A Guide line to Beginners Painting Kit
As a beginner it is overwhelming to know what equipment to purchase, if you are joinng a group with a teacher then the teacher will give you a list of requirements before class, or you may be able to purchase from the teacher. I often get asked how much does it cost to 'get started' and what equipment do I need. So to help you, I have given you three lists below.
- The First list is the equipment you will need to purchase First, It will give you a start in Folk Art and Decorative Painting.
- The Second list is the items you bring to class from home, you will already have them.
- The Third list is to help you buy only the items that will be needed over the next few lessons. These can be purchased over a few weeks. It is a good idea to buy the Paints & Brushes needed at the beginning of each new project. A project can take from 1 week up to severial weeks to complete.
- 1 x No 4 Round Brush
- 1 x No 00 Liner Brush
- 1 x 3/8 Angle Shader
- 1 x 1'' Flat Base Coating Brush, (or a sea sponge will be okay to start with).
- 1 or 2 Stipple Brushes, (Franceville) Say No 2 & No 5
- 1 x Stylus
- 2 Sheets of Craft Carbon Paper, 1 White, 1 grey
- 1 x Cube Art Eraser, or soft white Eraser.
- 6 Tubes of Jo Sonja Artist Acrylic Paint, 75 mls Tubes in the following colours; Warm white, Pine green, Yellow light, Carbon black, Napthol red light, and Raw umber.
- 1 x Background Paint, Jo Sonja In a pale colour, Linen, Soft white or Sand. (Mattise is a good make too)
List Two; Find in the Home;
- An old towel to place under your work as you paint, and to wrap up your work after class to transport home.
- A small rag, paper towel or old face washer. to wipe your brushes.
- A jar or water container.
- A Pallet, either a desposable pad, old tile or a wet pallet.
- Folder for paperwork.
List three; Purchase as you need them;
- A Varnish; I use a satin varnish for most of my projects. Either a Jo Sonja Varnish in Satin, or a good Spray Varnish also in Satin.
- Background colours, as needed.
- Extra Brushes and Colours as needed.
A list of the most popular Jo Sonja colours we use. (These can be purchased over time; you may learn to mix a few colours) The 6 colours highlighted are your beginner’s colours. There are 80 colours available, but start with the 6 colours in the beginner’s choice, adding the other colours as you need them.
Colours most used;
Warm white, Titanium white, Yellow light, Yellow oxide, Raw sienna, Gold oxide, Napthol red light, Burgundy, Diox purple, Pacific blue, French blue, Sapphire, Ultramarine blue, Paynes grey, Aqua,
Antique Green, Green oxide, Teal green, Pine green, Hookers green, Moss green, Olive green, Raw umber, Burnt umber, Brown earth, Burnt sienna, Provincial beige, Skin tone base, Unbleached titanium, Smoked pearl, Nimbus grey, Carbon black, Rich gold.
Brushes also useful are;
- Medium Filbert brush,
- Rake or Comb brush,
- Round brushes, No’s 2 & 6
- Larger stipple brushes,
- Deerfoot brush
- Angle shader. no’s ½ in & ¼ in.
- 3/8 Dagger brush
Your local Folk Art shop or Studio can help, they usually have a small selection of brushes and paints needed, as well as book's, mediums and wood pieces or canvas, and can offer advice. If taking lessons at a Shop or Stuido, then you would be expected to purchase from the shop, some times they offer a discount if you are a student there.
Do be carefull of buying cheap brushes from the local discount store, they are sometimes two soft for Folk Art work, it is better to purchase a few good brushes than to have lots of bad ones.
Bunnings offer a limited range of products, so do Lincraft. Spotlight has moved to Wetherill Park and offers paints and some wood pieces. Specilist Folk Art shops are; Crafty Critters at Chester Hill, (far end of the main street) and Ellenvale Cottage, (see website) Ellenvale is at St Mary,s. Both shops offer supplies, Ellenvale is a specilist Folk Art shop while Crafty Critters carries folk art supplies along with other crafts.
I do hope that you find this list usefull, it is very tempting to buy too much because you want to paint everything you see!
Keep it simple, and you will not end up with colours and brushes that you never use.
If you can, prepare a small area as your work space, to leave out you work so that you can paint a little when you find you have time. Often I find I have a little spare time and paint a small part of my design, or basecoated a piece ready to paint. It is supprising, these little moments always bring a joy and contentment, and your painting grows quite quickly.
Most of all have fun! my Motto is;
Ladies and Gents, Have Fun, Learn to Paint!
Kind Regards, Lyn.
