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Beginner Painting Guide: Essential Supplies & How To Start Without Feeling Overwhelmed

  • Writer: Stevie Sobers
    Stevie Sobers
  • Dec 22, 2025
  • 7 min read

Starting to paint can feel intimidating — especially when you scroll through social media and see incredibly skilled artists everywhere.


If you’ve ever thought, “I’m not naturally talented” or “I don’t want to waste money on supplies if I’m bad at it,” you’re not alone.


The truth is: every artist starts somewhere. Art isn’t about perfection — it’s about showing up, experimenting, and letting yourself learn.


This beginner painting guide walks you through everything you need to get started, step by step, without pressure or overthinking.


Step #1 - Pick a medium


In art, the term "medium" refers to the material or technique used by an artist to create a work of art. It encompasses a wide range of materials and methods, including but not limited to:

  • Painting: Oil, acrylic, watercolor, and gouache are various painting mediums.

  • Drawing: Pencils, charcoal, pastels, ink, and markers are common drawing mediums.

  • Sculpture: Artists may work with clay, wood, stone, metal, or other materials to create sculptures.

  • Photography: The medium in photography refers to the type of camera, film, or digital equipment used.

As this blog post primarily centers on painting techniques and supplies for beginners, our main focus will be on the acrylic painting medium. Acrylic paints are exceptionally beginner-friendly and offer ease of use in comparison to oil and water-color painting.


Now that we’ve chosen acrylic as our medium, let’s explore and find some inspiration!



Step #2 - Find Inspiration


Staring at a blank canvas can be overwhelming — even after years of painting.

”Every artist was first an amateur.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Inspiration doesn’t mean copying. It means studying what you’re drawn to: colors, composition, mood.


I often search Pinterest or Google for acrylic painting examples and save what catches my eye. Over time, patterns start to emerge — and that’s where your personal style begins.






Step #3 - Let‘s Get Some Art Supplies (with links!)


One of the biggest things that stops people from starting to paint is feeling like they need everything. You don’t. A simple setup is more than enough to begin — and you can always add tools as you grow.


Here’s what I recommend for beginners, with options depending on how you want to work.


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Canvas or Paper (Start Here)


If you’re brand new, I actually recommend starting with canvas boards or mixed media paper before investing in stretched canvas.


Good beginner options:

    •    Artist-quality canvas boards (lightweight + affordable)


    •    Mixed media paper (great for practice & low pressure)


    •    Stretched canvas (once you’re ready to level up)


Why this helps:

Canvas boards and paper remove the fear of “wasting” a canvas and make experimenting feel easier.


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Paint (Acrylic, Watercolor, or Oil?)


For most beginners, I strongly recommend acrylic paint. It’s forgiving, affordable, and dries quickly — meaning you can paint over mistakes.


Beginner-friendly paint sets:

    •    Liquitex Basics Acrylic Paint Set


    •    Arteza Acrylic Paint Set (budget-friendly)


    •    Watercolor option (if you prefer a looser style):



You don’t need a huge set — a basic primary color palette + white is more than enough to start mixing.


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Paint Brushes (You Don’t Need 20)


A small variety goes a long way.


Look for:

    •    1–2 flat brushes (medium + large)

    •    1 round brush (for details)

    •    1 angled brush (optional but helpful)


Beginner brush sets:



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Water Cup + Paint Palette


These are simple, but important.

    •    Paint brush rinsing cup (or any jar you already own)

    •    Plastic or disposable paint palette


(Pro tip: a ceramic plate works just as well.)


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Protective Supplies (Trust Me on This One)


Painting is messy — and that’s part of the fun.

    •    Plastic tarp or drop cloth


    •    Old clothes or apron

    •    Paper towels or rags


This helps you relax and paint freely without worrying about spills.


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Optional but Helpful Extras

    •    Pencil or charcoal for light sketching

    •    Masking tape (for clean edges)

    •    Paper towels for texture and blotting


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Beginner Reminder


You don’t need professional supplies to make meaningful art. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s getting comfortable putting paint on a surface.


Start simple. Upgrade later.



Step #4 - Start Painting


Now that you've gathered all the necessary supplies, it's your time to shine! Before we dive into some basic acrylic techniques, I‘d like to emphasize a few important takeaways when you begin painting: be kind to yourself, trust the creative process, and remember not to take it too seriously.


Whether you're venturing into painting as a new hobby, considering the possibility of selling your art online, or simply eager to embrace something new, always keep in mind that every exceptionally skilled artist started as an amateur. So relish and enjoy every moment of your artistic journey, and if you happen to make a mistake, know that you can always paint over it.


Beginner painter tips:


Tip #1: PRIME YOUR CANVAS

  • Priming your canvas prior to painting in any medium is highly important because it ensures a smooth and even surface for your paint to be applied and therefore eliminates uneven brushstrokes while creating more flow to the painting process. Additionally, when your ACRYLIC GESSO primer dries, it tightens the canvas stretch, creating an easier surface to apply paint.


