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Tools of the Trade

“Color is my day-long obsession, joy and torment.”                                              – Claude Monet

Painting in Acrylics

ACRYLIC PAINTS

  • Set of 10 tubes of acrylic paints, assorted colors

    • Cad Red Medium, Cad Yellow Medium, Ultramarine Blue, Mars Black, Burnt Sienna, and Titanium White are the 6 we use the most.  I prefer heavy body paint. Do not purchase Folk Art craft paint. 

    • Other suggestions: Dioxizine Purple, Rose Madder Deep or Magenta, Cad Orange, Phthalo Turquoise, Emerald Green

  • Large tube of Titanium White paint

  • Assorted flat or filbert long-handled brushes. I prefer synthetic bristles.

  • Palette (Preferably several Styrofoam or paper plates, disposable is a good thing)

  • Lightweight table-top easel

  • Washer cup

  • Spritzer bottle ($1 in the travel size sundries section at Wal-Mart or Target, also available at Hobby Lobby)

  • Paper Towels 

  • Palette Knife

  • Inexpensive cotton covered panels or stretched canvas for practice, 11 x 14 or 9 x 12.  We typically use 1 canvas per Creative Spirits class, 3-4 per month.  

  • Inexpensive sketchbook, pencil, black marker, and gray marker for value studies.

  • Reference Photos… Keep reference photos handy on your phone, tablet, or printed for Open Studio.

  • Tote bag, backpack or wheelie-cart to hold your materials

  • Smock or apron, optional

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Drawing

  • 8 x 10 Sketchbook (or similar) with 92lb or higher paper

  • Variety of Graphite pencils: 2B, 4B, 6B, 8B plus a Sharpwriter #2

  • Charcoal pencils: 2B, 4B, 6B

  • Pencil sharpener

  • Blending Stumps with pointed ends

  • Gum eraser.  Other erasers optional: Electric, Kneaded, Plastic

  • Charcoal stick, medium

  • White chalk pencil or white soft pastel pencil

  • Ruler

Painting in Watercolor

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WATERCOLOR PAINTS

  1. Set of Watercolor Paints (half-pans)

  2. 11 x 15 Watercolor Paper - I use 140 lb., cold press, Canson watercolor paper 

  3. Smooth Board (12 x 16 plywood, plastic, gessobord or dry-erase board for blocking)

  4. Masking Tape

  5. Masking fluid, small jar

  6. Kneaded eraser

  7. Masking Remover Eraser

  8. Set of Small Soft Sable brushes in various small to medium sizes

  9. Washer cup 

  10. Uniball Signo UM-153 gel pen in white 

  11. Ultra-fine point black Sharpie marker

  12. Small tube of white gouache

  13. Paper towels

  14. #2 pencil (I prefer Papermate Sharp writer mechanical)

  15. Ruler.  I use both 12- and 6- inch rulers.

  16. Scissors or Self-healing cutting mat and Xacto knife

  17. Cloth dish towel

  18. Notepad and pen 

  19. Travel Watercolor Journal

  20. Tote bag to carry your supplies

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Questions?  Call or Text me at 615-668-8263

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Thanks!

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Painting in Water-soluble Oils

For those who want to know the items I recommend in oils 

OIL PAINTS

1.      The only musts are White, Cad Yellow Medium, Cad Red or Permanent Rose, Ultramarine Blue, and Black.  In the past few years I find I enjoy painting with water-soluble oils better than traditional ones, though both are in the studio. I have both Lucas Berlin brand and Winsor Newton. 

2.      Washer cup with water. No medium or mineral spirits are necessary with water-soluble oils.    

3.      Long-handled Flat, size 6 or 8, depending on the brand and size canvas I'm painting

4.      Stretched Canvas: Sizes 9 x 12 or 11 x 14

5.      Palette Knife

6.      Blue Pastel Pencil

7.      Wooden Palette

8.      White disposable palette covers (can use flat on table or with palette)

9.      Viva Paper Towels or Blue Shop towels 

10.    Knockdown Knife (available at Home Depot) or printer's brayer

11.    Latex Gloves (available at Home Depot)

12.    Rubber sculpting tool, optional (Found at Plaza Arts, Nashville)

13.    Plein air easel 

14.    Inexpensive sketchbook, pencil, black marker, and gray marker

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Link to Jerry's Artarama for Creative Spirit class supplies-Acrylics

Link to Jerry's Artarama for Workshops and your own studio work -Water-mixable Oils

Link to Jerry's Artarama for Workshops and your own studio work- Transparent Oils

Link to Jerry's Artarama for Adventure Awaits, Watercolor classes, and your own studio work- Watercolors

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