Beginners Guide to Buying Art Supplies Online
If you are starting as an artist, you’ll find that you will be able to purchase a majority of your art supplies online. It can get somewhat confusing, and starting; you do not need all that many supplies, mostly just the basics. The idea is to expand as you go along. To start off, you need to have the right tools so you can begin creating different kinds of artwork. You’ll be glad to discover that there are sites online selling art supplies that also offer online chats so you can ask questions before you purchase. Below, we discuss what art supplies you will need as a beginner.
1. Drawing paper
To begin with, you need drawing paper for your sketches. In the beginning, you can purchase a sketching pad that does not cost too much online, so you can begin creating. This is where you will make your drawings, which eventually you will want to transfer to a painting surface.
2. Graphite pencils
For your drawings, you’ll need graphite pencils. The pencils you choose must be reliable to begin creating what will eventually become artwork. You don’t have to have many pencils, to begin with just about 3 or 4 but they have to be the right kind of pencils. It would help if you had a 2B graphite pencil for drawing and shading, a 6B for creating dark shading, and a 4H for light shading.
3. Erasers
Even professional artists make mistakes, so it is essential to have a good eraser. What you need from art supplies online is a kneaded and a white eraser. Artists use kneaded erasers so that no traces are left behind. These kinds of erasers are preferred because they can be formed into different shapes and used to erase only a small area when creating light shading.
4. Palette
You know artists use palettes. Starting off, you can purchase an inexpensive plastic palette. These kinds of palettes can be used with either acrylic or watercolours. They are simple to use, and you can wash them.
5. Brushes
If you choose to paint with acrylic, then there are three kinds of brushes you require:
– For finer details, a liner brush.
– For smoothing out and painting, a filbert brush if you are creating medium-sized paintings, then a size 6 brush.
– To paint backgrounds a flat wash.
If you have chosen to use watercolours, then the required brushes are:
– For small detail painting, a size 6 brush.
– For general-purpose, painting a size 8 or 10 round brush.
– For washes, a medium-sized flat brush.
6. Paints
If you are starting out creating artworks, then all you need is a small palette and the primary colours. It does not matter if you are using acrylics, oils, or watercolour; the primary colours will help you create any painting. The colours are a single yellow, blue, red, and brown. The hues you’ll require for each of these colours include burnt umber, cadmium red, phthalo green, new gamboge, phthalo blue, and alizarin crimson. Using these colours and mixing them will help you create many different kinds of shades and hues.
7. Painting surface
To complete your artwork, you’ll need a painting surface. You can purchase a painting surface online. It depends on what paints you have chosen to use. If you have selected watercolours, then you should look for pre-stretched pads. If you choose acrylic, you have a choice of two kinds of painting surfaces – acrylic paper or canvas. If you decide to use oil paints, you’ll require a stretched and primed canvas.
Visit Melbourne art shop, MES to choose from their wonderful variety artist supplies.