In this 5-week course we explore two different ways of beginning an oil painting using two
different limited palettes:
1. The Primary Prismatic Palette: We mix a full range of colors using red, yellow, blue, and
white. Avoiding the use of lines, we apply the paint as dots (or any gestural brushstroke
that is not a line) to experience how paint itself creates the illusion of three-dimensions,
light, and space.
2. The Earth Palette: Using classical techniques, we make a painting in three layers.
Day 1: transparent monochromatic underpainting for establishing values from light to dark.
Day 2: earth colors plus white for suggesting hues and warm/cool relationships.
Day 3: we complete the painting using a full palette with transparent glazing, translucent Velatura, opaque, and impasto paint applications. We practice loading the lights to make the image pop, and we contrast that technique with painting the darkest darks transparently.
Required Supplies
BRUSHES
A variety of brushes, including the following:
• bristle round size 2 A must for the first day of class.
• bristle filberts and/or bristle flats sizes 4, 6
• A must for day 3 of this class: Economy White Bristle Brush size 2-inch. These are sold as
inexpensive gesso brushes at Blick https://www.dickblick.com/items/blick-economy-white-
bristle-brush-gesso-2/
SOLVENT
Solvent in a small jar for cleaning brushes and also for mixing painting mediums: odorless
mineral spirits (Gamblin Gamsol).
SOAP: plain white bar soap such as Ivory
LINSEED OIL (refined)
PALETTE (a rectangular shape works best)
We will be mixing many gradations of colors so a bigger palette is better than a small one.
• disposable paper or wood or plexiglass or any other surface intended for oil paints
• recommended paper palette available at Blick: https://www.dickblick.com/items/blick-
palette-paper-pad-12-x-16-50-sheets/
PALETTE/PAINTING KNIFE
For this class the best shape is: “Painting Knife - Small Long Spade 50” https://
www.dickblick.com/items/blick-painting-knife-58-x-2-78-traditional-style-50-/
PAPER TOWELS
NITRILE GLOVES
PAPER AND PEN OR PENCIL FOR SMALL VALUE SKETCHES
OIL PAINTS
• quinacridone red
• cadmium yellow medium
• ultramarine blue (note: not a phthalocyanine blue)
• earth red such as Old Holland red ochre or Williamsburg “Italian Rosso Veneto” (note not
Venetian red unless it is Williamsburg Italian Rosso Veneto)
• yellow ochre (PY 43): Old Holland yellow ochre light is best
• ivory black
• titanium white or titanium zinc white
PAINTING MEDIUMS
In a small glass jar or eyedropper bottle, mix odorless mineral spirits and refined linseed oil for
each day as follows:
• Day one—2 parts odorless mineral spirits plus 1 part refined linseed oil
• Day two—refined linseed oil
• Day three—2 parts odorless mineral spirits plus 1 part refined linseed oil
• Day four—1 part odorless mineral spirits plus 1 part refined linseed oil
• Day five—refined linseed oil
You will also need a shallow dish or jar lid for small amounts of medium to use while painting
WHAT TO PAINT ON?
A WHITE SURFACE, PRIMED FOR OIL PAINTS (Do not tone the surface with an Imprimatura)
Not smaller than 9 x 12 inches. Here are a few options:
• stretched and primed canvas
• gessoed panel
• Fredrix canvas pad (these are not sold at Blick in Seattle, but they can be ordered online.
This brand is superior to Blick canvas pads)
• gessoed mat board, museum board, or heavyweight hot pressed watercolor paper—Use a
minimum of 3 coats of Golden white acrylic gesso. Change the direction of the brushstrokes
for each layer.
Note: Painting in oils on an acrylic gesso priming is perfectly sound, as long as the gesso has
had time to cure and is completely dry. Overnight is a sufficient amount of drying time.
