The following materials are recommended for successful participation in this workshop. If you have favorite materials that you would rather use, we can talk about it via. e-mail or telephone to make sure they will be adequate for the workshop exercises. Quality materials will help you produce quality work.

Although there are several good brands of acrylics available to the artist, my personal preference is Golden or M.Graham. Golden will have the best selection of colors and other acrylic products.

ACRYLIC PAINTS:

Colors listed are Heavy Body Tube Acrylics. Highlighted colors are essential.

- Ultramarine Blue
- Jenkins Green (only available from Golden)
- Hookers Green Hue ( only available from Golden)
                     (this is a very dark green and is difficult to match with other brands)     
- Cadmium Yellow Light
- Cadmium Yellow Medium
- Yellow Ochre
- Cadmium Red Light
- Cadmium Red Medium
- Transparent Red Oxide
                     (Important note: Make sure it is Transparent Red Oxide instead of Red Oxide.)
- Quinacridone Magenta
- Titanium White
- Other colors optional: If you have favorite colors, bring them.

BRUSHES:

Quality brushes are essential to good painting technique. (If you already have favorite synthetic fiber brushes, you may substitute them. Do not use your good sable watercolor brushes with acrylics.) (Brand names are only suggestions.)

- 2" plus flat wash brush, (optional but useful) (my personal preference is a DaVinci,Series 5080, #60)
- 1" and ½" flats, Winsor Newton, Series 995 or equal
- #4 round (other sizes optional)
- #1 or#2 Riggers or Script brushes

PALETTE:

- (Recommended) A Masterson Sta-wet Palette helps keep heavy body acrylics moist throughout a   work session and is best for plein air and studio painting. (Sta-wet palettes are available in 3 sizes and   can be purchased at Cheap Joe's.)

- (An alternative) A flat porcelain butcher's tray (or equal) is best for acrylics using traditional
  watercolor techniques; however, it will allow the paints to dry very quickly on the palette. The   techniques that I will be demonstrating in class will work much better with the Stay-wet Palette.

MISC. ITEMS:

- White Acrylic Gesso ( A small bottle will be adequate. )
- Matte Acrylic Medium ( This is essential to the techniques you will be learning.)
                    (Avoid Liquitex Fluid Matte Medium)
- Brush cleaner ( Ivory soap is a good and economical choice.)
- Your favorite graphite pencils
- 2 Pastel Pencils (one white and one burnt sienna)
  (Stabilo CarbOthello preferred, but others will do if you can't find Stabilo)
- A Soft White Eraser
- White Paper Towels (Bounty works well)
- Kleenex
- A Water Container (1 quart minimum, larger is better)
- Mist spray bottle
- Hair dryer (useful, but not required)

SOMETHING TO PAINT ON:

- 5 gesso primed panels, canvases or canvas boards (small, no larger than 12" x 16")
  Panels can be masonite, plywood, or any relatively smooth surface other than paper. Inexpensive   canvas boards can be used if you apply several coats of gesso (2 or 3) to moderate canvas texture.  
  After each coat of gesso dries, sand it lightly with fine sandpaper before applying the next coat. Add a   couple more coats of gesso to commercially primed canvas or panels.

- Previously used Cold Pressed Watercolor Paper (especially the #300 variety) makes a good surface   on which to apply the techniques we will be demonstrating in class. This can be over a failed painting   simply by applying 2 or 3 coats of gesso, sanding lightly between each coat. No need to throw away   that expensive sheet of paper just because you messed it up with a painting you don't like.

If you need clarification on any of these items, contact me before purchasing. Proper tools and materials will make your workshop experience much more rewarding.

Charles Harrington
Telephone: 479.381.9429
e-mail: charles@charlesharrington.com