Saturday, December 8, 2007

Supply List for Spring Watercolor class

For those who want to ask Santa to bring some their watercolor supplies:

As with any art material, buy the best you can afford….
Paints: I prefer tubes, but pans are okay.
I like Winsor Newton Artists Watercolors. The student grade version is Cotman watercolors.
* optional colors

Cadmium Red
alizarin crimson
Lemon yellow
Cadmium yellow
Yellow ochre or raw sienna
Burnt sienna
Burnt umber
Permanent Rose
Viridian cobalt blue
Cerulean blue
Winsor blue (phtalo blue)
Payne’s gray
Perm. Sap green
Indigo*
Violet*


Brushes:
Sable are best, but are expensive. I like Winsor Newton, but there are a lot of good sable watercolor brushes out there….just make sure they are for watercolor. You cannot interchange your watercolor and oil brushes.
Princeton makes a decent synthetic sable brush. Look for “spring” and a good point.
Sizes:
1” flat
½” flat
Size 10 round
Size 4 round
liner
other sizes as desired

Palette: I like a butcher’s tray (available with watercolor supplies), but you can purchase a plastic or ceramic palette, depending on your taste. Make sure there is enough room to mix easily.

A natural sponge and a synthetic sponge. These often come in a set.
Gummed tape (I have some on hand, so wait on this)
One large water container (1 quart or more), one smaller water container (8-16 oz.)
Board for stretching paper. You can buy a watercolor board, but a masonite sheet works well, and are cheap, so you can have a couple of them.
Paper towels (there are never enough…Viva is a good brand)
Masking fluid (I have some on hand—you might want to wait on this)
Cotton swabs have many uses; small spray bottle for water.
Pencil, ink pen, erasers, hardbound sketchbook (get a size you can easily manage, or keep using the one you have)

Watercolor paper (I like Arches):
140 lb. must be stretched; don’t go less than 140lb.; You can purchase cold-press paper by the sheet, by the block , or by the roll. You do not need to purchase all three. 5 sheets of Arches 22 X 30” 140 lb cold press paper costs $15.88 at www.dickblick.com . I estimate you will need about 15 sheets or so. Around half of these will be cut up into smaller sections for studies, etc.
Watercolor Block eliminates the need to stretch paper. Needs to be at least 12 x 16”, You will still be required to stretch some---you need to know how.

Suggested Vendors: Cheap Joes on Monroe; Binders at Cotswold www.danielsmith.com ; www.dickblick.com ; www.asw-express.com ; www.cheapjoes.com ; www.jerrysartarama.com ;

You’ll be taught how to mat and frame your watercolors; and you need framing materials for at least one project. The cost will be kept to a minimum, but you’ll need matboard, a frame and glass. Don’t buy this now….wait till the time comes.

Lastly, you’ll be required to enter at least one exhibit. Entry fee for the student show is $5.

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