Art Students Materials List

Art materials influence how artists make their work and how viewers perceive it

For everything we do in art, we need the right tools. If we use any paper other than it was designed for, or if the canvas or brushes we use are the wrong kind, the painting won’t turn out as well as it could.

The materials listed here are for the introduction lessons. To keep the cost down for art materials before you have settled into a specific medium, I am recommending minimum supplies without jeopardising decent results. For instance, Vermilion Red is a more cost-effective option than Cadmium Red when purchasing oil paints. It is similar enough to produce a comparable result, although the Cadmium Red is much brighter. Once you know your direction, you can add Cadmium Red to your collection of oil paints, as it has a much higher in pigments and chroma content.

Material Lists for Workshops & Classes

Drawing with Graphite
Colour Pencil
Oil Painting Introduction
Comparison Charts for Oil
Watercolour

Drawing with Graphite

You will need the following materials when starting with drawing:
A set of graphite pencils with a minimum of 5 pencils ranging from 4h - 6b. Any brand is fine, but avoid very cheap ones such as Mont Marte. 
Putty eraser also called kneadable eraser and a normal eraser. 
Optional: An Erasing Shield.
A Quill Sketchpad or any other smooth, drawing paper. No Mont Marte  or copy paper paper please, it will only frustrate you. 
The best pencil sharpener is the Derwent Superpoint Metal Pencil Sharpener, which is quite inexpensive when compared to others of its kind.

Coloured Pencil

To get the right coloured pencil materials is not that straightforward because it depends on the method of appliance you prefer.

If you want to create strong colours and a more painterly feel, then you should opt for Prismacolor, Polychromos or Faber Castell Albrecht Durer. If you like to work smaller and finer and more subtle colours than the Derwent Artist or Studio pencils are best. The only brand that works for all techniques is the Caran D’Ache Luminescence and Holbein or the cheaper brand Crayola Signature (50 colours) available at Officeworks .
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Paper likewise is a delicate issue that depends on your preference. 
You will need:
A set of coloured pencils, at least 36, but the more the better. If you’re unsure, read the article on coloured pencils to find out which brand to buy first.
 
If you need to save, the Crayola Signature is one of the best cheaper options. They are available at Officeworks and you pay for 50 pencils less than $50 (2023). 
A good long tip sharpener with a barrel, as well as the best option if you sharpen a lot is the Derwent Super point Metal Sharpener. It is also the best value for money.
If you work on white paper you should get a darker col-erase pencil and for dark paper a white one. They are for preliminary sketches, but unlike colour pencils, they can be easily erased, if you make a mistake. 
Both the Derwent and Prismacolor blender help you blend colours easily. The Derwent Burnisher is useless. It creates uneven blends. I would not buy them.
Also get a single white Faber Castell Coloured Pencil or the unrivalled Holbein, one of the whitest colour pencils now in use.  Holbein pencils are now available on the Gold Coast at Musgrave Art.

Introduction Oil Painting

I will once more suggest the least expensive options of materials for the beginner to oil painting. The Canvas MUST be from the brand I suggest, whereas the oil paint brand is up to you. If you plan to stay with oil, you can upgrade to superior supplies later. ​

Make sure you are wearing not your best clothing or use an apron. 
Oil Paints
For the initial oil painting exercises, the brand of oil paints doesn't matter. ​

You will need the double primary colours and white as follows:
  • Lemon Yellow
  • Mid- or Spectrum Yellow (cheaper than Cadmium Yellow)
  • Vermillion Red (cheaper than Cadmium Red depending on brand)
  • Crimson Red
  • Ultramarine Blue (French Ultramarine is dearer)
  • Phthalo Blue
  • Titanium White
If you haven't learned yet how to mix colours, I would also suggest to get an extra tube of Raw Umber which we will use for the underpainting.
Brushes
The hair length can be the same or shorter as seen on the image. Please don't buy brushes with longer hair, as they bounce back too strongly.
Brushes are important and unfortunately cheaper ones just won't do. I rather have fewer brushes, but those that work. It is critical that the hair is not too hard, nor too soft. ​

The minimum number of brushes you will need for the first 4 introduction lessons are:
  • Neef 95 Bright Size 6  (Stiff Synthetic)
  • Neef 95 Filbert Size 2 (Stiff Synthetic)
  • Neef 95 Bright Size 0 (Stiff Synthetic)
  • Neef 95 Bright Size 8 (Optional)
An extra brush set from Mont Marte is not necessary, but it is convenient and reasonably priced. They can be found in practically all dollar stores and are wonderful for soft mixing. 
  • A set of 4 to five brushes, which must have mostly flat brushes and one round brush. 
Canvas Paper & Canvas Boards
For the method of oil painting introduction we start with, you need a canvas that we can easily manipulate. That implies you can add oil paint and remove it easily if required.

