My Favorite Art Supplies

The materials I use, love, and recommend.

Over the years, I’ve discovered certain art supplies that I return to again and again. I’ve gathered some of my favorites here to make it easier for artists and students to find quality materials for their own creative practice.

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Beginner Art Supplies

Everything you’ll need to get started at The Art Studio

Studio & Organization

Art Bin

For keeping your studio supplies organized and easy to carry

Brush Cleaner Tank

For cleaning brushes between colors and keeping your tools in good condition.

Palette Cups

Convenient containers for holding your medium or solvent while you paint.

Gloves

For keeping your hands clean while working with paint and studio materials.

Rags — 3 Pack

Durable shop rags for cleaning brushes and keeping your workspace tidy.

Shop Towels

Useful for everyday studio cleanup and keeping your workspace clean.

Brushes & Painting Tools

Brushes

The brushes I recommend for building good technique from the beginning.

Brush Holder Wallet

An easy way to keep your brushes together and protected.

Mixing Knife

An essential tool for mixing colors and working with paint.

9 × 12 Palette

The size, paper color, and quality of this palette make it a great surface for mixing colors.

Paint

These seven colors are the foundation of the palette we use in class. Together, they allow us to mix a wide range of colors.

Titanium White — 200 ml

An essential part of my palette, used for mixing and adjusting color.

Lemon Yellow

One of the two essential yellows in my palette, used as part of my color-mixing method.

Cadmium Yellow

One of the two essential yellows in my palette, used throughout my classes for mixing color.

Alizarin Crimson

One of the two essential reds in my palette, used throughout my classes for mixing color.

Cadmium Red

One of the two essential reds in my palette, used throughout my classes for mixing color.

French Ultramarine

One of the two essential blues in my palette, used throughout my classes for mixing color.

Cobalt Blue

One of the two essential blues in my palette, used throughout my classes for mixing color.

Mediums & Solvents

Linseed Oil

I use linseed oil as a traditional medium to adjust the flow and handling of oil paint.

Liquin

An alternative to linseed oil for artists who prefer a faster-drying medium.

Choose one — you do not need both.

Turpenoid

I recommend this for cleaning brushes and working with oil-painting materials.

Drawing & Transfer

Willow Charcoal

I use willow charcoal for initial drawing and establishing the composition before painting.

White Transfer Paper *

Helpful when transferring a drawing onto a darker or colored surface.

Graphite Transfer Paper *

Useful for transferring a drawing onto the canvas before beginning a painting.

Hand Soap

An essential studio staple for keeping your hands clean while working.

*Transfer paper is optional and may be useful depending on the painting and your preferred process.