Plein Air Materials List
The following is a suggested checklist for plein air work. Remember, aim to pack your materials so they may be carried in only ONE TRIP to your site.
My minimum checklist:
Paints already distributed onto a palette
Brushes
Turp in hanging spill-proof can
Surface to paint on in box to carry
Easel
Backpack with paper towels, trash bag, rubber gloves, sun hat, sun block, apron
OIL PAINTERS
Utrecht Oil Paints:
Titanium White
Ultramarine Blue Deep * Cobalt Blue
Viridian Green (or can substitute Phthalo Green) Yellow Ochre
Burnt Senna Cadmium Orange (can omit and mix your own)
Cadmium Yellow Lemon Cadmium Yellow Medium
QuinacridoneRose Alizarin Crimson
Permanent Red Medium*
*Made by Rembrandt not Utrecht
PASTELISTS
Use the equivalent from above in softest (not Rembrandt variety which is fairly hard) pastels with dark rich hues, not light variety. Sennelier Half Stick & Standard Soft Pastel Set of 40 from Jerrys Artarama, $55 is a good buy.
Brushes & Palette:
Utrecht Brand (preferred sable-like):
Rhenish Filbert shaped: #2, #4, #6
Flat brushes: #4, #6. #8
One rigger: #1 for signing or small detail
Rosemary Brushes
Ivory long flat: #1, #4,
1/4th ivory dagger
Palette: Wood or Masterson carrier with lid (with glass insert that you have underside painted grey or inserted grey paper).
No white plastic or paper palettes
Medium:
Gamsol, an odorless turpentine, bring glass or metal container for the solvent. Create an ability to hang this container from your easel for an extra convenience (you'll be glad you did this), or buy the one with a false bottom made for this at the art store.
For Water based Oil Users: Water soluble oil paints require a special water soluble linseed oil to be used with them, NOT Gamsol. Optional: Linseed Oil, Galkyd or Liquin, Clove Oil for driers or delaying drying time. We can discuss this in class.
Painting surfaces / For pastel: tinted colored paper folded and cut to these sizes
Pre-stretched canvas: Universal primed linen/canvas
Cradled birch wood from art store:
Home Depot- Birch plywood, MDF cut to size etc.
Canvas pad (tape sheet to a backing board)
5 x 7's, 6 x 8’s, 1 – 8 x 10, 1 -9 x 12, 1-11 x 14
canvas covered cardboard type
Prep raw wood, MDF or cheaper canvases beforehand with additional coat or two of better gesso (I like to use Jerry’s Worlds Best Gesso) for a better surface if you want.
Miscellaneous
Palette Knife (right handed) - Connoisseur 6810 58, metal angled tip with wood handle
Paper Towels or rags and a bag to hold waste (Viva paper towels are the best)
Portable field easel (a “pochade” needs tripod, “Julien French” or “stanrite" it holds a palette between legs)
surgical rubber gloves for oils
apron or smock
TV dinner table for pastels or watercolors (I saw one at Target for $9)
For clean up
Murphy’s Oil or Safflower oil (both from the super market)
Useful but not necessary:
Note book / sketchbook pen, pencil, eraser, extra fine point black marker, with a set of Grey markers (from very light to med to darker grey, Prismacolor Premier: in the color collection - neutral grey 20%(PM-217), 40%(PM-219, 60%(PM-221), 80%(PM-223), (Black PM-98)
Soft charcoal (vine - skinny long pieces)
Two small pieces of cardboard with small windows cut in them of the proportions 4x5 and 3x4 for visually framing what you see.
Folding chair or stool
Pizza or Priority USPS box for wet painting
Sun hat, sun block, bug repellant
Parasol/ clip-on umbrella (Rite Aid actually sells colorful inexpensive ones)
Apron or smock
Blanket in trunk of car for paint protection
Art guard cream for hands and protective gloves (dental hygienist’s use)
Sturdy shoes and protective leg covering for underbrush?
Means to carry your supplies ie bungees, backpack, something on wheels, shoulder bag…
Extra credit :-) Night painting: headlight, LED clamp onto easel (this is fun...for the adventuresome)
Water bottle and snacks
Portable pliers & matches for opening difficult paint tubes