1. Acrylics:  My favorite colors are

   • Nickel Azo Yellow

   • Titanium White and/or gesso

   • Carbon Black

   • Acra Magenta or Quinacridone Magenta

   • Cobalt Blue

   • Pyrrole Red

   • Yellow Ochre

   • Phthalo Blue (Red Shade)

   • Cerulean Blue Chromium

   • Hansa Yellow Medium

We mainly use liquid acrylics (in bottles).  Just bring whatever you already have.  If you are investing in acrylics for the first time, my advice is to get titanium white, carbon black, hansa yellow in tubes.(heavy body acrylics)  Then go to Michaels and get whatever little bottled liquid acrylics that you like.  They are really cheap and will be fun to play around with.  I enjoy the turquoise or teal colored little bottles at Michaels.

1. Brushes.  I use mainly watercolor brushes for my acrylic paintings, but I don’t use those same brushes on my watercolors.  If you already have oil painting brushes or acrylic brushes, bring those.  I use mainly 3 brushes:  1” flat, ½” flat, and #6 round.  Otherwise, I use a big 2 or 3” cheap brush for preparing the paper at the beginning. 

2. One sheet Strathmore Aquarius cold press 80 lb. paper.  (I have enough for everyone to buy one from me, if you’d rather not get it from the art supply store.) Bring a board for support. (I usually cover it with plastic.) We’ll be working on a quarter sheet size (11”x 15”)

3. Wax paper for your palette or you can buy a disposable palette at the art store. 

4. One bottle of Rubbing Alcohol (make sure it is 91% isopropyl alcohol, available at Walgreens)

5. Jumbo Cotton balls and Q-tips

6. Rubber brayer (optional)

7. Water container (I use big Parkay tubs.  Some people use big ice cream buckets)

8. Windex bottle (push button top) for spraying water.  Empty Windex out and put water in the bottle.  (You can usually find these at Holiday Gas Stations or convenience stores.)  You may also empty out a bottle of Chloraseptic Spray (usually for sore throats), that you get at the drug store.  That bottle has a great mist for spraying also.

9. Paper towels and/or Kleenex

10. Any special effects tools that you already have.  For instance, rubber stamps, or stamps that you have carved yourself. We will be stamping with very small rubber stamps, so if you have any circles or square rubber stamps, bring those. I have lots to share.

11. Collage is optional:  Repetitive or tiny designed papers to use for collage.  Bring colored tissue paper also.  Bring your favorite collage papers.  Napkins work great for collage also.  (think of checks or spots for the repetitive designs)

12. Acrylic matte medium and (an old brush for applying it.  I use a 2” cheap brush.)

13. White chalk or white Charcoal white pencil

14. Wear layers, since sometimes it gets too hot for some or too cool for others.  Also, bring a protective apron, or wear old clothes.  Acrylic is hard to get out of clothing.

15. Camera (optional)

16. Notebook, pencil, and eraser

17. Any gold or metallic acrylic paints that you already have.  Again, I have some to share with you.

18. ATG tape, or double stick tape.  Get the ones that are in small dispensers that are available at Michaels. 

19. Clear small ruler (mine is 18”)

20. Pebeo gold Porcelaine outliner paint (in tube)   I got mine through the Cheap Joes catalog. 

21. Gold Deco Foil and/or copper Deco foil --I will have a small scrap for you to try, or you can buy your own at www.scrapbook.com or gold renaissance foil paper is available at Hobby Lobby now.

22. Any markers that you would like to embellish your paintings with.  I use gold, black and white mainly for the finishing touches.

23. Old magazines or newspapers to use in collage.  (My favorite is Architectural Digest.)

24. Reference photos.  ( I use W magazine or InStyle magazine) Enlarge the photo that you want to use to fit a quarter sheet paper.  (I like the people to be about 9 or 9 ½ inches tall.)  I also look through People magazine for loving couples.

25. Optional:  Glue gun

26. Optional:  Compass (for making circles)

27. Old Credit card or Motel key card ( We will be scraping across the acrylic paints with these.)

28. Permanent black markers (ultrafine and fine tips)  I like the Sharpie Twin Tip, available at office supply stores.

29. Bag Lunch  

*** A note about all the extra golds, etc.:  I don’t like students to have to spend lots of money on items before my workshop.  I will have extra of most items so that you can try them out before you decide to buy more.  Please email me if you have any questions.  karen@karenknutson.com