WHAT TO BRING TO
OIL PAINTING CLASSES
I’ve tried to keep it as mimum as possible but you do need a lot of things for oil painting! I recommend getting your materials from Yellow Brick Studio in Murwillumbah. The store is delightful and I’ve given them our material list so they’ll hopefully have what you’re asking for when you come in. I’m giving out this material list early so that everyone has time to get materials (if you all wait to get materials the week before class they may run out of stock).
I recommend Langridge oil paints and mediums (which Yellow Brick Studio stocks). They’re Australian made and uncompromising on quality. Their paints have super high pigment loading and are based on contemporary high-saturation colours. Their solvent 75 is the lowest toxic solvent in the world.
But you’re welcome to use alternative brands that may be more budget friendly.
2B pencil & eraser (& notepad if you like to take notes)
30cm ruler
a roll of paper towel
a roll of baking paper
bulldog clip
apron & gloves (optional)
table easel (optional)
ipad/tablet to paint from (optional)
incredible brush cleaner (optional) I will have brush soap in class but the brush cleaner does condition them more.
a pizza box/cardboard box to carry your wet paintings home in
2-3 primed canvas boards (around 20x30 or 30x40cm).
You can also paint onto cardboard, wood, canvas paper (shown) etc, as long as you prime it yourself with 3 coats of Gesso.
Glass jar with lid!
This is for our solvent. You’ll need either scrunched up chicken wire inside OR a smaller jar that fits inside (punch holes in the lid with a hammer and nail like mine shown). To clean our brush, we’ll rub the brush on top of the chicken wire/jar lid and the thick paint will fall to the bottom leaving clear solvent at the top.
Low toxic solvent
1 bottle of “low toxic solvent” OR “solvent 45” by langridge Please do not bring any other solvents. They are health risks and I do not allow them in class.
I recommend the 500ml as you’ll be filling up the above mentioned jar with solvent.
Brushes
Bring whatever you have. You can never have too many brushes! It’s good to have a range of square or filbert shape brushes with bristles from 0.5cm to 2cm wide. Hog hair or synthetic is fine. A soft badger hair brush is great but not essential.
Flat palette
This can be a store bought palette or even just use a board with baking paper clipped with bull dog clips as shown. I like my palettes no smaller than 20x30cm
palette knife
I like the longer ones.
1 plastic container with lids
You’ll need one flat plastic container (to take home any leftover paint each week and store in the freezer)
100ml ‘Langridge low toxic paint medium’ or ‘Stand oil’
I’ve got the 500ml but you’ll only need a 100ml bottle. Please do not bring other paint mediums as these can be health risks (walnut oil is fine but it’s more used for alla prima).
measuring spoon & small jar
These will be for your medium/solvent mixes. A teaspoon or equivalent measuring spoon is perfect.
OIL PAINTS
I’ve marked the essential colours in bold*. If you’re looking for the budget friendly option, just bring these essential colours and I will show you how to mix up the remaining equivalent colours. But if you want my exact palette, here’s all the colours I use (If you already have oil paints bring what you have as we may be able to substitute):
♡ Titanium white*
💛 Cadmium yellow* PY35
🧡 Cadmium yellow deep PY35
🧡 Transparent red oxide* PR101
❤️ Cadmium red PR108*
❤️ Quinacridone crimson* PR19/PR179 (sometimes called Permanent Alizarin)
💗 Quinacridone magenta* PR122
💜 Dioxazine violet PV23
💙 Phthalo blue (red shade)* PB15.1
💚 Phthalo green (yellow shade) PG36
I like langridge, windsor & newton, Michael Harding brands. For a more budget friendly option, Art spectrum is fine too. Different brands call their pigments different names, so look for the pigment numbers (ie PY35).
Prior to your first class:
You’ll need to tone your canvas. The idea behind this is to get rid of the stark white, but we don’t want it to be too dark either. Just somewhere in the middle (a mid-tone). Do this at least the day before class so it’s dry for your first class (video below).
Instructions: Mix up a neutral colour on your palette (I like mixing transparent red oxide and phthalo blue together with a touch of crimson/magenta. Only use dark transparent colours, no light or opaque colours). It will look dark but the solvent will thin it down and make it transparent and appear lighter on your canvas. Make sure it’s evenly mixed. Use the palette knife to put a few dobs of your paint mix onto the canvas paper. Use a little solvent on a chux cloth/paper towell to rub it in (do this outside or in a well ventilated area). We are aiming for a mid-tone with even colour (not too dark, not too light).
