Materials List

"Do not quench your inspiration and imagination." Vincent van Gogh

Text and Textures; Canvas & Papers: Materials List

Materials Fee: $30

Besides your normal calligraphy supplies, you’ll need to make sure you have:

• Acrylic inks

• Acrylic paint

• Brushes

• Paint palette (a 8"x 10" piece of glass works well)

• masking fluid – "Pebeo" if you can find it

• I’d suggest an "automatic" type pen (size 4, 5, or 6).

• Your favorite ruling pen

• Water jar to rinse pens or brushes

• Ruler and triangle for layout (if you can manage a 3' or 4' straight edge, it will help greatly)

• White or neutral watercolor or "Aquarelle" pencils for layout
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• Large Watercolor Journal - Optional

Please feel free to compare notes with your classmates on supplies … many of these materials you may already have, but share the costs and supplies (such as tracing paper and acrylic paint colors) wherever you can. For clarification on some of these products, call Paper & Ink Arts @ 800-736-7772, or your local art store. In San Diego, contact Rhino Art Co. @ (858) 792-7449.  They have my materials list.

A Note about Content:

Sorry, but this is your homework. In this class, we will be dealing with subject matter. For me, one of the most important and rewarding parts of these paintings is the research and discovery. What you’ll need to do is pick a subject or a focus and collect quotes, thoughts and text. It is advisable to have a few sources on your subject, or a number of texts from an author. You’ll need long text (this will form the texture) as well as shorter text and one liners. You may not use all you select, but it is good to have the selection. Either make photocopies from your source (for the long texts) or write them on 3 X 5 cards for easier reference. There are a variety of quote sources online, and it is easy to copy and past quotes into one document if you work better that way. Collect pictures or images that you may want to incorporate. Photocopies and note cards are easier to transport than books! Click here for an example. 

I would suggest that you pick a subject that is important to you personally. Make this project just for you…that way it will have more meaning. If you want to pick a subject that is for someone else, make sure that you have access to that person so that you can find out the "hows and whys" of what the subject means to them. This way, you’ll be able to interpret, emphasize, and personalize the artwork towards the proper meaning.

DEFINITIONS:

"Artist’s canvas" can be obtained at most art stores on rolls to be purchased by the yard, and in a primed or un-primed state.

About 1 yard of unprimed canvas and 1 to 2 yards of primed canvas is what we'll work with. ((This is covered by the materials fee and will be provided at class) I’ve usually purchased this bulk canvas on a 5’ wide roll for about $5.50 unprimed and $7.50 primed per yard.

Acrylic paint either in tube form or in "concentrated artist’s colors" will be essential. If you are buying for the class, I'd advise the concentrated colors. I also use tubes, however, so if you already have those bring them... they'll work great. Don’t go crazy, but get the basic color values you would prefer to work in (warm tones or cool, browns or blues, etc.). I find that I usually keep my palette in basic neutral colors in the first stages of the paintings, and you’ll find a little will go a long way.

Acrylic Ink will be used for most of your lettering. A variety of colors in your palette is advisable, and these can also be used for "staining" so if you want a wider variety of color get it in these for now. I’ve been using FW Acrylic Artist’s Ink. Note: I know the FW is permanent, but I have found some of the other "acrylic" inks may tend to run when watered down...

Brushes: This will be your biggest cost, so don’t buy a huge variety of sizes and check your own inventory…you probably have something that will work. Start with a CHEAP 2 or 3 inch brush from you local hardware store for a couple of bucks. Then you’ll use a 1 to 1 ½" flat brush for laying down color, and some smaller flat brushes as well (maybe number 8 or so). Get brushes for acrylic as opposed to those designed primarily for oil paint (I would suggest Richeson "White Sable", a 1 ½" flat brush is about $20 Paper & Ink Arts). If you plan on painting small details, you should get a detail brush also...but save that for later. If you’re not sure, bring what you have to class and we’ll talk about if and how we can make them work.