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Represented by Fountainhead Gallery, Seattle

Represented by Fountainhead Gallery, Seattle
VALERIE COLLYMORE

Art Supplies for The Collymore Oil Painters Atelier Classes

For Classes and Workshops 

 

“I am always doing what I cannot do yet, in order to learn how to do it.” -- Vincent Van Gogh

 

 

HERE IS THE BASIC ART SUPPLY CHECKLIST FOR "PAINT LIKE A FRENCH IMPRESSIONIST | The Foundation Course":

You don't need the art supplies for Level 1. By focusing exclusively on learning, absorbing and reviewing the course material in Level 1, you will begin Level 2 and its hands-on exercises and skill-acquiring drills with many foundational fine art concepts, new understanding about the process of oil painting and a large knowledge base. 

 

DOWNLOAD THE BASIC ART SUPPLY CHECK LIST HERE

 

 

The recommended products are carefully selected to minimize or eliminate toxicity. 

For your convenience and wallet, most of the recommend supplies are available - and more affordable - on Amazon.

I receive a small commission as an Amazon Affiliate when you use the easy purchase links.

 

a deeper dive into my favorite art supplies 

 

oil paints

Painting with layers of textured brushstrokes requires generous amounts of paint. 

I recommend using a LIMITED PALETTE of high quality ( not student-grade ) oil paint, starting with the basic list of the 5 oil colors shown below:

For an extended range of "add on" colors, for specific subjects such as floral works, lavender fields or seascapes, for example:

For portraits and figures, the ZORN PALETTE gives reliable and lovely results:

  • M Graham & Co. Oil Paint - Titanium White
  • Sennelier Artist Color Oil Paint - Yellow Ochre | 40ml - https://amzn.to/3EqNWCQ
  • Michael Harding Artist Oil Colours - Scarlet Lake | 40ml ( see above for the link )
    • The Michael Harding Scarlet Lake is non-toxic. I prefer it over the classic Zorn palette heavy metal containing red: Sennelier Artist Color Oil Paint - Cadmium Red Light | 40ml 
  • M Graham & Co. Oil Paint - Ivory Black | 1.25 oz - https://amzn.to/3Mh5TWq

underpainting

For the important drawing-in and underpainting stage of a painting, I use a small stiff paintbrush and the following paints and medium:

medium

To promote texture in a brushstroke for the paint-laying-down layers, I propose using either:

For the underpainting, a few drops of M. Graham Walnut Oil to moisten the paint can be helpful - https://amzn.to/3SNuRip

 

palette 

I am not alone in believing that many of the original French Impressionist artists mixed up paint piles in advance of laying them down on the canvas. This method of "premixing" can immediately lead to many exciting results that I look forward to sharing with you in class or workshop. Generous space for mixing and for placing all of these paint piles explains the need for a larger palette surface. I use the paper palette option below, to make clean ups easy. At the end of a painting session, I place plastic wrap over the paint piles to minimize air on the paint, and store the entire paper palette in a chest freezer, to preserve the luscious texture of those many paint piles. Frozen oil paint thaws very quickly.

  • Jack Richeson Grey Matters Paper Palette | 12x16" - https://amzn.to/485FJze
  • or if you want to get fancy: New Wave Posh Glass Artist Palette, Neutral Gray | two 12x16" - https://amzn.to/3CHPLKq
  • or DIY by painting one side of a sheet of plexiglass with gray acrylic paint 

palette knives

Trial and error will help each of us find the tools we most prefer. 

For making palette knife marks on canvas, I prefer the following: 

brushes

I highly recommend getting a Collymore French Impressionist Brush Kit from Rosemary & Co. Artist Brushes, the famous brush making company in England. These carefully selected brushes allow me to make brushstrokes in the tradition of the French Impressionists. I will show you how to use them, in my classes and workshops, to add new brushstroke skills to your toolkit. There are 11 brushes in this excellent kit, that Rosemary and Co. worked with me to put together for you. I receive a small affiliate compensation when you use the purchase link below. Please use code valeriecollymore when making your purchase. I appreciate it!

Additional brushes that are on occasion laid out for use during demos:

  • Rosemary & Co. Eclipse Short Filbert Size 16
  • Rosemary & Co. Ivory Filbert Size 4
  • Rosemary & Co. Long Flat SER 2025 size 10

A current favorite brush cleaner: Sennelier's Green for Oil Brush Cleaner - click here for link

 

surfaces to paint on

I find it convenient, for workshops, classes and plein air painting sessions, to use smaller-sized linen covered panels to paint on. 

If you are looking for an excellent painting surface that handles paint beautifully, I recommend the SourceTek company, that has graciously put together two specially-priced Collymore Panel Packs by SourceTek for my clients! They conveniently contain the sizes that I usually use for my live painting demonstrations. The primer or coating used on the canvas surface of these panels is excellent. I do not receive a commission when you purchase these panel packs. Thank you to SourceTek for making these high quality panels available to registrants of my workshops and classes!

Another excellent option for purchasing high quality panels is Raymar Artist Panels  https://www.raymarart.com/

  • Purchase several 9x12" and several 8x10" 56M Medium Cotton panels here at Raymar

 

There is also the option of purchasing lower-grade canvases and coating them yourself with an excellent primer, such as Gamblin's Oil Painting Ground. Typical canvas sizes for my workshops and for your initial classes with me : 8x10", 9x12". For my workshops, I recommend having 1 to 2 canvases per day. For my classes, I recommend starting with one or two SourceTek Collymore Panel Packs. As you move forward with classes at The Collymore Oil Painters Atelier, additional panel and canvases sizes will be needed.

  • Gamblin Oil Painting Ground - https://amzn.to/3CfBO4S
  • Canvas Panel or Stretched Canvas, size 8x10" or 9x12"
    • One option from Amazon.com:  Centurion Universal Acrylic Primed Linen Panels - All-Media Acrylic Primed Linen Panel

lighting

The following set of dual photographic lights by Lume Cube are favorites in my art studio. These excellent lights have adjustable intensity and color temperature and offer the option of standing on the floor or on a tabletop.

Here is an easy link to purchase your set of lights - https://amzn.to/3sHRQDv

 

Phone Holder

To position your smartphone over your palette or in front of your work in progress, so that I can view these, when necessary, during our online Zoom private art consultations, I recommend the following adjustable gooseneck cell phone holder ( optional ) -  - https://amzn.to/3Pud4xI

 

easels

I am happy with the following easels:

copic markers and bleed proof paper

These markers are great for doing value studies. 

 

 

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