Painting Supplies
Welcome to the wonderful world of painting! This is the place for beginners who want to get into painting and learn about the basics. Check out the articles about choosing paints, brushes, and canvases to get started. Keep in mind that you will also need a few containers 
for water to rinse your brushes , some rags for cleaning up afterward, and a drop cloth or some type of protective covering for your workspace. Good luck and happy painting!
Before you Start
Before you start you'll want to make sure your painting area is prepped and ready to go. If you are painting on a table or surface that's normally used for something else, put down old newspapers or a drop cloth to avoid spills. Also grab a disposable or unused cup and fill it with water. You'll want the water available when you start painting with acrylics, gouache, tempera or water paint. If you are using oil paints fill the cup with paint thinner or turpentine .
Paints
First decide what type of paint you want to use. acrylics ,gouache ,tempera and water colors are all water soluble but oil paints are not. However, if your goal is to make a realistic painting, oils blend very well whereas something like tempera is good for flat color blocks. For acrylic paints, try Liquitex paint: it's easy to get a hold of and works well.
Canvas
Some painters prefer canvas while others get more creative with alternative materials. If you're looking at canvas the easiest route to go is a stretched canvas . For more adventurous painters, stretching your own canvas may be a good route to go. To do it yourself purchase some canvas ,stretchers , a staple gun and staples . For more information on how to put everything together, check out About.com.
Once you get used to working on canvas try using illustration board , artist metal or wood.
Related Guides and Products
Please visit Painting for Kids if you would like some ideas to buy for aspiring young painters.
International Resources
For this resource in your home country, please see:
ES: Materiales de pintura
