SUPPLIES for THE SCOTLAND ARTIST RETREAT
PLEASE NOTE: THIS PAGE WAS CREATED FOR THE 2022 ARTIST RETREAT…Though we may have a new instructor in 2023, most of the information and suggestions will stay the same.
(PLEASE READ THIS PAGE THOROUGHLY BEFORE ORDERING) All items in the Amazon list are suggested items and are not mandatory. You can choose out of the list what items you may need for the retreat. Some of you may already have some of these items. I have compiled a list in Amazon of a variety of paper sizes, sketchbooks, dry and wet media, etc.
AMAZON- SUPPLY LIST - CLICK HERE TO SEE THE LIST CREATED IN AMAZON
SHIPPING SUPPLIES to Brodie Castle INFO (Downloadable PDF file)
YOU MUST SHIP OUT at least THREE WEEKS before retreat or risk it not getting there in time!
CONDENSED SUPPLY LIST (Downloadable PDF File)
See exactly what art supplies you CAN and CANNOT take on the Plane HERE
The first bit of information below will provide simple sketching and sketch painting materials list with a few videos showing you how and what to pack. I also share info on easels and other materials (depending on your media of choice) you will need for the retreat.
You have a choice of joining the excursions/demos or relaxing at the castle where you may also paint in the castle stables. If you are tired, do not push yourself, as there are type A personalities who want to do it all, tired or not. Just know when you need rest!
There are a few ways in which you may visually journal or paint on location while attending the artist retreat. Some of you may want to only go on a few excursions or may just want to sketch a little instead of bringing the full plein air set up to the excursions. Take a peek at Luis Simoes discussing his travel painting excursions and materials.
You may choose to do the following on off-site excursion days:
Stay at the castle and only paint the castle and its grounds or read a book, or sleep, etc. (Yes…sometimes you just want to relax)
Join us on chosen or all excursions and only bring your sketchbook and sketching and/or watercolor sketching materials (you may bring a small folding stool or simply sit on a grassy bank, or rock, bench, etc.) and just sketch your chosen environment or bring a tripod easel with simple set up for water-based media and sketching..folding stool optional .
Join us on chosen or all excursions and bring a full Plein air easel set up complete with palette box, oils, water-based oils or acrylics, other plein air supplies and perhaps sketching materials to work out compositional studies, etc.
Once you decide to what degree you would like to participate in our guest artist demos/ workshops and on-site and off-site instruction, you will then need to take a look below at what travel sketch and/or Plein air painting supplies/set-up you will want to bring/purchase. Please do not bring everything under the sun, so to speak. Bring what you know you will use.
Basic Travel Sketching Supplies:
Small easily portable sketchbook and or watercolor pad 5 x7 to 9 x 12 recommended (needs to easily fit in your travel back pack)
Drawing pencils (6B, 4B, 2B, B, HB) and ink pens, 2 or 3 (Microns are a favorite various thickness -01,03.and 0.5 …or a 0.1 or even an RR) you can buy a pack of 3 for 7 bucks at target, charcoal, graphite sticks, eraser, small pencil sharpener, conte’ crayon.
Other dry media: colored pencils, pastels
Small containers for drawing materials…pencil pouch works great.
Additional Travel Sketching Supplies
Wet sketching media: watercolor pencils, watercolors in pans or small tubes, small tubes of gouache. a travel-size watercolor set with a palette and a brush or two is fine. I usually use small round brushes but occasionally use a flat if painting buildings or sharp-edged rocks or objects.
I use a Windsor and Newton travel watercolor set with half pan colors the folds out with a palette and has a brush.
Small ruler if drawing buildings where perspective is challenging, 1/4 inch roll of tape if you want clean borders.
Two or three small paintbrushes, rounds, flats
Here is a great video of an artist, Brian Ashmore who paints with watercolor on how to pack small, compact travel sketching/ painting supplies. Amazing how much his little pouch contains.
