A starter oil painting kit can be small. This checklist covers the essentials, what is optional, and how to avoid buying more than you need.
The short version
At minimum you need paint, brushes, a surface, something to mix on, something to clean with, and rags. Everything else can wait. For a broader introduction, see our guide to getting started with oil painting.
Oil paints
A small set is enough. A common starter range includes titanium white, a blue such as ultramarine, a red, a yellow and often burnt umber. Some painters add a black or a green. Artist-grade and student-grade options both exist, and water-mixable oils are available if you want easier cleanup. Details on choosing colors are in choosing oil colours, and on price tiers in oil paint reviews.
Brushes
Oil painting generally calls for stiffer brushes than watercolor. Hog bristle and stiff synthetic brushes are both common. Useful shapes are:
- Flat for blocking in and broad strokes.
- Filbert for blending and softer edges.
- Round for lines and small details.
A few sizes is enough to begin. For a closer look at hair types and shapes, see what type of brush to use for oil paint. Long handles are traditional because they let you paint from a distance.
Surfaces
Options include primed cotton or linen canvas, canvas panels or boards, wood panels and oil-painting paper. Standard acrylic-primed canvas is suitable for oil. Small sizes are cheaper and less intimidating for practice. Unprimed surfaces generally need to be primed before oil painting.
Palette and mixing tools
- A palette: wood, glass, tear-off paper or a disposable pad.
- A palette knife for mixing and scraping.
Solvents and mediums
These are optional for beginners, and oil painting mediums explained compares linseed oil, alkyd mediums and solvents. Some people use odorless mineral spirits to thin early layers and clean brushes, and linseed oil or an oil medium to adjust flow. Others skip solvents and use oil alone. Read labels and ventilate; see working with oil paint.
Cleaning supplies
Rags or paper towels, a lidded jar for solvent or oil, and brush soap or mild dish soap. Our guide on cleaning oil painting brushes gives the steps.
Extras that can wait
- An easel
- Varnish (used after the painting is fully dry)
- Gloves and an apron
- A container for transporting wet paintings
Can you make oil paint at home?
Yes, in principle. Paint is pigment mixed with oil, and some artists grind their own. It requires pigment, a muller and attention to pigment safety, and the results can be inconsistent. For most beginners, tube paint is more practical.
Is oil painting harder than acrylic?
It is different. Oils dry slowly and need layering rules, while acrylics dry fast. Neither is universally easier.
How long does an oil painting take to dry?
Drying varies with thickness, pigment and conditions, and can range from days for thin layers to weeks or more for thick ones. Plan your supplies, such as a safe place to leave wet paintings, accordingly.
Starter checklist
- 4 to 6 tubes of paint
- 3 to 5 brushes
- A few small primed surfaces
- Palette and palette knife
- Rags, jar and soap or solvent of your choice
- Optional medium