Materials recommended for Robert Ross’s “Interpretive Flower Painting” class at Crealde School of Art
(Note: The materials listed below apply to oil painters and, to some extent, acrylic painters. However, because the class is also open to those working in pastels, if you work in pastel, please ignore this list and bring the materials you normally use. If you have any questions, please call or email me.)
BRUSHES: Bring half-inch-wide to one-inch-wide filbert and/or flat brushes. The bristles should be soft, flexible, and longish. No short, stiff brushes, please!
PAINTS: We will paint with a limited palette. Our main colors will be titanium white, a cool red (such as alizarin), ultramarine blue and cadmium yellow light (not medium); our secondary colors will be cadmium red, cerulean blue and yellow ochre. Please avoid using paints with the word “hue” on the tube – they are diluted and lifeless!
SURFACES: Bring your preferred surfaces – stretched canvases, canvas-covered panels, or paper (printmaking paper primed with gesso or acrylic makes a good inexpensive surface). Bring several surfaces no smaller than 10 inches on any side. In each class session we will start a new painting and bring it to a resolution of some kind, so plan to have at least one surface for each class session – a total of six.
THINNERS: If you use thinners, please bring only ODORLESS artist’s grade turpentine or thinner. You can find it at Sam Flax and Art Systems art supply stores. You will also need to bring a container for your thinner.
PALETTE KNIFE: You will be mixing colors on your palette with a knife most of the time, so it is important to have a palette knife (sometimes called a painting knife) that’s about as long as your middle finger, pointed, flexible, and has a handle similar to a trowel.
PALETTE: Bring whatever palette you usually use to mix paint colors. Or paper dinner plates can be a handy alternative.
OTHER:
Bring a small sketchbook, several drawing pencils or vine charcoal, and a block eraser or soft eraser.