Brian Ashmore gives a review and explanation of many travel watercolor palettes available, pros and cons. GREAT video.
The other video is of his watercolor painting bag and all his contents and supplies.
Here is a link on what to bring if you are wanting to do a little wilderness sketching.
EASELS & POCHADE BOXES
I paint the figure in an abstract manner, but also in a more impressionistic and expressive manner in the landscape, usually. I have a Joshua Bean, Prolific Painter that I
Meanwhile, take a look at the info by Charlie Parker on the different types of easels out there and where to get them. It is very informative and will help you make a decision about what easel to get if you do not have a travel easel.
REQUIREMENTS OF THE PLEIN AIR SETUP
It needs to be portable and able to fit within a hiking backpack, without compromising too many of the studio benefits
It needs to be lightweight
It needs to be easy to clean and pack up
It needs to be environmentally friendly (I want to leave the environment as it was before I painted there).
EVERYTHING INCLUDED IN MY PLEIN AIR PAINTING SETUP
The info below is for oil. If you are setting up to paint in pastels, or watercolor, the set up may be similar, minus the solvents….sample below.
Details on types and colors of paints, brands of brushes, sizes, etc. are below.
Guerrilla pochade box with a clear glass palette and Tripod OR
Coulter Style Easel. Palette Box with glass palette inside, and Tripod (This is now my preferred choice) I have a Joshua Been, Prolific painter easel.
-Other Tripod options: You can make your own tripod easel similar to the Coulter system.
Great tripod for price: Bonfoto Tripod and Dolica Tripod
Cinch and carabiner sets for securing accessories to the pochade or palette box
A variety of brushes (flats, rounds, and liner brushes)
Canvas boards/panels (These will be available to purchase at the stables but you may bring your own if you would like. I recommend small panels
Oil paints by Winsor & Newton or Gamblin or whatever you can afford
View catcher (We will make these on the second day of the retreat.
Odorless solvent-like Gamsol (I will have solvent at castle stables, so do not bring any as it is not allowed on the plane
Wet Painting Carrier for Panels (bought or handmade)
Paper towel or cotton rags/old torn t-shirts, etc. (for wiping my brush between strokes and general cleanup)
Plastic bags (for cleanup and holding brushes and paints)
An old jar with a lid for holding solvent that DOES NOT LEAK.
Paper towels (for wiping down my brush between strokes and for general clean up)
Plastic bags (for storing waste)
Cups and other containers (for holding solvent and storing waste).
Bug spray (skin so soft wipes works great for midges, but the area in Forres and surrounding areas do not get them too badly)
Sunscreen
Waterproof Jacket with hood
Folding compact stool I can attach or pack in my backpack if I think I may need it but most of the time I stand.
Do not bring an umbrella, the wind will blow it into the ocean. Yep, tried it!
All this (excluding the camera tripod) fits conveniently within a small hiking backpack.
See more of these amazing easel setups by artists here.
MATERIALS & SUPPLIES
Brushes
For the brushes, I use a handful of different flats, rounds, and a small liner brush for detailing. The brand I use is Rosemary & Co, which I highly recommend if your budget allows, but I have a few Da Vinci Bristlon Flats # 4, #6, #8, #10, and #2 and #1 Round Sable Utrecht 212 #10 and a rigger brush size #1. I also have few Princeton Catalyst brushes that I have used for both oil and acrylic. If your budget does not allow for these, get the Da Vinci or Winton brand by Winsor and Newton or the Aspen by Princeton, or even the Simply Simmons Brand. These work for both oil and acrylic painting. You also need a good ol’ 1 to 2-inch brush to create washes of a toned background on surfaces. This can be an all-purpose paintbrush from Lowes or any hardware store or something like this Wooster brush.
You can rest the brushes on the side tray or a cup held by a clamp or clip onto the edge of the pochade or paint box. But, just be aware the side tray only holds a handful of brushes, so you will need to limit your selection. Below is a great example of a landscape painting Brush set.