Tip #2 : APPLY A THIN ORANGE/BROWN PAINT WASH

  • Mix a light brown/dark orange, ideally the color raw sienna with water (not too much but enough so the paint is transparent and thin) and apply a thin layer on top of your dried primer before going in its any of the colors you desire your painting to have.


There are two main reason why we do this:

  1. It eliminates any white canvas sticking through

  2. The warm undertones of raw sienna create depth and vibrancy to the colors you apply on top for an overall more appealing painting



Tip #3 : BLOCK OUT MAJOR SHAPES


Don’t worry about being messy here. Blocking is about laying the foundation — not details.


I do this because it helps me avoid getting stuck on one small area and losing sight of the whole painting.

  • Blocking, in art, is the process of using basic shapes and colors to block out the lay out and positioning of your painting. It allows artists to quickly sketch out their vision and ensures an overall more cohesive look to the final painting. As someone who gets quickly overwhelmed by teh idea of a larger painting, I’ve found that blocking helps me maintain a clear vision of the painting's progress. It ensures I don't become overly focused on one area, preventing me from misjudging the overall proportions of the entire painting.


TIP # 4 PICK A COLOR PALETTE BEFORE PAINTING


  • I suggest choosing a palette of 4-7 colors for your painting – less is often more! Pre-selecting your colors not only ensures a cohesive result but also gives your artwork a professional look. Personally, I've found this tip to be incredibly helpful. When I first started painting, I struggled with color combinations, often resulting in a chaotic mix on my canvas.

Let me take you through my current approach before starting a new painting:

  1. If I have a concept in my head already for the painting, I may research what colors represent said concept i’m trying to curate and go from there. More often I’m starting completely from scratch or maybe I know I want to use purple, but after that I’m stumped; either way, my go-to tool now for color-palette matching is Pinterest. Here I may type in vibrant color palette or purple and color palette or calm color palette.

  2. Once I’ve decided on a color palette, I save the image and send it to my I pad. Here, I then open the image in my procreate app, select each color one by one, and assess the color properties. The basic color wheel function on procreate helps me see how warm or cool toned each color is and then i mix my paints accordingly. Don‘t worry if you dont have an iPad or procreate, mixing the colors perfectly will take practice so experiment with your paints and get as close as you can. You may even discover a color palette you like even more!


Tip #5 EXPLORE ADDITIVE ACRYLIC MEDIUMS


Acrylic paint dries fast — which is great once you’re comfortable, but can feel stressful when you’re just starting out. That’s where additive acrylic mediums come in.


Additive mediums are mixed directly into your paint to change how it behaves. Some slow down drying time, some improve flow, and others add texture or transparency.


For beginners, retarders are especially helpful because they give you more time to blend, adjust, and fix mistakes without the paint drying instantly.


I recommend starting small — you don’t need every medium on the shelf. One retarder and one basic gel medium is more than enough to experiment with.


Beginner-friendly acrylic retarders & mediums:

    •    Golden Acrylic Retarder


    •    Liquitex Slow-Dri Blending Medium


    •    Liquitex Flow Aid (great for smoother brushstrokes)


    •    Golden Open Acrylic Medium (extends working time significantly)


Tip:

Use these sparingly — a little goes a long way. Too much retarder can cause paint to stay tacky longer than you want


Tip #6 DON’T FORGET THE VARNISH


Once your painting is fully dry (and I mean fully — usually at least 72 hours for acrylics), varnishing is what brings everything together.


Varnish:

    •    Protects your painting from dust and UV damage

    •    Deepens colors and contrast

    •    Gives the artwork a finished, professional look


You can choose gloss, satin, or matte depending on the effect you want. Gloss enhances color vibrancy, while matte creates a softer, more muted finish.


For beginners, I recommend starting with a removable acrylic varnish — that way, if something goes wrong, it can be safely removed later.


Beginner-safe varnish options:

    •    Liquitex Acrylic Varnish (Gloss / Satin / Matte)

    •    Golden Polymer Varnish

    •    Krylon UV-Resistant Clear Acrylic Spray (easy option)


Important:

Always varnish in thin layers and let each layer dry fully. When in doubt, less is more.



Step #5 - Keep Practicing (Progress Comes From Showing Up)


Don't stop practicing! Learn to create out of joy rather perfection. The most important step in painting doesn’t happen at the beginning — it happens when you decide to keep going.


Every artist you admire has created work they didn’t love. Progress comes from repetition, not perfection. The more you paint, the more comfortable you’ll become with your materials, your process, and your own creative instincts.


Try to paint often, even if it’s just for a short amount of time. Not every piece needs to be finished or shared. Some paintings exist purely to teach you something — and that’s just as valuable.


If you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or disappointed with a piece, remember: you can always paint over it. Acrylics are incredibly forgiving, and mistakes are often just the starting point for something better.


Create because it brings you joy. Let go of the pressure to make something “good” every time. Confidence comes naturally when you allow yourself the space to learn.


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Final Reminder for Beginners


You don’t need natural talent to start painting — you need curiosity, patience, and a willingness to practice.


Your style will find you over time.



 
 
 

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