Oil Painting Starter Guide: What You Actually Need

When I started oil painting, I bought everything the art store recommended. Half of it I never used. Here's what you actually need.

The Essentials (Start Here)

Paints (~$35-50)

You don't need 50 colors. You need these:

**Titanium White** (large tube—you'll use a lot)

**Ivory Black** or Lamp Black

**Cadmium Yellow** (or Hansa Yellow for budget)

**Cadmium Red** (or Pyrrole Red for budget)

**Ultramarine Blue**

**Burnt Sienna**

With these six colors, you can mix almost anything. More colors come later.

Brand recommendations: Winsor & Newton Winton (budget), Gamblin (mid-range), or Williamsburg (premium). Don't mix student and professional grades in one painting.

Brushes (~$20-30)

2-3 flat brushes (various sizes)

1-2 filbert brushes

1 small round for details

Synthetic brushes are fine for learning. Hog bristle when you're ready to invest.

Surface (~$15-20)

Canvas panels for practice (way cheaper than stretched canvas)

Or make your own from canvas paper mounted on board

Medium (~$15)

Odorless mineral spirits (for cleaning and thinning)

Linseed oil (for fat-over-lean layering)

Or: Galkyd medium (all-in-one, faster drying)

Palette

Glass with gray paper underneath (easy to clean)

Or disposable paper palettes (lazier but fine)

What You Don't Need Yet

Easel (table works fine, prop up with books)

Palette knives (nice but not essential)

47 different colors

Expensive brushes

Cadmium everything

Canvas stretchers and raw canvas

Setup Tips

Ventilation matters: Even odorless mineral spirits need airflow. Crack a window.

Light matters: North-facing window is ideal. Avoid direct sunlight on your canvas.

Organization matters: Lay out colors in the same order every time. Muscle memory helps.

Your First Painting

Don't paint your dog. Don't paint your dream landscape. Paint a simple still life:

1. Single object (apple, mug, egg)

2. Single light source

3. Simple background

Master value first. Then tackle color complexity.

Common Beginner Mistakes

1. Too much paint, too thin: Load that brush

2. Overworking: Stop earlier than you think

3. Ignoring values: Squint to see value masses

4. Cleaning brush between every stroke: Let colors mix on canvas sometimes

The Investment Curve

Month 1-3: Basic supplies (~$100 total)

Month 4-6: Better brushes, more colors (~$75)

Month 7-12: Quality surfaces, mediums (~$100)

Year 2+: The stuff you actually like using

Start cheap, learn what you actually use, then invest in quality there.

Happy painting.