Panels & Painting Surfaces
I paint on gessoed panels when out on a painting location. I paint between 8 x 10 and 11 x 14 and occasionally paint a little smaller or larger depending on location and subject matter. I usually gesso my own panels as it saves money. I have bought masonite panels like these 9 x 12’s by Jack Richerson. I do buy these buy panels by Ampersand often. You can pick them up at Hobby Lobby for around 3 to 8 dollars a piece depending on the size. (Stick them in the bottom of your suitcase or in between clothing. I have used Monte Marte canvas boards when in a pinch. These are cheap, portable, and sturdy. I stay away from stretched canvas, as it tends to be less portable and more fragile and the light shines through them when painting outdoors…not to mention blow away in a gust of wind.
Depending on the size, the canvas or panel boards can be kept in the hiking backpack and wet painting carrier. However, you will need to consider how to get the painting back to the studio once you are finished painting. I go into more detail on the section on wet panel/canvas carriers below at the bottom of page.
Here is a great tutorial on how to prepare your own panel boards for landscape painting. You can buy already prepared 9 x 12 and smaller panels HERE. You can also purchase birch panel, or masonite panels like these 9 x 12’s by Jack Richerson already cut to the size you would like. Just do a search for panel boards or masonite boards and search on Amazon for the size you would like and then get gesso and follow the tutorial above to make your own. A simple gesso brush to use here.
PAINTS
I use mainly Winsor & Newton and Gamblin artist quality oil paints in the following colors:
Ultramarine blue (cobalt blue occasionally)
Viridian green
Permanent alizarin crimson
Cadmium red (and cadmium orange optional)
Bismuth Yellow by Windsor and Newton
Cadmium Yellow Deep
Burnt Sienna
Titanium white
Alkyd White - Dries quickly and aids in drying time when mixed with other colors
This is a fairly limited palette, which is ideal for painting plein air. The fewer colors you have on your palette, the easier it is to manage.
The main compromise of a limited palette is being unable to mix certain colors which you might need. But you could always change the colors on your palette if you know in advance what you are going to paint. For example, if you are going to paint a scene with bright, orange flowers, then you might want to include a cadmium orange on your palette for that occasion. The benefits of using a limited palette is you have less paint to carry on location, you painting will be unified and less complicated if you are a beginner, and you will possibly have a finished or close to finished piece due to having less color mixing decisions to be made on the palette.
For an even more limited palette you could only use the Zorn palette or take only the following :
Ultra Marine Blue
Veridian Green
Bismuth Yellow
Cadmium Red
Burnt Sienna
Titanium White/Alkyd Whte
SOLVENT/Mediums
I will have solvent for you to use and to put in your own container with a lid. Since I paint with oils, I use odorless solvents to add some fluidity to the paint and also for cleaning. I usually do not use any other medium (like linseed oil). If I am wanting a more complete medium, I may mix a little Gamsol with linseed oil or with Galkyd by Gamblin. You can buy a painting medium already pre-mixed or make your own mixture as I have often done in the past with Gamsol, linseed oil, and a bit of siccative to speed up the drying time. You can also purchase Alkyd Gel Medium which when mixed with oils speeds up the drying time and helps with thinning out paints.
Take a peek at the incredible video showing artist, Tom Hughes explaining his Plein air set up, his backpack contents, his easel and Pochade box set up and paint choices as well as what ratio to use for a Plein air painting medium mixture (around the 39-minute mark). VERY INFORMATIVE!
If you are painting with acrylics, (Open Acrylics by olden are pretty versitile and stay way wet enough to blend while on location) watercolors, or gouache, then you can just use water as your solvent to add fluidity to the paint. However, I will try to have a Golden acrylic medium on stand by in the stables.
SOLVENT CONTAINER/BRUSH CLEANER
I recommend the Small Artist Stainless Steel Brush Washer Double Dipper Container Cup Paint Brush Cleaner Washing Bucket with Lid fit for Painting in Oils listed on Amazon. You can get a two-for-one price for the washer and double container.
