Art is a form of expression for channeling inner emotions. It is as you perceive it; personal to all. However, if you’re a beginner wanting to learn the basics before you can paint masterpieces, it is essential to know the elements required in the process. As many of us may wrongly assume, painting is not just about a brush and paints. There are a lot of technicalities to keep in mind while selecting a kit as an amateur painter. You cannot expect the color to thrive on two different material canvases the same way. Similarly, you can’t use any medium on a specific canvas.
Let’s go through some basic elements that should be included in a beginner’s kit.
Paint Brush
The paintbrush has gone through major evolution since it was first used. It can be a challenging task to figure out the difference between the use of round or flat brushes but what’s imperative is that you purchase a high-quality set. To give you an idea for the same, round brushes are used majorly for bold strokes and detailed work. A Filbert brush on the other hand is a more versatile brush that allows better blending.
Paint
Another important element is the paint you pick. There are three main categories for the same – watercolor, acrylic, and oil paints. You must understand that the quality of the paints can either enhance or completely steal the essence of your art. Handmade paints have the finest pigments which will enrichen the texture and color of the painting.
Canvas
The canvas is the most commonly used material to paint on. Primed canvases are better to work on. The size of the canvas depends on what you have in mind. As a beginner, an A3 canvas should help you gauge the basics of painting on one. For works in the exhibition and high-end paintings, student quality canvases are not recommended.
Easel
The stand which holds the canvas is the easel. It can be made from metal or wood. There are differently framed easels for your convenience. A-framed easels are portable while H-frame easels provide greater stability. The tabletop easel works great for the deck painting process. Display easels should not be used to paint on as they are only useful for displaying finished works.
Palette
The messier a painter’s palette, the better is the painting. A palette is an object held by painters for mixing paints. The quality of the palette doesn’t affect your painting so if you’re still trying it out, a disposable palette would work wonders.
Palette Knife
A palette knife has multiple uses other than mixing the paint on the palette. If used correctly over the course of time, they make the process of painting easier. They also help in adding dimension to the art that you’re creating. Cleaning knives is way easier than cleaning paint-dried brushes.
The basics of a beginner’s kit can help you learn tricks and theories into creating your own paint shades. It is important not to compromise on the quality of material right in the beginning as you can be economical once you start experimenting.