Art Box Studio’s FAQ
Sylvia answers some of the frequency asked question about what will be need to attend her Workshops or Open Monday Studio. If you have other questions, please contact Sylvia at artboxsylvia@netzero.net, or call 1-909-981-4508.
What does WATERMEDIA mean?
In art, watermedia is the general term for media
that are used by diluting them with water, as opposed to oil or other media.
Examples are: Watercolor, Gouache, Caran D’ache, watercolor pencils, watercolor crayons, acrylics.
No oils of any kind, oil based materials, or solvents, please.
What kind of supplies do you need?
Watermedia: Watercolors of a good quality are recommended. Professional quality is best due to high pigment and strong, intense colors. The Colors: Basically, you need red, yellow, blue, and whatever else you want. There are warms and cools of each color, so beginning with a limited
palette is interesting. A limited palette is only a few colors.
Primary Palettes: (1) Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Red Medium, Cobalt Blue; (2) Hansa or Lemon Yellow, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue
Others: Burnt Sienna, Hooker’s Green Dark, Sap Green, Cerulean Blue, Cobalt Violet Deep…
Reference: Color Wheel
Brands: American Journey, Winsor & Newton, Da Vinci, Daniel Smith, Holbein, Grumbacher.
Standard watercolor paint tube size is 15 ml, but some brands such as American Journey Professional watercolors (Cheap Joe’s) and DaVinci make a 37 ml value size. Best deal is to buy large tube paints or sets on sale!
Paper: 140 pound professional watercolor paper, such as Arches, is recommended. Watercolor paper comes in rough, cold press, and hot press surfaces. Cold press is recommended for beginning artists. The standard size of a sheet of watercolor paper is 22″ x 30.” A sheet may be divided into halves or fourths.
A watercolor block or a watercolor pad is also a good way to begin. Minimum apx. size: 11″ x 14″
Watercolor blocks are handy to take on location or use casually since they have a rigid board under the sheets of watercolor paper.
Brushes: Synthetic, synthetic-sable blend, squirrel, or sable are all good choices. Sizes recommended to begin are: #8 round, #12 or #14 round, 1/2″ flat and/or 1″ flat, plus any other sizes you wish. Brushes can be expensive, so try the fewer brushes first.
Board: Though you may purchase a painting board, a piece of foam core board works to get started.
Best choices are tempered masonite, wood, gatorboard, or plastic professional painting board,
such as Champion watercolor backing board (usually around $12 for a 15″ x 22″ white plastic board).
Palette: Any palette with deep wells and a lid is suitable. Though not as neat, even plastic ice trays and aluminum foil for lid may be used to get started.
Odds and Ends: Paper towels, tissue to blot (facial or toilet varieties), water container, sponges.
Luxuries: An easel, the Winsor & Newton Arun box table easel, watercolor easel, 300# paper, sable brushes…
Where can you purchase art supplies?
The answer to this question depends on where you live. Most Californians have either a nearby Michael’s-the arts & crafts store.
Some towns have local art marts such as Pace Arts, Dick Blick, or others. Check your local phone books under “art.” Look for specials in local newspapers or ads!
And then, there’s the internet! Though there are many great vendors, our first choice internet recommendations are as follows: Cheap Joe’s Art Stuff, Daniel Smith’s Art Materials, Dick Blick Art Materials.