Have you wanted to try acrylics? We begin these paintings by using a brayer for the underpainting. Karen will be demonstrating dragonflies, but students may pick whatever subject they prefer. In this workshop, we will learn the advantages of this exciting medium. It’s so forgiving: Too dark? Just layer with a lighter color. Students will learn how to compose an exciting background, add gold embellishments and add line work and textures to add excitement to the artwork.
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1/2 sheet Arches 140 lb. cold press paper. We will divide this in class. We will be working on paintings that are size 11” x 15” or smaller, so bring a support board slightly larger than that. I use foam core board about 12 x 17” or other support for attaching paper to.
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Bring your usual acrylic paints. I use mainly liquid acrylics. Any blue, rose, yellows of your choice. I also use these 3 paints in heavy body paint tubes: Titanium white, carbon black, and Hansa yellow medium. (My favorite liquid acrylics are Nickel Azo Yellow, Quinacridone or acra Magenta, Cobalt Blue, Pyrrole Red,Yellow Ochre, Phthalo Blue (Red Shade), Cerulean Blue Chromium, Raw Umber. My favorite brand is Golden acrylics, but you can use whatever is in your budget. Do NOT use Open Golden acrylics.
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#2 Pencil, eraser
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Sketch pad or notebook for taking notes.
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Tracing paper
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Carbon paper
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Acrylic brushes (bring your favorites) I use 1” flat and ½ “flat, and a small (#6) round brush.
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Water containers (old Cool Whip containers work great) bring 2.
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Masking tape.
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Brayer
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Ruler
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Kleenex brand tissues (because they pop up for easy grabbing)
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Paper towels.
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Sponge or rag for wiping off your brushes.
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Spray bottle (I use a push button top, old Windex bottle. You can usually get these at small convenience gas stations.)
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Blow dryer (optional)
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Optional- compass for making circles
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Scissors and/or an exacto knife
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Optional: Plastic gloves for your hands (I don’t use them. I’d rather get in there and scratch with my fingernails. Your choice!)
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Wax paper for your palette or you can buy a disposable palette at the art store.
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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!
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One bottle of Rubbing Alcohol (make sure it is 91% isopropyl alcohol)
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If you are sensitive to the smell of rubbing alcohol, bring a face mask. I’ll try to bring extras too.
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One bag of Jumbo Cotton balls
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Qtips
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Permanent black markers (ultrafine and fine tips). I use the Sharpie Twin Top markers (available at office supply stores). Bring whatever other markers that you would like to embellish your paintings with. I use gold, black and white mainly for the finishing touches.
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(optional) I use a Scotch-Brite heavy duty 3M scour pad for getting the paint off my hands.
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Acrylic Matte Medium and old brush (for applying it) and a plastic container with lid (for storing it.)
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Collage papers-bring whatever you have. (I will have kits for you to purchase, if you’d like.) I like chiri paper (transparent), and unryu fiber paper, which is a milky white fiber paper with strings in it and it is semi-transparent. Bring whatever other oriental papers you might already have. Napkins and magazines can be used for collage, also, so start saving those. My favorite magazine for collaging is Architectural Digest. Try to think of variety in colors and textures. Any metallic ribbons, old books, music books, etc. Also, (old paintings that you don’t like) can be used in collage.
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Reference photos. I will be painting dragonflies or butterflies. You may paint whatever you wish.
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One package of colorful paper napkins. (any papers that have busy patterns and bright colors -for instance, swirls or dots, or checks.) They make great collage material. We’ll have a napkin exchange.
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Bring whatever acrylic metallic paints that you have. My favorite is Lumiere metallic acrylic paints. I use both copper and gold.
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Pebeo porcelain outliner tubes. My favorite color is gold. (This is gold paint that is raised when applied. It usually is for painting on glass.)
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Gold reactive foil (12” rolls are available or 6” rolls) I use this instead of gold leaf. It’s easier. :)
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Double stick tape that is available in the craft sections or at framers. I use a big one that is used for framing purposes, but a small one will work just fine.
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If you have questions about the supplies, my email is: karen@karenknutson.com I will be bringing extra gold items, so if you have trouble finding them, I would be glad to share mine for a small fee.