Best Oil Painting Supplies: The Tools I Can’t Live Without
(A Real-World Guide to Brushes, Mediums, Surfaces & More)
Whether you’re just getting started or a working artist looking to refine your studio setup, this is my personal list of oil painting essentials. These are the exact tools I use in the studio and on location what I trust, what I replace when it wears out, and what I recommend to other artists when they ask: What do I need to get serious about painting?
BRUSHES: What I Actually Use (And Why)
The brush is your direct line to the canvas, so quality matters. I use a mix of natural and synthetic brushes, tailored to different parts of the process from sketching, to blocking, to applying fine details. One thing I can say is, I prioritize investing in more expensive brushes, although I do have a handful of cheap ones I like to use too.
– Drawing + Soft Edges
Escoda Kolinski Sable Round, Size 8
This one’s my secret weapon. It’s soft, responsive, and holds a ton of paint. I use it for sketching out my compositions and sometimes just keep painting with it. It’s that versatile.
– Blocking In
Winsor & Newton Artists’ Oil Flat Brushes (Hog or Synthetic Hog)
These are beautifully balanced and the handles feel outstanding in your hand. They’re probably my favorite to hold, and perfect for laying down large passages of paint quickly.
– General Use + Smaller Areas
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Pro Stroke/Creative Mark Filberts & Flats
My favorite cheap brushes. I love these things. Available at Jerry’s Artarama. -
Da Vinci College Acrylic Brushes
These are technically acrylic brushes, but they handle oil just fine. I use them for working on smaller shapes and adjusting edges. I love the bounce/spring they have and they hold they hold their shape really well.
– Detail Work
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Princeton Aspen & Princeton Catalyst (Rounds & Angle Shaders)
These brushes hold their shape and give you full control over small shapes, lines, and highlights. The Aspen brushes are the softer of the two but still have a bit of spring. Honestly, the Princeton Catalyst line is my all-around favorite. If I had to use only one brand forever, it’d be this one.
PALETTE KNIVES & DETAIL TOOLS
– Gamblin Palette Knife Set
These just feel right in your hand. They’ve got flat-bottom handles so you can stand them upright without making a mess. The bottom also has a flat lip so they’ll always be laying down facing upward and won’t roll around on you! Super underrated features, I can’t recommend these enough. Gamblin makes these Studio Knives in 6 different shapes and sizes.
– Trekell Wipe Out Tool
Essential for subtractive techniques, corrections, or drawing into wet paint. Other brands make cheaper versions, but the Trekell one is well-made and lasts. Their other products are pretty great too!
MEDIUMS & SOLVENTS
Oil painting mediums influence everything: how fast your paint dries, how it feels under the brush, and even how it looks when dry.
– Michael Harding’s Miracle Medium
Rich, smooth, and responsive. One of my all-time favorites for texture and control. They have a whole line, I’d definitely recommend checking them out.
– Galkyd (Gamblin)
I use this for glazing and adding flow. It speeds up dry time and adds a subtle gloss.
– Safflower Oil
Great for fat-over-lean in later layers. It yellows less than linseed oil, but it’s more brittle, but no issue for me since I paint on my own oil-primed linen mounted on rigid panels. I go with Gamblin’s Safflower Oil.
– Walnut Oil
Another solid option, flows beautifully but dries a bit slower than safflower. I can only recommend the M. Graham Walnut Oil. (It’s the only one I’ve used, but I like it!)
– StudioSolv (Jerry’s Artarama)
A more affordable alternative to Gamsol. Odorless, reliable, and has not given me any issues.
PAINTING SURFACES
– Ground & Gesso Co. Panels (My Own!)
Rigid supports are my go-to for oil painting. I use archival acrylic gel to mount Claessens #9 or Centurion Oil-Primed linen to 3/8″ Baltic birch. No bounce, warp-resistant, and gallery-ready.
– Raphael Oil Primed Linen Panels
Smooth, luxurious surface. They really are great. If I had to buy something instead of making it, this would be it.
– Da Vinci Pro Panels (Medium Texture)
Budget-friendly and pleasant to work on, but they are MDF not as archival as wood. They offer textures of Ultra-smooth, Medium Texture, Resist Grip.
– Centurion Deluxe OP Linen Panels
Lightweight and easy to travel with, I used to buy these all the time when I first started painting, but now I feel they’re a bit too absorbent for my style.
STUDIO ESSENTIALS
– Jack Richeson Linseed Studio Soap
I wipe off excess paint, rinse in solvent, then finish with it. A little goes a long way.
– Glass Palette in Neutral Gray (12×16″)
Makes color mixing easy and accurate,. Gray gives you a neutral comparison point.
– Nitrile Gloves
You only get one liver, man. Protect yourself from solvents and heavy metals in paint.
PAINT BRANDS I TRUST
– Gamblin
My studio workhorse. Consistent, reliable, and available everywhere. Most of my paints are Gamblin.
– Williamsburg (GOLDEN)
These are absolute favorite. Each color feels different and true to the pigment. High pigment load and unique texture. I especially love their Neutral Gray set.
– Michael Harding
These are buttery, rich, and elegant to use. A joy on the brush.
Pro Tip: Always use artist-grade paint. Skip student-grade! It’s mostly filler and makes your life harder.
***For Beginners:
— Gamblin Artist’s Oil Colors Intro Set – A perfect intro to real oil painting. I’ve gifted this to a few friends, also purchased it for myself sometime back. It’s a great deal, excellent value.
EASELS: Portable and Studio-Ready
– Jack Richeson Lyptus Wood Table Top Easel
This one is absolutely fantastic! Its quite large for a table top easel. It will hold canvases up to 40 inches. I have an ottoman and I’ll set the easel on the floor so I can adjust the height of where the canvas is eye level when I’m sitting down. Alternatively, I can set it on a table or countertop and stand up while standing.
– Meeden Studio H-Frame Easel
I also have a Meeden Studio H-Frame Easel. I find myself painting on smaller surfaces more often than not, but this thing is full featured. For canvas art up to 77 inches, this easel holds two canvases at once, which allows you to use the top one for reference. It has two wheels that lock for both mobility and stability, and the easel angle can be adjusted from vertical to horizontal, which is great when I want to tone or prime a canvas. Optionally, you could do paint pours this way too!
OTHER STUDIO FAVORITES
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GAC100 – I use this to seal panels before priming.
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Gamblin Oil Ground – A silky, absorbent surface perfect for oils.
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Golden Gesso + Golden Black Gesso – I often mix them to create a neutral gray primer.
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Toning Colors – More often I tone my surface with burnt sienna, viridian, or just whatever inspires the vibe.
BONUS: Lighting
Good lighting = better painting. If you’re on a budget, check out the Neewer 660 LED Panel—adjustable color temp, dimmable, and easy to mount.
Final Thoughts: Invest in What Matters
You don’t need to buy everything at once, but investing in a few high-quality essentials will make your painting process smoother and your work better. I’ve learned the hard way that cheap tools cost more in the long run. So if you’re going to splurge, start with your surface and brushes.
What Are Your Must-Haves?
Let me know in the comments what you can’t paint without. I’m always down to try something new or find something better.
And if you want to see these tools in action, follow us on Instagram @groundandgesso where I post studio tips, process shots, and product tests.
