A general selection of colors is a great one to start with. Amsterdam offers various sets in the Standard Series to help you start your acrylic paint collection. The set of 12 x 20 ml tubes with a general selection of colors is a great one to start with! You can easily mix these colors to create a wider range of different shades.
If you’re not that accustomed to mixing yet, you might want to start with a set that contains more colors to choose from. Luckily, Amsterdam also offers bigger sets, including one with 24 x 20 ml, up to one with the complete collection of 90 colors! We also offer some more smaller sets with colors specially selected for different styles of painting, like portraits or landscapes.
2. Brushes in different sizes
The best ones to start with are a few round brushes, and a few flat brushes. Two of each should be enough. Get them in small and large sizes so you have some variety to choose from. You can also add a fine detail brush if you plan to create a detailed painting or a large paddle brush if you want to work on big surfaces.
Use a cup of water to rinse your brushes with between colors.
3. Tools for mixing colors
A tear-off palette is a perfect option to mix your colors on if you don’t want to have to clean your palette after painting. You can just tear the top sheet off when you’re done!
A painting knife can be a great help when mixing colors. Since you can easily wipe off the paint, brushes can become too clogged with paint if you use them for mixing.
4. The surface
And last but not least, the surface you’ll be painting on. This can be a canvas, paper, a wall or a household object, as long as it’s slightly absorbent and free of dust and grease, you’re most likely good to go!
5. Acrylic medium
Extra tip: thin your paint using an acrylic medium instead of water from the start! This helps you spread your paint more easily and evenly, so you can work with the same amount of paint for longer.
Experiment!
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different techniques and tools, this will help you find your own unique style of painting.
Once you’ve gotten used to painting with acrylic paint, you can start to expand your acrylic paint collection by adding more colors, different brushes and various acrylic mediums, primers, varnishes and accessories such as scrapers or dosing nozzles.
You’ll see that your results will improve once you get the hang of it!
