Ongoing Realistic Drawing/Painting Classes

What to choose—acrylics or oils?

Attracted to details? Prefer to paint small? Shane recommends oils. Oils are easier to use for detail because of their slower drying time, and when using in small amounts, they are easier to control. Acrylics tend to become too viscous when working on subtle details. PROS: tubes of paint last a long time, they're easy to blend, and they work great for both small and large paintings. CONS: can be frustrating to try without instruction, more expensive materials needed, mineral spirits can cause some users allergic reactions.

Get bored with painting slowly? Not sure what you like? You'll probably feel a more immediate acquaintance with acrylics than with oils. Because of drying time constraints, students who use acrylics tend to use the paint more liberally and abundantly—a good thing. PROS: fast-drying, ideal for working large, clean-up with water and soap only. CONS: the pigment dries noticably darker, and smooth blending is difficult.

Shane encourages his students to paint standing-up because it helps to keep from getting too close to the canvas (and from getting to bogged-down on insignificant details.) Easels are provided in class for up to 12 students. The following materials are up to you to bring to class:

• Oil and Acrylic Colors (or their color equivalents) listed below are necessary for limited-palette paintings in most lighting situations. They represent a warm and cool version of the primary colors plus some secondary colors and useful neutrals. Other colors can be bought in miniature tubes or later as needed...(Download a PDF showing Shane's Limited Color Palette Layout and some helpful hints about color)
  • Titanium White (large tube)
  • Cadmium Yellow Light (warm)
  • Cadmium Red Light (warm)
  • Permanent Alizarin Crimson (cool and beautifully transparent!)
  • Ultramarine Blue (cool)
  • Cerulean Blue (warm)
  • Viridian Green (cool)
  • Sap Green (warm)
  • Optional toning earth colors: (Yellow Ochre, Burnt Sienna, Burn Umber and Ivory Black)
• Palette and More
  • OILS: (Listed in order of preference)
    • A 11-3/4 X 15-3/4 inch sheet of glass purchased at a home improvement/hardware store fits well within a "Mastersons" plastic palette holder (protects the wet paint during transport). The edges of the glass should be taped and backed with heavy-duty masking tape to the edges of an equally-sized gray or neutral-colored mat board. The tints and shades of colors are usually easier to see on when not on white or black. The mat board also strengthens the glass to prevent breakage.
    • Wooden palettes also work well because they tend to be lighter, but you'll want to use the prefinished ones, otherwise, the wood will absorb the oil from your paint.
    • Coated disposable paper palette (available at art supply stores with or without a thumb hole)
  • ACRYLICS : A flat plastic, wood, or coated paper palette with a 12" X 16" area works fine.
• Solvent, container for solvent, and rags (rather than paper towels)
  • OILS: Zero-odor Mineral Spirits (Gamsol has no odor at all) and large pickle jar large enough to fit a Silicoil wire in it
  • ACRYLICS: water and a quart-sized plastic container
• Painting Medium
• OILS: a mixture of stand linseed oil, varnish, and turpentine (for use with oils only)
• ACRYLICS: a fine-misting spray bottle and acrylic gel medium
• Painting Tools
  • Diamond-head Palette Knife (pick sizes for scraping the palette of paint daubs and painting large and small areas)
  • Brushes (Shane prefers long-bristled filberts and flats for oils and acrylics.) A selection of 4-5 Sizes should range from about 3/32 inch to about 1 inch (or more if you work large) If you work with thick paint application, you'll probably want stiffer bristles (which tend to be less expensive.) If you work in smaller details, you'll definitely want to spend a little more money on good softer animal-hair brushes.
  • A #0 round pointed round brush works well for finer details
• Painting Ground (stretched canvas sizes 16" X 12" and larger for both oils and acrylics)

Although most students in Shane's classes paint, he believes that painting is an extension of drawing—only in color. Students who struggle with capturing the accurate representation of objects are encouraged to use traditional drawing media as much as possible.

• Ebony or 6B Graphite Pencil
• Kneadable Eraser Medium Size (not pink or gum eraser)
• 11 x 14 inches or larger sketch pad
• General’s (or other brand) range of different weights charcoal pencils (hard, medium, soft, extra soft)
• Kneaded eraser
• Pack of different sized paper stumps (tortillons)
• Vine charcoal sticks
• 18 inch straight edge/ruler
• Drawing/Painting Ground (ready-to-use heavy-weight paper, stretched
  canvas, primed board, etc.)

Want to learn about mixing colors? Pastels are a great way to learn about color mixing for those transitioning from monochromatic drawing media to color media—including paint! Pastellists should bring a complete set of at least 48 colors in medium-to-soft (non-oil-based) pastels. Some pastel pencils are also recommended. Contact Shane (E-mail) for more information on using pastels.

The easiest and best way Shane can help you achieve your desired effect in painting is through the use of references.

• Painting ideas on paper: photos that you take yourself, your own sketches, magazine pictures, or reproductions of masterful paintings
• Still-life objects: If space permits, you may bring your own simple objects to paint in a quick still-life setup (which must be taken down at the end of class) or you may use my collection of still-life objects. Please be prepared to light your setup on your own. You may take digital reference images of the still-life at the end of class.

Make it easy on yourself by keeping your supplies together. The use of inexpensive rolling travel bags work well for the transport of supplies.

• Non-painters: any container for storage of pencils, erasers, brushes, straight-edge, sharpener, etc.
• Painters: a tackle box or a small rolling suitcase that holds drawing materials, paints, gesso, brushes, painting medium, brush cleaner, and other small tools is ideal.