Easel
You will need some sort of easel. If you have a field sketch easel or portable easel, please bring it. I have a few easels at home so if you are without I can bring one for you to use. Please let me know in advance.
Miscellaneous
A roll of paper towels is essential. Hopefully you’ll be using a lot of these to keep your brushes and palette clean.
You’ll need a plastic garbage bag to put your paint rags and other discards.
Palette
A piece of glass or wooden palette to mix your paint is preferable. A paper palette is problematic but if that’s all you have bring it. We’ll talk about this in class.
Solvent
I insist on odorless mineral spirits out of respect for fellow students and those with allergies. There is no latitude on this.
Paint
If you have paints bring what you have and you can augment those as you go along. I’ve been working with a limited palette that you may want to try. I’ve been able to get a wide range of color with just these three and white.
White-Utrecht makes a very good white, buy a large 150ml. tube.
Lemon Yellow
Ultramarine Blue
Permanent Red Medium (This is made by Rembrandt Talens)
For your consideration I’ll include this extended palette which consists of a warm and cool of each of the primaries, a couple of earth colors and a green:
Cadmium Red light
Alizarin (permanent) red
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium Yellow light
Cobalt Blue
Ultramarine Blue
Viridian Green
Transparent Oxide Red
Terra Rosa
Ivory Black
Titanium White
Medium
Winsor Newton Liquin
Brushes
Brushes come in many sizes, shapes and made from different materials. For oil painting there are three types of materials: sables, bristle and synthetic (sometimes a blend of synthetic and sable.) There are four basic styles shown below from left to right: filbert, flat, bright and round.
Each style has its’ own strength. You will find your own preference with time and use. The important thing is not to use stiff, worn out brushes! Painting is difficult enough without adding poor tools. Personally, I’m partial to flats and filberts. For most paintings I’ll use bristle flats, #4, #6, #8, #10 and #2 filberts.
Painting Supports
Please plan on working fairly small. I’d like you to be able to come as close as possible to finish a painting during the class. I’d like to stress seeing the subject as simply as possible and painting the essential. Progress will be much faster by making a lot of starts. Bring sizes no smaller than 11x14 and no larger than 18x24. We will discuss the pros and cons of various painting supports in class.
