Back Lessons: Introduction and supply list (prior to Sprigg Zoner lessons 1-4)

     Welcome, Sprigg Zoner, to having a wonderful time painting together.   My hopes for this blog: Within 3 months I can have posted reference step by step painting photos. By January I hope to have video's for you too. Meanwhile these are class directions and  lecture notes for my physical location painting students. I think they may be helpful to reflect on as the videos are completed and posted.

Here we go!

      If you are an experienced painter, bring the palette of colors that makes you the most comfortable, or the suggested class palette below. If you've been to workshops or taken lessons from multiple instructors, or read books on painting, you know each can add to who you are as an artist and the work you produce. 

    With each experience as a Zoner, you will grow as an artist: Doing is everything!

    About Susan Sprigg: I am a professional Artist and Art instructor and this is the first time I have made valuable instruction available to the public for free.  It is a project I have wanted to do for sometime, my way of giving to community and encouraging the joy of painting and making art. Painting regularly being a Sprigg Zoner will help you become the best you can be and adds to your foundation as an artist.

    

 What and where the Zoners paint: You are welcome to work on any painting you want, paint while I lecture and demo, or follow along taking notes, or you may paint the class project with your selected subject matter. This informal approach has worked well for my students in the past and I find it a very productive way to teach and assist painters on a weekly basis. Currently we paint at the High Desert Book Oasis lounge area.  We paint outside and sometimes inside and location may vary, however is currently stable at Oasis. Please join Susanspriggsinthezoneapplevalleyoilpainters@meetup.com for Class info and postings. Also join Susanspriggdailyartweekly@blogspot.com. in the white strip across the top under the blog title. Both are new sites. The blog posts are lesson notes with soon to be step-by-step photos to help students on line. I also do critiques by email.

     For a first time in my teaching I will paint on small oddments* when I demonstrate to you individually in our physical class how to apply paint, brush stroke, color choice and it's influence etc., instead of on your canvas during my painter assistance. This insures that your painting is all your own original art. You will achieve skill and mastery much faster by doing it completely yourself, to help you be more pleased by your own achievement. However, I can show you on your painting if you invite me to do so.
Sprigg Zoner Paintings are available for viewing under Pictures in the photo gallery. The Suggested Supply list is below:

Thank-you for joining! See you Soon!

Here are some helpful answers to questions my students have had in the past:
Palette colors: If you are an Advanced painter or If you are a beginner you may start with the most minimal palette of colors, and expand it as you paint. I think it is the best way to advance quickly, learning to mix yellow ochre, burnt sienna, burnt umber, black and main palette colors. 

3 color palette plus whie:

You will need a 3 color selection of 37 ml tubes colors: Cadmium yellow light,(or it's less expensive replacement lemon yellow).

Alizarin Crimson, ( it is spelled many ways depending on manufacturer's spelling - Alizarin fades easily in direct light after a long exposure so it is available in many grades. Permanent Alizarin is a superior fixed color)

UltraMarine Blue

150-200ml tube of White (I use flake white but any will due.)

I don't use black, I mix it.

Brushes:
You may start with a minimum selection of brushes: 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch flat or flat bright (brights are shorter bristles), number 4 and 6, filbert, number 10 or 12 filbert large and a number 4, 5, or 6 round.
Brush sizes are not consistently uniform between manufacturers. So for the basics you need a mixture of flats, filberts and rounds which are small , medium and large in size. Large is one inch flat. Beginners, make sure they are acrylic or oil brushes.Standard Supply list:

Standing easel or table with small easel. ( I have limited table setup for your use at this time but so far so good)
2 clear small plastic or glass jars with lids.
Orderless Turpenoid ( to be kind to fellow students) I prefer quality turpentine when painting in my studio, mineral spirits are okay too.
Viva Paper Towels or cloth rag for cleaning brushes
Disposable palette or a flat plexi or glass palette 12"x 16" or larger.
2 8x10 cotton canvasses for your first painting. (one to paint on one to prep) Or you can bring any size you are working on.


Expanded palette of colors:
37 ml tubes:
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium Yellow Light or Lemon Yellow
Cadmium Red light, or Red light
Alizarin Crimson
Thalo Blue
Ultramarine Blue
Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber
Flake White is my favorite white, any white will do. I always buy a 200 ml. tube of white. It is the color you will use most.

I will introduce other colors for certain pallettes for portraiture, after impressionists etc.

Suggested Brushes:
Silver Brush Grand Prix Brushes
#4 filbert, round, and flat
#6 filbert
#10 or #12 filbert
1/2" and 3/4" sable  or sable synthetic (for glazing, smooth backgrounds etc.)
# 1, 2, or 3 Script liner 

I like mongoose also.

Add to your inventory as you wish. Wear clothes you don't mind getting paint on.

Hope this is helpful. i will introduce you to more elegant setups and suppliers as we go along. For now simpler is better for affordability and familiarization.