Oil Painting Supplies
Oil Painting Supplies
Below is a list of the exact supplies I use to paint.
I put this together for my online oil painting classes but I wanted to share it in advance for those interested in taking the class.
I am located in the USA and order most of my supplies from amazon.com and dickblick.com. I included links to all my supplies on Amazon (as an affiliate) below to everything so you can see exactly what I’m talking about!
Oil Paint
You can choose any brand of oil paint to work with but I like Gamblin and have learned that sticking with one brand is the best way to go so you are certain how the colors will look.
Gamblin is an American-made paint and I find they have very consistent rich colors. Each brand is slightly different but more or less, the colors of the paints across brands are named the same based on the pigments and will only vary slightly. You can purchase the smallest tubes available if you like, oil paints do go a long way!
Here is a list of paint colors I use most often by Gamblin:
Titanium White This white is my favorite because it is the most opaque
Ultramarine Blue This is my favorite color for shadows in the foam
Phathlo Blue This is a very bright blue. I always mix this and use sparingly
Paynes Gray This is a classic cool gray that I love
Transparent Orange Mix this with phathlo blue for a beautiful aqua color
Yellow Ochre I use this for my underpainting thinned down with Gamsol
Cadmium Yellow Light A classic bright yellow
Alizarin Crimson A deep red that mixes into beautiful purples & greens
Paint Squeezer Tool This gets everything from your paint tubes, I love it!
Palette
I use a piece of glass for my pallet, which is a common choice for oil painters because it cleans up so well with a razor blade scraper.
Razor blade scraper - to clean your glass palette
Brushes
For painting the ocean flat brushes are my favorite! I also use rounds for some applications and a giant big soft brush for blending big areas.
I often have 3-4 brushes wet and working at a time. The brushes I am sharing are basic and not typically oil painter brushes, but they are my go-to. Don't leave them in your brush cleaner overnight or the glue will breakdown and your bristles will come out! It happens.
Here are some basic brushes I use:
Palette Knives - Use to mix colors on your palette, and to apply paint to your canvas
Brush Cleaner/Thinner
You need some type of turpentine to clean your brushes. These days, there are many options and they have the odor compounds removed so they don’t smell. Gamsol made by Gamblin is what I use, it’s a great option.
Mediums
Linseed Oil - I use this sparingly to add viscosity when paint is too thick
Linseed oil is the oil that is in oil paint, it is flaxseed oil. I often use a little linseed oil to create more flow in the paint if they are too thick. It also works as a brush cleaner. For smaller paintings it often is not as needed, but I wanted to add it here so you know this is something I often use, especially with big peices.
Varnishing
Once your painting is completely dry, varnishing will protect it and leave a nice uniform finish. I like a satin varnish which is neither dull or shiny, but the perfect finish to me. Always be sure to shake your varnish well! I once forgot to shake my satin varnish and the finish ended up high-shine. Varnish should be applied with a brush and I have tried many and now only use a varnish brush to ensure smooth application.
Easel
H-Frame Easel I use this in my studio and I love that it is adjustable and can lay a painting flat to varnish.
To learn how I use these products check out my online oil painting classes here
If you have questions or would like any other information email me at julie@juliekluh.com
Happy painting!!