Painting supplies NZ: what to buy for each kind of paint
For most people starting out, acrylic is the best first paint: it's water-based, dries in 20 to 30 minutes and cleans up with water. You can start for under $40 with a 12-colour set, a few synthetic brushes, a canvas pad and a palette. Oil, watercolour, pouring and spray paint each need slightly different gear, and this page sorts out what goes with what.
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Which paint should I use? A quick guide by job
| Paint | Best for | Clean up | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acrylic paint NZ | Canvas, wood, craft projects, classes | Water | Permanent once dry. Mont Marte Signature 75ml tubes are $2.99, Premium Satin from $3.99. |
| Oil paint | Slow blending, portraits, soft skies, glazes | Solvent or brush cleaner, then soapy water | Stays workable for a long time. Mont Marte Premium oil is $5.49 a 75ml tube in 46 colours. |
| Watercolour | Paper, sketchbooks, travel painting | Water | Needs proper watercolour paper or it will buckle. Sets from $9.99. |
| Pouring paint | Abstract pours with cells and lacing | Water | Pre-mixed 4-colour pouring sets start at $10.99. Add silicone oil for cells. |
| Spray paint | Wood, metal and plastic crafts, upcycling, stencils | Wipe the nozzle, spray outdoors | Max Brand 100g cans are $9.99, including a grey primer and a gloss clear topcoat. |
| Acrylic paint pens | Lettering, rocks, glass, fine detail over a painting | Cap them | The Portrait Acrylic Paint Pens 12pc ($24.99) are permanent on porous surfaces like canvas, paper and stone. |
| Fabric paint | T-shirts, tote bags, canvas shoes | Water while wet | Use paint made for fabric so it stays soft through the wash. Our range is small, so check fabric paint NZ for what's in stock. |
Torn between the two big ones? Our oil paint vs acrylic paint comparison goes through drying time, cost and clean up side by side, and the best acrylic paint NZ guide compares every Mont Marte acrylic line we sell.
What do I need to start painting? Starter lists by medium
These lists use items we have in stock now. Prices were checked in November 2026.
Acrylic painting
Under $50 (about $39): Signature Acrylic Paint Set 12 x 12ml ($8.99), Gallery Series Acrylic Brush Set 6pc ($10.99), Canvas Pad 10 Sheet A4 ($8.99), Signature Canvas Panels 2pc 25.4 x 30.5cm ($7.99) and a 17cm round plastic palette ($1.99).
Under $100 (about $92): the Acrylic Paint Beginner Set with 18 paints, 10 brushes and 3 canvas panels ($49.99), the beech table easel ($19.99), two Signature Double Thick Canvases 30.5 x 30.5cm ($8.99 each) and a plastic palette knife set ($4.49).
New to it? Our acrylic painting for beginners guide covers your first session.
Oil painting
Under $50 (about $46): a 3-pack of Titanium White oil paint ($17.95, because white runs out first), Ultramarine Blue and Burnt Sienna Premium Oil tubes ($5.49 each), Oil Brushes Signature 6pc ($9.99) and a 3-pack of small canvas panels ($6.99). White, blue and a warm brown is a classic limited palette for learning tone.
Under $100 (about $94): the white 3-pack, six Premium Oil colours ($32.94: Lemon Yellow, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Red Hue, Ultramarine Blue, Phthalo Blue and Burnt Umber), Oil Brushes Signature 6pc ($9.99), a stainless steel palette knife set ($14.99) and two double thick canvases ($17.98). Bring a rag and an old jar from home. Safflower Oil medium ($11.99) is a good next buy for smoother flow. More detail in our oil paint for beginners guide.
Watercolour painting
Under $50 ($44.99): the Watercolour Basics Kit has 12 paints, an 11-piece brush set in a travel wallet, an A4 180gsm pad and a palette, so there's nothing else to buy.
Under $100 (about $88): the kit, plus a Cotton Watercolour Paper Block 300gsm A4 ($17.99), the Two Seasons Watercolours 18pc ($13.99) for extra colours, and the Gallery Series Watercolour Brush Set 7pc ($10.99), which adds a wash brush for skies. Start with our watercolour starter guide.
