Walking into an art store for the first time can feel like stepping onto another planet—so many tubes, brushes, and surfaces. Good news: you don’t need everything. Start smart with a lean kit that works for either acrylic or oil painting, then add as you grow.

What’s the same: Colour palettes, brush shapes, and surfaces (canvas or panel) are interchangeable.

What’s different: The paint vehicle and cleanup.

• Acrylics: Water-based; thin with water; fast-drying.

• Oils: Oil-based; thin with odorless mineral spirits (OMS) in early layers; slower-drying. There's also water-soluable oils that thin with water.

Skip the rock-bottom “student” paints. Ultra-cheap colour can turn muddy when you mix a third (or fourth) hue. Mid-range/professional pigments mix cleanly, go further, and actually save money long-term.

Opus Essentials and Opus brand brushes hit that sweet spot: professional performance without the premium price tag—ideal from beginner to intermediate.

Paint colours (a lean, mixable set):

• Titanium White

• Lemon Yellow + Yellow Ochre

• Quinacridone Red (or Alizarin) + Cadmium-hue Red (or Naphthol)

• Ultramarine Blue + Phthalo Blue (Green Shade)

• Burnt Umber

Brushes (four workhorse families):

• Arrieta (synthetic, soft): buttery blends and smooth transitions—great for realism and soft edges.

• Legato (synthetic, medium): early block-ins when you want control without scratchiness.

• Fortissimo (hog bristle): textural, painterly marks; holds lots of paint; impressionistic strokes.

• Denman (synthetic, firm): crisp, graphic detail—try a ¼" angle for precision.

Surfaces:

• Pre-primed stretched canvas or primed panels (fastest path to painting).

• Optional: Gesso to add one or two extra coats for a less-absorbent, smoother ground.

Palette & tools:

• Palette (wood, glass, or disposable paper)

• Palette knife (for clean mixing and bold impasto marks)

• Rags/paper towel, water container (acrylic) or OMS jar (oil)

Drawing & planning:

• Opus Mixed Media Pad (11"×14" is a versatile travel/work size)

• Graphite pencils: 2B, 6B, 2H

• Spray bottle (acrylic) to keep paints open longer

• Linseed oil (oil) for later-stage richness

• Masking tape, viewfinder, charcoal, kneaded eraser

• Varnish (after curing time; learn the workflow first)

If you’re starting with raw canvas/panels, prime first:

1. Lay down a drop cloth/cardboard.

2. Use a 2"–4" chip/house brush that doesn’t shed.

3. Apply gesso in one direction; let dry fully.

4. Apply a second coat perpendicular to the first.

5. Optional: Light sand for smoother blends.

Pre-primed surfaces let you skip straight to painting—and that convenience matters when you’re new or heading into class.

Acrylics

• Start with water. It’s your free, simple “medium.”

• Use paint straight from the tube for strong colour; thin with a touch of water for underpainting and glazes.

Oils

• Early stages: a small amount of OMS can loosen paint for lean, block-in layers.

• Later stages: dip into a 50/50 linseed oil + OMS mix sparingly for flow and subtle glazing.

• Rule of thumb: keep mediums minimal; let pigment do the heavy lifting.

Glazing moments (either medium): Thin transparent colour to tint areas—e.g., a warm blush in portraiture—without burying what’s underneath.

Beyond mixing, a knife can lay on impasto—opaque, sculptural strokes that catch light and sit boldly on top. Try one versatile, trowel-style shape to start and experiment.

The fastest way to improve is to draw often. The Opus Mixed Media pad handles gouache, ink, charcoal, and light water without buckling, making it a lifetime go-to for travel and studio.

Pencil picks (keep it simple):

• Everyday: 2B

• Dark, expressive: 6B

• Light, precise: 2H

• Paint set (lean palette above)

• 4–6 brushes spanning the families listed (include a ¼" Denman angle)

• Pre-primed canvas or panel (plus gesso if required)

• Palette + one palette knife

• Water jar (acrylic) or OMS + small linseed oil bottle (oil)

• Rags/paper towel, tape, pencil set, eraser, sketch pad

• Apron or clothes you don’t mind painting in

Usually it’s paint quality and over-mixing. Cheaper paints can lose vibrancy when a third colour enters the mix. A mid-range/pro-grade set stays cleaner through 4–6-colour mixes, so your secondaries and tertiaries stay vivid.

Every artist starts somewhere. Choose solid, uncomplicated tools; keep mediums light; sketch often; and let curiosity lead. If you feel intimidated, that’s normal—it fades fast in a supportive studio or store environment.

Whether you’re gearing up for a course or getting back into painting, the team at Opus is friendly, knowledgeable, and here to help—in-store and online. Bring your materials list, ask anything, and we’ll set you up with a kit that fits your goals and budget.