Low quality equipment will be holding you back.
Whilst quality equipment won’t make you a better artist they could stand in the way of your success. Having the perfect technique can only be complemented with quality equipment as, although you may apply yourself flawlessly the final image may not have the desired finish. This is because lower grade materials, such as paints, have fewer pigments and more oil which will be less vibrant but also diminish the painting lifetime.
Using low quality paint brushes for example, can result in an uneven application of colour, or produce smoothing issues. This is because the bristles tend to be made from cheap materials, showing brush strokes or sometimes even break off due to the low quality glue holding them in place.
Even if both the paint and the brushes cost half what their quality counterparts cost, you could end up spending much more if there are repair costs. An even worse outcome is a damaged reputation from low quality portraits.
Using low quality equipment is more expensive in the long run.
It’s without a doubt that quality comes at a price, but in our eyes it’s a price worth paying, especially in the long run. High quality equipment is often overlooked due to its price however, we like to think of it more of an investment than an expense. This is because the price paid for the equipment will pale in comparison to the value it can bring in terms of longevity, and time wasted performing repairs or touch ups. It can also negatively affect your reputation which will hurt your client base and future revenue.
If you are an artist that charges per hour then your time is valuable, so why not invest in equipment that will make your job swifter and flawless. Having quality brushes that provide greater precision will allow you to create a painting in much more detail, which in turn embellishes your skills as an artist. Good quality paints will have a denser pigmentation and less filler which enables it to be applied thinner and thus stretched further. This both reduces the application time but also increases the lifespan of the painting. It also shows clients that you care about your work and aren’t in it to make quick profit.
Is it ever a good idea to use low quality equipment?
It’s often wondered if lower quality equipment should ever be used, but there are some circumstances where it can be beneficial.
Starting out
If you are a very new and inexperienced artist, buying lower quality equipment to start off with can be a cost-effective way to find your feet. You don’t want to be spending lots of money if you haven’t yet determined your skill level, artistic style, favoured portrait size and what you actually like painting. To do this it’s recommended to start with cheaper equipment, however you don’t want to go too cheap.
Learning a new technique
If you are learning a new technique again it can be cost-effective to practice using lower costing equipment. This will allow you to make mistakes, all whilst being cost-effective. However, that being said certain techniques require good quality equipment to be perfected. In this case it can be good to start off using low quality, but once you feel you have perfected it move to high quality to gain validity.
Practising your skills
As a painter you will have your strengths and weaknesses, but constant improvement will allow you to produce higher quality paintings, but also bring in more clients. Certain skills may require high quality equipment, for example honing in your attention to detail will require a good quality paint brush to get those small details correct. Others however can be practised using equipment of lower quality such as shading and sketching.
Improving your painting speed
If you have decided to become a live wedding painter then you will have to produce artwork that is of high quality in a short time frame. So, this is where you will need to practice painting with speed. This again can be done cost effectively by using low quality equipment. There will come a time when you may have improved your speed to a good enough level that you want to validate your work. This is to be done with quality equipment as that is what you will be using at the wedding. This will let you know if you need more practice.
To Summarise.
Better equipment definitely doesn’t make you a better artist however, it certainly won’t hold you back. It also has its benefits when practising and saving money. All techniques that are practised with low quality equipment should be validated with high quality equipment before it is put into practice in the field. This is to save your reputation as a few bad quality paintings can make the difference between success and failure. You also want to have the conference in your own ability before taking it to the field.