Acrylic pouring
Under $50 ($49.99): the Pouring Paint Starter Kit has three 4-colour pouring sets, silicone oil and three surfaces to pour on.
Under $100 (about $91): the kit, plus the Pour Painting Combo ($32.99) with flow medium, more silicone oil, a split pouring cup and three Dimension acrylics, and a 2-pack of canvas panels ($7.99). Cover the table first. Our step-by-step pouring guide shows the method.
Canvas for painting: panels, stretched, boards or paper?
| Surface | What it is | Use it for | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canvas pad | 10 sheets of gesso-primed canvas, A5 to A3 | Practice, colour studies, classes | $7.99 |
| Canvas panel | Canvas wrapped over a flat board, doesn't flex | Small finished pieces, outdoor painting, framing | $6.99 for 3 |
| Stretched canvas, single thick | Canvas on a slimmer wooden frame | Pieces you plan to frame, budget wall art | $5.49 |
| Stretched canvas, double thick | Deep 36mm edge, back stapled with clean sides | Hanging without a frame | $5.99 |
| Wooden painting board | 19mm solid wooden surface | Heavy paint, pours, mixed media | $16.99 |
| Watercolour paper | Heavy paper, 180 to 300gsm | Watercolour, ink, gouache | $8.99 a pad |
Our stretched canvas for painting starts at 20 x 20cm minis, and the big sizes come in cartons of 5. If you're not sure what size to buy, 25 x 30cm or 30 x 30cm suits one subject and fits on a table easel. Our canvas size guide goes further. For watercolour, 300gsm cotton paper with gummed edges buckles far less than thin paper, and the watercolour paper FAQ explains hot press, cold press and rough.
Tools: brushes, palette knives, easels and palettes
Brushes
Use synthetic taklon brushes for acrylic, since natural hair frays and clogs. Oil painters usually add stiff hog bristle brushes, and watercolour needs soft brushes that hold water. Brush sets start at $6.99. Our paint brush buyer's guide explains flats, rounds and filberts.
Palette knives
A palette knife mixes paint on the palette and spreads thick, textured paint on canvas. The 5-piece plastic set is $4.49 and fine for trying it out. The stainless steel set is $14.99, with flexible blades and no cutting edge. For a first knife painting, the Texture Art Starter combo ($47.99) includes a 45.7cm canvas, impasto medium, knives, a brush and two acrylics.
Easels
Our easel NZ range covers table easels, display easels and floor easels. The beech table easel ($19.99) holds a canvas up to about 70cm high and folds flat for storage. Small display easels from $9.99 are for showing finished work, not painting on.
Palettes
A 17cm round plastic palette is $1.99 and does the job for acrylic and watercolour. A tear-off paper palette ($5.99) saves washing up, and oil painters often prefer it.
Painting with kids or a group?
For school and family painting, see our kids art supplies guide. Planning a painting evening with friends? Our craft night at home guide has ideas and paint party kits. Spraying a project? Read the spray paint beginner's guide before you start.
Painting supplies FAQ
What painting supplies does a beginner need?
Five things: paint, three or four brushes, a surface such as a canvas pad or canvas panels, a palette, and a jar of water with a rag. For acrylic that costs about $39 with us.
Is acrylic or oil paint better for beginners?
Acrylic, for most people. It's cheaper, dries in 20 to 30 minutes and cleans up with water. Oil is worth trying once you want more time to blend.
What size canvas should a beginner buy?
Start around 25 x 30cm or 30 x 30cm. It's big enough for one subject and small enough to finish in a session or two.
Can I use normal acrylic paint on fabric?
It will stick, but it dries stiff and can crack in the wash. Paint made for fabric stays softer, so use that for clothes and bags.
How much is shipping on painting supplies?
$5.99 on orders under $25, $8.99 for $25 to $74.99, and free on orders of $75 or more. Orders leave our Auckland shop in 1 to 3 working days.
Do you ship outside New Zealand?
No, we ship within New Zealand only.
Prices as at November 2026 and may change. Every item listed was in stock when this page was written.