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Below are the supplies recommended for the class. You are welcome to use what you have. I do highly recommend that you have gel medium, retarder, the Masterson Premier Sta-Wet Palette and something to mix on like a disposable paper palette pad or freezer paper.
Dick Blick Shopping List
I have created a shopping cart at Blick Art Materials that has all the supplies. You can delete what you don’t want. To go to Blick, click on the Blick Art Materials logo to the left or click here. If you do buy through Blick I will receive a small commission for purchases made through this link which I would so appreciate. Your price will not be impacted.
Acrylic Paints
You don’t have to have the exact colors and are welcome to use what you have. I like Golden brand acrylics but any brand is fine. You want regular, heavy body acrylics not liquid or “open”. Also, professional paints have more pigment than student grade allowing for richer colors. Below are the main colors on my palette.
Cadmium Red Medium
Cadmium Yellow Medium or Hansa Yellow Medium Opaque
Titanium White
Cerulean Blue Chromium
Alizarin Crimson Hue
Phthalo Blue (Green Shade)
Ultramarine Blue
Permanent Rose (This is a Winsor & Newton color); if you can’t find this color Quinacridone Red by Golden is similar
I also like to keep the following colors on my palette but they are optional.
Cadmium Orange
Dioxazine Purple
Medium/Retarder
I like the Golden mediums and retarder. The medium has the same consistency as the heavy body paint and it comes in packaging just like their jars of paint. The retarder is a thick liquid. Check the Blick cart for photos of the supplies.
Regular Gloss Gel Medium – Golden has another product with a similar name that
is much thinner. You want the heavy body acrylic medium
Retarder (liquid)
Brushes/Knife
Synthetic Brushes – you are welcome to use what you have. I like brights – #2, #4, #6 are good sizes. I prefer the long handle brushes especially if you want to paint looser. I like the Silver Brush Bristlon All Media Brushes
Palette/painting knife – We will be using the knife just to load your palette so a plastic or metal knife is fine
Palettes
Large Disposable Paper Palette Pad (without hole – 12 x 16 or larger)
Sta-Wet Premier Palette –Buy the red top palette – it has the sponge and special paper you will need. I keep all my paint in this palette box and mix on the disposable paper palette. My acrylic paint stays wet for a couple of weeks.
Other
Card Stock Paper – that will go through your printer for the mixing exercises. I use
65 lb white card stock.
Willow or vine charcoal (medium or soft)
Paper towels
Four 6”x6” and one 12”x12” canvases or panels – I use Ampersand Value panels in the smooth finish or Ampersand Gessobord but you are welcome to use what you like. I don’t however recommend the canvas panels backed with cardboard. You can paint on Masonite or birch panels but I do recommend that you gesso them first. I’ll demonstrate this in Module 1.
Disposable gloves – I end up finger painting to smear edges so I like to wear gloves. You don’t want them too loose because they will just get in the way
Optional – Easel – You can paint flat on a table but it’s a lot easier to paint on an easel. A table easel is a great place to start.
Optional – ViewCatcher – I’m a big fan of a viewfinder. I use it to get the proportion of my canvas then select my composition.This is included on the Blick list.
Optional – Canson Assorted Color Pack – 19” x 25” Paper – These are the papers that I use as a background in my still life. You can find something similar at Michael’s in the drawing area. I have also included this on the Blick list. You can also use colored gift tissue. Michael’s or Hobby Lobby sells packs of all sorts of colors.
Optional – Red Value Filter – I included this on the Blick list.