Sketch books – 5 x 8 compact for in situ documentation

Pen and pencil
8 x 10 heavyweight paper for wet and dry media

Media – Mechanical #7 pencil, Felt tip Flair pens, Micron waterproof archival pens, Water color pencils, compact water color set, Several brushes size number 3 – 10

Photo Documentation: Phone/camera, iPad, lap top computer utilizing iCloud or air drop photo sharing

Jim Geisinger

Materials list

If you are truly Getting Started, you might not have anything.

Great!

Come to the first class and experiment with my supplies.

You’ll get to see the advantages and disadvantages of oils and acrylics and make a shopping list based on which medium you want and what, if anything, you already have.

If you already have paints, brushes, pallets, and supports, bring them. Bring whatever you have and we can build a shopping list to round out your supplies.

Suggested Supplies:

Watercolor palette

Buy a palette with bigger wells and plenty tray space for mixing. I am not a fan of the round plastic or ceramic watercolor palettes because there is not enough room for mixing and you can’t close it up if you want to travel with them.

I like Mr Pen Airtight 18-Well Watercolor Palette with 2 Mixing Areas and Lid – Folding Paint Tray
$9.95 on Amazon.

Brushes

There are many types of watercolor brushes. You will find that you gravitate to a favorite brush or two after you are painting awhile. These are some basic brushes to get started.
I particularly like Princeton, Kolinsky Red Sable and Mimik brands.
There are both animal hair brushes of many kinds and Synthetic bristle brushes.

Round – Sizes 4 and 8

Flat – I recommend a ¾ to 1 inch brush

Rigger or script brush – Size 2 or 3

Paper

Note! NEVER buy cheap paper! Paper is probably the most important supply you use for watercolor. It determines how your watercolors behave and the outcome of your desired look. It’s good to have nice brushes and paint, but if you use it on cheap paper, you will be sorry.

I like Arches and Fluid brand. Strathmore is a popular brand and good for practice but not for your masterpiece!!
There are many brands to choose from, you can always ask someone who works at the art store for their input. Buying a good watercolor paper does not necessarily mean you have to buy the most expensive!

You can buy watercolor paper by the sheet, roll, block or pad.
I suggest to get a pad to start or sheets you can cut to size. You can easily remove the paper from a pad before you start, or keep it in the pad while you paint.
Keep in mind, the higher the “lb”, the heavier the paper. If you use too light of paper, it will “warp” and needs stretching or taping down prior to painting.
Make sure your paper is Acid-Free to resist yellowing and deterioration over time.
The best watercolor paper contains 100% rag (cotton fiber).

I suggest you buy Arches Cold Press 140lb or 300lb 100% cotton watercolor paper. 300lb is my favorite. Cold press is all purpose, great for wet on wet, wet on dry and detail paintings. (you will learn what this means)
Fabriano and Winsor Newton are also good brands.

Arches 140lb Hot Press 100% cotton. Good for more detailed work, not so much for wet on wet on larger areas.

Paper Size 8×10 and/or 9×12.

Watercolor Paint

There are many brands of watercolor paints to choose from. Be sure to buy PROFESSIONAL GRADE, NOT STUDENT GRADE. QOR and Windsor Newton are a good choice but if you want to get another brands such as Daniel Smith, DaVinci, or Holbein, that is just fine! You will come to find what you like best as you paint along your journey!

Suggested List!

Cadmium Red – Windsor Newton (Warm) orange undertones
Quinacridone Magenta (Cool) red-purple,
Quinacridone Rose (Cool) red-violet and leans towards blue
Cadmium Yellow Deep or medium – Windsor Newton (Warm) reddish tinge
Nickle Azo Yellow – QOR (Cool) can look warmer in mass tones
Hookers Green- QOR (Cool) mostly cool
Sap Green – QOR (Warm)
Cobalt Blue – Windsor Newton (can be both Warm and Cool)
Phthalo Blue – QOR (Cool) Green undertones

Other Supplies

2 Cups or holder for water
Small spray bottle or pipet
Paper towels
Pencil, #2
Kneaded eraser
Sketch book, any size
Carbon paper
Ruler
Artists Tape or masking tape 1”
Hairdryer – great to dry your paint faster!
Optional but nice to have – waterproof ink pens (I really love Uni Pin Fine Line water and fade proof ink. You can buy a set of 6 with sizes .03 to 0.8mm

Pencils & eraser
Drawing Sanding block
Stump Blender and/ or soft pastel tools
Gloves or finger gloves (preference)
Fixative (optional if you would like to fix your drawing at the end)
Soft Pastel set with primary and secondary colors, or whatever pastels you own!

Good starter set:
Winsor & Newton Soft Pastel Set – Set of 15

Or Sennelier starter set – half pastels, higher quality.

Pastel paper- any light/ neutral tone- 8×11 or larger, at least 2 sheets. I like pastelmat paper – but any pastel paper will work!

