A QUEST FOR EXPRESSION
An article written for Daniel Smith's publication Inksmith.
Supply List
Stella Canfield
This supply list is mostly for the beginners, to give them an idea of the very basic colors and other supplies that I personally recommend to start with. Please note that the list also retains my personal choice of supplies.
If you are not a beginner and already have supplies please do not hesitate to use them. However, I do
recommend using professional quality supplies, the result depends on it.
Paints:
Hansa Yellow Light DS, (very cool yellow)
Hansa Yellow medium DS (warm yellow),
Raw Sienna WN (very warm yellow), Raw Sienna Light DS Raw Umber WN (earthy brownish yellow),
Quanacvadon Burned Orange DS,
Cadmium Red WN,
Permanent Alizarin Crimson WN,
Olive Green WN,
French Ultramarine Bleu DS ,
Cobalt Bleu DS,
Cerulean Bleu WN or the new DS.
The paints above are my basic colors and are my personal choice. They are in no way better than any others! Windsor and Newton , Daniel Smith, Grumbacher, Holbine or Schminke colors are equally good and I use them all.
Palette: Covered plastic palette with at least 12 wells and large mixing space. John Pike Palette is an excellent choice since it is sturdier and more airtight then any other palette on the market.
Brushes: There are many brushes on the market, synthetic and natural, cheap and expensive. Think of how serious you are with painting and how gentle OR not gentle you are. I prefer a softer brush (mix of synthetic and Natural hair) with a big “belly” to cary the water and pigment and also not too expensive as I am not gentle with my brushes :-) If you need help with buying and choosing brushes, you are welcome to give me a call or email me. I will be more than happy to be of assistance.
Silver Brush Black Velvet, synthetic and squirrel hair brushes are my choice: Very inexpensive for the quality they represent.
I use:
Mop (Jumbo Round) - Large,
Round #20 and #12 and #8 Liner #8
and a Harmony Squirrel Quill #0 or #1 as a rigger.
If you are serious about painting, I would recommend you get a Sky WASH 1 1⁄2" flat brush also from the same series (for painting on larger papers). My advice is to start with at least three good mixed or natural hair brushes. Treat yourself to it; it is worth it!
Paper: 3 full sheets (more if you wish) / make 6 half or 12 quarter sheets/ 140 lb. cold press paper. My personal choice is Arches Paper. Use of professional quality paper is recommended.
Light board: (gaterboard, foam board or corrugated plastic) to attach your paper on for support, approximately 23 x 16 /for half sheet paper/.
Misc.: Sketchbook, pencil, kneaded eraser, 2 water containers /plastic jars, 1quart/, paper towels, masking tape or big clamps to attach the paper to the board. Kitchen SPONGE (not abrasive), rollers etc.
Photo references. I strongly recommend the use of your OWN photographs as references. It is essential for expressing emotion, your OWN emotion!
If you have any problem, please email me at studio@stellacanfield.com. I will be happy to help you.
Here are some WebPages for art supplies:
Daniel Smith www.danielsmith.com
Cheap Joe's Art Stuff: www.cheapjoes.com
AWS Arts Supplies www.aswexpress.com
Jerry’s Artarama Art Express www.jerryscatalog.com
If you research for “artist+supplies” on the Web, you will find more.
Daniel Smith www.danielsmith.com in Seattle, on 1st Ave (or the same store in Bellevue or Silverdale), is one of my favorite places to go. If you have a chance, visit it and acquaint yourself with some watercolor supplies.
Recommended Books:
Drawing on the right side of the brain, Betty Edwards, $13.50 at www.amazon.com.
Carlson’s Guide for Landscape Painting, John Carlson, $8.95 at www.amazon.com.
Powerful Landscapes, Catharine Gill, $19.90, at www.amazon.com.
Fast Sketching Techniques, David Rankin, $16 at www.amazon.com.
The Art Spirit by Robert Henri, $13.95 at www.amazone.com.
The Figure by Walt Reed, $14.45 at www.amzon.com.
