My favorite art supplies
With so many options for art supplies, I thought it would be helpful to share the items I use regularly for oil painting & drawing. I’ve discovered these products in a variety of ways: library books, classes in college, and simply searching online.
If you are new to oil painting, I highly suggest borrowing a book from the library. The books I’ve read contain a wealth of information that doesn’t really expire since oil painting has been around for so long. Also, they are much easier, in my opinion, than browsing the internet and watching several different videos.
Here are the ones I’ve read:
The Elements of Landscape Oil Painting by Suzanne Brooker
The Beginner’s Guide to Oil Painting by Angela Gair
Plein Air Techniques for Artists by Aimee Erickson
Practical Oil Painting by Gerald Woods
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So what are my favorite things for oil painting and drawing? Let’s dive in.
Prepping & Finishing the Canvas for Oils
I’ve learned that prepping a canvas, board, or surface is essential to oil painting. A few coats of gesso is necessary so that the oils don’t bleed through. Most canvases are typically primed already but it may be your preference to add your own to smooth the surface even more.
To apply gesso, I prefer to use a paint wedge so that my strokes are uniform and not too thick. The one I use is super easy to clean!
I prefer to use acrylic paint for my underpaintings since acrylic can go under but not over oils. This allows me to continue using my supply of acrylic paints and allows my underpainting to dry quicker than oils.
Once my painting is completely finished and dry (after a few months) I apply a gloss varnish that really just brings the painting back to life! For my paintings, the oils tend to look matte once dry so applying a varnish just brings all the beautiful colors back to life.
Drawing
My drawing supplies are really pretty simple. I’m still using the pencils that I bought in college 15 years ago, of which I have both graphite and charcoal. For paper, I use a heavyweight mixed media paper. I can use this to create coffee stained paper for an antique, aged look to my drawings. I’ve also made little sketch books out of this paper for planning out a collection.
Making the Oil Painting
When I first started oil painting I was certain I didn’t want to use anything stinky or otherwise harmful to breathe in. I learned that walnut oil was a great non-toxic medium to use for oil paints. It can be used to dilute the oil paints or to clean brushes in between colors. Walnut oil takes 2-5 days to dry depending on how much you used.
An Instagram friend in Germany suggested Sennelier oil paints as a premier, high quality option. They’ve been producing paints since 1887 in France. I’ve been impressed with their quality and have invested in an assorted set of paints that are a joy to paint with.
Sennelier also makes oil pastels which I use to sketch my composition, incorporate colors, and add some texture to a painting. I buy singles so I can be very selective of my colors.
There are a few paints I get from Hobby Lobby that I use every time and I’ve linked all those colors below. The cashew oil paint color is not nearly as vibrant as they show online. It’s actually quite muted and I love the color so much for skies and creating lighter tones.
If you aren’t achieving the look you have in your mind, your brush may be to blame. I can sometimes find a painting just isn’t working for some reason until I realize the brush I have in my hand isn’t letting me precise enough or being too precise.
My favorite brush for skies and trees is a mop brush. For detail work, I’ve found a great set of tiny brushes that have held up well so far. A couple other brushes I find are extremely useful are a flat brush and liner brush. The books I listed up above can provide a lot more insight to all the brushes you should have.
A dipper palette cup can help you “rinse” a brush during a painting session if you are switching between colors. You have a dirty and a clean cup.
Easels
Lastly, having the right easel for your piece just makes creating that much more enjoyable. I’ve recently started painting in my dining room because of the wonderful natural light it receives. My basement studio was just too dark and cold to want to paint. So having a pochade box has been wonderful. It holds my essential paints, palette, pastels, and brushes so when I’m done for the day I can put everything back and put it back downstairs. One day I’ll get to use it for plein air! It’s also got a beautiful classic look to it!
Having a standing H-frame easel is so nice if you paint on a larger scale. You can stand or sit in a stool to use it. The one I have keeps the canvas in place well even when I’m making a lot of movement with my brush.
That’s about it! I hope you have found the resources you need to start creating something beautiful so that the world can be blessed. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out!
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If you’re new here, I’m Sara and am the artist at Nelson Art & Design Co. I primarily create European scenes that have a vintage and romantic feel. Take a look around and as always, feel free to reach out with any questions!
