The following materials are recommended for successful participation in these workshops. 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.

All class demonstrations will be done with Golden acrylic products.
http://www.goldenpaints.com. Paint colors listed below will be made available as needed to workshop participants in the studio, courtesy of Golden.

ACRYLIC PAINTS:

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

- Ultramarine Blue
- Jenkins Green
- Hookers Green Hue
  ( 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 or #5 round (other sizes optional)
- #1 or #2 Rigger or Script brush

EASEL:

For The Studio Workshop:

Most participants will prefer to work flat on the tables furnishing the studio space. If you prefer working with your painting surface vertical or slanted, you will need to provide your own table easel.

For The Plein Air Workshop:

If you are an experienced plein air painter, bring the equipment that you are comfortable with. My personal preference is a Julian easel; however, there is a variety of portable easels available. Just keep in mind that water media painters will need an easel that will allow them to keep their palette level during the painting process.

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 on-line at Cheap Joe's or Dick Blick)

- (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 (Golden 8 oz. bottle will be adequate)
- Matte Acrylic Medium (Golden 8 oz. bottle recommended)
- 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 in the studio workshop, but not required)

SOMETHING TO PAINT ON:

For the Studio Workshop:

- 5 gesso primed panels, canvases, or canvas boards (small, no larger than 12" x 16").
Inexpensive canvas boards can be used if you apply several coats of gesso (3 or more) to moderate the 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 3 or more 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. This alternative also allows you to mat and frame your painting under Plexiglas qualifying it for watercolor exhibitions.

For the Plein Air Workshop:

Any of the surfaces described above will be appropriate for this workshop.

A note to those who will be painting with watercolor or painting with acrylics using traditional watercolor techniques. It is quite acceptable if you choose to paint on watercolor paper or another surface of your choosing.

If you need clarification on any of these recommendations or comments, feel free to contact me at the phone number or e-mail address listed below.

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