Surface
Canvas panels, gessoed hardboard panels (for example: “Gessobord”), stretched canvas, or “oil paper” (for example: “Arches Oil Paper”)
2 at either 8×10 or 9×12 (larger if you like, but use larger brushes)
Brushes
Synthetic brushes are best for water mixable oil. There are many good brands; one I happen to like is the Princeton 6300 line of synthetic oil painting brushes.
Sizes
1/2” flat (ideally 2)
1/4” flat or filbert (ideally 2)
1/8” (#4) flat
#2 round
Palette
Melamine, wood or glass palette, or a pad of disposable palette paper.
Painting/palette knife
Recommended: rounded elongated diamond shape, roughly 1 1/2” long
Containers
Thinner & medium cups, one for each, or a dual cup
Water jar for cleaning brushes
Paper towels
6 or 8
Wet panel carrier
cardboard box or plastic bin for carrying wet panels or canvas
Shop or studio apron (optional), or smock or suitable clothing
Table Easel (optional)
Portable easel, tabletop easel, bamboo book rack or similar for working at a table. There will be floor studio easels available if preferred.
Paints, thinners & mediums
I don’t recommend W&N Artisan because it is student grade. You can certainly use it if you have it, but I think the investment in artist grade paints is worth it. Here are two good brands that I can recommend (there are others as well), but they have to be ordered online.
Colors
We will be using a limited palette of five colors. You can bring other colors if you like, but I will be teaching color mixing in these colors (the two brands are slightly different).
If using Royal Talens Cobra water mixable oil (Note: not labeled “Study”, which is their student grade version)
• Ultramarine Blue
• Cadmium Yellow Lemon
• Rose Madder
• Burnt Sienna
• Titanium White
(Find on Dick Blick / Jerry’s Artarama)
Plus:
• Royal Talens Cobra Water Mixable Solvent-Free Paint Thinner
(Find on Dick Blick / Jerry’s Artarama)
• Royal Talens Cobra Painting Medium (not fast drying)
(Find on Dick Blick / Jerry’s Artarama)
If using Holbein Duo Aqua water mixable oil (or W&N Artisan)
• Ultramarine Blue (or “French Ultramarine” in W&N)
• Cadmium Yellow
• Alizarin Crimson (or “Permanent Alizarin” in W&N)
• Burnt Sienna
• Titanium White
(Find on Dick Blick / Jerry’s Artarama)
Plus:
• Winsor & Newton Artisan Water Mixable Oil Paint Thinner
(Find on Dick Blick / Jerry’s Artarama)
• Holbein Aqua Duo Medium (not fast drying) (or W&N Artisan)
(Find on Dick Blick / Jerry’s Artarama doesn’t carry it, but you can use their Linseed Oil, or use W&N Artisan Medium)
My assessment: Royal Talens Cobra is less expensive and has a nice flowing consistency out of the tube. Holbein Duo Aqua is stiffer in consistency but highly pigmented. Both are good artist quality paints. W&N Artisan, which is student grade, tends to be a bit gummy and is less pigmented.
