My Essential Oil Painting Supplies

Today I’m sharing a guide to my essential oil painting supplies! After years of trial and error, I’ve finally curated a selection of tools and materials that fit my painting process. Whether you’re just starting or looking to refine your setup, this list covers everything from paints and brushes to surfaces and solvents. I’m presenting what works best for me and hoping it will help you start or nurture a painting practice. 

Oil painting can be incredibly rewarding and a bit daunting, especially when choosing the right supplies. In this post, I’ll walk you through my favorite products, explain why I love them, and provide some tips on how to use them effectively. In addition, there is another post where I mention all my best tips and tricks for getting started with oil painting. 

Curious about purchasing one of my paintings? You can shop my original artwork via Daily Paintworks. I also recommend signing up for the IBC Mailing List as I typically send updates when new art is available.

With all that said, let’s dive in and get you set up with everything needed for a successful painting session!

Paints

Currently, I’m working with a split primary palette, which means I have a warm and cool version of each primary color. In addition to these, I’ve also added white and burnt sienna.

Depending on the subject of my painting, I may need to add phthalo green, magenta, purple, etc. I typically add one or two extra colors as needed.

I’m mostly exclusive to Michael Harding oil paints. I find them the best, and I reach for them whenever possible. However, I still enjoy testing brands and colors so other paints will make it onto my palette from time to time. 

Primary Palette:

• Titanium White
• Cadmium Yellow Lemon
• Indian Yellow
• Cadmium Red
• Alizarin Crimson
• Ultramarine Blue
• Kings Blue Light
• Burnt Sienna

Additional Colors:

• Phthalo Green Lake
• Magenta or Quinacridone Rose

I also want to mention that my palette of colors is constantly changing and evolving. I’ll try and remember to update this as it does.

Brushes

Rosemary and Co. is my go-to source for brushes. I have a variety of brushes from them that I love, but I don’t have a defined set yet. (I’ll be sure to update this post when I do.) However, if you’re looking for a place to start, I love the brush set from Haidee Jo Summers. I use all the brushes in her collection often.

For natural bristle brushes, I find myself reaching for the Silver Grand Prix brushes. I mostly like the filbert, but I use the flats too. These brushes are great for a looser look and thick passages of paint. 

Surfaces

I use these wood panels primed with two coats of gesso (I like the Golden gesso) and one coat of acrylic paint-tinted gesso. I like working on a warm gray color.  This creates a drier surface that absorbs the paint. Recently, I have been adding a thin layer of shellac, which makes it a non-absorbent surface. I like both surfaces for different reasons. I’ve yet to select a favorite. 

In terms of size, lately I’m finding anything smaller than an 8×10 is too little me. However I will will occasionally do a smaller study from time to time.

If I want to work on linen, I use Centurion Oil Primed Linen. I bought a big roll of it, and use acid-free PVA glue to secure it to the same wooden panels I mentioned above. 

I’ve also used gallery-wrapped canvases on occasion. (Wait for these to go on sale; there are BIG sales at different times throughout the year.) My current easel doesn’t support these larger surfaces well, so I usually use them in my studio.

Easel

Edge Pro Gear – This is my plein air easel / pochade, but I also find it’s what I use most in my studio. My Edge Pro Gear has been a workhorse, and while expensive, I can’t recommend it enough. 

I originally got this pochade with a glass mixing surface but had issues with glare from the sun when painting outside. I’ve since switched to their wood surface and like it much better! The palette is removable so if I have it loaded with paint and know I won’t be painting for a couple of days, I pop it off and put it in the freezer. 

Solvent / Medium

Gamsol – I work with Gamsol to loosen up my paints, especially in the early stages of my painting. I also use Gamsol to rinse my brushes and in the cleaning process of removing most of the paint from my brushes before washing them with soap and water. 

Stand Oil / Gamsol – I typically don’t use a medium, but when I do I usually mix stand oil with Gamsol.

Liquin – When I need my painting to dry quicker, I’ll reach for Liquin.

Murphy’s Oil Soap – I use this to clean my brushes. Murphy’s Oil Soap is my go-to.

Other

Baby Wipes – A must for me. Baby wipes clean oil paint off my hands and surfaces and even help to remove it from my clothes. I won’t paint without these wipes.

Viva Paper Towels or Blue Shop Towels – A good paper towel is essential for wiping off my brush between colors. I recommend Viva Signature Cloth or these blue shop towels.

Varnish – I like this Krylon UV Archival Spray Varnish in Satin. It makes varnishing finished work incredibly easy. 

And that’s a wrap!  I hope you found this guide helpful in assembling your oil painting toolkit. Having the right supplies can make a world of difference in your creative process. Remember everyone’s preferences are different so feel free to experiment and find what works best for you.

I also may be putting together a similar post with plein-air painting kits. There would be one for oils and one for gouache. 

If you have any questions or suggestions about oil painting supplies, I’d love to hear from you. Share your thoughts in the comments below or connect with me on social media. Happy painting, and I can’t wait to see what you create with these recommendations!

More Art Related Posts You’ll Love

• How to Get Started in Oil Painting
• My Favorite Online Painting Courses

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