Resources for Brushes, Paint, Books & more..
BRUSHES
Aloria Weaver uses Escoda brushes that are made by hand in Barcelona. Their brush series' range from synthetic sable to traditional natural bristles. The synthetic Escoda brushes are highly recommended for finely nuanced detail work and local glazing.
Filberts: 8, 10, 12
Rounds: 1, 2, 4
Oval Wash 3/4”, Flat Wash 2”
Series 107 Goat Hair Oval Wash -or- Series 108 Goat Hair Domed White:
Small & Medium
Round: 4, 6
As a more economical alternative, Silver Ruby Satin has a variety of soft synthetic brushes, including Monogram and Script Liners, which work well with egg tempera to achieve fine hatching.
PAINT
As with all other materials, we suggest to our students to buy the best paint that their budget allows for. Low-end materials have their place when learning to use a given medium, but at a certain point of artistic sophistication, higher quality materials can make a big difference, not only in the appearance of the finished work, but in the handling and construction of the layers of an indirect painting. There is a distinct qualitative difference between student and professional grade oil paint.
At the upper end of the spectrum of store-bought tube oil paint is Old Holland. Their paint is truly pigment-rich in comparison to most other brands, and their modern transparent lake colors are particularly suited for glazing techniques.
Michael Harding makes a very high-quality line of handmade oil paints, including their Genuine Naples Yellow in two shades that are comprised of traditional lead pigment, rather than the mixtures produced by most other companies.
Williamsburg is known for its high-quality handmade oil paints. The company was sold to Golden Acrylics some years ago, so time will tell whether the quality will remain the same.
Once purchased, oil paint has a long shelf-life, so it can be worth investing in the highest quality available.
OTHER SUPPLIES
RGM Idea Line solid stainless steel palette knife made in Italy - size 19 IR
Loew Cornell steel painting knife with wood handle - #12 (or similar)
Oil Palette
Porcelain enameled metal trays with a convex center. For use as a palette or glazing tray. Useful for travel as they're lightweight, unbreakable & wet palettes can easily be stored in a ziplock bag. Somewhat challenging to clean if your oil paint dries in the corners.
Disposable grey palette paper - size 9x12"
The grey paper provides a neutral background for mixing accurate values, paper is discarded after use.
*Note: generally designed to be held in the left hand. Left-handed artists who wish to hold the palette in their right hand will need to file/sand the thumb-hole bevel in the opposite direction.
Tempera Palette
Aluminum palette
*Nice for mixing egg tempera, as it allows you to see the strength & opacity of the white.
Round or Rectangular plastic palettes
Round porcelain palette
Transporting Wet Oil Paintings
ONLINE MATERIALS RESOURCES
Natural Pigments
Natural Earth Paint (Luminous Flux students receive a 50% discount)
Judsons Art Outfitters
BOOKS
The following is a short list of reference materials, from traditional technical manuals to inspirational essays. Ultimately it is not one single holy text, but a library of diverse approaches to art that is of the greatest service to the practicing artist.
Ceninno Ceninni
Il Libro Dell’Arte (The Craftsman's Handbook), 1437
Methods and Materials of Painting of the Great Schools and Masters, 1847
Charles Blanc
A Grammar of Painting & Engraving, 1889
Harold Speed
The Practice & Science of Drawing, 1913
Oil Painting Techniques & Materials, 1924
Robert Henri
The Art Spirit, 1923
Max Doerner
The Materials of the Artist and Their Use in Painting, 1934
Daniel V. Thompson Jr.
The Practice of Tempera Painting : Materials & Methods, 1936
Ralph Mayer
The Artist's Handbook of Materials & Techniques, 1940
5o Secrets of Magic Craftsmanship, 1948
Burne Hogarth
Dynamic Anatomy, 1958
Drawing Dynamic Hands, 1977
Robert Beverly Hale
Drawing Lessons from the Great Masters, 1964
James Elkins
What Painting Is
Juliette Aristides
Classical Drawing Atelier, 2006
Classical Painting Atelier, 2008
Lessons in Classical Drawing, 2011
Spike Bucklow
The Alchemy of Paint, 2009
Tad Spurgeon
Living Craft, 2015
Nick Neddo
The Organic Artist, 2015