Oil Painting for Beginners

A modern, simplified way to learn the timeless art of oil painting.

Welcome! In this free course, I’ll guide you through a beginner-friendly process for learning oil painting — one that combines classic techniques with a few modern tools to make things faster, simpler, and less intimidating.

To make it easy to start, I’ve included two options for your materials:

Starting oil painting doesn’t have to be expensive. This budget-friendly supply list includes affordable materials that work beautifully for beginners and can be found at most local art stores or online.

Pro tip: Stores like Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and Blick Art Materials often have great sales on paints and brushes. When I first began, I slowly built my collection by picking up items as they went on sale — so don’t feel like you need everything at once.

TLDR, Take me to the list..

💰 Budget-Friendly Oil Painting Supplies

If you want to invest a little more upfront, this recommended list includes the tools and brands I personally use now — chosen for quality, consistency, and ease of use. They’ll help you paint more confidently and save time during setup and cleanup.

Both supply lists use the same process and techniques taught in the course, so feel free to mix and match based on what you already have or what fits your budget.

Note: Some links are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through them — at no extra cost to you. Your support helps me keep this course and supply list free for everyone.

🌟 My Recommended Supplies for the Best Results

Step 1: Setting Up Your Art Studio

Before you start painting, it helps to create a space that feels comfortable and organized. You don’t need a full studio — even a small corner of a room can work perfectly. Here’s what I recommend for setting up your beginner oil painting space:

Protect your workspace from paint spills and stains.

Drop Cloth

Keep your brushes tidy and ready to use.

Brush Organizer

Easel

Your easel supports your canvas and helps with posture while painting.

Choose a canvas that’s already stretched and primed for oil painting so you can start creating right away. Most art stores carry affordable, ready-to-use options made specifically for oil paints.

  • Budget: Pre-stretched canvas from your local store or try an oil painting paper pad.

  • Recommended: I personally use textured gesso panels because they offer a smoother surface, great durability, and a professional, gallery-ready look.

Canvas

Step 2: Creating Your Reference Photo

A clear reference photo gives a reliable guide for color, lighting, and proportions, making the painting process easier.

If you’re working from a photograph or planning to freehand your sketch, feel free to skip this step. But if you want to design your own mockup image, whether it’s adjusting lighting, arranging images, or playing with color, these tools make it simple:

  • Budget: Canva, the free version.

  • Recommended: I create my reference photos in Canva, the paid version. You can also use Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator.

In this course, you’ll learn how to use a projector to sketch your reference photo directly onto your canvas. This method is perfect for beginners because it gives you a clean, accurate outline and helps you focus on color, blending, and brushwork instead of struggling with proportions.

Step 3: Projector & Sketching

Sketching Tools

The Stabilo pencil is perfect for oil painting because it goes on smoothly, stays visible, and won’t smear or blend into your paint. Brown and yellow are the most beginner-friendly colors because they get easily covered by oils.

💡 Tip: Avoid Regular graphite pencils! They mix with oil paint, turn muddy, and can dull your colors.

Projecting Tools

A simple digital projector lets you trace your reference photo directly onto the canvas. It’s one of the easiest ways for beginners to get accurate proportions quickly.

💡 Tip: You’ll need the right HDMI cable or adapter to connect the projector to your computer, tablet, or phone. Make sure to choose a cord that matches your device (Mac, PC, or mobile).

For this course, we’ll keep things simple and affordable by using a limited palette of just five core colors. I’ll walk you through a minimal, five-color palette designed to help beginners learn how to mix accurate, vibrant colors without needing a huge collection of paints.

Step 4: Paints & Brushes

If you’re starting out, Winsor & Newton offers affordable, reliable paints that work beautifully. You can buy a beginner set or pick up the tubes individually.

Core Palette:

  • Permanent Alizarin Crimson

  • Cadmium Yellow Pale

  • French Ultramarine

  • Titanium White

  • Burnt Umber

Medium:
The method I teach works best with slow-drying mediums because we build the painting in one layer. Use a slow-drying oil painting medium so you can blend and adjust colors on the canvas.

