Painting can be accomplished with a relatively short list of supplies, but there are some supplies that may be added to streamline the process and to make things more convenient. In all simplicity, painting can be accomplished with a surface to paint on, a small set of paints (1 to 4 colors), a brush, some paper towels or rags to wipe the brush, and a degreasing soap to clean the brush. It is highly recommended you acquire this more elaborate set of supplies. Everything, or a suitable equivalent of everything, is highly recommended. As a rule, with art supplies, the more an item costs, the higher the quality the product will be. Invest in the highest quality materials possible to focus on the challenges of learning to paint, instead of the challenges of learning to overcome inferior tools. 

Oil-primed linen is preferred due to its superior paint handling, durability, and longevity, and it is less likely to “bleed” colors. Acrylic-primed cotton is not recommended (except for the color charts assignment). If you have older cotton canvases they can be treated with two coats of an oil-alkyd primer (such as Gamblin Oil Ground or Winsor Newton Oil-Alkyd Primer) and allowed one week to dry before use. 

Professional grade oil paint is recommended. If cost is an issue, it is recommended to stick to the limited palette (Titanium White, Yellow Ochre, Ivory Black, and Alizarin Crimson) and purchase a professional quality paint. In general, avoid purchasing colors labeled hue. They are cheaper mixed colors intended to mimic more expensive colors, and generally have muddying effects in mixtures, with the exception of Cerulean Hue which yields vibrant mixtures by using Pthalo. Each brand of paint has varying handling properties (fluid to stiff) and pigment loads (dull to rich). Typically, the highest-grade paints will have higher pigment loads (with little to no fillers). For direct painting consider purchasing Michael Harding, Rembrandt, Charvin, M. Graham, Gamblin, Lukas, Grumbacher, or Utrecht. For indirect painting consider Michael Harding, Rublev, Old Holland, Vasari, or Winsor Newton.
 

A broad selection of brushes is recommended to adjust to a variety of different painting styles- typically a few different sizes ranging from ¼" to 1" is a good place to start. High quality brushes are best, and should be selected when finances permit. Rosemary & Co sells excellent bristle brushes, badger brushes (series 279), fine detail brushes (pure sable brushes), and more. To save time, sets can be purchased from Rosemary & Co, such as the “Timothy Rees Brush Set.” 

Paint thinner, or mineral spirits, is for cleaning brushes and can be used as a painting medium. Gamsol is a preferred thinner by most artists, adding a nice working property to the paint and evaporating quickly. Turpenoid also does a solid job. Both are odorless thinners. DO NOT purchase odorless thinners from the hardware store, as these are not completely odorless and are less refined, potentially damaging to paint films and health. For those wanting to go solvent-free and non-toxic, Weber sells a citrus-based version of Turpenoid, but this cannot be used to thin paint while painting (it is strictly a cleaner). A non-toxic lavender thinner alternative for painting made by Chelsea can be substituted at a higher cost. Winsor Newton sells an artist grade triple rectified turpentine (not odorless) which is the highest recommendation for using as a painting medium.

A brush cleaner jar can be homemade: place a bent wire mesh at the bottom of a coffee can with a lid (the mesh should be bent to be raised from the bottom of the can). For a spill-proof container, a traditional steel brush cleaner with rubber gasket can be purchased. You must have something to house the brush cleaner liquid (paint thinner/mineral spirits). You will also need to periodically clean your brushes with soap to keep them paint-free and conditioned. A degreasing dish soap (such as Dawn) works well, as well as a variety of specifically formulated brush cleaner/restorer soaps, such as The Masters Brush Cleaner & Preserver. 

In our program, palette knives are not utilized. These are typically reserved for mixing large quantities of paint onto the palette, and are not used for painting on the canvas. High quality painting knives are recommended, as they are versatile and will last a long time. Poor quality painting knives can scratch wet paint and leave ridges while applying paint, doing more damage than good. Inexpensive painting knives can be adequate for executing the color charts and for some painting, but it is recommended students purchase higher quality knives, such as those made by Holbein, for most paint application techniques executed with the knife. 

A large photo frame with the picture glass left in makes an excellent table top painting palette. The packaging photograph should be replaced with a gray or white sheet of paper (or the backside of the glass can be painted with acrylic paint or spray paint). 

A painting medium is not required for every style of painting, but many professionals opt for something to modify the consistency of the paint.

Use small containers to hold clean thinner and medium for painting purposes. If the containers have lids, unused medium and thinner can be saved between sessions. 

Painter’s tape is required to complete the color charts.  If working on 6x12” panels, 1/4” tape is required. If working on 8x16” panels, 1⁄2” tape is required. 

Rags used to wipe off brushes in between color selections are  necessary. Paper towels are easily disposable and relatively inexpensive. Most artists prefer Viva paper towels because their thick nature protects the artist’s hands from the solvents. Blue shop paper towels work well also.

If working on a glass palette, a metal razor blade (with or without a holder) does an excellent job of cleaning the palette. If working on a plastic or wooden palette, a plastic razor blade works nicely. If nothing else, you can use a palette knife. Inexpensive drugstore alcohol works well to wipe off a palette with a paper towel while painting, as it evaporates faster than odorless mineral spirits. 

A simple grocery sack will hold dirty rags until they can be disposed of in the garbage at the end of the painting session. Keep oily rags in an air-tight sack to avoid a fire hazard, and place in an oily waste bin whenever possible. 

Some artists opt for gloves to prevent contact with paint and solvents. While latex gloves are good, nitrile gloves provide a better barrier to chemicals. 

As trendy as that may be, those who are absent-minded or messy may wish to purchase an apron to prevent clothing from becoming covered in paint. If possible, opt for a dark-colored apron to avoid light reflecting back onto the canvas and making glare while painting. 

This is not a typo. The white retractible click eraser is an excellent tool for erasing into open grisaille paintings, which is covered in CPC101.

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