Most school art programs place a heavy emphasis on painting. The painting supplies that are usually required include easels, assorted paintbrushes, canvases, art pencils, assorted paints (such as tempuras, oils, acrylics and watercolors), palettes, art paper (such as crepe paper, posterboard and cardstock), art sponges and frames. The amount and variety of these supplies varies according to the level of education -- usually fewer and less complicated supplies are needed for young students, while older students use more supplies of a greater variety.
Students need to be safe and clean while creating art, so schools must usually provide supplies to protect the clothing and bodies of students. These supplies include painter's smocks, goggles, gloves, cleaning supplies, fire extinguishers and first aid kits. These supplies are needed because students may at times be working with toxic paints, chemicals, flammable substances and sharp objects.
Art programs in many schools also often include sculpting and pottery lessons. These lessons require the use of potter's clay, spinning wheels and carving and shaping tools. More advanced art programs may use other media such as wood, marble or found objects for sculpture.
High school and college art classes often make use of more expensive, heavy equipment, which may include kilns, airbrushing machines, lathes, woodburning tools and even computers for digital and electronic art projects.
Though books are not necessarily art materials, most art courses in American schools make use of a textbook of some kind. Also, schools need display cases, boards and stands for students to present their artwork.