Geoff Allen Art

Supply List

Watercolor Painting Supply List _ Geoff Allen

The most important things are good quality paper and at least one large Quill Mop, suggestions below also if you have time watch my 27 minute video on You Tube.

Paper: 140 lb.(300gsm) 22x30” COLD PRESS sheets, cut into 1/4 sheets, 11x15”. Expect to do at least one paintings/day (2 sheets), and two sheets for exercises/day, so have at least 4 plus sheets ready to go per day. 

Brands that I recommend Cold Press or Rough:

Saunders Waterford 140 lb.

Arches 140 lb.  

Winsor Newton 140 lb. 

Hahnemuhle 140 lb.

Fabriano   140 lb. (Bright white for still life)

Paper blocks, 10x14” or 12x16” 

Brushes: Recommendations but bring what you have we will make it work.

ROUNDS: Escoda Perla rounds, #12 and #6 (or similar brands and sizes) Princeton’s Velvet touch is also nice synthetic as well.

QUILL MOPS (water shovels): You need 1-2 , a large and medium size (in painting skies, I usually use two) 

My recommendations,

Synthetic Economy Brands: 

    • $$    Princeton Neptune, Quill Mop Synthetic Size 6 or bigger (for wash), 
    • $$$  Da Vinci Casaneo Synthetic size 4, 6 , or bigger
    •  $$   Tintoretto 1407. Size 10 or 12, jacksonsart.com

Pencils:  2B (.5 mm-.7 mm) mechanical and/or wooded and 2B-4B wooden

Kneaded Eraser (less abrasive and no filings)

Paint: 

You don’t have to buy everything I suggest. 

Color Suggestions. Brands I use: Daniel Smith (DS), Holbein (HWC), Winsor Newton (WN), Sennelier (S) and Cotman (less expensive). Granulating pigments have a (G),

I will bring a few extra colors for pinks.  Most of the time I can make my recommended essential palette work. 

Recommended Essential Palette:

    1. Yellow Ochre (WN) (G)
    2. Burnt Sienna (WN) (DS-G) (HWC-D) of Burnt Sienna Light  (DS)
    3. Hansa Yellow Medium (DS)
    4. Cad Orange (WN) 
    5. Organic Vermillion Red (DS)
    6. Alizarin Crimson Permanent (WN) (DS) or Carmine (DS)
    7. Ultramarine Blue (G)
    8. Cobalt Blue (DS or WN)
    9. Cerulean Blue (G)
    10. Phthalo Blue (Peacock Blue HWC, Green shade DS)
    11. Royal Blue (Sennelier) or Vertider Blue (HWC)
    12. Cobalt Turquoise (DS) (G) or Cobalt Teal (DS)
    13. Vandyke Brown (G) or Sepia (G)
    14. Neutral Tint  or Ivory Black (HWC)(G)
    15. Titanium White (WN, DS)

Optional colors that you might see me use

      Jaune Brilliant #1 (HWC)

Jaune Brilliant #2 (HWC) 

Raw Umber (WN) (G)

Alvaro’s Fresco Gray (DS) (G)

Pyrrol Orange (DS)

Manganese Blue Nova (HWC-non granulating)

Horizon Blue (HWC)

Sap Green(DS or WN)

Perm Rose (WN) or Quinacridone Rose (DS) still life.

Websites about watercolor pigments that I frequent:

Pigments: https://www.artiscreation.com/Color_index_names.html

Daniel Smith Color Map: https://danielsmith.com/color-map/

https://www.artiscreation.com/white.html

Palette: 16-20 color wells. 

Water Mister: I use a recycled eye glasses mister, which puts out a very fine spray.  The purpose is to wet your palette and paper. Wetting paper can extend drying time by keeping your paint moist on a hot day.

Have something to put behind your board and paper to prop it up at an angle (5°-15°)

Sketch Pad or extra paper for sketching on, and note taking. I use a 7x10” spiral pad

Water Cup(s) (no glass) 

Paper towels ( I put about 14 sheets in my backpack and that is enough for the day)

Board - Gator Board (best, opaque and light), Signboard (flimsy and transparent), or Masonite board (heavier). I use sheet paper taped to a gator board.

Masking Tape (I avoid blue) to hold paper on board, 1/2”-1.25”

For Plein Air: Sunscreen, snacks, water container, hat, string or adjustable strap, Plein air easel, something to carry your materials from car to painting location (wheels are good)

Optional Plein Air: Portable stool, Plein air umbrella

Art Stores I use ( order in time, allow at least 10 days for delivery)

Jerry’s Artarama: https://www.jerrysartarama.com/

Blick:  https://www.dickblick.com/ 

Jackson Art:  https://www.jacksonsart.com/en-us/n 

Artemiranda: https://www.artemiranda.com/gb/

My Videos: These are free and I go over some of the equipment that will help make you experience successful, One is about Plein air Set Up and the other is about making a shade for your set up.

Some students enjoy sitting in a lawn chair with a TV tray and others purchase plein air kits. It is fun to see what other artist invent and use so take a look.