Oil Painting Supplies for Estelle Hart’s Oil Painting Class

          A small sketchbook to work out designs and compositions.  And, a drawing pencil.

          Brushes – Hog bristles.   Don't buy little bitty ones; they will make your painting "too tight".  Buy size 8, 10, 12.  2 Flats, 2 Filberts, and 2 Rounds to begin.  Watch for sales.  Or, buy a set of brushes for oil painting.

          Canvas paper or canvas board.  After you have learned how to handle oil paint, buy some stretched canvas.  Watch for sales.  Canvas board and stretched canvas is often on 50% off sales.

           Here are some suggestions:

• Two 11”X14” canvases

• One odd-sized canvas such as 10”x20”

• One 12”x16” canvas

• One canvas of any size you want to try

• If you want to do some oil sketches on canvas paper, buy a pad (optional)

• If you want to paint on birch board, you can have a sheet cut up for you at the home supply centers (Lowes, Home Depot).

• Palette -  A pad of paper palettes or a roll of freezer paper (very economical and good).

• Palette knives.  Buy one kind at a time and see how you like it.

• Turpenoid or Turpenoid Natural  (not necessary for water-based oil painters).

• Odorless Mineral Spirits (not necessary for water-based oil painters).

• Painting Medium:Liquin is a good medium for oil paint.

• Fast drying medium for water-based painters.

• Paper towels.

• Zip lock bags to carry home soiled paper towels.

• Saved plastic bags from newspaper deliveries.  These are long and narrow and are great for taking home or storing painting brushes until you can clean them correctly.

• Lava Soap or brush cleaning soap

• Simple Green (grease cutting liquid sold in the household section or automotive area in places like Walmart).

• 2 glass or metal containers with lids for solvent.  You can crumble up a coat hanger for the bottom of these so that you have something to drag the brushes across when you are cleaning them.  Those wide mouth salsa jars are great for this.  Water-based oil painters will not need this…..a plastic water bucket (cottage cheese container) will be fine.

• Oil paint - As a beginner, buy "student grade" or less expensive paint as you will be doing practice pieces and trying out new techniques.  As you progress, you can buy a better grade of paint.  Note: better grades of paint means they have a higher ratio of pigment to binder.  Below is a basic palette of colors:

• Cadmium Red Hue - Warm

• Permanent Rose - Cool

• Lemon Yellow - Cool

• Cadmium Yellow - Warm

• French Ultramarine - Cool

• Thalo Blue or Prussian Blue – Cool

• Sap Green

• Sepia
  
  This palette provides reds, yellows and blues that will ensure clean violets and clean oranges.
  Also,
   

• Titanium White - added to any color lightens it

• Burnt Sienna

• Burnt Umber

• Alizarin Crimson

• Cobalt Blue

• Violet

• Yellow Ocre

• Viridian

If you are a beginner, you can buy basic sets of oil paint that may be more economical for you.

A note about Oil Paint.  We are very lucky to be living in a time when painting supplies are becoming safer and less inconvenient to use.  If you want to buy water-based oil paint, you will be able to thin your paint with water and clean your brushes with soap and water.  These paints can be bought in sets or single tubes and also have mediums that go with them.  I have found them very good and really can’t see the difference between them and regular oil paint.  They are especially nice to travel with and if you are flying, you won’t have to bring solvent with you (this may not be allowed on most airlines anyway).  They do not dry any faster and do have a nice sheen.  This is a personal choice for you.

Notes on board and gesso

If you want to paint on board, you can purchase a sheet of birch board (1/4” thick) and have them cut it up for you to the sizes you want.  Of course, it ’s smart to get standard sizes cut so you will not have to have custom frames made.

You can also paint on the smooth side of masonite and you will be able to purchase either a full or half sheet and have them cut it for you.

With both board and masonite or, for that matter, any surface that has not been primed, you will have to gesso it prior to painting.  It is best to give it two coats and allow them to dry thoroughly and sand them lightly to remove strange brush marks.  I have found that applying gesso with a sponge brush is great.

You can also “texturize” your surface prior to painting by applying gesso in a rough and textural manner.  This method helps you achieve an impasto look to your work.

If you want to buy unstretched canvas or linen, I will be happy to show you how to stretch it.

You can also buy canvas board or panels in many sizes.  They are very economical and, if you are a new painter, you may want to try this first before investing in stretched canvas.

A Note to Painters:

I will be presenting ideas for paintings and doing brief demonstrations at the beginning of class.  If you do not want to do the projects I’ve designed and want to paint your own compositions, try new things, and develop your own ideas, it is fine with me.  I will be happy to help you and give you constructive critique and, help you avoid problems.  Beginners will most likely want to follow the lesson plans but many times, intermediate and advanced students want to do larger canvases and more difficult compositions.  Please feel free to paint at your own pace and develop any ideas you have.