WET PAINT CARRIERS (More details on these carriers below)
Raymar are great carriers and to me are perfect for this retreat.
Another Great One is the PanelPAk
A cheaper way to go is the cardboard carrier called the Handy Porter by Geurilla Painter.
Another way to go is to make your own panel carrier or put rubber bumpers (four on the back of your panels and stack them in a plastic document holder or tub. Some artists use double sided thumbtacks.
USING THIS SETUP
Here are some general tips for using this setup:
Place a large, plastic bag between the legs of the tripod. You can use this as a portable bin for paper towels or other trash.
Use thinned paint to quickly sketch and block-in the composition. You want to capture your initial impression of the scene before the environment changes too much.
Use larger brushes, as they allow you to paint faster and more efficiently.
My set up (homemade Coulter style easel does require you to pack your paints in a separate box. I pack mine in a plastic Tupperware type container with lids that latch so they don’t pop open during transport.
The pochade box which I purchased does not allow for large canvas sizes. If you want to create large-scale paintings on location, then you might want to consider something more sturdy, like a French easel.
If you are oil painting like me, then make sure you take all your waste away with you. Bring containers for any solvent or medium and plastic bags for any paper towels and excess paint.
TAKE A PEEK- Another absolutely mind-blowing video on setting up your Plein air painting easel/space, and what and how to pack here, by Scott Ruthven.
Todd Bonita, another wonderful landscape painter, has a breakdown and explanation of his setup. Just another option, as set-ups, though general with the basics are tailored, and you just have to find what works for you.
OTHER SET UPS USING WATERCOLOR AND PASTELS
Pochade box on tripod with travel watercolors that you can shut easily and a container for water
Here are few watercolor/pastel and sketching easels and hacks :
Watercolor easel from Cheap Joes
Set up with Pastels- Heilman pastel box and easel with a tripod. Super small and lightweight!”
An even simpler method by Doug Jone
SET UP/SUPPLIES FOR FIGURE PAINTING DEMOS AND ACTIVITIES/WORKSHOPS & LANDSCAPE EXCURSIONS BELOW
The painting easel you use for the plein air painting excursions will be needed when participating in the workshops and activities that are held in the castle stables and the figure in period clothing in the landscape painting session. These will be conducted by Edna Dapo, Ginny Elston, and Alan McGowan
Stables-Portrait Drawing/Painting -Edna Dapo - Duration- 2 to 2.5 hours- Monday
16 x 20 inch drawing paper…Recommended to bring your own 14 x 17 or 18 x 24 Drawing Paper Pad as you may keep all drawings in pad and can easily pack by placing pad in bottom of suitcase (paper will also be provided if you do not want to bring your own pad)
charcoal ( provided) You may bring additional drawing materials.
eraser for quick figure drawing studies
18 x 24 or 16 x 20 inch Drawing Board (provided) We will have two sizes for you to choose from…
Easel Set Up with drawing materials or paints (optional)
Painting Surface (optional) Suggested size: 16 x 20 or smaller for easy transport home
Model (provided)
The painting Demo and workshop activity with Ginny Elston- Sunday- duration- 4 hours (This is not figurative, but concentrates on color properties)
Supplies Needed: Assortment of brushes, flats or filberts round and palette knife, brush sizes 4, 6, 8, 10
Easel
Gamsol will be provided for those working in oil, water available in stables, just have a container to put solvent or water in.
painting palette for the paints you have brought for other workshops will be needed
You may use water-based media instead of oil.
Surfaces needed: A few gessoed pieces of watercolor paper or canvas or oil or acrylic paper. At least two 9 x 12 inches or 8 x 10 inches in size. . Can be a prepared panel such as a panel by ampersand, gessoed panel board you prepare yourself or gessoed paper or oil paper if using oils… and sketching/drawing paper this size or larger (paper provided). Ginny will have you tone the surface in the workshop. You will then practice mixing greens and then crate a small landscape painting using the information she has given and techniques instructed.
