Return to David’s Online Workshops

David’s Suggested Supply List.  This list represents only suggestions – nothing is mandatory.  This is only a recommended supply list. These represent optimal choices. If you prefer to work with other materials that will be fine and we can start there.  Note: any supplies you already own are useful.

For all painters:  Rolls of Bounty Paper towels, a sketch pad and sketching materials, artists’ tape, disposable surgical gloves for oil, watercolor and acrylic painters.

I use the fine artist version of whatever brand of painting that I am using, not the student grade paint.   I recommend Charvin’s Extra Fine oil paints, Old Holland oil paints or Sennelier oil paints.  Here is a list of a few suggested colors.

  1. Oil paints:

Titanium white (Charvin Extra Fine, Old Holland or Sennelier)
Ultramarine Blue (Old Holland or Sennelier)
Lemon Yellow (Sennelier)
Gamboge Yellow (Old Holland)
Transparent Red Oxide (Charvin Extra Fine or Old Holland)
Naphthol Red ( Charvin Extra Fine) or Vermillion ( Sennelier)
Azure Blue (Sennelier) or
Cyan or Thalo Cyan (Charvin or Old Holland).

Those are  basics….if you want more you could pick up any of a violet like Quinacridone Magenta or Quinacridone Fuchsia or Carmine Lake (Charvin or Old Holland).

Palette Paper: I recommend a freezer paper for your palette surface for oil, acrylic and watercolor painting.

Medium.  I use refined linseed oil, walnut oil or poppy oil as a medium.  I have researched the work of past great masters and discovered many did not use turpentine or solvents – they just used oils, like linseed, poppy or walnut.   You can use these oils to clean your brushes and then follow up with soap and water or use a biodegradable non-toxic degreaser like Soysolv (https://www.soysolv.com). There is no need to use toxic solvents when oil painting.  If you wish to use a solvent, then I recommend Gamsol Odorless Mineral Spirits.

Brushes.  You will need brushes:
1.         Soft synthetic flats (watercolor wash brushes by Rafael or Polar Flo at Jerry’s Artarama)( https://www.jerrysartarama.com/polar-flo-watercolor-brushes) from at least a couple of 3” flats, 2” flats, and 1” flats to ½” flats.
2.         I personally rely on 2”, 3”, 4” and 6” soft synthetic flats (either the softcryl by Rafael or freestyle by Liquitex).
3.         There is a new line of 4” and 6” watercolor/acrylic broad brushes at Jerrys Artarama. I use watercolor wash brushes for my oil painting.
4.         For small brushes I use Rafael’s #12 or #14 soft synthetic flats or Polar Flow watercolor wash brushes.
5.         A couple of primer brushes with hog bristles (2”, 3” and 4”) from Home Depot or Lowes or any hardware store), which are inexpensive and excellent for stippling, or fan effects.

  1. I will also be using 4,”  6″ and 8″ rubber squeegees window cleaner style with metal handles, Ettore brand is best, available at local area hardware stores or on-line).

Supports, Canvases and Other Surfaces. I suggest painting on portrait canvas (linen) pads, smooth canvas pads, and, acrylic varnished watercolor paper – the smoother the surface the better. I varnish the watercolor paper, clayboards, gesso boards and inexpensive canvas pads, stretched canvases or other panels with Golden’s Polymer Gloss Varnish. The watercolor paper I use is a 140 lb. hot press and Bristol Plate paper. I will also be painting on enameled aluminum composite panels., white, silver and gold.  They are made and marketed as Dibond, CompBond, AlumaBond and the suppliers will vary depending on where you live.  You can also check with local sign painting companies.    Please feel free to give me a call if you have procurement difficulties.  You can call Laminators Inc. to request materials as well. (https://www.laminatorsinc.com/)

Brush Cleaners:  David also uses SoySolve II to clean his brushes of oil paint (when he actually does), together with soap and water.  (https://www.soysolv.com)

2.   Acrylic.  If you choose to paint in acrylic, I recommend the same palette choices as with watercolors and oils. I would add a Hansa yellow.  I prefer Charvin Extra Fine Acrylics but, also suggest Golden acrylics. For mixing and extending mediums I suggest a retarder or a gloss medium or gloss medium varnish. This is in addition to the polymer gloss varnish referred to earlier. I prefer the retarder to open acrylics and open acrylic medium. For brushes I suggest the same as the oils but would add a 1/2″ bristle (hardware store variety, hog bristle), 1″ bristle, 2″ bristle and 3″or 4″ bristle as well as watercolor wash brush of at least 2”.

3.   Watercolor.   If you choose to paint in watercolor or sketch in watercolor before making the oil or wish to try underpainting your oils or acrylics with watercolor then, I suggest tube watercolors. I use the same palette in watercolor as in oils. Watercolor can be applied to all the same surfaces used with the oils and acrylics. I prepare the surfaces with Golden’s polymer gloss varnish. For watercolor brushes I use the types as with my oils.

For Watercolorists:  I recommend Lukas Aquarelle 1862 tubes or Old Holland or Sennelier tube watercolors.  The colors I suggest are: titanium highlighting white, ultramarine blue, Scheveningen Blue Light (Old Holland), Scheveningen Red Middle (O.H.),  Carmine (Lukas 1862), Scheveningen yellow (O.H.), Gamboge yellow (O.H. and Lukas 1862), primary cyan (Lukas 1862) and transparent red oxide (OH ) or burnt sienna (Lukas 1862). Be sure to get an opaque white or titanium highlighting white. Consider the same color palette as the oil painters. For brushes I recommend the same as the oil painters with a couple of additions: Don’t forget your water container and, at least 140lb Hot press watercolor paper, paper towels, and some quick release painter’s tape. I suggest razor blades, some white conte crayon or chalk pastels, and either a white plastic or paper   palette (shiny surface, Freezer Wrap works perfectly). I like layering media therefore; I will use pastels, acrylic or oils in conjunction with the watercolors.

Remember we can always paint with anything and on anything. These are just basic recommendations. They are not requirements. We can work with whatever paints you already have.   If you have questions about supplies just email me here.

 

Lighting Used by David for Photographing his pictures:

Here is write-up on lights from Amazon.com

GIJUANRING 2 Packs Dimmable Bi-Color LED Video Light with Tripod Stand Bag Photography Lighting Kit for Camera Video Studio YouTube Product Photography Shooting,376 LED Beads, 3200-5500K,CRI 96+
by GIJUANRING Official Store