Top 5 Essential Tools for an Artist on a Budget
What are essentials worth investing in and what can I get away with thrifting?
10/2/20263 min read
5. **thrifted items --jars, ceramic dishes & baskets
mid-life emerging artist tools
i quit my job to pursue a life as a creative! painting, drawing, making content and all things that frees me to be me. i have a few go-to's as a creative, some that are not directly related to painting ..but for now, here are some tools i swear by! --i placed some of the items i have from amazon below!
2. an art cart
i just pulled out my art cart again recently. i was in denial, that i didn't need it --i was wrong! having the top available for my current paints, current brushes and needs is so incredibly useful
i use the second layer to hold all my paint and the bottom for my materials like paper, mediums and sprays.
3. water-mixable oil paint --windsor & newton
i looooooove oil paint.
for many years i was afraid and thought i was not serious enough of an artist to learn oil painting. not to mention living in an apartment & enclosed spaces with a baby!
--but with water-mixable oil paint, allllllll of that changes! they are still oil paints and have the same pigmentation but can breakdown with water! hallelujah!
as a new emerging painter, it is really hard to afford brand new canvases every time. especially the really beautiful gallery wrapped ones. something i have been trying lately, is painting overold thrifted canvases or painting on small pieces of gesso'd watercolor paper and framing them in thrifted frames!
I love using ceramic dishes for palettes. as long as the plate/dish is smooth and a neutral tone, it is no different to me than a glass palette. i have found them to be lighter and easier to hold because of their size!
in addition to dishes, i love collecting jars for storing brushes, jars for oil + mediums and water. i really think it adds to the unique feeling of my studio and makes my studio feel a little cozier!
1. a huge easel!
if you're painting bigger canvases, having a really big h-easel is so helpful! i found this easel being able to lie flat sooo amazing for details, and drying! i spend a lot of time at the easel, so having one that was versatile for sizing and stability was an important investment for me!
4. **thrifted items --old frames & canvases!
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