If you have decided that you want to take up painting as a hobby, or maybe even as a profession, the first thing you need to do is create a comfortable environment to paint in.
An unused room in your home is ideal place to set up your studio. But, more often than not, you will not have this option. Don’t worry. You still have plenty of other choices as well. One great place to work is a sun porch. You can turn your back (or front) porch into a small studio, and you will get the benefit of the daytime sun for great lighting. Or, you can set aside a corner in a quiet area of your home (or even your garage or basement).
One of the first things you need to think about when setting up a studio is lighting. If you are fortunate enough to have a space that has lots of windows, you will have a source of natural light. You also need a good form or artificial light, for fill-in light during the daytime, and obviously, to see when working at night.
If you are taking up oil painting, you need to make sure that you are working in a well-ventilated area. Also, until you are sure that you will have no allergic reactions to your paints, you should wear disposable latex gloves while painting.
Once you have selected the location for your paint studio, you need to start setting things up. There are plenty of things you will need, and the best advice is to try and get all of your supplies and equipment before you start setting up your studio. This way, you won’t be rushing out to the store for items you don’t have. You can do this in two shopping trips: one for furnishings, the other for supplies and materials.
You will need to furnish your studio. Besides needing a good easel, you will also need a stool for sitting. If you plan on painting portraits, you will want to have an additional stool for your subjects. You may want to have a desk or another surface to set up objects for still-life paintings.
Now you need to make a list of all the supplies and materials you will need. When you have decided what you want to purchase, take your list to the nearest art supply store and grab a cart! Here are some of the main items you will need to properly equip your studio:
- Paints
- Brushes
- Palette
- Palette Knife
- Mediums
- Canvasses
- Painting Boards
- Paper
- Pencils and Erasers
- Containers for brushes, water, paint thinner, etc.
- Storage for your tools and supplies
- Paint Thinner
- Water
- Spray Bottle
- Absorbent cloth for drying brushes
While you are shopping, you may come across other items that you “just have to have”. The items listed above are enough to get you started, but if you see something that you really want to try, by all means, go ahead and buy it. After all, you never know how something will work until you try it, and you may find that you have a product that you love working with.
