Location: Cole Art Studio, located on the lower level of Cole Gallery. 107 5th Ave S, Edmonds WA 98020 

Description: In this 3-day intensive workshop with this national award-winning artist Amanda Houston, you will learn the secrets of painting skies and water full of life and expression.

Grounded in design and composition fundamentals, this class will contain morning lecture and loosening up exercises, followed by afternoon and evening plein air sessions that we bring back to the studio as studies for other variations of a theme. The perfect combo of being outside to capture the pure light during the height of the warm summer months and bringing your work back inside.Packed with fast-paced design and loosening up exercises, this 3-day workshop will take your paintings to the next level.

Some experience in pastels would be helpful, but not strictly necessary.

A note about the variable, optional supply fee:
Amanda likes her students to try as many different surfaces and techniques to expand their creative repertoire. To that end, Amanda will demo how to use different techniques on different surfaces to achieve great results.

Supply List:

__x__Check off as you go.

___EASEL provided by Cole Art Studio, but you’re free to bring your own if you prefer.

PASTELS: As many as you can bring, with a mixture of soft and hard pastels, with a range of lights,

midtones, darks and grey tones. You can use any brand you have and may want to pick up extras, esp. in

the darks and neutrals. NO oil pastels.

__ SOFT PASTELS: Any brand you have. I have my own collection through Richeson: (Amanda

Houston 80 pc. Landscape essentials set and a 40 pc. Neutral essentials set) I also use Terry Ludwig for

darks (v100x, B3560, G540,R160), Diane Townsend Terrage sticks in light creams/ blues, Diane

Townsend Pearlized sticks for sparkle in water (501, 505, 503, 616)(optional). Unison or Sennelier is fine

too. No oil pastels.

__ HARD PASTELS:

(10-30): Girault or NUPastel - a variety of darks and lights. You can pick up hard pastels by the

stick. These are my favorite work horse colors for skies and water and scumbling techniques.

NUPastel: as many as you can get. I like 244, 207 and 212.

Girault: 199,178,463,375

DRAWING BOARD: Drawing Board to tape your work to. Gator-board (preferably black but white will

work), foam core or Masonite board for taping your papers and inspiration references on. I use a 3/16 “

gatorboard. This is an affordable way to purchase it.

https://www.uline.com/BL_872/Gatorfoam-Board)

Bring two boards.

__One larger one that will fit a 16x20 or 18x24 sheet of paper.

__One smaller drawing board to be used for your plein air work. I don’t use anything larger than a 13x17.

PAPERS:

___ If you have a favorite, please bring it. I will be demoing on LaCarte paper (Sienna color), Art

Spectrum Colorfix (terracotta, orange), and LUX Archival (white). You can buy a large sheet and cut

them down into smaller workable sizes for the class. 6x8, 7x9, 8x10, 9x12 are perfect size. We will focus

on lots of small work. Bring at least 3-4 papers per class. I encourage students to try surfaces they

haven’t tried.

MISC. SUPPLIES:

___ Sketchbook: Small personal sketchbook. MUST HAVE! Any size. Amanda likes “Strathmore Toned

sketchbooks” in either gray or tan for doing thumbnail value studies.

___ Selection of pencils: a variety of hardness: (HB, 2B, 4B, 6B)

___ Charcoal pencils (white, lt, med, dark)for value studies

www.amandahouston.com

OR

___ Tombow or Faber-Castell grey set of 4 pens (for value sketches) (optional)

___ Kneaded eraser

___ 1” black artist masking tape (for masking your work off)

___ assortment of vine charcoal for sketching on your surface (soft or very soft)

___ compressed charcoal ( or black pastel. Something dark!)

___ Black Artist tape 3/4"-1" or Blue painters tape and/or ___Clips (to quickly clip paper to boards

___ Paper towels or rags (I like Viva, or Home Depot Shop Towels or WyPall)

___ wet wipes

___ Exacto Knife or straight edge to cut (by Olfa)

___ 2 medium sized Tupperware containers, one filled with cheap cornmeal (to clean your pastels)

___ Brush assortment:

 (2) cheap 1” small cheap hardware brushes,

 1-2 different sized synthetic brushes from “Snap!” by Princeton or Simply Simon: ¾” flat

or stroke (optional but I like them because they are cheap)

 Smaller or different sized brushes for different mark making with the ink

___ Small scraping tool. Only credit card or library cards work great.

___ 2 tins or plastic containers (for storing ink and gesso). (tuna can or something plastic works well.

___ (2) sm jars or plastic container for washing your brushes.

___ Spray Fixative: Lascaux for finish work or any workable fixative for working (optional)

___ Glassine Paper: to put over your finished work to protect it in transport. Or sandwich between two

pieces of gatorboard. (optional)

___ Photo references of landscapes to bring for inspiration (either on an ipad or printed out) of what you

want to paint. KEEP IT SIMPLE. Think 3-5 big shapes. No intricate detailed photos please. Instructor will

have inspirational photos as well.

(optional) (please bring cash or a check to the instructor), I will bring extra gesso, ink, paper for purchase.

provide gator board, sanded gesso medium, roller and sandpaper, as well as lecture, demo and hands-

on guidance if people want to try preparing your own surface boards. If possible, I will have extra paper if

people want to purchase more from me.

 SUPPLY FEE option

For $20 supply fee (please bring cash or a check to the instructor), Amanda will provide  gator board, sanded gesso medium, roller and sandpaper, as well as lecture, demo and hands-on guidance if people want to try preparing your own surface boards.  If possible, I will have extra paper if people want to purchase more from me.