Backpack or Canvas Bag: To hold everything that doesn’t fit in the French easel. Suggested – French Easel Backpack.

Easels: Personal preference (I like to stand with an extended easel) but it’s all about comfort level. Tabletop easels will work too.

Option 1 Portable Easel Tabletop or seated on ground. It’s cheaper to buy a portable easel. With a backpack to hold your paints, palette and solvent, you’ll be good to go. A couple versions below.

Option 2 French Easel: (Recommended) A French easel is a combination paint box and easel. It’s versatile and you will be glad you bought it. You can purchase a French easel from Guiry’s, Meininger’s or Michael’s for about $100. Many artists prefer a Half French Easel, because it’s lighter and easier to carry. 

Option 3 Portable Lightweight Easel (Aluminum): Not quite as sturdy as the other 2 options – you will need to stabilize while painting outside. 

Paint: Oil, Acrylic, Gouache or Watercolor – your choice. 

Paint brands – Grumbacher, Windsor & Newton, Gamblin will work well (FYI – W&N-Winton and Gamblin-1980 offer student grade series if interested in saving some money)  

I recommended a double primary set Paint that includes: Cad Yellow Lemon, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Cadmium Red Light, Alizarin Crimson, Ultramarine Blue, Pthalo Blue, Transparent Red Oxide, Titanium White (38ml). Optional color: Viridian Green and Yellow Ochre. Also, use the colors you already have.

Palettes – You’ll obviously need something to mix paint on: 

Option 1: French Easel wooden palette, comes with the easel and is already a mid-tone. 

Option 2: Masterson’s Sta-Wet Sealable Palette. Should work well, the disadvantage is that it is not a middle value. But you are able to save the paint. 

Option 3: Poster Frame with Glass (plastic or wood frame). Cost effective, easy to use and clean with toned gray paper under the glass. 

Medium: You need some type of medium to thin the paint for ease of use. I recommend a small bottle of Liquin (Windsor & Newton Alkyd), dries quickly.

Brushes: I recommend oil bristle flats, brights and filberts for their versatility—plus a small synthetic round brush for detail work. I recommend a large filbert brush for blocking in. 

Sizes – 2, 6, 10, 14 (small to large). 

Keep in mind that good brushes are expensive, but definitely worth it. Cheap brushes are unresponsive to your touch, wear out easily and get raggedy. You end up replacing them faster, and therefore, it costs you more.

Canvas Boards (at least 5-6 for the workshop duration): I suggest 8×10, 9×12 or 11×14. Fredrix brand or similar. Nothing larger for time considerations.

You can also get an 11”x14” canvas pad. Each sheet can be taped to a hard surface below such as a drawing board, or masonite bard or an XL clip board.

Brush Cleaner: Clean after every use.  I suggest using regular dish soap or a cheap bar of soap with water. Scent free dove soap works well. 

Paper Towels and/or Paint Rags: Old cotton t-shirts work best, or clean paint rags from Home Depot or Lowes. Large rags can be used for lift outs. If you are not doing a lift out, you may not need rags. But you could also cut them into 5-inch squares to use for cleaning brushes. Paper Towels are a must, plus a supply of grocery bags for the trash.

Sketchbook: Ring bound for quick thumbnails and sketching. 9×12 is suggested. You will use this for thumbnails and value/color studies throughout the course. 

Pen/pencil & sharpener.

Coffee Can with lid: If you want an inexpensive way to clean brushes using Turpentine or Mineral spirits.

Digital/phone Camera: For reference photos.

Viewfinder: You can also purchase a viewfinder, which is an adjustable, gray plastic viewing window, meant to help compose your picture. A cheap alternative-use your fingers.

Bug Repellent if desired. Bugs are typically not an issue. 

Sunscreen: Important no matter where you are.

Painting Clothes: If you want to protect your clothes (and don’t care about the way you look) wear a smock like the masters all did. At the Good Will store you can purchase cheap oversized shirts, specifically to pack and use for painting. Or wear old clothes that you don’t care about.

Hat: A wide brimmed hat or baseball cap.

Rubber/Vinyl Gloves: Latex or Vinyl. Finish Factor (Lowe’s) or Polyurethane (Home Depot or Lowe’s)

Sustenance: Food and plenty of water – hydration is important for obvious reasons.