My Garage-Approved Acrylic Supplies

Let’s cut through the noise. You don’t need 50 brushes, 10 mediums, and a shopping cart full of “must-have” gimmicks. After 18+ years of slinging acrylics in the garage, these are the supplies I actually use. Nothing fancy, nothing sponsored.

Brushes that don’t quit

Forget $200 “luxury” brushes. Acrylics chew through gear, so I want tough and affordable:

• Princeton Catalyst: my go-to workhorses for flats, rounds, and detail.
• Silver Ruby set: great variety at a solid price. Perfect for beginners and backups.

I keep these around:

• Medium Round
• Small Round
• Liner / Rigger Brush
• Medium Flat
• Large Flat

Paints that don’t lie

I’ve tried plenty, but Liquitex Professional Heavy Body always makes the cut. Strong pigments, smooth consistency, and you can find them anywhere.My palette is below.

• Ultramarine Blue
• Cerulean Blue
• Alizarin Crimson
• Cadmium Red Medium
• Cadmium Yellow Light
• Yellow Ochre
• Titanium White
• Mars Black

Canvases that hold up

Don’t overthink it. I use Blick Super Value Canvas Packs and Winsor & Newton cotton canvases. They’re prepped, ready to go, and consistent, and they stand up to my heavy-handed painting style.

• Blick Super Value Canvas Packs: garage-approved, must-have acrylic canvas. I have shelves of them.
• Winsor & Newton cotton canvas: when I catch a big sale, I may splurge on these.

Paper that works

Sometimes I skip canvas and use Fabriano Artistico cold press watercolor paper or Strathmore 400 Series paper. Both hold up to heavy paint and are perfect for practice and studies. Buy full sheets of the Fabriano or a pad of the Strathmore, burn through it, and learn fast.

• Fabriano Artistico cold press: top choice.
• Strathmore 400 Series: solid pick, less expensive.

Not your average palette

I stopped using palettes. Now I mix on a bland white canvas. It’s resourceful, it’s exciting, and a canvas that started as a mixing platter makes a great start to a painting.

And I also like mixing on scrap cardboard.

Palette knives

Keep a set of cheap metal knives around. I mostly use them to scoop paint out of jars, and occasionally for mixing and scraping.

Boards for backing

Gator-foam board is light and tough. Tape paper down or lean a small canvas on it. Beats dragging around masonite.

1-pint plastic cups

I keep at least two around, and use four if it’s going to be a long session. I grab them in the paint section at Home Depot.

Water

Not gel, not magic fluid, not overpriced medium. Just water. I’ve used it with heavy body paint for 20+ years and it works.

Pencils or markers

For sketching compositions, ideas, and layouts. Any will do, but I like a 4B.

Junk drawer extras

Masking tape, paper towels, and a spray bottle. Nothing fancy, but I use them every single session.

Final thoughts

That’s it. No overkill, no hype, just the supplies that actually live in my garage studio.