Alan McGowan Demo and Short Paint Along Activity -Wednesday - Duration- 3 hours
Alan will present an artist talk and complete a live demo of creating an oil sketch of the figure using either just Raw Under or Burnt Sienna or a very limited palette of white with a warm and cool color. You may use just a White with a Viridian and a Burnt Sienna. I have completed a pretty colorful portrait with just these three colors. The white lends itself to be on the cool side and can be quite opaque… and also can, at times, take the life out of skin tones, so use with this in mind. You can substitute ivory black and Ultramarine for viridian. Burnt Umber is great for underpainting and you can create a nice oil sketch using just this color and solvent….OR you can just watch. Many just watch as to not miss any of his demo.
Supplies:
CHOICE of Drawing, Water Based Sketching or Water Colors, Acrylics or Oil Painting supplies:
Board and Dry Materials such as Charcoal, Conte Crayon, Pastels, etc.
Water based Graphite, Aquatint, etc., or watercolors.
Limited Palette of Oil or Acrylic Paints: Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna, Viridian, and White, Alkyd White
Or similar colors if using acrylic or watercolor. Golden makes a Viridian and Burnt Sienna as well as a Raw Umber
Solvent/Medium such as Gamsol, Alkyd Gel Medium if working in oil….Gel mediums if working in acrylics, water for watercolor
A few Brushes, # 4, 6, 8, 10, filberts or flats and a round or two
Easel/Palette
Prepared Surface, 16 x 20 or 11 x 14…could go larger if you have the room in your suitcase to take home. This will be dry enough to pack easily by the time you leave. You could use panel, gessoed canvas scrap taped to board, gessoed paper to board, or use water-based medium on paper taped to board. Darwin paper taped to board or pad.
Landscape Painting the Moray Coast with Jonathan Shearer
Supplies:
Easel and or tripod
Pochade or Paint Palette
Landscape painting set up for all locations
A few brushes, # 4, 6, 8, 10, filberts or flats, and a #1 rigger and a #1 and #2 flats
Paints: Limited or extended color palette of paints colors: White, Bismuth Yellow, Cad Orange, Cad Red, Alizarin Crimson, VaridianBurnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, Utramarine Blue and Cobalt Blue
Surfaces: one 9 x 12 or 11 x 14 panel..bring 2 if you paint quickly or slightly larger ones if your wet panel carrier allows… or oil paper taped on sketching board, gessoed paper, etc.
Workshops and Instruction with me, Gena Brodie Robbins, Monday, Tuesday…I will always be available to give you critiques and instruction. JUST ASK!
As always, all workshops have the option of choice of medium. You may just draw with pencils, pen and ink, charcoal or watercolors or work in acrylic or oils…up to YOU.
Supplies:
Easel and or tripod
Pochade or Paint Palette
Landscape painting set up for all locations
A few Brushes, # 4, 6, 8, 10, filberts or flats and a #1 rigger and a #1 and #2 flats
Paints: Limited or extended color palette of paints Colors: White, Bismuth Yellow, Cad Orange, Cad Red, Alizarin Crimson, Viridian Burnt Sienna, Raw Sienna, Ultramarine Blue, and Cobalt Blue
Surfaces: 9 x 12 or 11 x 14 prepared panel or sketching materials, or watercolor mediums and paper for Califer Hill, 9 x 12 or 11 x 14 surfaces with choice of medium for Elgin Cathedral, (2) 9 x 12 or 11 x 14 surfaces for Findhorn Bay and (2) for Cullen Village
Other materials if not working in oil or acrylic you may want to bring… in addition to other materials:
Watercolor materials
I recommend beginning with 140# cold-pressed watercolor paper in either natural or bright white. 140# paper is very common so it's easy to find and fairly affordable—much more so than heavy-weight paper—but will still hold up well under heavy washes. Also, I think the texture of cold-pressed is advantageous for beginners still learning to control the paint.
