Books and Resources to Start Strong
Starting a portrait painting business requires understanding both the technical craft and the business side of selling original art. These books will help you build a foundation in painting technique, artist development, and business strategy specific to fine art.
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
This classic book focuses on creative unblocking and building a sustainable artistic practice. For portrait painters, Cameron’s exercises help you develop a consistent working rhythm and overcome self-doubt—both critical when you’re starting out and need to produce finished work regularly. The morning pages technique alone has helped thousands of artists commit to their craft.
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Portrait Painting Atelier by Suzanne Brooker
This book teaches classical portrait painting methods from foundation work through finished paintings. Brooker covers color mixing for skin tones, value relationships, and the specific challenges of capturing likeness. If you’re building a portrait business, understanding these technical fundamentals will directly improve your sellable work.
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The Business of Being an Artist by Daniel Grant
Grant covers pricing, contracts, copyright, gallery relationships, and direct sales—the business mechanics most artists avoid but need to understand. This book is particularly useful for setting rates without undervaluing your work and managing client relationships professionally.
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Alla Prima by Richard Schmid
Schmid’s guide to direct painting—completing a portrait in one or a few sittings—teaches you to work with confidence and speed. If you plan to do commission work or take on multiple projects, this approach increases your efficiency without sacrificing quality.
Equipment You Need
Portrait painting requires relatively modest equipment compared to many other businesses. Your initial investment focuses on quality paints and brushes, a suitable workspace, and materials to stretch and prepare your painting surfaces. You don’t need expensive studio furniture or specialized lighting to start—those come later as you grow.
Paints
- Oil paints: A core set of 12-24 colors in professional-grade quality. Include titanium white (you’ll use this most), earth tones, and primary colors.
- Acrylic paints: If you want to offer faster turnarounds or work in multiple mediums, acrylics dry quickly and work well for underpainting.
- Mediums and solvents: Linseed oil, odorless mineral spirits, and paint thinner to adjust consistency and drying time.
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Brushes and Applicators
- Natural hair brushes: Hog bristle brushes in rounds, flats, and filberts for oil painting. These hold paint well and create visible brushwork.
- Synthetic brushes: Better for detail work and for acrylic painting if you offer that option.
- Mop brushes: Large, soft brushes for blending and glazing.
- Palette knives: Metal knives for mixing paint and applying thick paint directly to canvas.
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Surfaces
- Canvas or linen: Pre-primed canvases in standard portrait sizes (typically 16×20, 20×24, 24×30 inches) or canvas rolls you prime yourself for custom sizes.
- Canvas boards: Cheaper alternative for practice and smaller commissions.
- Gesso: If you prepare your own surfaces, quality gesso provides the painting ground.
Palettes and Mixing
- Mixing palettes: Glass or wooden palettes large enough to mix multiple colors without crowding.
- Palette paper: Disposable paper palettes reduce cleanup time.
- Color mixing guide: A physical mixing reference shows you how colors combine before you mix them.
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Workspace Essentials
- Easel: A sturdy studio easel that holds canvas at eye level. You’ll spend hours in front of this.
- Work table: A surface to hold paints, brushes, and mediums while you work.
- Brush cleaning containers: Jars or cans to hold solvent for rinsing brushes between colors.
- Rags or paper towels: For wiping brushes and cleaning.
- Apron or smock: Oil paint stains permanently, so protect your clothes.
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Lighting
- Task lighting: At least one adjustable lamp to illuminate your work and reduce eye strain. Position it to avoid glare on the canvas.
- Natural light: North-facing windows are ideal if available, but artificial lighting works fine for starting out.
Reference and Documentation
- Camera or smartphone: You’ll photograph finished paintings for your portfolio and client photos for reference.
- Sketch supplies: Pencils, charcoal, and paper for preliminary drawings and composition planning.
- Reference library: Books on anatomy, facial proportions, and color theory specific to portraits.
What to Buy First vs Later
Your startup budget works best when you prioritize what directly affects the quality of your finished portraits.
- Month 1: Professional-grade oil paints (at least 12 colors), natural hair brushes (rounds and flats), pre-primed canvas, a mixing palette, and a basic easel. These directly impact your work quality.
- Month 2-3: Additional brush sizes, palette paper, mediums and solvents, and proper task lighting. These improve your workflow efficiency.
- Month 4+: A dedicated work table, additional canvas sizes, specialty brushes for detail work, and reference books. By this point, you’re refining your process and expanding your offerings.
- Skip initially: Expensive studio furniture, specialty lighting rigs, and framing equipment. Focus on painting first; outsource framing until volume justifies the investment.
New vs Used Equipment
Most painting equipment holds up well used, but condition matters more than age. Used brushes, easels, and palettes are fine if they’re clean and functional. The money you save buying a used easel and work table can go toward better paints, which directly improve your finished work.
Don’t buy used paints—you don’t know storage conditions or whether the paint has separated or dried. Quality paints are your biggest investment per piece, and they’re worth buying new. Similarly, new canvas ensures consistent surface quality across your commissions. Pre-primed canvases are relatively inexpensive, and inferior surfaces create frustration during painting.
Where to Buy
- Blick.com: Comprehensive art supply retailer with strong selection and frequent sales on professional-grade materials.
- Gamblin.com: Direct from the paint manufacturer if you want premium oils without retailer markup.
- Local art supply stores: Staff can guide you to appropriate products for your specific approach, and you avoid shipping costs on heavy items.
- Dick Blick physical locations: If you have one nearby, you can feel brush quality and see canvas texture in person before buying.
- Facebook groups and local artist communities: Used equipment, mentorship, and referrals often come from artists already established in your area.
- Estate sales and art school liquidations: Occasionally yield excellent used easels, palettes, and brush collections at significant discounts.