Acrylic Painting for Absolute Beginners: The Only 5 Supplies You Need to Start Today

Embarking on a new artistic journey can feel overwhelming, especially when faced with a dizzying array of art supplies. But here's a secret for Acrylic Painting for Beginners: you don't need to buy everything in the art store to start creating beautiful work. In fact, keeping it simple is often the best approach. This guide, Acrylic Painting for Absolute Beginners: The Only 5 Supplies You Need to Start Today, cuts through the clutter, focusing on the absolute essentials to get you painting without breaking the bank or feeling overwhelmed.

Essential Supplies for Acrylic Painting for Beginners

For anyone diving into Acrylic Painting for Beginners, focusing on a few quality basics rather than a huge, expensive haul will set you up for success. These five categories cover everything you need to begin experimenting with colour, texture, and form right away.

1. Acrylic Paints: A Basic Set of Primary Colours

You don't need a massive set of 50 different colours. In fact, starting with primary colours and learning to mix your own hues is a fundamental skill that will serve you well throughout your artistic career.

Artist-grade paints have a higher concentration of pure pigment, but student-grade is more than adequate for learning. Image credit: Unsplash

• What to Look For: A small set (typically 5-12 tubes) that includes at least Red, Yellow, Blue, Black, and White.

• Student-Grade vs. Artist-Grade: For beginners, student-grade acrylics are perfect. Brands like Amsterdam, Liquitex BASICS, Winsor & Newton Galeria, or Golden Heavy Body (their student line) offer good pigment load and consistency without the hefty price tag of artist-grade paints. Artist-grade paints have a higher concentration of pure pigment, but student-grade is more than adequate for learning.

• Heavy Body vs. Fluid: Heavy body acrylics have a thick, buttery consistency, great for visible brushstrokes and texture (impasto). Fluid acrylics are thinner, more like ink, and good for washes or pouring. For starters, a heavy body set offers more versatility.

• Why You Need It: These five essential colours—Red, Yellow, Blue, Black, and White—are the foundation of nearly every colour you can create. White is crucial for lightening colours and creating opaque highlights, while black can be used for shading or creating dark, rich tones. Learning to mix colours will build your understanding of colour theory faster than relying on pre-mixed tubes.

2. Brushes: A Small Variety Pack

Don't fall into the trap of thinking you need a brush for every possible stroke. A small variety pack will give you enough options to experiment with different effects.

• What to Look For: A beginner set of synthetic brushes (acrylics are tough on natural hair) that includes:

  • A Large Flat Brush (1/2 inch to 1 inch): Good for covering large areas, blocking in colours, and creating crisp edges.

  • A Medium Round Brush (size 6-10): Versatile for general painting, blending, and some detail work.

  • A Small Round or Liner Brush (size 0-2): Essential for fine details, lines, and signatures.

    
    

• Why You Need It: This trio provides the flexibility to tackle various elements of a painting, from broad strokes to intricate details. Synthetic brushes are durable, easy to clean, and maintain their shape well with acrylics. Remember to clean your brushes immediately after use to prolong their life!

  
  

Synthetic brushes are durable, easy to clean, and maintain their shape well with acrylics. Image credit: Unsplash

3. Palette: Something to Mix Your Colours On

You need a surface to squeeze out and mix your paints. This doesn't have to be fancy at all.

• What to Look For:

  • Disposable Palette Paper: Tear-off sheets make cleanup a breeze.

  • A Ceramic Plate or Tile: Easy to clean once the paint is wet, and reusable.

  • A Plastic Plate or Old Dinner Plate: Any non-absorbent, smooth surface will do.

  • A "Stay-Wet" Palette: (Highly recommended, especially if your paint dries too fast!) These contain a sponge and special paper to keep paints workable for hours, even days. While technically more than "just a plate," it's a game-changer for beginners.

    
    

• Why You Need It: A good palette is essential for mixing colours without contaminating your tubes, allowing you to create the exact shades you need. A non-absorbent surface prevents the paint from drying out too quickly (unless you specifically want it to, as with some textured effects).

A good palette is essential for mixing colours without contaminating your tubes. Image credit: Unsplash

4. Painting Surface: Canvas Panels or Paper

You need something to paint on! While canvases can be intimidating, there are many beginner-friendly and affordable options.

• What to Look For:

  • Canvas Panels: These are thin, rigid pieces of canvas glued to a board. They are inexpensive, don't warp, and are perfect for practice. Buy them in multi-packs.

  • Acrylic Paper: Thick, heavy paper (usually 180-300gsm or 80-140lb) specifically designed for acrylics. It's often textured and won't buckle as much as regular drawing paper when wet.

  • Gessoed Wood Panels: Another good, sturdy option if you want something more rigid than canvas panels, though often a bit pricier.

    
    

• Why You Need It: A properly prepared surface (most canvases and acrylic papers are pre-gessoed) gives your paint something to adhere to, preventing it from soaking in unevenly. Starting with smaller, affordable surfaces reduces the pressure to create a masterpiece and encourages experimentation.

Starting with smaller, affordable canvas reduces the pressure to create a masterpiece. Image credit: Unsplash

5. Water Container and Paper Towels/Rag: For Cleaning and Diluting

These might seem obvious, but proper water and cleanup tools are fundamental to successful acrylic painting.

• What to Look For:

  • Two Water Containers: Old yogurt cups, plastic containers, or jars work perfectly.

  • Paper Towels or an Old Cloth/Rag: Keep a stack nearby.

    
    

• Why You Need It:

  • Two-Cup System: One cup is for the initial rinse to get the bulk of the paint off your brush (the "dirty water" cup), and the second is for a final rinse to ensure the brush is truly clean before dipping it into a new colour (the "clean water" cup). This prevents muddy colours.

  • Paper Towels/Rags: Essential for wiping excess paint from your brushes, blotting brushes after rinsing, and correcting small mistakes. They help keep your workspace clean and your colours pure.

With just these five categories of supplies, you have everything you need to embark on your acrylic painting for beginners journey. Don't let the vast world of art supplies intimidate you. Start simple, focus on learning, and most importantly, have fun exploring the vibrant possibilities of acrylics! Your creativity is the most important tool you possess.