Welcome! I’ve gathered my favourite art supplies, free downloads, reference photos, and beginner-friendly resources all in one place. Whether you’re just starting your art journey or looking to improve your skills, you’ll find helpful tools here.
**This page may contain affiliate links to products I have used or recommend. If you purchase something from this page, I may receive a small percentage of the sale at no extra cost to you. For more information, click here.**
Reference Photos
Free Printables
My Favorite Painting Tools
Paint
My favorite paint to use is Liquitex Basics. It is a student-grade paint, but it is totally light and fast and suits my style of painting. I like to paint in layers, and this paint is perfect for thin layers and glazes.
Brushes
I am not overly fussy about my brushes, but I do have a favorite brand. The Simply Simmons brand is my favorite. They are just the right stiffness and don’t shed. Very nice to use.
Palette
My favorite palette to use is the Masterson Sta Wet Palette. It keeps my acrylic paint from drying out and comes with an air-tight lid so I can keep the paint wet for days.
Gesso
I like to use Liquitex Acrylic Gesso on all of my projects. It has the best consistency and coverage, and the price is reasonable.
Artists Web Site
If you are an artist interested in starting your own website to showcase or sell your art or you want to write about art, the first thing you will need is a good hosting provider.
I use Lyrical Host because, after much research, I found them to be the best hosting out there. Excellent customer service, extremely helpful, and they have all kinds of perks like free stock photos every month. Use the code ART10 to get 10% off your hosting.
Dear Marilyn, It is always such a joy to read your posts. Your optimism and joy of life come through your words and I always feel better inside after hearing from you. You appear to cope so well with your health problems and that is not an easy task. Your optimism lifts my spirits and I pray that you continue to inspire us with your words and your Art.
Enjoy your Grandchildren, each one is a blessing (though sometimes in disguise).
Thank you for being just you!
Pearl Halabut -Australia
Thank you so much Pearl ❤️
Thank you so much. I am a beginner watercolour painter and your words are also relevant to watercolorist.
Cheers.
Corry
First time reading your article. Very informative and helpful. Have ordered the Masterson sta-wet palette. Super idea, thank you.
My daughter has SAD as well. Hope you feel better soon. She uses extra lighting to help her through. Good luck. Marie
Thank you so much Marie 😊
Love your articles ans resources! I truly enjoy learning from them!
You are an amazing person and artist.
I am sorry for your ill health but you are strong and keep up your positivity!
Thank you!!
Thank you. 😊❤️
Thank you for The Trembeling Art web sight. I am 91 and still learning. I live in a retirement residence and paint in acrylics. I still haven’t figured out how to get pictures of my painting onto your site. You are a very brave lady and so generous with your time. Thank you for what you are doing to make us better painters.
Beatrice
I’m at a very low point in my life I found cheer in the post. Thank you
I am sorry to hear that. I am glad you found the post helpful. Hugs 😊
God bless you Marilyn. I love reading your inspirational pieces they lift me up even though you may be feeling down. Have a fantastic St. Pat’s day! I have just painted a Welcome sign that will welcome guests to my eldest grand-daughter’s wedding and am now looking forward to new projects. At age 80 it is good to do something I enjoy. Looking forward to your next bit of sunshine.
Thank you Pearl. I am glad you are enjoying painting. Happy St. Patrick’s Day! ☘️
Thank you so much for all your information, I now have more to learn
You are welcome Elizabeth. 😊
Hi Marilyn,
Thanks for your emails. I love hearing from you. I have not yet downloaded anything, calendars etc., or checked out your facebook group. I donot have facebook. You have so many good ideas and many different article on instructions for just about everything. Thank you for caring and you are and supplying so much information for your viewers.
Thanks for all the incredible info. you’ve shared!! 😁
Love that I have come across you and your site, and art. I find a lot of artist that try to sound like you, except you come across as very genuine! I feel your really interested in your art, our art, our hearts and spirits! Thanks for taking time to write the emails. They mean more than you may know at times. Art is healing! You are appreciated!!
Hi Coral. Thank you so much for the wonderful comment. It warms my heart and I am so happy that you find my site and emails helpful. More than anything I want to inspire people to do what makes them happy in life and to find peace, joy and happiness through art. ❤️
Thank you for all the information you give us
No commit today .thanks for the in vite
Thank you for sharing all this information.
I actually pain porcelain dolls. In this project, we are not given the understanding of colour mixing. We use China paint and a worksheet of how the doll will turn out if their choice of colours is used. I am a person who has to know the combination of the colour and what makes it that way. I am happy to have come across your site and very much appreciate your knowledge. It has given me liberty in what I do and peace of mind to create my doll. Thank you so much.
What projector do you recommend? I’m 67 and think I’d like to try to paint but I can’t draw.
Hi C Pierce; Congratulations on learning to paint! The best projector to get would be an LED projector. They are available at Amazon but are a bit pricey at around $100. There are other projectors available at art supply stores for various prices but they may not produce satisfactory results for you or may be too big and bulky. For a beginner I think the best way is to start with the transfer method. Use tracing paper to trace your subject from a picture and then transfer it to your canvas. Over time I found this method helped to teach me to draw and now I can draw most things freehand. As with everything, it just takes practice. I know the more you paint the more you will love it. 🙂