Acrylics
We will start working with acrylics. Why? Since gets dry quicker than oil, we can really do more things in one class with acrylics. And you know, if we do more, we learn more. Also, since it is water based, all the cleaning is easier and it is less toxic.
What do we need to buy for this workshop? Below you will find all the materials you need. The sharing materials, like gesso, isolation coat, and varnish will be provided by the teacher. Isn't it cool?
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Sketchbook
Before anything, you need to have a sketchbook. No matter the kind of sketchbook, but be sure you can sketch easily and freely. Also, bring to the class some pens or pencils with which you would like to sketch. If you are in love with sketching, then buy a pocket sketchbook that you can bring with you everywhere. Your sketches will help you in building your painting project.
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Acrylic colors
Depending on your budget, choose your brand: Rembrandt, Golden, etc. Unlike brushes, the brand makes the difference not only regarding the brightness of the color, but also it affects the way you get the desired blended color. So, if you want to save money, do it with the other materials, not colors.
Maybe you have already some colors, maybe not. Either the case, we will only work with these four: WHITE, YELLOW, RED & BLUE. No more. It is useful to do it this way not only because you will learn a lot about colors, but also because your result will be much more professional than using directly tube colors. Bigger variety of colors requires a more expert eye, otherwise it looks forced.
Titanium White (opaque)
it is a bright white, almost bluish, and has excellent opacity and high tinting strength. When mixed with another color, it rapidly lightens the color, but be careful, it can be over-bearing at times, especially when you are just looking to lighten the value a bit and not greatly changing the color it is mixed with. To have more control, then choose Zinc White (semi-transparent). But let's leave the zinc white for skins and clothes, which will be our topic later. Not yet.
(*) Note: we won't work with "black". We will make our lively black ourselves.
Primary colors
Each brand and even each line of brands gives to the colors a name and code. In general we are looking for permanent lemon yellow, permanent red, and ultramarine blue ( REMBRANDT LIST and GOLDEN LIST) . Whichever line or brand you choose, try to look at the colors in such a way you can guess if it is composed by other colors or not. For instance, if you are looking for a yellow, try to see if you can get it by adding some red - it feels like turning into orange somehow. If so, it is not primary color, and you can make it yourself! |
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Surfaces
Due to the table easels of this workshop, a reasonable size for surfaces is A3 (30x40cm aprox). Try to do get something no bigger than A2 (40x60cm aprox). Regarding the kind of surfaces, the good news is that we can work on many surfaces with acrylics, not only canvas. So let's check which of them is the one you prefer.
Stretched Canvas
Basically you have linen and cotton. I would say that if you are a professional artist and you want to sell your painting (and with that you want to secure your client that your work will survive centuries), you should choose linen canvas. But if this is not the case, cotton is a cheaper option and good enough. However, our first classes are going to be very experimental, so "students" materials are the most appropriate. So think well how much you would like to invest for them. If you will be afraid to ruin the materials, then buy something cheaper. Fear is never an element in arts. So, choose what makes you feel confident.
Canvas panels
I would definitely recommend this option for our first studies. They are cheap, compact, lightweight and available in a range of textures and colors. The downside of them is that they are not permanent and will degrade over time, so they should only be used for practice, which is our case. Check what the stores have, because they are used to sell them in sets of 5 or 10 in a reduced price.
Paper for acrylics
Paper is also a good option. However, you have to have in mind two issues: First, you have to be sure you will have a wood or some support and tape to hold it. Second, before I forget, you should prime the front and the back of the paper with acrylic gesso to help in preserving your finished artwork.
Others
You can also use wood, cardboard, plastic, or any surface that you would like to use for painting. As long as you give one or two coats of gesso, your surface will be ready for acrylic painting.
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Brushes
I personally recommend flat brushes but there are many forms and sizes and all of them are useful for something (round, pointed round, bright, filbert, angular flat, fan, detail round). I recommend the flat brushes for beginners because they help in painting big areas making synthesis of the model. Like the form, the sizes can vary as well. The number 14 helps in starting a painting. The number 06 for modelling. The 02 for details. So it is up to you to have all the variety of forms and numbers, or just start with these three.
Hair type
Every material has its quality. We can imagine at first that organic hair is better, but the truth is we need them all: natural, either soft and thick, and synthetic. Slowly you will create your collection. The only rule: the brush you use for acrylics, stays in acrylics.
Big brush
Add also a big brush of at least 4 cm with soft hair for other uses like to prime the canvas.
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Others
Many other materials are essential, and some of them are part of your everyday life.
Palette
In the stores you may find wood palette, plastic palette, and paper palette. The positive of the paper palette is that you can keep the dry colors as a reference for next time. If you want to invest in a wood palette, I would suggest to try them all and find the one is really handy for you and your strategic body movement in painting. If you don't get what I am saying here yet, don't worry, I will explain it in the first class.
Clothes or towels
They are crucial for cleaning your hands and brushes.
Pots
You need to work with solvents (in this case it will be water) to mix colors and gives transparency to the colors. Also you need to give humidity to your brushes. I suggest to have 2 pots one for cleaning the brushes (dirty one) and other for give humidity to your brushes (clean one).
Water spray
Fill a spray with water. It is very useful to have it for several issues.
Sponge
Any sponge is useful to give texture to your color application. For instance, if you paint a landscape, it is even better than a brush.
Toothbrush
Yeah, yeah, after the class a dentist will come to check! (hahahah - joke). Any brush can be useful for improvising textures. So, have one in case.
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