What Materials to Bring to Your First Art Class

Published: 6 November 2026

Category: how-to-guides | cardbuzz

Tags: art materials, art supplies, beginner art kit, painting supplies, drawing supplies

Walking into your first art class with the right materials makes the session far more enjoyable. Walking in without them, or with the wrong supplies, means spending the first hour borrowing, improvising, or watching others work. Most teachers will tell you what to bring, but if you have not been given a list, this guide covers the basics for the most common media, so you can arrive prepared and relaxed.

The golden rule is simple: ask your teacher first, and buy modestly. Start with a small, good-quality kit and add to it as you learn what you actually use.

Ask your teacher for a list before you buy

Before you spend anything, ask your teacher for a written materials list. A good teacher will give you a clear list, with guidance on quality and quantity, and will tell you what the class provides and what you need to bring yourself. Some classes provide paper, paints, and brushes for beginners, while others expect you to bring everything. Do not assume; ask.

The list will depend on the medium. A drawing class needs pencils, paper, and an eraser. A watercolour class needs paints, brushes, and watercolour paper. An acrylic class needs paints, brushes, and canvas or board. A pottery class needs little from you at first, because clay and tools are usually provided by the studio. A calligraphy class needs pens or brushes, ink, and suitable paper.

If the teacher has not given you a list, ask again in writing before the first class. A short message asking what to bring is entirely reasonable, and it saves you buying the wrong thing. It also shows the teacher that you are taking the class seriously.

Drawing and sketching: the essentials

For a drawing or sketching class, you need a small set of pencils in different grades, from hard to soft, so you can draw light lines and dark tones. A kneaded eraser and a standard eraser are both useful: the kneaded eraser lifts charcoal and soft pencil gently, while the standard eraser removes firmer lines. A sharpener, or a craft knife if your teacher recommends it, keeps your pencils ready to use.

Paper matters more than beginners expect. A sketchbook with paper of reasonable weight will handle pencil and charcoal without tearing, and it gives you a place to keep your practice in one place. Loose sheets are useful for finished drawings, but a sketchbook is better for class, because you can carry it easily and keep your work in date order. A drawing board or a firm surface to rest your paper on is helpful, especially if you will be drawing standing at an easel.

Charcoal needs a fixative to stop it smudging, and your teacher will advise whether to buy one. Bring a cloth or tissues for blending and cleaning your hands, and a bag or folder to carry finished drawings home without creasing them. Keep your pencils in a roll or case so they do not break in transit.

Watercolour, acrylic, and oil: paints, brushes, and surfaces

For watercolour, you need a small set of paints, a few brushes in different sizes, watercolour paper, a palette for mixing, and two jars of water: one for rinsing brushes and one for clean water. Watercolour paper should be thick enough to take water without buckling, and your teacher can advise on a suitable weight. A sponge and a cloth are useful for lifting paint and cleaning up.

For acrylic, you need paints, brushes, a palette, water for rinsing, and canvas, board, or heavy paper to paint on. Acrylic dries quickly, so a palette that keeps paint moist, or a simple habit of squeezing out only what you need, will save waste. Bring a cloth for wiping brushes, and wear clothes you do not mind getting paint on, because acrylic does not wash out easily once dry.

For oil, you need paints, brushes, a palette, a medium for thinning and cleaning, and canvas or board prepared for oil. Oil painting needs more care: solvents should be handled as your teacher advises, with ventilation, and brushes need proper cleaning after the session. Do not buy a large set of oil paints before your first class; a small set of basic colours is enough to learn mixing, and your teacher can advise what to add.

Brushes, palettes, and the small things that matter

Brushes deserve care in choosing. A few good brushes are better than a large set of poor ones. For watercolour, a round brush that comes to a fine point is the most versatile. For acrylic and oil, a mix of flat and round brushes in a few sizes will cover most needs. Ask your teacher which shapes and sizes to buy, and look after your brushes: rinse them well, reshape the tip, and store them upright or flat, never resting on the bristles.

A palette can be as simple as a white plate or a plastic palette with wells. White is helpful because it lets you judge colour accurately. Bring a water container that will not tip over easily, and a rag or paper towels for wiping brushes and hands. A pencil and an eraser are useful in painting classes too, for sketching the composition before you begin to paint.

Small items are easy to forget and annoying to be without: masking tape for holding paper flat, a ruler for measuring, a viewfinder made from card for choosing a composition, and a folder for carrying wet or finished work home. A plastic bag to protect your work from rain on the way home is worth bringing in the monsoon.

Pottery, calligraphy, and other specialist media

Pottery classes usually provide clay, tools, wheels, and glazes, because these are studio equipment. What you need to bring is practical clothing, an apron, a towel, and a willingness to get muddy. Ask whether the studio provides aprons and towels, and whether there is somewhere to wash up afterwards. Bring a box or bag for carrying unfired work home if your teacher asks you to, and handle it gently.

Calligraphy needs pens or brushes suited to the script you are learning, ink, and smooth paper that will not feather. Different scripts need different tools, so wait for your teacher's list rather than buying a generic calligraphy set. A ruler, a pencil, and a clean cloth are useful, and a folder will keep your practice sheets flat.

Printmaking and other specialist media need studio equipment, so the teacher will usually provide most of what you need. Ask what to bring, and expect the list to be short: an apron, a sketchbook, and perhaps your own drawing tools. Do not buy specialist equipment before your first class; try the medium first and see whether it suits you.

Packing, labelling, and looking after your kit

Pack your materials the evening before your class, so you are not rushing in the morning. Keep paints, brushes, and paper in a sturdy bag that protects them, and keep brushes in a roll or case so the tips are not damaged. Label your materials with your name, especially in a group class where several students have similar supplies.

After each class, clean your brushes properly, close paint tubes and jars, and store paper flat and dry. Good materials last longer when they are looked after, and you will save money by not replacing things that were damaged through neglect. Keep a note of what you run out of, and replace it before the next class rather than during it.

If you are unsure whether something is worth buying, ask your teacher. A good teacher will tell you what is essential, what can wait, and what is a waste of money for a beginner. Start small, buy well, and add to your kit as your skills and your interests grow.

Arriving at your first art class with the right materials is a small thing, but it makes a real difference. You can focus on learning instead of improvising, and you will get far more from the session. Ask for the list, buy modestly, pack the night before, and enjoy your first class.