide!

August 2020 YouTube Painting Tutorials Recap!

I started an acrylic painting YouTube channel >> Jackie Partridge Art << on Sunday July 5, 2020. Here is a list of YouTube videos that were posted to my channel this month as a little recap. In case you might’ve missed some of these painting tutorials on my YouTube acrylic painting channel!

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

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!

Painting with Posca Pens - watch here!

Painting With Posca Pens -The Basics!

In this acrylic painting tutorial for beginner artists I show you the basics of working with Posca Pens and incorporating them in your acrylic paintings! This video is perfect for people of all ages - I recommend age 9 and up for this video as having coordination with drawing, fine motor skills will be helpful for this art material. Learn how to use a Posca Pen, What are Posca Pens?, Ideas for using Posca Pens in your painting and more. This is video is for people who have never used a Posca Pen before and to provide them with a basic introduction.

Watch the Painting with Posca Pens Video Here!

Video Length: 12 min. 14 sec.

Palette Knife Basics

How do you use Palette Knives? What are Palette Knives? What Palette Knife is right for you? I will help you answer these questions in this quick video paint lesson. Learn about the difference between plastic and wooden palette knives and find the one right for you. Gain confidence in learning about palette knives to be able to create beautiful and textured abstract acrylic paintings! Fall in love with palette knives and explore the possibilities of palette knife painting.

Watch the Palette Knife Basics Video Here!

Video Length: 5 min. 8 sec.

Palette Knife Cloud Painting

This painting lesson is perfect for beginners with no experience using a palette knife before! Recommended age is 9 and up! This is an easy art technique and painting lesson to try --- learn a new simple acrylic painting technique to add to your skill development today! In this video art lesson -learn how to paint a cloudy sky with a palette knife. Learn about colour mixing with a palette knife, painting layers, creating texture, palette knife technique and how to paint clouds.

Watch the Palette Knife Cloud Painting Video Here!

Video Length: 27 min. 40 sec.

3 Acrylic Painting Tips To Save You MONEY!

3 Tips for Saving Money on Acrylic Painting! Check out this video and learn three tips for saving money on acrylic painting. Perfect tips for a beginner painter or intermediate painter of all ages.

Watch the 3 Tips for Saving Money on Acrylic Painting Video Here!

Video Length: 7 min. 53 sec.

Would you like to improve your acrylic painting? Grab my FREE 16 page guide where you can learn the 10 mistakes beginner acrylic painters make and how to avoid them!

Flower Printing is a great technique to create an abstract painting and is a fun project to try with kids!

Flower Printing

Flower Printing is a fun painting technique for any age! You could even try this technique with toddlers. This is a great technique to add to your painting. You can create a beautiful texture and layer your designs. Flower printing is great for abstract painting, fun experiments, collage or mixed media art.

Watch the Flower Printing Video Here!

Video Length: 16 min. 26 sec.

If you have an idea of a video you would like me to do- let me know in the comments. I appreciate every subscribe, like and comment on my channel - it helps me to make money as an artist!

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

Happy Painting!

See other painting lessons on my blog - here!

5 Tips for Still Life Painting - Paint a Better Still Life!

5 Tips for how to paint a better still life will help improve your still life painting! Painting a still life as a beginner painter can be difficult.

Especially when you are trying to make the painting realistic! I have written a collection of tips to help make this process easier!

There is also an assortment of videos on painting still lives from lemons to eggs and everything in between. You can check out those painting lessons on my acrylic painting for beginners YouTube channel

How to Paint a Lemon- watch this video to learn more: click here to watch!

Here Are Some Tips to Paint a Better Still Life:

1. It helps to have your still life set up and arranged in front of you to paint, alternatively you can paint from a colour photograph -however having a real still life like a bowl of fruit or a vase of flowers right there will allow you to see all the tiny details.

2. Map out your painting in a coloured stick of chalk. A still life is all about painting/drawing what you see. Draw your still life in a stick of chalk. If you make a mistake it will easily rub off -saving you paint and time! Using something like a pencil to draw on the canvas might still show through layers of paint and can be hard to erase.

3. Exaggerate the highlights and shadows! Shadows and highlights on an object is what makes it look three-dimensional in a painting. You have the creative freedom to express what you see and convince someone that what you are painting is life-like. So darken the shadows and brighten the highlights to make them pop and stand out! A way of doing this is shining a light from a lamp on your still life which will make it more obvious where the highlights and shadows are making it easier to paint!

Bird’s nest still life painting - watch how to paint the eggs- here!

4. Paint in the direction of your object. This sounds obvious but a lot of beginner painters make the mistake of painting all objects with long flat straight brushstrokes. This ends up making round objects like lemons, apples and vases look flat and lack having a form. I have created a great short YouTube video to help with this- click here!

5. Remember to paint in layers and take your time! You don’t need to finish your painting in one sitting, taking your time allows you to add more details which helps make the painting more realistic. If you don’t like something you can paint over it -this is why I love acrylic painting!

Bonus tip:

If you are painting a still life over a day take a photo of it to ensure you are capturing the same lighting and that objects haven’t moved!

You can learn more about acrylic painting by checking out my FREE 16 Page Guide - 10 Mistakes Beginner Painters Make and How to Avoid Them!