Budget Paint Option

Recommended

I use Geneva Fine Art Paints because they are pre-mixed with a slow-dry medium and already available in the core palette.

I recommend purchasing your brushes in person so that you can compare shapes and sizes. Everyone develops their own preferences depending on style and subject matter, but here’s a great starter set to get you going: 

Starter Brush Set:

  • 1 × Small detail brushes — Round #00 or the smallest available

  • 1 × Small filbert brushes — Filbert #2

  • 2 × Medium round brushes — Round #2–#4

  • 2 × Medium filbert brushes — Filbert #4–#6

  • 1 × Large filbert brushes — Filbert #8–#10

💡 Tip: As you paint more, you’ll discover which sizes you naturally reach for most often — so think of this list as a solid foundation rather than a fixed rule. Make sure the brushes are suitable for oil paint when purchasing!

Brush Types & Quantities

Optional: Materials for Staining Your Canvas

Staining the canvas isn’t required for this course, but many artists find that staining helps brighten their colors or creates a neutral base that feels less stark than starting on a pure white canvas.

If you’d like to try it, you’ll need:

  • 1 × Large 2-inch brush — For applying the stain (shake it out first to avoid loose hairs in your brush strokes)

  • Odorless solvent — For thinning paint to create a stain wash
    (Always use solvents in a well-ventilated area or outdoors for safety.)

I personally skip staining most of the time, but I encourage beginners to try it at least once.

Your palette is where all your color mixing happens. Here are two beginner-friendly options depending on your preference:

Step 5: Palette

Budget Option: Disposable Paper Palette (or Paper Plates)

A disposable paper palette is an easy, affordable choice for beginners. It keeps cleanup simple, just tear off the sheet or toss the plate when you're finished. This option is perfect if you’re still learning your mixing habits or don’t want to deal with cleanup.

A glass palette gives you a smooth, durable surface that’s ideal for clean color mixing and long painting sessions.

If you choose a glass palette, you’ll also need:

  • A handheld blade scraper for removing dried paint

  • Isopropyl alcohol for cleaning

This setup is a favorite among many oil painters because it offers a consistent mixing surface and lasts for years.

Recommended: Glass Palette

Step 6: Cleaning Your Brushes

Proper brush care is essential for keeping your tools in good condition. I recommend Bristle Magic Brush Cleaner because it’s non-toxic, produces no fumes or hazardous vapors, making it safer and easier to use indoors.

  • After cleaning with Bristle Magic (or paint thinner), always finish with a quick wash in Dawn dish soap. This keeps the bristles soft, prevents them from drying out, and prolongs the life of your brushes.

You can also use an odorless paint thinner in a leak-proof jar to remove oil paint from your brushes.

💡 Safety first: Always work in a well-ventilated area or outdoors when using paint thinner to avoid inhaling fumes.

Step 7: Varnishing Your Painting

Varnishing is the final step that protects your painting, enhances the colors, and gives it a professional, finished look. It’s important to wait until your painting is completely dry before applying varnish, as applying too early can trap moisture and damage the paint.

Drying Timeline:

  • Thinner layers: 6 months is usually sufficient before varnishing.

  • Thicker or impasto-style layers: Wait 1–2 years to ensure the paint is fully cured.

Supplies Needed

Extras: Helpful Tools & Accessories

These extra supplies aren’t required, but they make your painting experience smoother and more organized.

Towels & Rags

Use old towels, terry rags, or cheap paper towels (thick ones will pick up little bits of the paper) to remove excess paint from your brushes.

Utility Cart

A small cart can hold your paints, mediums, brushes, and other tools, keeping everything organized and within reach while you paint.

Palette Knives

Palette knives are great for mixing colors on your palette or moving paint around on the canvas. They can also be used to create texture in your artwork.

Apron

An apron protects your clothing from paint stains.

💡 Tip: Even a simple budget apron or old shirt works perfectly for beginners — you don’t need anything fancy.

You’re officially ready to start painting!

With your supplies gathered and a solid foundation in place, the fun begins. In December, we’ll dive into the course together, learning techniques, mixing colors, and bringing your reference photos to life. Your first painting is just around the corner. Get ready to create :)