Rocks n Ripples: Preclass

For this level 4 class, there’s an expectation that you have most of the supplies you’ll need – since you’ve got some experience under your belt before taking this course! However, below the video about mixing neutrals are some general supplies to consider.

Paper

Out of all the items that can drastically affect your painting quality – paper is probably the biggest one. Use cheap student grade paper and you’ll not achieve any techniques in this class. Work on good artist-grade, 100% Cotton or “Rag” paper – buying it by the fulll sheet, you can cut it in quarters for class by tearing it. (To do so, fold it repeatedly until you can easily tear it and have a beautiful torn edge.)

You can use cold press or rough, whichever you prefer.

The brands I recommend are:

• Arches Cold Press sheets
• Arches Rough sheets
• Saunders Waterford Cold Press sheets
• Saunders Waterford Rough sheets

Brushes

Any kind can be used – if you’re proficient at scale with yours, don’t go getting the ones I use! But – use the largest size you can get away with for the amount of detail you’ll be painting at that moment. Using teeny brushes for washes? Nope. Not going to work! Soft brushes to create fine, thin details? Depends on the brush.

Note: Using crafty brushes is possible – I do use a Silver Black Velvet 8 round for creating texture and small detail – but a Silver 12 round would be recommended for larger elements of the paintings. These brushes don’t pour out as much water as I prefer, but they’re more affordable – and I’d rather see you painting than waiting til you save up for pricey brushes someday!

I use this Flat Wash Brush extensively in this class – it’s affordable and does a great job with loose, wide washes.

• Da Vinci Cosmotop Spin Brush – Flat Wash, Size 30  (*also on clearance while supplies last HERE)

For calligraphic details. Used some but not as much as in other courses.

• Da Vinci Series 17 Maestro Long Needle, Size 9
• Princeton Aqua Elite – inexpensive – not as dellicate but more affordable

Natural hair watercolor brushes YOU DON”T NEED ALL! I use my Winsors more than anything:

• Winsor Newton Kolinsky Sable Series 7 Round #10 Blick
• Winsor Newton Kolinsky Sable Series 7 Round #8: Blick AMZ
• Da Vinci Maestro Kolinsky Sable Round 14 Blick

Casaneo brushes are a decent synthetic intermediate between the expensive ones above and the synthetic blend watercolor brushes below that I generally use for crafting (very small projects):

• Silver Brush Black Velvet Round #8: EH – BLICK – AMZ
• Silver Brush Black Velvet Round #12: EH – BLICK – AMZ

Watercolor Paints

You have so much freedom here! I use Daniel Smith Watercolors exclusively, I love their transparency and permanence. But you likely can get similar results from other professional brands. (Student grade paints often don’t perform the same.) The colors used for these paintings in class:

• Transparent Red Oxide (TRO) – could also use Burnt Sienna
• Cobalt Blue (could substitute French Ultramarine)
• Yellow Ochre
• Paynes Blue Gray – or Paynes Gray and if you need it bluer, just add blue
• Greens – any will do, you can mix any of the above colors to make the limited greens we’ll need. I used Green Apatite Genuine, Sap Green, and a little Green Gold.
• A pink – just a tidge, so don’t go buying something fancy if you don’t need a pink! Permanent Alizarin Crimson was used here but substitute any Quin pink or rose.

A Watercolor STICK

• Yes I said stick! Titanium white. I don’t use tubes for my white because I’m messy and pans get dirty instantly. We won’t use very much but you might want to try it. (Pan white paint is fine too.)

Miscellaneous items, optional

• Spray bottle – can be any kind
• White artist tape, 3/4” – white helps keep color distraction away from your art
• Kneaded Eraser:• and a regular pencil
• Graphix Incredible Board, cut to quartersheet size, or some people like a 12×16 Ampersand Hardbord
• Brush Washer (I use this for plein air – a big glass jar for the studio

Housekeeping stuff

I retain the copyright to the content you are learning in class. That means you cannot sell or give away the concepts from my classes – re-teaching my instruction, or anything contained or created within these lessons, to others. Yes you may gift your creations made with these techniques, of course, this stipulation is about not giving away my ideas taught here.) You may not post a video tutorial of your own showing your redraw of my content. But please DO make your own designs and develop your own style – and rock on! I love to see students making strides and taking this content and personalizing it with your own skills.