Books and Resources to Start Strong
Before you invest in supplies and studio space, build your foundation with books that cover both the teaching craft and the business side. These resources will help you understand how to structure lessons, retain students, and actually make money from art instruction.
The Art Book of Knowledge by Mick Manning
This resource covers fundamental art history and technique in accessible language—exactly what you need to teach confidently across multiple mediums. When you understand the “why” behind techniques, you teach with authority and students sense that immediately. It’s a teaching reference, not a student text.
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Teaching Art to Every Child by Michael D. Day
This book addresses differentiation—how to teach the same concept to students with wildly different skill levels, ages, and interests. Art lessons businesses often serve mixed-ability groups, so knowing how to adapt your instruction keeps everyone engaged. Day’s framework is practical and immediately applicable.
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The Money Book for Freelancers, Part-Timers, and the Self-Employed by Laurie Denardo
Art lessons are typically a freelance or self-employed business model. This book covers pricing, contracts, taxes, and cash flow—the unglamorous but essential parts of sustainability. Most art teachers don’t receive formal business training, and this fills that gap directly.
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Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain by Betty Edwards
This classic teaches you how to help students actually see and perceive, not just copy. Understanding perception-based drawing makes you a better instructor and gives your lessons a clear methodology. Students notice the difference between instruction based on intuition versus instruction grounded in theory.
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Equipment You Need
Art lessons don’t require expensive equipment to start, but you do need quality basics that won’t frustrate students or force you to replace supplies constantly. The good news: most startup costs are under $500, and many items serve multiple purposes across different mediums and student levels.
Drawing and Sketching Supplies
- Graphite pencil sets: Professional-grade sets (typically HB through 8B) give students better control and range than cheap pencils. Quality pencils teach proper pressure and technique more effectively.
- Erasers: Kneaded erasers and vinyl erasers serve different purposes. Kneaded erasers lift graphite gently; vinyl erasers clean up edges. Both are essential teaching tools.
- Sketchbooks: Medium-weight paper (100-110 gsm) handles multiple mediums without excessive buckling. Buy in bulk to keep costs reasonable.
- Charcoal and conte pencils: These expand what students can create and teach different mark-making approaches. They’re inexpensive to stock.
- Blending tools: Blending stumps, tortillons, and even tissue work. These aren’t expensive but dramatically improve student results.
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Painting Supplies
- Acrylic paint sets: Student-grade acrylics cost 40-60% less than professional grade and work perfectly for teaching. Colors are slightly less vibrant but pigment is adequate for skill-building.
- Watercolor sets: Pan watercolors (solid blocks) are cheaper per use than tubes and store compactly. Good for group lessons since one set can serve multiple students in rotation.
- Paintbrushes: Synthetic brushes work fine for acrylics and watercolor. Natural hair brushes (sable) are expensive—save these as premium upgrades for advanced students only.
- Painting paper: Cold-pressed watercolor paper is versatile. Avoid cheap sketch paper that buckles immediately when wet.
- Palettes and water containers: You can use ceramic plates as palettes and mason jars as water containers. This keeps startup costs low without sacrificing functionality.
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Sculpture and 3D Materials
- Air-dry clay: No kiln required. Students complete projects in one or two lessons. This material is forgiving and teaches hand-building fundamentals.
- Modeling clay: Reusable, inexpensive, and perfect for exploration. Buy in bulk and store in airtight containers.
- Sculpting tools: A basic set includes loop tools, flat tools, and wooden modeling sticks. These last for years with basic care.
- Polymer clay: Oven-bakeable clay allows students to create finished pieces. A little goes a long way and it’s relatively inexpensive.
Printing and Mixed Media
- Lino-cutting tools: Inexpensive starter sets let you teach printmaking fundamentals without a printing press.
- Linoleum blocks: Much cheaper than woodblocks and easier for students to carve cleanly.
- India ink: Essential for pen work and printmaking. One bottle lasts through dozens of lessons.
- Found materials: Collect recyclables, textiles, and natural items. These cost nothing and expand creative possibilities significantly.
Studio Furniture and Setup
- Easels: Tabletop easels are cheaper than full-size. They work for most group lessons and take up minimal space.
- Work tables: Any sturdy table works. Quality matters more than cost—it needs to survive spilled water and paint.
- Storage shelving: Metal shelving units are cheap and durable. Keep supplies visible and organized so you know what to reorder.
- Aprons: Buy multipacks rather than premium versions. Students should expect to get them dirty.
- Smocks and drop cloths: Old clothes work. Plastic sheeting or canvas drop cloths protect surfaces.
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Lighting and Display
- Task lighting: Adjustable LED work lights prevent eye strain during detail work. Students and you need to see what you’re actually creating.
- Display easels or boards: Show finished student work and demo pieces. This motivates students and makes the space feel like a real studio.
- Flat files or portfolio storage: Protect finished work and reference materials from damage.
What to Buy First vs Later
Start lean and add supplies as your student roster grows and you understand which mediums your students actually want to learn.
- Buy first: Quality graphite pencils, sketchbooks, basic erasers, and sharpeners. Drawing skills underpin all visual art, and these items work across every level and age.
- Buy first: Student-grade acrylics, basic brushes, and mixing surfaces. Painting is popular with beginners and the materials are forgiving.
- Buy first: Work tables and basic storage. Your studio needs to function before you focus on supplies.
- Buy later: Specialty items like printmaking tools, professional-grade paints, or natural-hair brushes. Add these when students request them or advance to intermediate level.
- Buy later: Expensive equipment like easels, light boxes, or display fixtures. These enhance your studio but aren’t necessary to teach.
- Buy as needed: Specific materials for themed projects. If you run a “landscapes in watercolor” series, stock watercolor paper then. Don’t buy everything upfront.
New vs Used Equipment
Art supplies have a clear split: buy new consumables (paint, pencils, paper), but used is fine for durable tools and furniture. A used easel, storage shelf, or work table performs exactly as well as a new one. A used brush still holds bristles. Used sketchbooks are worthless (they’re already used).
Don’t compromise on comfort items that affect your teaching. A broken work table forces you to reschedule lessons. Uncomfortable seating during a three-hour group class exhausts you and shows in your instruction quality. Buy new task lighting if used options are questionable—eye strain during lessons degrades your credibility and patience. For supplies that sit in storage (clay, paint, paper), buying slightly discounted bulk quantities from online sellers or local art supply stores beats paying premium prices at craft retailers. Watch for back-to-school sales in August and September, which often cut art supplies by 20-40%.
Where to Buy
- Blick Art Materials: Professional supplier with educational discounts. Prices are fair and inventory is reliable. They understand teaching needs.
- Michaels and Joann: Frequent coupons (especially 40% off single items) make these competitive for paint, clay, and paper despite typically higher base prices. Watch for sales.
- Local art supply stores: Often undercut chain retailers and staff usually teach part-time, so they understand your needs. Support local when prices are comparable.
- Bulk online retailers: Blick’s bulk pricing, Utrecht, and Jackson’s Art work well for large orders. Good for stocking up on pencils, erasers, and paper when you know your usage.
- Used furniture marketplaces: Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and OfferUp for tables, shelves, and storage. Inspect in person and test for stability.
- Library sales and thrift stores: Occasionally find frames, easels, and display materials cheaply. Not reliable for planning, but good for browsing.