​If you find that a canvas is sticking to the oil paint, don’t get it unless you want to spend the time applying multiple Gesso layers.
For the first 5 weeks, all you need is:
  • One Sheet of an A4 Fredrix Oil Paper. You can buy them in a pad. Do not ever use Mont Marte, that oil paper is a nightmare.  ​​
  • One rectangular Fredrix canvas board a bit larger than A3 up to A2. 
Brush Cleaner
Since I want to retain my brushes for as long as possible, I hardly ever clean them with turpentine. Brush cleaners give a moisturising layer of protection, but turpentine affects the natural oil in brushes. 

Further, turps smell bad and are toxic. Therefore, it is not a smart idea, especially if you work from home. Brush cleaners are brilliant, as they not only clean your brushes better than turps but also protect them from the elements and from deforming. I only purchase high-grade brushes since their quality is very crucial. 
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  • Both brush cleaner that are mentioned here are suitable. One is a fluid and you need only a few drops each time, and the other is a harder soap type. The fluid is from Chroma "Incredible Brush Cleaner" and the other from The Masters Brush Cleaner and Preserver.
Palette
I usually don't buy Mont Marte products, but the palette is excellent. It is inexpensive and effortless to clean. 

You can also use a paper palette which you don't need to clean afterwards, just throw it in the bin when done with painting. I have palettes at the studio for those you are not sure yet, if they want to continue painting. However, you must clean them up afterwards. 
Painting Rags
Old Rags are essential when painting with oil. As much as we add paint to the canvas, we need to manipulate the paint easily to control it. We must be able remove paint also, especially for the first monochromatic layer.
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You can use any old cloths as long as the fabric is soft. Bunnings offers 1.5 packages for around $8-$9. 
Palette Knife
A standard mid size No 10 palette knife is the best. ​The cheaper ones from Mont Marte are fine.

​We have some in the studio you can lend, if you can't get one immediately, but you will need one for yourself at home. 
And last you will need baby wipes. They remove paint from furniture, hands and clothing. A must when working in oil. 

If you scroll down to the end you will find the Schmincke Colour Charts for download. 

Watercolour

When utilising watercolour, nothing is more important than the paper. I cannot stress its significance. To start off, there is a clear gap between regular paper pulp and 100% cotton watercolour paper. Many students aren't aware that this single mistake is the cause of many difficulties they face.

In terms of brushes and colour, these do not have a substantial influence during the early stages. But never buy the Mont Marte watercolour brushes, they are far too soft. You can however buy the acrylic brushes from this brand. When your skill advances you can purchase better-quality brushes and colours that are resistant to fading.
Watercolour Paper
Most 100% cotton watercolour  papers are very pricey these days. However, there is one brand which stands out for its reasonable pricing in relation to other brands; Rains by Micador is the perfect paper for beginners since it gives a good result at roughly half the cost of other papers of similar quality. You can get them in 12 sheets pads. Those with more expertise should also test out Arches or Fabriano brands.
Watercolour Paints
I would suggest Winsor Newton Cotman or Daler Rowney as your first watercolour selection. The Cotman set has great light passage with incredible tinting capability plus reliable performance characteristics. With a range of six basic colours provides you with  an exceptional starter pack, that offers quality at an affordable price, hence is ideal for the beginner or professional artist.

You will need as usual the only 6 basic colours, the double primaries. 

  • Lemon Yellow
  • Mid- or Spectrum Yellow (cheaper than Cadmium Yellow)
  • Vermillion Red (cheaper than Cadmium Red depending on brand)
  • Crimson Red
  • Ultramarine Blue (French Ultramarine is dearer)
  • Phthalo Blue (Blue)​
Brushes
When it comes to paintbrushes, the best type is typically those which are made of real hair like Sable - they hold more than four times as much water as those made of synthetic materials. This is good to know when comparing prizes, as synthetic brushes require a larger range of sizes, while natural hair brushes necessitate fewer numbers for a good set. Make sure you have some really fine ones, mid size and a larger brush. 

Mont Marte offers some cost-effective options; just make sure you get their acrylic brushes rather than ones aimed at those working with watercolour, as these are usually by far too soft and lack resilience.

Chinese-made brushes can be very handy too; what makes them so special is that even larger designs will still provide a precise tip. In fact, all you really need are three different sizes - one small, one medium and one big - for any project.

Comparison Chart for Schmincke Oil Paints
If someone asks me which oil paints I prefer personally, I have to say Schmincke Mussini for their exceptional smooth and creamy texture.  

Both Schmincke Mussini and Norma are high-quality oil paints. Mussini, however, is Schmincke’s top line and offers a wider variety of colours and greater level of quality. It has an amazing consistency, is very creamy and incredibly easy to apply.
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I also can comfortably recommend the Winsor & Newton Artists’ Oil Colour collection as one of the top tier in quality and holds the broadest spectrum of hues.  Although offering 120 diverse tints, I as a professional artist have no use of it, as I can mix any colour from a very limited colour palette. They do however, also have a smooth, creamy consistence.

These are for sure not the only brilliant options, as sadly some are so pricey that many can't afford them.
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The images are downloadable PDFs with colour charts and information.