GET READY : ART SUPPLIES

You have signed up for this valuable 2-day workshop. What makes it valuable? Many factors. But first, we need to understand goals. This is a very important part of the preparation for the class.

During this workshop you will learn the routine and structure of work on any landscape painting, starting en plein air and finishing and plein air or in-studio.

Your main goal will be revealing your own weaknesses. It might be not always Pleasant. I will make sure that this Workshop goes for you smoothly. 

Together we will do our best toward a SUCCESSFUL Master painting of 16"x20" at the end of this workshop.

You'll get a direction for developing efficient skills of work en plein air. Many of my students had immediate bust in activity and quality of their artworks.

Now about art supplies.

ART SUPPLIES LIST

Below you can find my concise Art Supplies List in PDF for this workshop. If you want to learn more in detail, read further.

Art Supplies List - Workshop 2.pdf
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Art Supplies List - Workshop 2.pdf

➡️ : NOW LET'S READ THIS IN DETAILS

OIL PAINTS

Almost every brand of oil paints produces at least 2 major lines of paints:

  • Student Grade (or Studio)
  • Professional Grade (Artists')

Student grade has less pigment and has more non-pigment filler like marble dust. The student-grade paint line has limited colors available.

If you are just a first-time beginner and have a limited budget, you can go with Student grade paints. Suggested Winsor & Newton Winton Oil Paints

If you choose to proceed with Professional grade paints, I think you can find an affordable price-tag with decent quality with

  • Gamblin Artist's Oil Color
  • Utrecht Artists' Oil Paint
  • Blick Artists' Oil Color (not Studio)

COLORS CHOICE

To beginners, I recommend to bring to the workshop at least this set of paints:

  • Titanium White (considered to be the most white of all oil white paints) - larger tube 5-7 oz. (150-200 ml.) 

Cadmiums are probably the most expensive paints in your palette. But you will need them. Again, avoid buying imitation, hue, or substitute. Please, read the label carefully.

  • Cadmium Yellow (Lemon or Light)
  • Cadmium Orange. Skip on Cadmium Red
  • Yellow Ochre
  • Raw Sienna
  • Alizarin Permanent (Alizarin Crimson is OK if can not find Permanent)
  • Transparent Oxide Brown or Burnt Sienna
  • Burnt Umber
  • Olive Green
  • Ultramarine Blue (or French Ultramarine). Won’t be wrong if you buy a 150-200 ml tube.
  • Manganese Blue imitation (only Imitation I recommend)

Burnt umber is inexpensive and very common paint. I prefer to use some cooler beings like Venetian red, or Indian red.

If you use a wider variety of paints, you can bring them all. We just need to have main paints available on everyone's palette, so each of you could follow what I mix.

BRUSHES

Stiffness. In general, we need few stiffer brushes for the first layer and few softer ones for the top layers. 

Shape. Flat and round brushes are very useful. Filbert brushes can be used instead of flats and rounds.

Let’s start with the budget Brush choice, which has 3 Bristle and 3 softer synthetic brushes for just $7. I think this set is not great, but good enough to start with. 

If you prefer buying separately:

Of course, these are not top choice brushes, but good to start with, and good to paint simple landscapes or still-lives. With practice, you will figure out which ones work best for your style and subject choice. And you will learn later other types of specialty brushes.

CANVAS, PANELS

During the workshop, we likely won't paint something exceptional that you may want to sell. However, using consistent quality of painting surface, along with paints and brushes will let you feel confident each time, you approach new painting work. Every work is an artistic challenge, and you better focus on art, rather than on the unexpected behavior of your art materials.

A good choice is not always very expensive. Shopping online and together with another artist may cut down your expenses for art supplies.


Overall our choice is stretched canvas or canvas panels.

For studies, I recommend using canvas panels, unless you prefer stretched canvas for a special bouncing feeling while you paint. Panels are more affordable, durable and easier to store. 

You can use oil primed canvas panels, but they are quite expensive and you may have a feeling of making a difficult choice to go with other canvas panels for an extra study. Same situation with linen canvas or linen canvas panel.

Most useful in our situation are canvas panels, acrylic primed. Great, if you painted on canvas panels, that you are going to use during the class, and paint spreads well over the surface. 

What if you had no chance to try panels? To avoid any surprises with a surface that may cooperate not well during the class, you need to apply a thin layer of diluted white school glue to seal excessive surface pores. Do that at least a day before the class. Dilute white glue with water 1:1 and apply to canvas panel evenly with a wide brush. Let it dry on a horizontal surface.

Suggested sizes:

  • 1 canvas panel or stretched canvas of 16" x 20" for Master painting.
  • 2-3 panels of 6"x8" or 8”x10” or 9”x12" for color studies

The good choice, not much expensive is Centurion OP DLX.

Budget choice and no need to apply an extra layer of white school glue:

https://www.oceanstatejoblot.com/marseilles-studios-artist-canvas-panel-9-x-12-3-pack/product/114468

PAINT THINNER / SOLVENT

During the workshop, we use Odorless Mineral Spirit, like this one. You don’t have to bring it with you, it is complimentary during the class.

https://www.dickblick.com/items/weber-turpenoid-quart-plastic-bottle/

MEDIUM

Used to increase paint flow, while making the paint more durable and glossy after it gets dry. Medium is also used to speed up or slow down paint drying time.

In most cases, medium is an oil or alkyd resin. 

Recommended: 

Galkyd Gel https://www.dickblick.com/products/gamblin-galkyd-gel-medium/

Galkyd or Galkyd Light https://www.dickblick.com/items/gamblin-galkyd-medium-169-oz-bottle/

EASEL

You will need your own field easel, that can be used en plein air. French easel is a very common choice.

PALETTE

There are a variety of palettes for artists to choose from. I would suggest you use one that you are comfortable with. There are paper palettes; plastic ones with lids, glass, wooden handheld ones and some of the newest ones are palettes that work with the French style easels.

I work on a glass or plexiglass palette since love using the scraper for easy and quick cleaning. PALETTE CUP (double is better) for medium and solvent. Like this, or bigger: https://www.dickblick.com/items/palette-cup-small-double/

PALETTE KNIFE – Highly recommended! Small or medium size. I recommend smaller https://www.dickblick.com/items/blick-painting-knife-style-46/ or larger https://www.dickblick.com/items/blick-painting-knife-58-x-2-78-traditional-style-50-/

SKETCH PAD or DRAWING PAD. Ideal for the class is 9”x12”

SOFT PENCILS, one or two is enough. Add an eraser and pencil sharpener or office knife.

PAPER TOWELS

WET CANVAS CARRIER or FLAT BOX (that can fit your canvas and panels)

CHAIR

PLASTIC BAG FOR USED PAPER TOWELS

VINYL GLOVES (OPTIONAL)

OIL PASTEL (OPTIONAL)

Let me know in the comments section below if you have any ideas or suggestions.

If you have questions, email me at [email protected].

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