Click the links below to jump to your class

Beginner Watercolor Class: Gianna Bird

Supply list

You can find supplies online at CheapJoes.com or DickBlick.com  or local art stores such as Huston-Tuttle in Rockland or Rockport Blueprint in Camden.

Watercolor Paints
These paints are more on the transparent side, have good tinting strength and will be fun to work with for a long time.  They are reliable and lightfast (won't fade over time).

• Winsor & Newton - Permanent Rose - PV 19

• Daniel Smith - Nickel Azo Yellow - PY 150

• Daniel Smith - Phthalo Blue (Green Shade) - PB 15:3

• Ultramarine Blue - PB 29

• Transparent Red Iron Oxide - PR 101

Paper 

• Watercolor paper is most important, in order to see the full benefits of your watercolor paints

• 140 lb Arches cold press watercolor paper is a good 100 % cotton paper, especially if you get the full sheets.  You can cut these to whatever sizes you need.  You can also get this paper in different size ‘Blocks’.

• Optional - Backboard to tape your paper onto - slightly larger than your paper. This can be Cardboard, Masonite; or Plexiglass

Watercolor Brushes

• Royal & Langnickel has good brushes at very reasonable prices. I really like their ‘Zen Watercolor 83 Series’ Brushes.
  Do not buy their sets of brushes.  Get these individually if you can.  In the US, Blicks is a good source.  

• Royal & Langnickel Watercolor Zen Series 83 Brushes.

• Round Brushes - size 14 & size 8 

• Flat Wash Brush - 1/2'" or 3/4" 

• ¼” short haired synthetic scrubber brush

• Others sizes are optional

Palette

• Palette (white plastic, white ceramic plate, white metal tray)  Preferably one with a large mixing area

Other Supplies

• Masking Tape or Artists Tape

• Pencil

• Kneaded Eraser

• Paper Towels

• Small Spray bottle for clean water

• Two Water Containers (for brush rinsing)

• Sketchbook - for testing paints & planning paintings and keeping notes

• Masking fluid and/or clear wax crayon or white candle stub

• Permanent Black Marker

Materials list, suggested:

GRAPHITE, tools

• 2b pencil 

• 9b (solid graphite stick)

• A #8 Stump for smudging graphite

• Cotton balls, cotton make-up pads

• White, plastic erasers such as Mars Staedtler.  Same in pen style holder- thinest diameter.

• Soft, kneaded eraser

• Pencil sharpener

• A range of graphite pencils 2B-9B (a 2B, 4B, 9B) (optional)

• Painter’s tape (optional)

• Charcoal, both compressed and vine (optional)

• Conté crayon (sepia or burnt sienna) (optional)

PAPERS

-A mixed media or sketching pad for daily prompts.  Vellum surface, mixed media papers are inexpensive and great for general drawing

-A Newsprint pad for daily gesture exercises ….

For both, Suggested size approx. 12x18”, (try Ocean State Joblots, rt 1 Glen Cove)

-The very best for finished drawing is Arches Watercolor, Hotpress (optional)

Arches is a tough paper with a smooth surface that can stand multiple erasures. It holds blacks beautifully, and you can create smooth gradations on it. 

EQUIPMENT

-iPhone or iPad/tablet

Plein Air Painting with Stephen Florimbi Supply List

Required:

Portable easel

There are many styles and brands available. Ideally, you want something that you can carry and stand or set comfortably on uneven terrain. I use a half box French style easel made by Mabef. (There are less expensive ones out there.) It can hold my paints and brushes, a palette, and it will accommodate a 30” x 40” canvas. https://www.dickblick.com/products/mabef-

sketchbox-easel-m-22/

Paint

Oils or Acrylics

You should have at least the following colors. (You can have as many as you want but at minimum the following will allow you to paint a wide range. Do not buy paint with the word Hue in the title. It is not pure pigment and usually has white added to it. Gamblin sells a nice set of introductory oils with the colors on my list and a couple more. If you’re using acrylics you’ll want to buy Golden Open brand. They are made for plein air painting and have a longer open time. And you may want to buy some retarder.) Colors: Cadmium Yellow Light or similar (Cadmium Lemon, or Hansa Yellow) Cadmium Red light, Alizarin Crimson, Yellow Ocher, Burnt Umber, Ultra Marine, Titanium White.

Brushes

Again, there are a seemingly endless number of choices. Just make sure you choose brushes that are made for Oil and/or Acrylic. For our purposes the following three sizes and shapes will get you through the class. I am currently using Princeton Aspen series synthetic brushes.

#2 round

#4 flat/bright

#6 filbert

Airtight Brush Washer

You will need this to safely carry solvent (odorless mineral spirits) or water for Acrylics and to clean your brushes. Please don’t bring glass containers for this purpose.

https://www.jerrysartarama.com/petite-air-tight-brush-washer-310ml-container?

gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=393784810&gbraid=0AAAAAD_sa4ZszYnMIFaViqaIZ7qTDwA

eQ&gclid=Cj0KCQjwn8XFBhCxARIsAMyH8BtRsqIvTRdDc6AkuiszJNVTP9I1xmnCxfVdlz8DrH2

mRAWDe4j_jRcaAmWAEALw_wcB

Odorless Mineral Spirits (for Oils) or Water (for Acrylics) Fill your airtight brush washer with odorless mineral spirits or water to safely carry on site. Odorless mineral spirits can be purchased at any hardware store.

Canvas/Art boards

You’ll need up to six “canvases” to paint on. For this class they need NOT be bigger than 11” x 14”.

You can use:

Stretched canvas (prepared with gesso—most are sold with prepared canvas)

Canvas boards

Masonite prepared with gesso

Art Boards (by Ampersand)

Plywood panels (prepared with gesso)

Gessoed paper (taped to a panel)

Gessoed cardboard

Gessoed wood

Paper made for oil painting (taped to panel)

If you’re using acrylics you technically don’t need a gessoed surface but it’s nice. Although the color of cardboard is a nice tone to start a painting from.

Palette

You need something to mix your colors on. Many easel set ups have a surface for this purpose. If yours doesn’t, you’ll need something that is portable. Even a notebook of paper (waxpaper) works. At the end of your session you can peel it off and throw it in your trash bag. Remember to bring a trash bag.

Palette knife

Rags or Paper towels

Sketch Book and pencil

Trash Bag

Back pack, tote bag, or wheeled cart to carry all your stuff. Most of our locations will be a short distance from car access but you will still have to transport your gear.

Optional:

More colors: Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Orange, Cerulean Blue, Prussian Blue, Phthalo Blue, Quinacradone Red

Liquin—an alkyd medium for oil paints

Food and water

Sun Hat

Sun screen

Layers of clothes

Umbrella

Gloves (for warmth and/or to keep your hands clean)

Portable chair or stool—a five gallon bucket can serve this and other functions admirably