The best art supplies for painting in 2024

A photo of some of the best art supplies in use
(Image credit: Pixabay)

Investing in the best art supplies can help your art to get better and save you money in the long term. Poor-quality kit is likely to perform worse, look worse and not last. Whether it's chalky, lifeless paints or paintbrushes with the wrong textures, you notice the difference in myriad ways.

There's such a wide array of art supplies out there that it can be hard to choose, but our reviewers have tried and tested hundreds of different products by using them in the course of their own practice and work, and we've compiled their recommendations into this list.

Of course, in order to start painting you'll need some paint. We've mentioned oils here but if you want other mediums then explore our best acrylic, best gouche and best watercolour guides. And if you fancy making your own supplies, see our how to make your own watercolours guide.

The best art supplies available now

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What art supplies do painters need?

The type of art supplies you'll need will largely depend on the medium you're working with. On this list we've mentioned paint, paintbrushes, a brush cleaner and brush pot, as well as a drying medium and an easel. Other supplies we haven't mentioned are more basic supplies like pencils, a sketchbook and tools like the best sharpener and best eraser.

Rob Lunn is a self-taught painter, and loves to paint in oils. His influences are Vincent van Gogh, Caravaggio and Ilya Repin. He has taught art workshops since 2012 and gets a real buzz from teaching people to draw and paint. He has contributed to Paint & Draw magazine and bookazines, and has also provided traditional art tutorials for Creative Bloq.

With contributions from