Artist Toolbox

If you have access to an outdoor easel or box I would recommend borrowing this for class. I do not recommend traditional French easels or trying to put together your own “unique” set up. I have used the trial and error method and it is both expensive and frustrating. There are many good equipment choices in a variety of price ranges. I have some boxes and tripods for you to examine before deciding to purchase a box and other students will as well. If you know you want to purchase a pochade box, I recommend the Alla Prima, OpenMBox, Soltek, and Guerrilla boxes. Other than the Soltek all require a tripod mount. The Manfrolto Bogen Jr. or other lightweight compact tripod with a steelhead and quick release is the most convenient and durable. No plastic heads, they cannot carry the weight of the pochade box.

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While you may be tempted to purchase less expensive brushes, this is not an area to be frugal. You get what you pay for in a brush; therefore it is better to buy 2 good brushes rather than 6 lesser quality brushes. I prefer Flats and filberts, but use others as well. Find a few brushes you really like then learn to use them well. You can expand your brush handling over time. For stiff bristle brushes I prefer Princeton 6300 series and Rosemary synthetics. With water soluble oils require synthetic materials that will hold true when in contact with water. For soft sable-like brushes I use Monach. You will need one small brush (size 2) filbert for drawing and details and several others medium to large #4-#10.

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This includes, stretched canvas, panels and boards. This is what we paint on outdoors. While I prefer the bounce stretched canvas offers, the challenges of outdoor painting make such supports problematic. A better alternative is the ¼’ panel or board. Canvas or linen panels and Masonite boards are an inexpensive, easy way to paint outdoors. Combining with a wet paint carrier or a simple pizza type box makes wet transport possible. Many pochade setups also accommodate wet panels/boards.

Palette: Most outdoor painting setups have their own palette system. A Plexiglas or glass insert added to your box works well. Paper palettes are okay, but tend to absorb oil or moisture and normally are white which is difficult on sunny days.

While you may be tempted to purchase less expensive brushes, this is not an area to be frugal. You get what you pay for in a brush; therefore it is better to buy 2 good brushes rather than 6 lesser quality brushes. I prefer flats and filberts, but use others as well. Find a few brushes you really like and learn to use them well. You can expand your brush handling over time. You will need one small brush (size 2) filbert for drawing and details and several others medium to large #4-#10. With water-soluable oils you will need to use synthetic brushes. Natural bristle brushes will dry out and expand in the water used to thin the oils. I use Princeton series 6300 and Rosemary synthetic which are most like boar bristles. I also use Monarch brushes which are similar to sable brushes.

Bring a pochade or light easel for the workshop. You will be able to leave all your equipment in the studio for the entire workshop. We will be moving around a large still life set-up, so lighter is better.

On the first day, please bring several canvases not larger than 9 x12. I use linen stretched canvas, panels and boards. Canvas is fine, especially when doing quick studies. Bring a variety of sizes for the remainder of classes.