Paints: John will be using oil paints. Use whatever painting medium and colors you are comfortable with. You should at least have the primary colors (red, yellow, blue), white and black in whatever medium you use. The closer your palette is to John’s the better your learning experience will be. John uses THIS PALETTE by Rembrandt Extra Fine Artist Oils for the ability to move the paint around the canvas more quickly without needing a medium. Rembrandt is offering 40% off the prices shown at that link, but at checkout you have to use the discount code "LASATER". Colors: Cadmium Yellow Light, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Orange, Cadmium Red Light, Permanent Madder Deep, Ultramarine Blue Deep, Kings Blue, Phthalo Blue Green, Viridian Green, Permanent Yellowish Green, Sap Green, Burnt Umber, Burnt Sienna, Ivory Black, Titanium White. Also, Dioxazine Purple (Gamblin).
Brushes & Knives: John recommends flats and filberts in a variety of sizes from 1/8 inch wide to 1 inch wide. A couple rounds for details are also nice. Hog bristle and synthetic bristle with a good bounce-back. For palette knife, make sure it has a bit of flexibility; occasionally it will be used as a painting tool.
Supports/Canvases: Around 11x14 inches is a good size for outdoor painting. Up to 18x24 for studio or multi-session outdoor paintings. Whatever surface you prefer is fine. John favors either Blick Premier Belgian Linen Universal Primed Panels or Centurion Acrylic Primed Linen Panels.
Easel: For outdoor painting, John uses the Day Tripper by Prolific Painter, however it is now no longer being made. The En Plein Air Pro Easel, and Soltek Easel are also very popular. French easels with a companion palette box are tried and true for outdoors or indoors and can be found just about anywhere in a variety of brands...I recommend the half-box size unless you have large biceps.
Palette: The bigger the better! From 12x16 to 16x20 is a great size. [In every class there are a few students using restrictively small palettes and tiny piles of paint, and by the end of the class they repent of it] If you just grab a piece of thin birch plywood from your garage, or from lumber store, it makes a great palette...simply rub some linseed oil on it and let that dry, and it's ready to go.
Artist Mineral Spirits: John encourages Gamsol for outdoor and indoor use. The smells of other brands can cause major headaches in an indoor class environment especially.
Other: For all classes, bring soft paper towels, small trash bag, lightweight chair, hat to block the light above, and a few quick clamps. Also in case it's needed, bring photos to paint from. For outdoor classes bring a tie-down for your easel, clip-on plein air umbrella, sunscreen, and bug spray.
For Outdoor Nocturne Painting: John uses an ArtEscape light. Booklights will also work, but the difference with ArtEscape is night and day (pun intended).
