Inspiration Starts Here

You will be responsible for some of your source material.
Please Read Thoroughly!
You need to prepare some beforehand.

Below is a MATERIAL LIST and INSTRUCTIONS on preparing for this workshop. My intention is to work with you individually and help you focus on personal expression and your painting voice. In order to do that you will need to do a bit of thinking beforehand. I’ve given you instructions in the information below.

I intend to make this a very personal workshop so please feel free to bring any questions regarding your work.

Be sure to bring a notebook!!

PREPARING FOR THE WORKSHOP

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(At least) One project will be focused on abstract landscape. The easiest is to focus on the landscape around you for the next three weeks. We will be partially working from memory, so it is important that you think about these options before the workshop.
Examples:
• if you live in California, look at the rolling California hills. Notice their colors and forms. Bring any reference photos. Look at reference images online. Google, “Images of California Hills.” Print out any that inspire you. Here is one with poppies:
https://www.gettyimages.com/photos/antelope-valley-poppy-reserve
Alternatively:
• If you have a beautiful garden, take a bunch of reference photos and notice colors, shapes, light.
• If you have travelled somewhere that inspired you, bring your photos and possibly any additional reference photos that you may find online.
The important idea is to find some landscape imagery to work with that inspires you!
We will be working from various still life objects.
If you do have any of your own that you excite you, of course, feel free to bring them!
I realize you may be travelling but even a small item or two of your own can contribute to an interesting still life as you will see.
Please bring a photo of yourself or another person that is a straight on shot. See the example below. We will be working with abstracting faces as will as the concept of masks for expressive and creative expression.
You will want the App called “Notanizer".
Apple “ https://apps.apple.com/us/app/notanizer/id1169086981
Google: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bigpantsgroup.notanizer&hl=en_US
For those of you who want to spend more time focusing on the figure, you may absolutely do that.
Please bring your source photos of figures that you would like to paint. Suggestions for selecting a good photo are below.

How to select a good figurative reference photo:

These can come from magazines, mail order catalogues, the internet, and best of all your own personal photo stash. The key to good photos is a good sense of light. You want light and shadow on your figure. Flat overall lighting makes the image difficult to interpret. With more experience it gets easier, however when learning to paint the figure it is best to have good shadows (darks) and good lights (light) on the figure in your photograph. Black and white photos are actually preferable, as they open up your interpretation of color.

If you are printing photos be sure to use photo paper. Photos printed on regular computer paper tend to be washed out and lack the values that we want. Decent photo paper makes a huge difference.

Here is a good example of a photo with a strong light source. This is a particularly exaggerated light source, however that makes it easy to really see the shapes.

I have found that the more you connect to the photo and the more personal it is, the more successful the painting typically.

Example of Straight on Face Photo

Ideally you want to have a light and dark side of the face. Shadows can help when you are tying to create a more abstracted image.

You may also want to print out the image as a Notan using the Notanizer App. as mentioned in the instructions above. I recommend using either three or four values.

Supplies

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I am not particular about colors. Bring as many as you feel comfortable with. What is important to me is that you have lots of paint to work with. We don’t want to skimp on paint. Most of you have been painting for a while, so bring the colors you are comfortable with!
For those of you who have trouble with skin tones, be sure to bring Cadmium Red Light, Black, and Yellow Ochre or Gold Ochre.
ACRYLIC PAINTERS
Whatever mediums you prefer.
To keep working on Acrylics longer (more like oils) bring Golden’s Acrylic Glazing Liquid, gloss or matte.
OIL PAINTERS
I like Gamblin’s Gel Medium personally, but bring whatever you typically use.
Odorless Mineral Spirits ONLY
Cold Wax if you are interested. Not required. (I am not specifically teaching cold wax methods in this class)
CANVAS
When possible, bring several different sizes to class to choose from.
2-3 medium size (around 24” × 24” or 20” x 20” — does not need to be square! That is only a general reference for size)
2-3 small like 12” × 12”
Realistically, in a three day workshop you will be working on three medium canvases max, so I wouldn’t bring more of that size.
Wood panels, stretched canvas or canvas boards are all acceptable. We will be working on easels.
I have found that if you substrate is too large, students do not complete much work as there is simply not enough time.
The point is to work larger if at all possible, but obviously there may be restrictions with travel, so just bring what is easy for you.
PAPER
Oil Painters please bring a pad of Arches Oil paper 9 × 12
Acrylic Painters please bring a pad of Watercolor paper or similar
▪ Graphite - I prefer 9B (soft)
▪ China Marker
▪ Pastels
▪ Stencils
▪ Oil Bars (for Oil painters)
▪ Any other tools you like to use
Bring what you are used to using. Be sure to bring some larger ones. 1” to 2” size. These can be inexpensive “Chip” brushes from a house paint or hardware store. (about $1.00 each) My favorite brushes are 1” chip brushes that I can throw away when they get worn out.
Just make sure to bring some larger sizes. This class is not about painting eyelashes!
Spade shape is my favorite. Bring several sizes (or what you are used to)
Bring one! Wood, paper, glass, plexi, all are acceptable
One Full Roll paper towels (Viva brand are the best, mark my words, after you try them you’ll never get anything else). 
Gloves  
1” Blue Painters Tape
Sketchbook/Notebook and pen or pencil 
Squeegees if you use them
OIL PAINTERS
Clean jar with lid to pour out your used OMS. 
Start saving pizza boxes to carry your wet paintings in. Saves your car! Or other protective material or travel carriers.
ACRYLIC PAINTERS
Container for your water. 
Spritzer to keep paintings wet when necessary