In addition to opening a treasure chest of technique, this class will give special emphasis to water, reflections, transparency, and movement. Water has a moderating effect on everyting it touches, specifically transparent water with reflections. Mike will take you though his processes for painting water in various states, everything from highly reflective, transparent, still, and moving water. Painting convincing water relies heavily on edges and transparency of paint. Students will learn:·

• How to paint realistic underwater elements...i.e. rocks logs, etc·

• How to control values and transparency to achieve depth in water

• ·Using edges in suggesting moving water·

• How to acehive realistic reflections with the power of suggestion·

• How water effects color, value, and temperature·

• How to use water as a compositonal element

• Exaggeration for impact including impasto and totally lost edges

Level: Some experience painting and color mixing is required.

SUPPLY LIST : 

Required Oil Paints: (Good quality professional brand such as Gamblin or M. Graham)

• Titanium White pure

• Mixed White (titanium/zinc

• Cad Yellow Light

• Yellow Ochre

• Cad Red Light

• Alizarin Crimson

• Venetian Red

• Transparent Red Oxide

• Pthalo Green

• French Ultramarine

• Prussian Blue

   

  Other Colors (Mike uses the rest of these regularly; not all will be needed, however, for the class):

• Zinc White

• Flake White

• Cad Lemon Yellow

• Cad Yellow Deep

• Cad Red Medium

• Phthalo Emerald

• Cobalt Blue

• Diozonine purple

• Sap Green

• Ivory Black

• Azo Green

• Viridian

  • Brushes and Knives- You are going to want good brushes with a sharp edge and spring to them.  If you do not have new brushes or some older ones in excellent condition, you may want to pick up a few. This will make a substantial difference and is well worth the money.  (Mike uses both Rosemary Ivory line and Trekell Opal Brushes as noted below)  Six brushes is really all you will need at a minimum. Bring whatever other tools you like and are comfortable with.  The important part with the brushes is that they are of good quality. They do not need to be the same brand as Mike’s.

    With regard to knives— the small one is for detail painting, the larger (3 inch) is used for paint mixing and painting.  Make sure you have knives that are very flexible. These are from Italy.  Check the spring of each brush. It should really bend easily.  Many of the cheaper knives and/or USA-made knives are too stiff. They are more useful as masons’ tools rather than for painting. 

    ·         (1) Bristle flat size 10 (Rosemary Classic short flat)

    ·         (2) Bristle filbert brushes in size 6 & 8 (Trekell Opal series)

    ·         (1) Soft filbert brush size  8 (Trekell Legion )

    ·         (1) Rigger brush for details size 4 (Rosemary Ivory)

    ·         (1) flat synthetic size 4 (Rosemary Ivory short flat)

    ·         (2) Painting knives Italian made (small triangle and large/medium size triangle.  RGM is a good Italian-made knife)

      

    Medium

    Oil of spike lavender and oil of rosemary, both of which can be purchased through Art Treehouse.

     Gamsol for cleaning brushes

    Galkyd gel or other impasto medium

    The galkyd gel from Gamblin is close and works well for holding brushwork and is far less expensive.  If you have another medium you are comfortable with, bring that. 

     

    Supports (canvas panels)

    Three or more good quality painting supports.    Mike uses 12x16-18x24 for most work, 12x16 almost exclusively for plein air.

    Panels are easiest to transport.  Mike uses oil-primed linen Claessens #66 panels.  This type can be purchased from Sourcetek art supplies:  www.canvaspanels.com.

Other:

• Reference photos- these need to be large enough to see the details. Small 3x5 photos are not suitable. Photos should have an overall strong simple design.

• Large Palette for your paints - a hard, smooth surface such as glass or wood is recommended. (Paper palettes are discouraged, as they are difficult to use compared with a hard, smooth surface.)

• Paper towels

• Brush cleaner

• Surgical or Exam gloves