I would love to see your still life paintings and give you feedback! tag me on instagram @jackiepartridgeart and use the #jackiepartridgeartclasses

I invite you to subscribe to my NEW YouTube Channel where I have new videos for beginner acrylic painters every two weeks!

- Check it out here!

Practice Painting a Still Life

How to Paint a Lemon

How to Paint Round Forms like Eggs

How to Paint a Pumpkin

How to Paint a Poppy

Want to improve your painting quickly? Try my painting coaching!

Follow me on social media by clicking on one of the icons below for more great tips!

Fall Exclusive Painting Video

Twice a year, I send my email list an exclusive acrylic painting video lesson to your inbox! Be sure to join my mailing list by filling out the grey form so you don’t miss the next exclusive painting tutorial!

You can Still Access this tutorial by signing up for my free guide - click the button below!

(The video is linked in the guide)

Videos include start to finish instructions and are not on my YouTube Channel - You will have lifetime access to these videos! >>>Enter your email in the blue form below to join!

You will learn how to paint an acrylic painting from start to finish with valuable tips. I am a trained artist in acrylic painting and I am a certified teacher. I have my Master of Fine Arts degree and loads of teaching experience to make painting for beginners a simple process where you can feel confident and have fun! I send an email to my list each season where I give you a private link to the video tutorial. You will have lifetime access to the video lesson.

These videos are perfect for you if:

1. You love art or painting

2. You want more time to yourself to be creative! 

3. You are interested in learning more about acrylic painting and developing your skills

4. You want a fun project to do by yourself or with friends or family (recommended age is 7 and up!)

5. You are a painter or want to give it a try!

6. You are beginner or experienced painter

7. You want to relax and enjoy the therapeutic benefits of painting

8. You want fun, simple and creative ideas to paint

Enter your email below to get access each season -so you don’t miss the next video!

The videos that I send are exclusive videos only for my email list - they will not be shared to Youtube or social media. These videos are special gifts to those who have signed up!

You might be asking what supplies do I need to get started? You can read about the art materials needed in this blog post!

Here is the Fall 2020 Painting Video Lesson for my Email Subscribers!

Interested in Painting and Continuing to Learn and Develop?

Scroll up to the top to join just enter your email address in that grey form! You will receive an email right after you join. Check your junk mail if you don’t receive an email from me right away!

I am always open to suggestions and ideas. If there is something you would like to learn how to paint- you can leave a comment below or send me a DM on my NEW painting instagram account @jackiepartridgeart

If you make a painting from one of my lessons be sure to tag me on Instagram @jackiepartridgeart and use the hashtag #jackiepartridgeartclasses - I would love to see what you create and give you feedback and virtual hugs!

Can’t wait til the next video? Check out my YouTube Channel with lots of acrylic painting options!

Be sure to subscribe - NEW videos are added monthly!

Want to improve your acrylic painting quickly? Sign up for my painting coaching!

Don’t forget to join my mailing list to receive the next video. (enter your email in the grey form -just scroll up)

If you would like to improve your acrylic painting by learning what mistakes beginner painters make - click the button below to download my FREE 12 Page Guide NOW! You will join my mailing list and receive my exclusive painting tutorials every season!

See Other Painting Tutorials We Have Done

Summer 2021

Spring 2021

Winter 2020

Summer 2020

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

Related Articles

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

Bachelorette Paint Night - Blue Hydrangeas

Blue Hydrangeas Paint Night was a hit! In the summer of 2019 I had the pleasure of instructing an acrylic paint night for a bachelorette party. We painted blue hydrangeas! This is one of my favourite acrylic painting tutorials!

Blue Hydrangeas are my favourite flower, I even had some in my wedding bouquet when I got married. Blue Hydrangeas  are also really fun to paint because there are so many colours in the petals and details of the veins, shadows, highlights and lines. You can create such a nice abstract texture and even if you have never painted before you easily complete this painting and have success with it. 

If you look closely at blue hydrangeas they have so many colours and layers to them. Purples, blue, whites, greens, yellows, pinks, light and dark tones. There is such a variety of colours which makes it such an enjoyable flower to paint! 

You can host a virtual paint night by using one of my painting tutorials or you can contact me to have a private paint night over Zoom or locally in the Waterloo Region, ON. I would love to host another paint night if you have an idea for a painting please contact me @jackiepartridgeart just send me a message.

You can see my acrylic painting tutorials and tips in the link below! Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel Jackie Partridge Art so that you don’t miss new free acrylic painting tutorials that come out! 

Want to develop your acrylic painting skills? Check out my YouTube channel here!

They did such an amazing job painting! Here are the student works below:

Everyone did an amazing job for beginner acrylic painters most had never painted before!

Want to Try Painting with Me?

Try painting an abstract poppy here!

Paint a Galaxy Sky here!

Paint a sunset palette knife painting!

If you love the painting tutorials be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel!

Interested in having a paint night with your friends? - Email me for pricing options- I can do virtual paint nights where you supply materials as well!

Email me at jackiepartridgeart@gmail.com

If you want to improve your acrylic painting -download this FREE painting guide!

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.

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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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