Kevin Scully Studio/Plein-air Materials List

MATERIALS:

Here is a list of basic equipment that you may like to bring. Please amend it as necessary and include any of your favourite materials.

Paper:

Watercolour paper no larger than A3. 300 g/m2 (140 lb) NOT surface (Cold pressed). Arches, Fabriano, or Saunders Waterford are all excellent makes. In the interests of economy, Bockingford or Langton are a reasonable alternative. Or you may prefer to work in a watercolour sketchbook. The school has paper to buy.

Paints: ‘Artists Quality’ watercolours in small tubes are the best, as these allow you to mix large amounts of colour for washes. Or if you prefer, pans of colour in a folding palette. Winsor & Newton (not Cotman), Jackson’s, Schmincke, Sennelier, or Daniel Smith are among the best quality watercolours.

Suggested colours:

You won’t need all of these, but these are the colours I generally use. Just bring along those that you have.

Cadmium Yellow Light
Cadmium Red
Alizarin Crimson
Winsor Violet or Dioxazine Purple
Permanent Rose or Magenta
French Ultramarine
Cobalt Blue or Winsor Blue
Cerulean Blue
Viridian Green or Phthalo Green
Hookers Green
Raw Sienna or Yellow Ochre
Burnt Sienna
Raw Umber
Burnt Umber
Payne’s grey
Neutral Tint or Black

Brushes:

Round, watercolour brushes in sizes approx. 3, 8, and 10 or 12.
A square brush approx. 1/4 or 1/2.
Synthetic brushes are fine.
A larger brush for washes.

Other Materials:

A small tube of white gouache HB pencil and sharpener.
Ruler.
Lightweight drawing board or watercolour sketchbook if we are outdoors.
Putty rubber.
Masking tape Tissues or kitchen towel.
Large palette with several mixing wells.
Jar with lid or paper/plastic cup for holding water if we are outdoors.
A bag to carry your materials in, if outdoors.
A folding stool or chair, if outdoors.
If you don’t have a folding chair the school has some spares.

As an alternative to just watercolour, you might want to work in another water-based medium, for example:

Pen and watercolour wash.
For this you will need a couple of waterproof black pens, sizes approximately 0.3 and 0.5.
Watercolour pencils combined with water brushes.
Coloured inks or acrylic inks.
Coloured pencils, or just pencils.