pinkie

Start with acrylics. You'll have better control while you're getting to know your own stroke. Water cleans acrylic. You have to experiment with brushes to see what works for you. You'll want a pallet knife, not only for mixing, but for using as a canvas tool!

Buy a pre-stretched canvas unless you know how to stretch. Buy Gesso, even if the one you buy is a pre-gessoed canvas. The more texture, the better from what your work looks like.

Paints - Buy one big white, and then the primary colors and black to start. Mix your own colors, it helps you experiment, develop your pallet, and not waste paint. Buy extra colors when you know what you need, and such. I always just end up mixing, and the "special" colors I buy sit in my box for years, unless it was parchment or flesh tone. I loved those two when I painted portraits...

I used old plates, or like in my profile pic, trivets for a pallet. Pallets are cool to use too. It really depends on if you're going to be standing or sitting while painting.

Have fun!!!