Participant Supply List
Below is some important information that should help you in looking for supplies. If you have questions, feel free to email me: judithdagostino@gmail.com
Painting outdoors requires special equipment. If you have already painted outdoors, you may find this information of no use to you but if you are a beginner, you may want to pay close attention to what is listed below in the way of equipment and supplies. Below are some basics and information about plein air equipment with some suggestions about what to purchase. You can spend a lot of money or very little. I have seen students make a prochade box (portable paint box) out of a cigar box that the student sits on his/her lap!
Tools for painting En Plein Air
Here is a basic list of some standard plein air equipment: • collapsible easel or lightweight paint box (prochade box) and tripod - if purchasing a French Easel, be sure to purchase a half easel • small clamp-on umbrella (optional) • paints, brushes - short handles are easier to carry, palette knife (see colors below)
• solvent(mineral spirits) and painting medium I suggest Gamblin Gel Medium. It is easy to carry and store. • wet-pannel carrier if you don't already have wet paint carriers, you can purchase inexpensive cardboard ones. • paper towel or rags • small plastic trash bags • bungee cords. We will get our mineral spirits in Italy.
The Pochade Box
A pochade box can either be balanced on the lap to paint seated or attached to a tripod to paint upright. There are many different types of pochade (paint) boxes but if you are just starting out, you may want to use something you already have. If not, you can get ready made prochade boxes for outdoor painting. These can be an all-in-one configuration such as a small French easel or a prochade box that attaches to a tripod. If you don't already have a French easel, I would suggest a prochade box and tripod arrangement because it sets up very quickly. A small, portable pochade box is a viable alternative, especially for traveling artists who must store their equipment in overhead compartments, in checked luggage, or inside backpacks. There are numerous commercial pochade boxes on the market with prices ranging from about $65 for a basic wooden box, to more than $350 for a beautifully finished walnut box. Virtually all of the 19th-century American landscape painters rested paint boxes on their laps while working, but today most artists prefer to either stand or sit, and therefore they need either a folding chair and/or a tripod to mount a palette and panel support upon. A half French easel can be found relatively inexpensively. It combines just about everything you need into one. However, a word of caution. Some of these are built flimsy and need reinforcement on some of the hardware. The nuts and bolts can be cheap and you can replace them with better nuts and bolts. You can find many on Amazon and Ebay. Check the reviews of the product.
The Tripod If you buy or make a pochade box with a tripod mount, you'll need a sturdy tripod, which will cost anywhere from $60 to $75. There are cheaper versions available, but the plastic heads break easily, so I recommend buying a good-quality metal tripod with a metal head. A quick-release shoe is important because you will mount the shoe on your pochade box and use the quick-release feature to easily mount and remove the box.
Wet-Panel Carrier Although it is possible to close your French easel or pochade box with one or two wet paintings stored safely, it's better to place the panels in a carrier specifically designed to protect a wet surface. The same companies that make pochade boxes also make wooden or cardboard carrying cases.
Painting Supports The painting support of choice for most plein air painters is a panel with a primed-canvas face. Many companies make plein air-painting panels, but not all of them are created equal. For the purposes of our class, I would suggest inexpensive panels that can be bought at local paint stores. When teaching, I prefer the student to buy 9 x 12 panels. Please use panels no smaller than 8x10 but no larger than 11x 14. You should have 2 panels per day for this workshop.
Paint:
*Titanium White - cannot pack to go on the plane. We will buy it in Cortona
Cadmium Red Medium
Alizarin Crimson
Cobalt Blue
Ultramarine Blue Deep
Cadmium Yellow Medium
Lemon Yellow
Naples Yellow
Burnt Umber
Transparent Oxide Brown (Rembrandt)
Green Earth (Rembrandt)
Mort Violet (Rembrandt)
Asphaltum (Rembrandt)
If you already have oil paint, please contact me with the names to see if you need to add anything: judithdagostino@gmail.com
Note: buy smaller tubes to fit inside your prochade box or French easel
Note: The last four colors are for convenience. These colors can be mixed from the ones above to close proximity, but I find Transparent Oxide Brown and Mort Violet particularly helpful. However, If you are budgeting, just buy the first 9. Also, the less expensive the paint the less color strength they have so consider at least a medium priced paint. If you are a seasoned painter and already have your own palette of colors, please feel free to bring that.
Solvents: Odorless Mineral Spirits (we will purchase that in Italy)
Medium: Gamblin Gel
Paper Towels - shop paper towels (blue type) are very good.
Palette knife (painting knife - medium size)
Brushes: Silver Grand Prix is a good brush, but lately I have taken to buying inexpensive brushes that I can toss after a few months without regret. I am hard on my brushes. The ones I use are called Princeton Snap! *see below
One inexpensive 2" brush from hardware store is good to have for broad strokes and covering an entire panel with color.
if you don’t get Snap and have your own brushes, feel free to bring them. I like a #6 in flat and round. Don’t get the variety pack from Michaels. They shed.
These are similar to the ones I use. I have not been able to locate a photo on line. The brussels that I use are white. They come in different variety packs. I usually buy two sets to cover all the basics. I like filberts, rounds and flats. You can also buy individual ones. Those of you who are actively painting, you might buy these and try them out.
Small cans (tuna fish size) for mediums and mineral spirits (Gamblin Gel does not require a container) One small sketch book, #2 pencil and eraser Small plastic viewfinder to help with compositions (you can make your own out of cardboard).
Plastic grocery bags for trash.
Sunscreen and hat are important because you can easily get sunburned and without a hat, you can easily get sun in your eyes distorting what you see from landscape to panel. Below are some retail stores on line that can help with your needs.
http://www.artworkessentials.comhttp://www.windriverarts.com/pochade_boxes.htmhttp://www.judsonspleinair.com http://www.openboxm.com
I shop by mail at Dick Blick.com or Jerry’s Artarama.com
I buy Georgian paint because it is relatively inexpensive but the quality is OK. The only colors you couldn’t get is the Rembrandt Colors.
Below is close to my set up. I use a “Gorilla Box” with a sturdy tripod. Unless you have done plein air painting and have your own set up, I would suggest going cheaper than this and getting a half French Easel. However, I have about three set ups myself and have found this one to be my “go to” just about every time.
