If you are only learning to draw so that you can paint better,then the very basics could be simply:

* An H AND A 2B GRAPHITE PENCIL

An A3 cartridge pad, A gum eraser

HOWEVER, drawing materials were and still are a favoured medium of several brilliant artists. You may get a great deal of delight and technical skill development before you even move on to picking up a brush with paints.

The hand-brain-eye coordination and development afforded by drawing practice will enhance all of your foundational creative abilities immensely.

A MORE COMPREHENSIVE DRAWING KIT TO START LEARNING WOULD BE:

**A kit of graphite pencils, with several h and b options

** An A4 and a A3 drawing pads, better brands do give better results when shading

** A gum eraser, a kneadable eraser and a battery operated eraser & refils

** A metal ruler
** A small kit f blending stumps (Tortillon)

** a metal sharpener (with collection receptacle)
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WHAT ARE SOME MORE ADVANCED DRAWING MATERIALS TO ADD TO YOUR KIT?

** white,black, sanguine pastel pencils
(also referred to as charcoal pencils)

** Charcoal vine sticks( and compressed also called conte), blocks, powders
** Coloured pastels

** ink variation, nib + india ink, fine-tip ink pens etc. Fineliner pens (archival, waterproof). Brush pens (black and grey)

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PROFESSIONAL LEVEL
Professional graphite sets (mechanical leads, woodless graphite, water-soluble graphite)

High-quality pastel sets (Unison, Sennelier, Schmincke for intense colors and blending)

Oil pastels (professional grade)

Silverpoint/goldpoint stylus (for metalpoint drawing)

Colored charcoal or tinted graphite pencils

Inks & Pens

Technical pens (Rotring, Rapidograph for precise linework)

Dip pens with interchangeable nibs (for varied line width and expressive strokes)

Sumi ink or walnut ink (for tonal washes with character)

Brush and ink combinations (for calligraphic mark-making)

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SUBSTRATES TO USE WITH DRAWING MATERIALS
Cartridge drawing paper (smooth, ~120 gsm)

Mid-tone paper pads (grey/tan, ~160 gsm, great for working light + dark)

Sketchbooks with mixed media paper (good for pencil, ink, and light washes)

Hot press watercolor paper (for ink/graphite with wash effects, ~300 gsm)

Sanded pastel paper (for layering soft pastels richly)

Handmade cotton rag paper (deckle edge, textured)

Yupo synthetic paper (for ink experiments and lifting techniques)

Prepared panels (gesso-coated wood or MDF, for graphite/charcoal or mixed media)

Metalpoint ground panels (prepared with traditional gesso for silverpoint)

There is so much information on the net and in art stores, it can be a nightmare for a beginner to decide what to buy and what not to buy, especially if budget is a big factor.

At Melbourne Art Classes we recommend two brands, one is the absolute best of the student quality & one is professional liquid acrylics.

We have specific Colour Mastery modules and workbooks to help students get on top of colour mixing and clever harmonisation STARTING with just 6 specific pigments
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CHROMA A2 tubes

(Don’t get their starter kit) Get this list below. These are basically Lightfast Best Student grade pigment (IMHO)

Titanium white x 2 tubes, Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Blue, Alizarine Crimson ,Cad Yellow Light, Burnt Umber

They don’t have a transparent yellow, but Atelier interactive tubes have a transparent yellow, get one or a 60ml bottle of Transparent Raw Sienna from Atelier free flow.

Also helpful but not essential
Ivory Black, Phthalo Green

 Matisse Matte Gel medium 237ml   Satin Varnish 250ml

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ATELIER FREE FLOW PIGMENTS

Ultramarine Blue, 250ml Alizarine Crimson, 250ml Phthalo Blue, 250ml Cad Yellow Light, 250ml Burnt Umber 250ml ,Titanium white (500ml) .

Because we teach advanced techniques and your yellow is opaque (whereas the primary red and blue are both transparent), we recommend getting a transparent yellow. With all 3 primaries you can make any colour glaze you wish.

Transparent Raw Sienna (65ml)

ALSO GET
Atelier heavy gel medium matte (or Liquitex)
Satin varnish

When working in good quality acrylics you will be able to use some techniques that are common with oils, some that are utilised mostly in watercolours and a whole lot that are specific to Acrylics.

Visit the info page (blue button below) and learn all about different kinds of brushes and what they are used for.

Here is our list of recommended brushes to start in acrylics with:
Officeworks have a good selection.
(brands available change occasionally)

* Get at least 5-6 sizes of flat hoghair brushes, 3 sizes f round hog hair (eg. Royal & Langnickel Paintbrush Set 30 Piece )     

* a 3-5cm priming brush  (eg J.Burrows Hog Paintbrush Paste Set 3 Pack )     

* Painting Knife Size 11                          

* Princeton 5200 Series Fan Paintbrush Size 6        

Derwent or Canson A3 Canvas Pad 300gsm 10 Sheet            

OFFICEWORKS HAVE BEST PRICES ON BRUSHES IN GENERAL, BUT YOU CAN ALWAYS GET THEM FROM AN ART STORE or Spotlight Born Deep Edge Canvas OR Micador canvas boards (get 12x16”, 30x40cm size for your first studies and projects, then go larger later.)

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OTHER HELPFUL EQUIPMENT (maybe wait until you start in the classroom to add these to your kit)

* X-Press It A4 Transfer Paper White 20 Pack  (Temu online has better white 7 grey transfer paper cheaper 12

* Little squeeze bottles for Atelier Free flow mixes (Officeworks 2 boxes), +A roll of clear contact , Disposable tear-off paint palettes  
* Chux and paper towels   

*SPOTLIGHT seems to be the best place to get paint storage options for heavy body paint(Chroma A2): Get bead towers (at least 3 or 4 towers). Rub vaseline onto the threads so paint doesn't stick them closed.)

* ART BAGS - These come and go in many places. You can use a cloth tote bag with a flat bottom and custom cut space dividers in cardboard. Amazon, Temu and other online stores have several compact options with various pockets.

* $2 SHOPS have spray mister bottles(as do Chemist warehouse in travel kits) and rolls of contact (can be but into A3 size folded in two & used to make ‘stay-wet paint sleeves’ for smaller amounts or remaining paint) s

Supermarkets have Jumbo zip-lock bags and chux. (all helpful for painting, mixing & storage). Find some old bathroom towel, keep some in your kit, an old tshirt is good for smoother ‘wipe-outs’,

ALWAYS HAVE PAPER TOWEL IN YOUR KIT, and keep old toothbrushes for spray and splatter, old kitchen sponges are handy later too.

You can go on adding to your kit as you adventurous spirit takes you further into materials explorations.