Tape (taping paper to board)

I’m listing here what I use and my favorite brands. You do not have to purchase all these materials/brands to attend class. Please bring similar paint, brushes, painting surfaces that you already have. However, misc. material is required.
Paint – Hue Based Palette:
W & N Permanent Rose
Old Holland Cadmium Red *(Sub W & N Scarlet Lake; PR255)
Old Holland Trans Oxide Red
Old Holland Orange *(Sub W & N Pyrrole Orange; PO73 – will shift to red when you add white)
Old Holland Hansa Yellow, PY65 (W & Nr Yellow Deep)
Old Holland Hansa Yellow, PY74 (W & N Yellow or Cadmium Yellow Pale)
Old Holland Sap Green
Old Holland Permanent Green Light
W & N Phthalo Green
W & N Phthalo Blue
Old Holland French Ultra-Marine Blue
Old Holland Ivory Black
Old Holland Titanium White
*indicates Cadmium substitutes since those paints are now banned in Minnesota
Favorite Paint:
I primarily use Old Holland paint as I like the color saturation and the thickness of the paint. However, there are a few colors that I purchase from the Winsor and Newton (professional grade) line. Minnesota has now banned any paint with Cadmium. I’ve noted substitutions for those paints but it should be noted that they will behave slightly differently from Cadmiums.
Brushes:
Range of brushes from 0 to 10 / hog bristle and sable – hard and soft
Favorite Brushes:
Rosemary & Co. www.rosemaryandco.com
I primarily use Rosemary & Co. brushes which can be purchased on-line. For small brushes, I often use Escoda carried by Blick. I’m partial to rounds. They take a little getting used to but deliver exceptional control.
Painting surfaces:
Variety of sizes 16 x 20 and smaller (11 x 14 or 8 x 10)
Favorite Painting Surface:
Raymar Panels www.raymar.com

I switched to panels from canvas due to their rigidity/control and better support. I enjoy painting on primed-linen for its superior surface. My absolute favorite is Claussens DP-15 – Raymar’s doubled-primed Belgian linen (medium texture, medium weight) on a rigid MDF support.
Mahl Stick:
A mahl stick is great for detail work – it will help keep your hand steady. You can buy one at an art supply store or simply make one by cutting dowel rods to the desired length and putting tape on the end.
Misc. Material (Required):
-Gamsol (odorless mineral spirit – NO TURPENTINE)
-Liquin
-Refined Linseed Oil
-Paper towel
-Container for medium
-Palette
-Palette knife
-Color copy of your reference, the same size as your canvas (to paint from)
-B/W copy of your reference, same size as your canvas
-Drawing paper, same size as your canvas
-Pencil
-Gum eraser
-Drawing board (big enough to accommodate B/W photo & drawing paper side by side –
drawing boards are available in the studio also)
-Tape
-Oil Paint

Three one-yard pieces of 100% pre-washed cotton
Indigo permanent dye
Various objects for resistance technique: wood blocks, rubber bands, stones, string, pvc piping,
etc

Materials to BRING:

Long latex gloves
Apron, or wear old clothing that can get dye on it
Glasses or goggles for protecting eyes
Kitchen plastic garbage bag (33 gal size or larger)
A sense of adventure!

Supplies we’ll use (either the art center’s, or you may bring your own):
Scissors
Gloves

Supplies students must bring:
Acrylic paint in your favorite colors
Watercolor paper, hot or cold press. No larger than 9 X 12 (The watercolor paper will
provide a larger area to experiment with paint and metal leaf colors)
Synthetic brushes – rounds and flats
Gloss paper magazine, for palleting, and as a pad for cutting leaf
Folding knife, approximately a three and a quarter inch blade. Suggested brands are
Case, Buck, and Opinel. The Opinel is from France (find one at a good bargain price
online.)
Two small jars, 1 for soapy water, 1 for rinse water.

Suggested items to gild;
A 3D item no taller than 3 inches maximum.
A leaf from a house plant
Existing artwork needing enhancement

Additional sheets of metal leaf @ $2.00 each
Pure 23K gold will be available for $4.00 per 3 3/8” sheet (standard size for gold leaf
world-wide.)

PAPER – 140lb cold press, pads or blocks, or cut sheets

WATERCOLOR BRUSHES –

1 small round#10 or 12
1 large round bush #14 or 16
1 inch flat brush
1 rigger (optional)

PAINTS: (Professional Grade tube watercolors. Brands:Windsor Newton, Holbein,
Daniel Smith, Blick, Sennelier… Look for sales.

1. Cobalt Blue and/or French Ultramarine
2. Permanent rose and Winsor Red
3. Aureolin Yellow and Yellow Gamboge
4. Payne’s Grey
5. Burnt Sienna
6. Sap Green
7. Quinacridone Gold
8. Yellow Ochre
OTHER

Palette with wells, mixing area and COVER
 White or clear plastic container for water
 Paper towel
 Pencil
 Kneaded eraser
 Regular beige masking tape
 Board to tape down loose paper (don’t need if using pad or block)