BASICS
- Portable plein air easel/equipment: All of your supplies should fit comfortably in one bag or backpack and be lightweight enough for you to carry on your own. If you do not currently own portable equipment, please email me for more information. I am happy to assist you in making a decision on what type of easel to purchase for your needs. (Freestanding painting easel, French-style easel, Soltek, or pochade such as OpenBox M, Guerilla, EasyL, Strada, Coulter, etc.)
- Wooden (or other neutral-toned) mixing palette (Do not use white, disposable palette pages! Gray ones are okay.)
PAINTS
- Gamblin Artists Colors available at www.dickblick.com and other retailers
- BASIC Palette (required)*
- *Unless you are a beginner, you may bring any color palette you are comfortable with using. I use the basic palette listed below, limiting my colors to just three tubes and white. Using fewer tubes of paint lightens my backpack when working in the field, and provides dependable color mixtures.
- Cad Yellow Medium
- Napthol Red
- Ultramarine Blue
- Titanium White
- CONVENIENCE Palette (information only—NOT required for workshop)
- These additional colors can be added for convenience mixing. They come in handy in the studio where mixing large piles of paint rapidly is needed, and added weight for travel is no longer an issue.
- Cad Orange Deep
- Quinacridone Violet
- Permanent Green Lt
- Chromatic Black
- Prussian Blue
- Transparent Earth Yellow
- Warm White
- Portland Cool Grey
- Portland Warm Grey
- Cad Chartreuse
- Green Gold
Brushes
- About half-dozen, high quality, bristle brushes in sizes 4-10. I suggest filberts, flats or a mixture of the two. My preference is Silver Brush Grand Prix
- A few sable brushes (flats, angles, and riggers) such as these from Rosemary & Co. http://www.rosemaryandco.com/gift-sets/brushsets?page=2 (series 274, 278, 279, and Eclipse Rigger).
- Several styles of palette knives
- Canvas Panels:
- I prefer working on canvas panels (not stretched canvases) when painting en plein air. Depending on your level of experience and how fast you paint, bring 8×10, 9×12, 11×14 panels, two to four for each day.
Other
- Wet canvas carriers such as PanelPak
- Plein Air umbrella (optional)
- Small sketchpad and pencil
- ViewCatcher (gray plastic crop/view finder tool) available at most art stores
- EMPTY, sealable, non-breakable, spill-proof (clamp-lid) container for mineral spirits (such as the metal Anderson, Holbein, or MartinUniversal)
- Gamblin Solvent Free Gel (optional, makes the paint dry more rapidly for ease in packing)
- Gamsol (recommended) Artists’ Grade Odorless Mineral Spirits (OMS)
- IF TRAVELING BY PLANE, OMS should be purchased at your final destination. DO NOT PACK AND BRING. IT IS ILLEGAL TO BRING ODORLESS MINERAL SPIRITS (OMS) ON FLIGHTS. Do not bring contractor-grade OMS that is available at hardware stores. It is not good for you, people around you, or your paints!
- Paper towels and plastic grocery bags (for trash)
- Sense of humor
For your physical comfort
- Dress in layers, or bring a change of clothes, to adjust as weather changes
- Wear neutral-colored top or jacket
- Hat, visor, or umbrella for sun or rain
- Long sleeves/pants
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen
- Comfortable shoes, or a chair or stool
- Bring plenty of bottled water
For “Paint Packing Tips,” visit the WORSHOPS tab at www.loriputnam.com or read Lori’s blogpost, “Tips for the Winged Artist,” at www.loriputnampaints.blogspot.com
LIST OF SUGGESTED READING:
- Composing Your Paintings, Bernard Dunstan, ISBN 0800818032
- Anything on Sergei Bongart, Joaquín Sorolla, or John Singer Sargent
- Fill Your Paintings with Light and Color, Kevin D. Macpherson ISBN 1581800533
- Brushwork, Emile A. Gruppe, ISBN 0823005259
- Composition of Outdoor Painting, Edgar Payne ISBN 0944699022 distributed by DeRu’s Fine Arts 949-376-3785
- Carlson’s Guide to Landscape Painting, John F. Carlson, ISBN 0844661023
- Perception, Irvin Rock, ISBN 0716750015
