If you’re starting your journey into oil painting, you don’t need to buy everything at once — but having the right essentials will make your first experience smoother, cleaner, and far more enjoyable. After decades of working in oils, I’ve learned that quality tools make learning easier and help you understand how the medium really behaves. Here’s what I’d recommend for any beginner putting together their first oil painting kit.
A small set of professional or student-grade oil paints gives you everything you need to mix almost any colour. I always recommend beginning with a warm and cool version of each primary, plus white.
Tip: Start small — it’s better to have six rich colours than 24 weak ones.
For oils, you’ll need brushes that can handle thicker paint and solvents. A few good-quality hog bristle or synthetic brushes will last far longer than cheap packs.
Tip: Buy long-handled brushes — they encourage better posture and freer, more expressive strokes.
A wooden or glass palette gives you space to mix paint properly. You’ll also want at least one palette knife for mixing and texture work.
Tip: Mix colours with a knife, not your brush — it preserves your bristles and keeps paint clean.
Oil paint needs a primed, non-absorbent surface. As a beginner, pre-primed surfaces save a lot of prep time.
Tip: Always check your surface says “suitable for oil paint” or “triple-primed with acrylic gesso.”
A sturdy easel keeps your work upright and comfortable to paint on. Table easels are great for small spaces, while studio easels suit larger works.
Tip: Make sure the easel tilts slightly back — it helps control drips and perspective.
Before paint comes drawing. A few pencils or sticks of charcoal help you sketch compositions and plan your tonal structure.
Tip: Keep your drawing light — oil paint is semi-transparent and can show dark graphite beneath.
Mediums control the consistency and drying time of oil paint. Start with one or two simple ones to learn how they behave.
Tip: Avoid mixing too many mediums at once; get used to the feel of your paint first.
Cleaning is part of painting — and good habits will save your brushes.
Tip: Never leave brushes standing in solvent. It bends the bristles and ruins the ferrule.
“Oil painting rewards patience and care — in both your materials and your approach. Start small, work cleanly, and take time to learn how your paint behaves. The best beginner’s kit isn’t the one with the most colours, but the one that helps you understand light, tone, and texture.”
With a compact, high-quality kit like this, you can focus on developing your technique — and avoid the frustration of poor materials holding you back.
