Beginner Level:

If you’re a beginner all you need are some of these basics to start enjoying your creative art fun.

For sketching or drawing: Pencils, HB, B2 and good eraser.

For Oil pastel classes:

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• Oil pastels (ideally 16 in pack) I like the Pentel brand, which are very good value
• Heavy weight construction paper or pastel paper in a pad
• Tape – masking tape or sellotape
• Parchment or wax paper (to protect the finished artwork.

For Acrylics Painting:

• Synthetic Brushes – three sizes of filbert and rounded brushes to begin with. Nothing expensive needed
• Acrylic paints; I suggest any brand that is suitable for students will be adequate to start with.
• Acrylics are, in my opinion, better than gouache or tempera. So avoid using those for acrylic painting classes.

Watercolour painting: 

• Any student grade brand will be a good start. When you get more experienced with how watercolours react and the different techniques, then I suggest you get a better pack of watercolours in full pans or tubes. I personally really like Windsor and Newton.

• Synthetic brushes: There are sets that are good for watercolour and acrylcs painting. I’d start with these: Large (water brush), medium round and small round. There are good sets with fan brushes included, which can be very good value.
• I always remind students to look after their brushes after using them so they last a long time. As acrylics can ruin brushes if not washed off immediately after class.
• Watercolour paper: I suggest you avoid any thin watercolour paper or any construction paper, and use 90lb or 140lb at the start . Then get the cold pressed thicker paper in pads (for better value) to really enjoy the more advanced tricks and techniques you will learn with Tanya Freedman.