Supply list for “Starting Traditionally, Moving to Abstraction” (acrylic)

Instructor:  Karen Knutson  karen@karenknutson.com 

 

1. Acrylics:  For this process, I use mostly liquid acrylics (in bottles).  Just bring whatever you already have.  If you are investing in acrylics for the first time, my advice is to get any blue, red, magenta, and yellow in the small bottles at Michaels Craft Store.  You will also need carbon black.  Pick up your favorite colors.  They are really cheap (Craftsmart and Americana brands) and will be fun to play around with.  I really enjoy the turquoise or teal colored little bottles at Michaels. 

2. I also use 2 heavy body paint (in the tubes) Golden brand Titantium white and Hansa Yellow Medium.  These are thicker than other brands so please get Golden brand. 

3. Optional:   *Because everyone asks, my favorite Golden brand colors are listed here, but you don’t have to buy these:  Nickel Azo Yellow, Titanium White and/or gesso , Carbon Black , Acra Magenta or Quinacridone Magenta , Cobalt Blue, Pyrrole Red, Yellow Ochre, Phthalo Blue (Red Shade), Cerulean Blue Chromium, Hansa Yellow Medium, Raw Umber.

4. Brushes.  If you already have oil painting brushes or acrylic brushes, bring those.  I use mainly 3 brushes:  1” flat, ½” flat, and #6 round.  Otherwise, I use a big 2 or 3” cheap brush for preparing the paper at the beginning.  

5. One sheet Strathmore Aquarius II watercolor 80 lb. paper.  I buy mine through Cheap Joes.  I will have these available for you to purchase at the workshop site.  Bring a board for support. (I usually cover it with plastic.) We’ll be working on quarter sheet sizes.  

6. Quarter sheet  (11” x 15”) Arches cold press watercolor paper. 

7. Wax paper for your palette or you can buy a disposable palette at the art store.  

8. Old Credit cards or plastic cards (I save the ones that I use in hotels).  We will be using these to scrape the paint across the surface of the paper.  A really FUN procedure!

9. One bottle of Rubbing Alcohol (make sure it is 91% isopropyl alcohol, available at Walgreens)

10. Jumbo Cotton balls and Q-tips

11. Water container (I use big Parkay tubs.  Some people use big ice cream buckets) 

12. Windex bottle (push button top) for spraying water.  Empty Windex out and put water in the bottle.  (You can usually find these at Holiday Gas Stations or convenience stores.)  

13. Paper towels and/or Kleenex

14. Acrylic matte medium and (an old brush for applying it.  I use a 2” cheap brush.)

15. White Charcoal pencil, OR Caran d’ Ache water soluble crayons (for drawing the image on painted paper)

16. Tracing paper and carbon paper. (Carbon paper is darker than graphite paper and works well on acrylics.)

17. Ultrafine and Fine tipped permanent black marker (I prefer Sharpies Twin Top, but bring whatever you like.)

18. Notebook, pencil, and eraser

19. Scissors and/or an exacto knife

20. Optional:  Plastic gloves for your hands (I don’t use them.  I’d rather get in there and scratch with my fingernails. Your choice!)  I use a Scotch-Brite heavy duty 3M scour pad for getting the paint off my hands.  

21. Optional:  Any gold or metallic acrylic paints that you already have. 

22. Optional:  gold foil paper or gold leaf.  Not mandatory at all. 

23. ATG tape, or thin double stick tape.  

24. Clear small ruler (mine is 18”)  

25. Pebeo gold Porcelaine outliner paint (in tube)  (available through Cheap Joes or Dick Blick)

26. Optional:  Molotow acrylic markers that will embellish your paintings.

27. Reference photos of your choice.  If you are doing people, Please have your subject expanded to about 11 or 12 “ tall.  I use W magazine for people references. Bring whatever other reference photos expanded to about 11 or 12” tall.

28. Wear layers, since sometimes it gets too hot for some or too cool for others.  Also, bring a protective apron, or wear old clothes.  Acrylic is hard to get out of clothing.