OIL COLORS:

I hate saying which colors to bring because it is such a personal decision. But I will tell you what I like. Don’t get too worried about the number, but this is the palette I commonly use on my studio palette: Titanium White, Ivory Black, Burnt Umber, Raw Umber, Yellow Ochre, Raw Sienna, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Red Deep, Cadmium Red Medium, Cadmium Red Light, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Yellow Deep, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Yellow Light India Yellow, Cadmium Green, Phthalo Green, Phthalo Blue, Cobalt Teal, Cadmium Chartreuse, Cerulean Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Cobalt Blue, Dioxazine Purple, Quinacridone Magenta, Quinacridone Rose. There are dozens of others I sneak in occasionally. That being said, I often limit my palette to fewer colors, such as Titanium White, Ivory Black, Cadmium Red Medium (or Vermillion), Yellow Ochre, and Cobalt Blue. But if I were to be painting a variety of greens in the field, for example, I would use Phthalo Green and Burnt Sienna (as the two mixed together make a very good dark green) and perhaps Cobalt Teal and Cadmium Green for variety and intensity of lighter greens, plus what I can get with my various yellows. If I were to paint a variety of blues, I might want to include 4-5 blues ranging from Phthalo Blue, Cerulean Blue, Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue, and perhaps Indigo or Prussian Blue. Quinacridone Rose is wonderful to tone the greens or to add pinks against greens for contrast, or to add intensity to a purple or to use as an imprimatura. So there you have it. Choose whatever you like, as many as all of them or as few as the limited palette, they will all make fine paintings.

ACRYLIC COLORS:

Please bring 6-8 colors of your own choice, for a particular assignment and for underpainting that will dry quickly. These should be in the middle value range, and can be a range of vibrant colors - blues, magentas, yellows, reds and oranges. It doesn’t matter too much with how we will use them.

MEDIUMS:

Odorless Mineral Spirits, mainly for cleanup.

I like the consistency and working time of Galkyd Lite Gel, but if you have another fast-drying medium, that will work. I use Liquin regularly, for a fluid, fast-drying medium also.

Liquin Oleopasto is a stiffer, paste medium that I love for obtaining thicker impasto with knives. A must for knife work, for me. You may also try a cold wax medium for similar effects, but it is a little more translucent.

PANELS:

Please bring a variety of panels (4-6) in the range of 8” - 12” on the shortest dimension, up to 18” - 24” on the largest dimension. It could be a standard ratio, like 11”x14”, or a square, like a 14” x 14”, or a panoramic ratio, such as a 10”x20”. As we will be using painting knives in addition to brushes, it is really important to buy or prepare panels with fabric, such as muslin, cotton or linen adhered to the surface. Acrylic gesso is preferred, since we will be using acrylics as well as oils. If you bring panels with an oil-primed surface you won’t be able to use acrylics, so in that case you would use only oils. If your panel does not have fabric, you can easily adhere some. Instructions are below. Stretched canvas is strongly discouraged. Primed canvas can be adhered to a panel using a neutral ph PVA adhesive, then trimmed for a clean edge on the panel. I prefer a cradled panel, as it is more stable than an uncradled panel. They also sit nicely on the easel, projecting the surface out from it, allowing easier space for the hand to move when using painting knives.

BRUSHES:

A variety of brushes. Small Rounds: #4, #6 etc., Brights or Flats or both (either synthetic or natural) #4, #6. #8, etc. Other larger flats or filberts such as a 12, or a 1” - 1 1/2” synthetic or natural bristle brush for broad areas and softening. You may also bring others as needed or desired.

KNIVES:

I use a variety of knives, but especially the following Blick 004, 046 and 106 My favorite knife may be the 4” FLEXIBLE spackling knife I got in the hardware store, so get one of those.

EASEL AND PALETTE:

A portable easel suitable for plein air painting, with as large a mixing area as you can get. In fact, I bring along a small hand-held palette to mix on, then transfer the mixed piles of color to the palette on my easel.

Miscellaneous:

• Soft Charcoal pencil

• Graphite Pencils for sketching

• Spray fix

• Tape

• Quality paper towels, like blue shop paper towels

• Apron or Smock

• Notebook

• Sketchbook

• Erasers

• A 12” or 18” T square

• Digital camera, optional

• Sketch book

• Jars or containers for solvents, mediums and water

• Paper towels. I like blue or white shop towels.

PHOTO REFERENCES:

Bring a number of them. We will experiment with different configurations and crossings. I prefer to print mine on 8.5” x 11” matte heavyweight

paper.

Any other equipment or materials you feel would serve you.

Please view the downloadable Supply List for instructions on Panel Preparation.

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