Explore Abstracts

Please take note of the different kinds of acrylic paints and mediums to be used. Everything listed will be used in my online lessons. Part of the value of Explore Abstracts I is using a variety of paints and mediums to obtain very different results.

Availability of some products products may be an issue in certain geographies so allowances have been made for different acrylic paints, brushes and other materials.

Please read through the list thoroughly and click on the links in blue (these might be affiliate links for which I’ll receive a commission on purchases) to see items.

Paints

• A Fluid Mixing Set from Golden (this replaces the discontinued Professional Fluid set you may have used in previous courses of mine).

• ALTERNATIVELY you will need the three Golden FLUID primary colours: Naphthol Red Light, Benzimidazolone Yellow Light and Phthalo Blue Green Shade as well as Titanium White and Carbon Black all 30ml (1oz) (these can be substituted for another brand if necessary).

• Together with the Golden Fluid colours you’ll also require these Golden HIGH FLOW paints (this is more like a concentrated ink and will be mixed with mediums) all 30ml (1oz)

  • Nickel Azo Yellow

  • Titanium White

  • Indigo

  • Quinacridone Magenta

  • Sepia or similar brown

• Golden OPEN 59ml tube transparent Red Oxide or other brown colour.

• Golden HEAVY BODY 237ml tub of White Titanium (not Zinc) acrylic paint. 

• Optional: White Gesso, 237ml, any brand will work (required if you’ll use unprepared wooden panels)

Mediums

• Golden Matte Medium 237ml (or larger). Note NOT matte FLUID medium or OPEN medium.

• Golden Heavy Gel Matte 237ml (or larger if you want to work in many layers).

• Golden Fine Pumice Gel 237ml (depends on the size of your canvasses). This Pumice Gel is very important & will be used as ground for painting and drawing on + impasto techniques.

Paintbrushes

There’s a strong focus on the use of colour and painting techniques in my courses. I use mostly short handle synthetic brushes suitable for acrylic painting, not too stiff (not hog hair) or too soft. NB sable or natural hair brushes normally used for watercolour should never be used with acrylics since the paint will bind to the hair and will destroy them!

I use mostly Rosemary & Co and Silver Brush Limited brushes as listed:

• Fan brush large and medium

• Dagger brush size 1/2” or 3/8”

• Round pointed brush size 10 (medium) 

• Spiky comber brush 1”

• Paddle or mottler brush

• Thin, broad flat inexpensive nylon brush

• Angled brush size 3/4” 

• Stencil brush, medium

• Dip pen + nibs

  I can also recommend brushes from Silver Brush Company as an alternative (the Silver Silk brushes are particularly suitable for acrylics). If you're in Europe check out Borciani Bonazzi too.

Drawing Materials & Surfaces

• Three Derwent Inktense pencils in colours Ink Black, Deep Indigo and Antique White (alternates Caran d'Ache Museum Aquarelle in black, indigo and white.

• Caran d'Ache Neocolor II (note 'II') water soluble crayon in white and gold

• Sketchbook, A4 or larger suitable for mixed media

• Black fine line markers and pencils

• Three large sheets of mixed media paper, 250 GSM or heavier, size A2 (~ 17”x23”)

• Ten wooden 30x30cm (12x12") paint panels. There are various options for these ranging from cheap to quite expensive. The cheap plywood panels work perfectly well (you'll need to prime with gesso - I’ll demonstrate gow to do this).

  • You’ll only need gesso if you’re using unprimed wooden boards. Golden Gesso or alternative brands work as well.

  • For a cheaper alternative, use mixed media paper prepared with gesso or acrylic paper

  • Note the wooden boards are much easier to work on and are ready to be framed without glass or gluing to a board first. You'll need to do this for paper.

• Four 40x40cm (16x16”) square wooden panels OR  four 40x40cm (16x16”) stretched canvasses. I'd say wooden surfaces are better suited for the techniques you'll use on this course)

  • Canvas panels can be used as an alternative but use canvas glued onto wood rather than canvas wrapped around cardboard.

• Two additional stretched canvasses 50x50cm (20x20”) NOT canvas board!

So to recap, to paint on you'll need some sheets of mixed media paper (experimental small paintings). You'll also work on all ten 30x30cm. During three of the modules you'll work on the four 40x40cm boards or canvasses and for the last module you'll use two 50x50cm canvasses - these need to be stretched canvasses, not on boards.

Other Items

• A triangular long metal palette knife.

• Rubber brayer 10cm (4") I like ESSDEE brayers for ease of use

• Disposable paper palette

• Masking tape

• Carbon copy paper

• A few sheets of wet strength. white acid free tissue paper or glassine paper or deli paper if you have.

• Dough cutter for applying mediums to canvas or use the Catalyst wedge tool.

• Sheet of fine grade sanding paper

• Pack of regular balloons

• Small closable containers for mixed paint

• Craft knife and scissors
• Vegetables for printing (e.g. carrots or potatoes)
• Kitchen dish sponge, paper towel and cloth (an old t-shirt or other lint free fabric)
• Water spritzer (you can use an empty spray bottle like bathroom cleaner)

• Optional: home printer. It'll be useful to print out enlarged drawings and components that can be used for planning compositions and layouts

Links

I use mostly Jackson’s and Bromleys for supplies, but you can also buy on Amazon and other resellers depending on where you are in the world.

Here’s a link to the Golden website with information about atockists of their acrylic sets and materials. Ordering online might be the best option, since the sets are not always available in art stores and buying individual colours will be more expensive. Sets are available on Amazon but might cost more, please research options!