Are you preparing to purchase art supplies for your child or students but feeling unsure about what to buy? As a mom, art teacher, and art supply manufacturer who sells art supplies and hosts annual art events, I want to provide you with some quick tips to help you shop. Many parents and teachers often visit my sales booth or attend my art classes, enjoying the art supplies on display but lacking confidence in knowing what to choose.
Beginner Three Areas To Teach
I’ve curated simple recommendations for high-quality, safe, and non-toxic art supplies suitable for young students across five key areas known as the 5 Domains of Visual Arts: Drawing, Painting, Color Theory, Clay Modeling, and Crafting. Today, I will concentrate on three of these areas to simplify your shopping experience and get you started. For more in-depth insights, you can explore these topics further in my art teaching books. If you’re prepared to initiate regular art lessons for your child or students, I suggest purchasing one of my guides. You can find them in my shop [here](Shop here).
- Drawing
- Painting
- Clay Modeling
Drawing Supplies
Under the drawing category, paper is essential. You can opt for loose sheets, a sketchbook, or coloring books to complement your art supplies. Certain mediums, like pastels, require special paper such as pastel or charcoal paper available in many craft and art supply stores. Additionally, consider purchasing a pencil sharpener for color pencils. For detailed descriptions and purchase options, you can click on each link to visit my online store.
Art Supply List
Crayons (best for ages 3 years – 7 years)
Square block Crayons – Colour Blocks (best for ages 5 years – up)
Thick Natural Wood Color Pencils (best for ages 3 years – 7 years)
Soft Pastels (best for ages 5 years – up)
Oil Pastels (best for ages 5 years – up)
Watercolor Soluble Pencils (best for ages 5 years – up)
Watercolor Soluble Crayons (best for ages 5 years – up
Sketching Supplies (best for ages 8 years – up) • Graphite Pencil Set (12) hard to soft lead
Painting For Children
For painting, you’ll need a paintbrush, a palette for holding paints, and a surface to paint on. Surfaces can vary and include options such as canvas, woodcrafts, rocks, sticks, and thick watercolor paper. Canvas is also available in sketch pad form. To protect clothes from stains, consider purchasing a cover-up smock. For detailed descriptions and purchase options, you can click on each link to visit the product pages.
Dry watercolor cake palette – 36 colors (best for ages 5 years – up)
Liquid Watercolor/Finger Paint (best for ages 3 years – up)
Acrylic Paint – Kids Student Grade Only (best for ages 5 years – up)
Watercolor Soluble Pencils (best for ages 5 years – up)
Watercolor Soluble Crayons (best for ages 5 years – up
Working with modeling clay primarily requires your hands. Clays come in various types – some stay soft, while others harden either overnight or through heat exposure. Certain clays can be baked in your home oven and painted on once dry. Additionally, you may want to consider purchasing modeling tools and a rolling pin.
Here are some recommended clay options:
- Modeling Clay Non-Harden Multicolors (best for ages 3 years and up)
- Air Dry Clay (best for ages 5 years and up)
- Earth Clay Air Dry (best for ages 3 years and up)
- Beeswax Modeling Clay (best for ages 5 years and up)
All the art supplies mentioned here are ideal for children to explore and begin their artistic journey, specifically tailored for beginner-level engagement. For more information or if you have additional questions, feel free to explore my free blogs, visit my online kids’ art store, or delve into my art education books.
Check out my Kids Painting Book:
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