MATERIALS

Gather your supplies, it is time to paint!

THE GOODS.

On this page, I’ll share recommendations for my favorite supplies to gather to get started painting large-scale intuitive paintings.

Please use this page as a guide, and rest assured that if you don’t have absolutely everything, it’s okay! Sometimes not having what we think we need, opens up new and interesting doors.

You can click on the products below to find them through Blick (please note that I am a Blick affiliate), or you can print out this page to purchase at your favorite art supply store.

If you’d like to learn more about how to get started painting, or would like to be guided step-by-step through my intuitive painting process to create large-scale intuitive paintings, I recommend starting with my REUNITE Virtual Retreat or my Bloom True E-Course.  Both courses are designed for beginners and experienced artists alike.

SUGGESTED MATERIALS LIST

Canvas:

Pre-stretched and pre-gessoed canvas is the easiest thing to paint on. Stretched canvas from the art supply store usually comes pre-gessoed (if it is a smooth white, you know it’s primed and ready to go). I suggest no canvas smaller than 24” x 24”, the bigger the better for this process! In my workshops, students use 36″ x 36″ traditional profile canvases. If purchasing stretched canvas feels inaccessible right now, you are welcome to paint on watercolor paper, panels (pine or masonite from the hardware store), over old paintings from thrift shops, cardboard, old wood, or doors (you’ll want to gesso these surfaces first). Some of these surfaces will not be “archival,” but they are great for practice and learning.

Watercolor Paper:

Watercolor paper can be a great way to start out painting on an inexpensive surface. You can cut it down to any size you want. I like keeping watercolor paper around to wipe my brushes off on at the end of a painting sesh – it becomes the first layer of a new painting, and keeps excessive paint from washing down the drain!

Brushes:

You are welcome to use any brushes you enjoy using for this course. I prefer POLY Foam Brushes (the kind from the hardware store) and any brand of cheap bristle brushes from the art supply store. In my workshops, we use Crafter’s Choice brushes. I also love Blick’s “Mega Brush” series. I suggest using a variety of shapes and sizes, and make sure you have at least one small brush with a pointy tip for details. Start with at least ten brushes (a mixture of foam and bristle).

Other Painting Tools:

Please have a variety of etching and stamping tools such as old pens, bottle caps, bubble wrap, combs, potato stamps, etc. You may also catch me using Catalyst Blades for etching into paint. No need to buy anything new, just look around the house and be creative! The possibilities are endless.

Palette:

I use a sheet of glass with a white piece of paper under it to see the true colors on my palette. Glass is easy to clean with a razor, and it also feels good under a brush. If you are using a glass palette, please tape the edges for safety. Cookie sheets, muffin tins, a piece of card-board, pages from old books, or palette paper will also work as surfaces for your paint.

Water Spray Bottle:

The bigger the better, and make sure it works well on the “mist” setting. You will use your spray bottle for making drips in your paint, and also to keep your paints from drying out on your palette.

Barrier Cream:

Apply barrier cream to your hands to create a thin protective barrier between your hands and the paint. This cream also makes cleaning paint off your hands easier. My favorite brand is called Invisible Care. Please use gloves if you do not want paint on your hands. This is your choice.

SUGGESTED PAINT LIST

Acrylic Paint:

You are welcome to start with a basic acrylic paint set, and add to your collection as you go. At the very least, make sure you have titanium white, a black, a red, a yellow, and a blue (any shade, at least 4 oz of each). You are welcome to collect any other additional colors your heart desires.

Some of my absolute favorite Golden colors are: Titanium White (heavy bodied), Carbon Black, Quinacridone Nickel Azo Gold (fluid), Quinacridone Magenta (fluid), Turquoise (Phthalo) (fluid), Teal, Prussian Blue, Pyrrole Red, Sap Green, Iridescent Gold (Fine), Fluorescent Pink, and Fluorescent Red. I specified the colors I always get in heavy bodied or fluid, but I suggest getting a mix of fluid and heavy bodied paint overall.

SUGGESTED MATERIALS LIST

More Paint Options:

I love Golden Acrylic Paint (a mix of their heavy bodied and fluid paints is great), but it is quite expensive and definitely not necessary for this course. I also love Holbein Acrylics. This Holbein “Luminous Set” is particularly lovely.

Another great, more affordable option I love to work with is Blick Matte Acrylics, which has a wide variety of matte colors to choose from. Please buy paints based on your budget, and what will make you feel the most “free” with using them liberally. You can always mix and match, or use whatever paints you have available to you.

Acrylic Glazing Medium:

I use acrylic glazing medium sparingly in my process.It can be helpful if you don’t have any fluid paint, to mix into your heavy-bodied paint for more textural variety. It’s also great for making translucent layers. I love “gloss,” but any sheen will work. This is not a crucial material for this course, and entirely optional.

Varnish:

Once the painting is finished and you know you don’t want to add any more layers, I highly recommend varnishing it with an archival varnish to protect your work, especially if you plan to sell it.

Drop Cloth:

Make sure all surfaces are covered with drop cloths or plastic sheets to keep walls and floors clean (if you care about that!). A shower curtain or liner can be an more affordable alternative to a cotton drop cloth. If the surface you’re standing on is too slippery, you can find a small rug from a thrift store to put on top of your plastic drop cloth.

Blank Journal:

Any kind will do! You can also use a sketchbook or blank copy paper if you have that available. I also recommend loose cardstock or mixed media paper for inspiration archiving.

Apron:

Acrylic paint won’t wash out of fabric, so I definitely recommend using and apron and/or comfy painting clothes (that you don’t mind getting messy!).

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTED MATERIALS

Cup or Jar for Water:

This will be a place to put your brushes to keep them from drying out while you are painting.

Rags:

Old towels or sheets work great! (The paint will not wash out of the rags, so only use something you don’t mind tossing later)

A Place to Paint:

I prefer to hang my canvases directly on two screws or nails in the wall. This keeps my canvases sturdy while I’m painting, and saves space. You can also use an easel, a table, though it’s helpful to find a way to prop your painting up if you are working on a table.

Good Lighting:

If your painting space doesn’t already have good light,you can move some extra lamps into your space or add a couple of clamp lights from the hardware store to add more.

Inspiration:

Images and/or objects for reference material and inspiration.

Altar:

Meaningful items to create an altar near your painting space. For example, a candle, a plant, and small items that inspire you.

Music:

I highly recommend painting along to your favorite music to get in the zone. If you’re not sure what to paint to, I have plenty of playlists to choose from on Spotify.

Trust:

An open heart and mind and last but not least… TRUST!