A small set of Winsor and Newton Cotman or any professional set of 6 tubes and a watercolor palette is fine… a set of 12 is also great .
If you are not a beginner then you know what you love so bring it!
Watercolor easel sketching style easel or whatever setup you would like to use.
Acrylic Materials:
Surfaces: Mixed media Paper or any paper that receives water-based media, or gessoed panels.
Paints: Acrylic Colors: or Open Acrylics by Golden. Or Utrecht Acrylics . Golden makes a great 6 color set that will work, or get individual colors: Titanium White, Cadmium yellow light, Cadmium Red, Alizarin Crimson, Viridian Green Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna. If you want a more extended palette, bring Raw Sienna, Cobalt Blue, and yellow ocher. Open Acrylics work great too!
Golden medium and container for water
Stay wet palette, with sponge…smaller size.
Easel and Palette
Other Materials:
Wet Painting Carriers-
A wet canvas carrier is highly recommended for carrying your paintings home! (Raymar works well but be aware that it only carries boards, not stretched canvas. I recommend only bringing gessoed panels not stretched canvas for easy transport.
GREAT WET PAINT CARRIERS you can PURCHASE.
Another Great One is the PanelPAk
A cheaper way to go is the cardboard carrier called the Handy Porter by Geurilla Painter.
Another way to go is to make your own panel carrier or put rubber bumpers (four on the back of your panels and stack them in a plastic document holder or tub. Some artists use double sided thumbtacks….video below.
A few portfolio possibilities are below where you can store your works on paper and dry panels and then pack them into the bottom of a suitcase. You can also simply tape two pieces of cardboard together.
Here are a few other links you may want to check out with great hacks on how to carry wet paintings and how to ship them home below.
Hacks for Carrying Wet Painting/Preparing for Shipping
Tip from Alexandra Tyng for a wet canvas carrier, push pins and foam core, brilliant! TRY rubber stick on bumpers (stick them to bottom of panel/board. And us a document holder to hold the paintings.
See video here: https://youtu.be/Add3auMPHtc
The 8x10 gessoboard panels are taped to the foam core with Scotch packing tape doubled up on the back, foam core cut to the right size to barely fit in the plastic box. Each box holds 4 panels, I figure I'll carry one and leave one at the house.
The plastic bin can be then placed in a shipping box and shipped easily back to the US.
Other Great Hacks for Transporting Wet Paintings:
Making a wet panel carrier
Overview of ways to carry wet paintings using several wet painting carrying methods and review of wet panel methods.
**Brilliant way to transport wet panels using a document holder and bumpers
Great tips for packing wet canvases for shipping or for plane travel
SHIPPING YOUR ART HOME:
Julie Armour, our castle go to person is allowing us to ship supplies to the castle and will make sure our artwork is safe and picked up in the Stables by DHL or Fed Ex, etc. to be transported home.
There are several ways to insure your work is packed and ready for shipment home:
Send your surfaces and/or other materials in a box via DHL with a return shipping label inside the box so you may reuse this box to send your painting back home.
Place a folded (break down the box so it is flat) box in the bottom of your luggage to use for shipping artwork back home.
Get a shipping box in Inverness on your way to castle, Elgin or Forres and print out label for shipping.
Drop Off your packages on your own (uber or bus) location in Elgin, Inverness and Pitlochary
More Info on #. 1:
If you are shipping blank panels and/or canvases, ship them with a return shipping slip inside box so that when you receive your panels in the UK, you can use the same box and simply pack and place your already pre-paid shipping label onto the box and it can be left in the Stables for DHL pick up. You can arrange for your paintings to be picked up at the Stables to be shipped out on the Monday after your departure. OR…pack your surfaces in a suitcase inside the wet painting carrier and simply pack them back in that same suitcase in the wet painting carrier. See tips with this method here:
Great tips for packing wet canvases for shipping or for plane travel