| Although books, videos and magazines advise you to | | | | brand to be quite good overall both in pigment and |
| buy the best equipment possible, it is really not | | | | price and it is ideal for hobby purposes. |
| necessary to spend a fortune on your supplies when | | | | Brushes |
| you are learning how to paint. | | | | In the past I have purchased cheap and expensive |
| I would like to share with you how, as a working man | | | | brushes and found very little difference between the |
| with a mortgage and household bills to pay, I manage | | | | two, so would advise you to buy mid-priced or student |
| to satisfactorily balance all of this with the cost of my | | | | brushes. There is no need for dozens of them as you |
| hobby. | | | | can complete a painting with around six brushes, one |
| Canvas | | | | of which should be a fan brush used to soften the |
| When regularly using the same art and craft shop - | | | | edges of the painting. |
| ask for a discount. I asked and without any hesitation I | | | | Pallets |
| was given 20% off everything I buy. You could also | | | | Available in various shapes and sizes such as oblong, |
| take a look in the bargain "pound" shops which sell an | | | | round, and kidney shaped, and in numerous materials |
| A - Z of items. They sometimes offer a selection of | | | | plastic, wood etc, I have had experience with them all |
| smaller canvases for sale. | | | | and while the kidney shaped ones do look very arty, I |
| As an alternative to canvas you can paint on MDF | | | | find them cumbersome and heavy when using |
| board, plywood or even hardwood. Purchasing these | | | | regularly. Cleaning and scraping pallets is time |
| products from your local DIY store will enable you to | | | | consuming so if you would rather spend your valuable |
| buy the exact size you need, cut specifically to your | | | | time painting, why not use plastic or paper disposable |
| requirements. Of course, these surfaces need to be | | | | plates normally used at parties. The white background |
| prepared correctly so remember to rub down with | | | | helps you to see the exact colour being mixed and |
| sandpaper prior to applying the base coat. | | | | there is no mess, you just thrown them away when |
| Base coats | | | | you have finished with them. |
| Many modern day artists use Gesso, a chalk based | | | | Thinners |
| white liquid which has been used for centuries by | | | | At £3.00 for a small bottle, Pure Artist Turpentine, |
| painters. However, this can be quite | | | | made from pine trees, is widely available in art shops |
| expensive.Personally I use acrylic primer/undercoat | | | | although I use this mainly to clean brushes and not, in |
| available from paint stores. It is water-based and dries | | | | fact, to thin my paint. |
| very quickly. I apply an average of six coats, using | | | | Mediums |
| sandpaper to rub down in between each coat. | | | | I use the absolutely brilliant medium, Liquin Original, which |
| Oil Paints | | | | I buy in appropriate quantities from art shops. It helps |
| Although artist quality oil paint can cost as much as | | | | the paint to dry more quickly and at the same time |
| £12.00 a tube due to the purity of the pigments, I buy | | | | provides a great glaze. |
| student's quality oil paint which comes in 38ml tubes | | | | These are just a few ways you can keep the cost of |
| and is priced at around £3.00 per tube depending on | | | | your art hobby to a minimum whilst fully enjoying your |
| the colour. I have found the quality of the Rowney | | | | painting experience. |