Below are the supplies I use and recommend to students. I highly recommend that you buy good quality paint - brands such as Winsor Newton, Gamblin, Rembrandt, Vasari, M. Graham, etc. The professional grade paints will have more and better quality pigments, and the paint will be easier to use. There is nothing worse than fighting with paint that is runny, or has fillers making the pigment weak. It may feel like an investment, but you will use less of it because of its quality. Also avoid buying cheap canvases. You may find that they absorb the paint, are rough, or warp and make it unpleasant to work. I do use loose canvas paper/pads or Arches oil paper for studies and sketches. They are absorbent, but a little oil or medium will make a nice surface to work on especially for practicing.
- Paint (my palette listed below)
- Multiple canvases – up to 16x20 (sometimes going bigger is easier!) A pad of canvas paper is convenient to paint quick studies and experiment on
- Palette such as a Masterson palette keeper with a paper palette or a pochade box/travel easel
- Additional items such as apron or smock, gloves, paper towels, tape, chip brush, scraping tools, palette knife
PAINT
I use paints that do not have toxic heavy metals and have listed those colors first. I have found they are good, if not better substitutes for the cadmiums, etc. Students can use what they have already, there is no need to go out and purchase all new paints. Sometimes the pigments may differ slightly – like the permanent orange is more vibrant and semi transparent compared to cadmium orange. Manganese violet is semi transparent and a little redder than cobalt violet. The brands I recommend are Gamblin, Winsor & Newton, Rembrandt, and M Graham. I find these have a loose, buttery quality that spreads well and is smooth.
Colors:
Red: Napthol Red – or Cadmium Red Light (or hue)
Dark Red: Alizirin Crimson Permanent
Yellow: Hansa Yellow – or Cad Yellow Light (or hue)
Orange: Permanent Orange – or Cad Orange (or hue)
Blue: Ultramarine Blue
Kings Blue
Purple: Manganese Violet – or Cobalt Violet (or hue)
Green: Pthalo or Viridian
and
Titanium Zinc White
Sometimes: Meadow Green (Cad Green), Radiant Turquoise, Indian Yellow and Portland Greys
TOOLS
Brushes:
Variety of long handled
#4 #6 #8 and #10 filbert bristle brushes (maybe a long filbert too)
#4 #6 round bristle
A medium sized filbert Sable or soft synthetic
Cheap chip brush
Small to medium size spatula palette knife (metal and wood handle)
Scraping tools (old credit cards, bowl scraper, etc.)
Mediums:
Gamblin Solvent Free Gel
Mineral spirits (Gamsol)
Linseed or walnut oil
Canvas:
Canvas or paper pads or gesso panels work well. Smaller sizes like 9x12 to 12x16
I recommend Centurion DLX, Ampersand, Pintura and Yes panels
