Materials

In order to participate in class students will need access to the following art supplies. Please make sure to get a minimum of student grade, not craft grade. Poor quality materials will make it difficult your student to successfully complete the necessary work. Siblings may share all items except brushes and paper.

Materials that students are required to provide for themselves:

  • Watercolor paper - minimum 40 pages, can be in notebooks or sheets, 140lb or heavier. Paper should not exceed 10" in any dimension. (Canson Cold Pressed Watercolor is the pulp paper I recommend. Note: Strathmore will NOT work for our purposes) If finances are not a concern, students will have more success with any brand of 100% cotton watercolor paper.

  • Watercolor brushes - one large round (size 8-10), one fine round (size 2-4) and one flat (size 3/4-1.5 inch)- My favorite are Princeton Neptune

  • Water pen - any brand, largest round size available. My favorite is by Pentel

  • Absorbant rag or paper towels

  • Watercolor paint in tubes or pans - Student grade or greater. Daniel Smith's "essentials" will cover your needs. Maximum 12 colors (too many choices makes the process difficult for students.)

  • Watercolor pencils - minimum 8 color set, these should not be from crayola, roseart, or any other craft grade supply company, but do not need to be professional quality. I like Albrecht Durer

  • Travel palette - my favorite are small metal and come with empty pans, but plastic will do as long as staining isn't something that will bother your student.

  • Empty half pans - We will be adding to our palettes with specialty paint. You will need 4 more pans than you have watercolor paints. You can substitute water-bottle-lids in an empty Altoids tin if you'd like.

  • Water cup - Plastic. Some students may prefer using two.

  • Artist tape - washi tape or painter's tape is a good substitute, but masking tape is not.

  • Black fineliner - water resistant (I like Pigma Micron, but anything will do, just test it to see if it bleeds when water is brushed over the dry ink)

  • Pencil - I prefer 6B, but any everyday pencil (#2/2B) will do.

  • Eraser - Many watercolorists prefer kneaded, but my personal favorite is a soft white. Anything soft will do

  • Backing board larger than your paper. A plastic clip-board with a low profile clip works well, or you can use any large solid flat object.

  • Binder Clips - two or more

Optional materials. These are NOT required for class, but they might make your student's experience more enjoyable (hint: these could make great Christmas presents) I will add to this list over time as we use new mediums and I mention items in class.