Paint + Canvas + Brushes

[Access_Denied]

Well, my girlfriends birthday is coming up, and I want to get something nice for her. We've only been dating 3 months, so I'm not looking to spend a fortune, but enough to show I care. Anyway, she loves painting. Well, she likes art in general, but she especially likes working with oil pastels and paint.

Well, earlier, I found out that she has enough oil pastels, and that she even has a really good set. So, I want to get her some paints for her birthday, because I know she said she didn't have any good ones. So, any suggestions? Also, what should I look for when shipping for paints and brushes. I'm thinking about making the canvas myself, as I have the wood and staples at work. But, where should I buy the canvas, and what type? Or should I just buy the pre-made canvases?

I'm more of a technology guy, so I don't know anything about art, so any help is much appreciated.

[VipFREAK]

Do you have a University Arts near you? Mine has a sale going on for canvas at 40% off. The thing is though, depending on how you're GF is she might be looking for a certain size. As for paints, I don't think there's going to be "sales" all that much. Good luck.

[Access_Denied]

No University Arts near me. And I don't think she's looking for any specific size. I think she just wants something to paint on. Also, no, I doubt I'll find many sales on paints or brushes, but hey, I might get lucky. What I'm really looking for is advice. So if anybody has any advice about which paints/brushes to get, let me know. She's not a professional or anything, but I would like them to be nice.

[xeno]

i don't paint so no advice from me. but for cheap art supplies try http://www.dickblick.com/ , the shipping takes about a week or so.

[VipFREAK]

So if anybody has any advice about which paints/brushes to get, let me know. She's not a professional or anything, but I would like them to be nice.

If she's just starting out like me, I'd say don't get anything too expensive. She's gonna need some common stuff depending on how much she paints. Shop towels, rags, turpentine etc... As for paints I'm using Winton brand and it lasted the whole quarter and I still have a lot to use. What make the canvas expensive (from what I've been told by my teacher) is that the thicker the wood the less warpage and it will last longer (he he, that's what she said...).

I'd say the thinner cheaper one is fine if she's just starting out for practice. Brushes are brushes it seems. Just make sure it's for Oil if that's the medium she's gonna use. After that it's down to preference of the kinds of brushes in terms of the shape of the tip, firm/springy etc (he he, that's what she said...). Other things she could use probably is a paint holder so she doesn't have to waste paint and remix. They sell them although if you ask me an old rectangle tupperware lying around the house will do just fine too. If she likes to use them an easel or portable easel will make painting easier. I like mine flat on the table though.

That's about all my nOOb arse can think of at the moment.

[Lice]

Yeah the noob arse is right on.

You can stretch the canvas yourself, but if you dont know what your doing it will get saggy in the middle. And if you do it yourself you then need to get a primer (Gesso) to cover the canvas.

Honestly, if you want to save cash, you can buy paintings from garage sales or salvation army and then Gesso over them. But in all honesty, with her being not at a higher level, all you need to get is canvas boards. They are canvas glued to a board and are pretty cheap and come in a pack of 3 usually.

Brushes, get a student grade brand. You dont need super exspensive but really cheap ones ( the value packs) all the britles fall out while you paint and she will be spending more time picking the hairs out of her work. And most likely cursing you under her breath. SO just stick with a neutral size, like a 5 and get a round brush, a square tip (Bright) and a taperd brush (Filbert). One of each, Or you could get two of each one small and one larger.

For oil paint, the annoying thing is the terpin brush cleaner. Get her a terpintine container. THey have special ones for brushes that has a coil inside of it andd the jar seals so she can use it for many months and not have to worry about cleaning it up each time.

Most instructors recomend the winsor newton brand paints to start out with.

Thats all I got, any more questions I will be happy to answer.

[crazylikeafox11]

I don't know anything about painting, but I use this site (http://www.misterart.com/) for calligraphy stuff. It's a general art store.