Please get at least 37 ml tubes. I would recommend Windsor and Newton or Gamblin
which make high quality paint. If you are looking for a more economical choice that is
still relatively good quality, both of these brands offer student grade paint via Winton and
Gamblin 1980 respectively. Make sure you don’t buy water mixable oils!
Required Tubes
- Ultramarine Blue
- Cerulean Blue Hue
- Viridian
- Sap Green
- Lemon Yellow
- Cad Yellow Medium
- Naples Yellow
- Cad Red Light
- Alizarin Crimson
- Burnt Sienna
- Titanium White
Optional/Recommended
- Zinc White
- Cobalt Blue
- Burnt Umber
Painting Surfaces
We will start by priming watercolor paper with acrylic gesso and working on that. We will
also prime Masonite to paint on a firm surface, and stretch and use one canvas to work
on.
You will need:
Watercolor paper pad 18x24 inches (Arches is great quality paper for painting on. Can be bought in sheets or smaller sizes in a pad, Strathmore has good quality watercolor paper)
OR
Arches Oil Paper Pad 12x16 inches
- White Acrylic Gesso (I like Utrecht, Liquitex is also good)
- 3 pieces of Masonite/Hardboard, 9x12 to 16x20 in size
Palette
You have the option of working on either a glass palette or using disposable paper
palettes. Glass is better as you can scrape it easier because it’s a hard, stable surface
(and you will go through less paper), but you can decide what works best for you. For a
glass palette, you can buy the materials below and we can assemble it in class.
- Glass Palette
- Any piece of glass will suffice 18”x24” is a good size (Home Depot)
- Piece of Foamular to support palette (Home Depot)
- Or Palette Paper
Brushes & Knives
For oil painting it is best to use a firm brush, either with natural or synthetic bristles. It is
good to have a variety of brush types and sizes. If selecting brushes individually, below
is a good starting set of what to get. Long handle is preferred for oil painting.
- #12 Flat
- #2,6 and 8 Filbert
- #8 Bright
- #4,6 Round
Or you can look for packs that have a variety. Princeton usually has somewhat
economical choices that are of good quality. Some options for oil painting are
linked below. Sometimes I prefer to physically go to the store to purchase brushes so
that I can feel how firm they are and see the size in person.
- Princeton Aspen Series 6500 Synthetic Brushes and Sets
- Princeton Dakota Series 6300 Firm Synthetic Hair Brushes and Set
- Princeton Ashley Series 5200 Natural Bristle Brushes
- Princeton Real Value Series 9100 Synthetic White Taklon Brush Set
Also please buy a 2 or 3-inch house painting or chip brush for gesso (Home Depot).
Your palette knife will be used to mix paint and at times apply it in a precise way. You
need at least one, but feel welcome to purchase 2-3 to experiment with how varied
sizes affect paint application.
- Good starting size: Blick Painting Knife - Medium Long Trowel, 13
Medium & Solvent
- Linseed oil as medium
- Utrecht makes solid quality and more economical.
- Safflower oil - for cleaning brushes (optional)
- Gamsol for cleaning brushes and making medium (500 ml)
- Jar to store Gamsol
- Silicoil Jar is nice because the spring allows you to clean brushes against it
- Or you can use a clean glass jar with a tight lid (like a salsa jar) – it can be helpful to put some rocks in the bottom
- Another jar for the medium (any 12 oz+ jar is fine)
- Palette Cups for holding medium (or a tiny jar/lid that you already have)
Other Supplies
- Artists Tape – color doesn’t matter but 1” good
- Brush Soap
- The Master’s Brush Cleaner is my preferred choice to preserve brushes
- Dish soap also works and is in classroom
- Pencil
- Paper towels
- Palette scraper (Blick or cheaper at hardware store)
- Apron or gloves (optional)
- Sketchbook