PAINTING
“I love oil paint because it feels organic, flexible, and translucent like skin. Do yourself a favor and buy more expensive brands like Rembrandt. The cheaper brands use less pigment and not only you are not getting a better deal, you are never going to get the brilliance you can achieve with superior material. You’ll actually use less of the expensive pigment, because it ‘stretches’ or covers extra surface in a more brilliant manner. For example, you can apply an entire tube of cheap yellow and still not get the effect you would with just a bit of the concentrated superior pigment.”
OILS
I recommend Rembrandt brand; my basic colors include: naples yellow light, cadmium yellow light & medium, yellow ocher, burnt sienna, raw sienna, raw umber, burnt umber, van dyck brown, permanent madder deep, cadmium red light & medium, turquoise blue, ultramarine deep, ultramarine violet, payne’s gray, green earth, titanium white (more opaque than zinc white), & ivory black (cooler than mars black).
Additonal helpful colors are: naples yellow red, naples yellow deep, permanent lemon yellow, gold ochre, brown ochre, caput mortum, kings blue, cobult turquiose blue, sevre blue, prussian blue, permanent blue violet, emerald greene, olive green, viridian green.
Consider alternative to oil (in case of allergies to turpentine): cobra water soluble oil and medium.
BRUSHES
I love Princeton synthetic brushes, flat, long, size 6 & 8 (a couple of each), an angle brush size 6 for details, as well as one larger soft glazing brush. Brushes should feel springy to the touch & not shed when you run your fingers through them.
To properly preserve your brushes use soap & a rough cleaning brush to remove all stubborn access paint.
I recommend to use Marvelous Marianne's Savvy Soap to clean your brushes.
These Princeton wedged brushes are great for texture and experimentation.
MEDIUMS
I love walnut oil - it won’t yellow as much as linseed oil and has great medium drying speed. It gives just a bit of luster to your colors (you only need a few drops in your mixtures).
Odorless thinner is best if you are sensitive to smells. For experimentation try new Utrecht Thinner NOOD.
Retouch varnish allows you to unify your colors without having to wait six months for traditional varnish.
PALETTE
You’ll need 2 palette knives to mix your colors on the palette & clean it after.
A glass palette or a disposable gray palette 12 x 16 inches or larger.
Palette Seal to transport your palette & preserve your oil paint.
A double palette cup for your turpentine & oil medium is necessary.
To liven dulled dark areas & protect your art from dust and grime you have an option to varnish (click here to learn about spray-on UV protective varnish option) 6 months after your painting is complete & is fully dry.
STUDIO SET UP
CANVAS
I recommend box type heavier cotton high quality canvas in various sizes; 9X12 inches & 11X14 inches are good sizes for a portrait.
UNDER-DRAWING
Vine charcoal works best for oil painting under-drawing.
GOLD LEAF
Gold leaf selections
Adhesive mediums
Gold sizing (fast drying material)
Spray for top coat sealing.
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