Prussian Blue Membership
As a current member of The All A-Board Artists, each month you will have access to two live tutorials. Below this text, you will find the reference material you will need, an equipment list, and the details of how to attend.
Please ensure that you allow yourself plenty of time to prepare for the session.
January Live Tutorial event:
WEDNESDAY 7TH choose between 10:00 - 12:30, 18:00 - 20:30 or both
The session will take place on Zoom, please make sure you are well acquainted with
the application before attending a meeting.
If your technology can join automatically, please click on this link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84163854205
You may need to enter the details automatically:
Meeting ID: 841 6385 4205
Passcode: 337476
If you need to leave and then return, we suggest that you mute your audio, turn off your camera, but remain logged in to the session so that you can pick up the tuition when you need to come back.
Would you like to attend at Ali’s studio?
Prussian Blue, Cobalt Turquoise and Green Gold members are welcome to attend at the studio alongside people who may be joining us from outside membership. They will have paid to attend, you will be able to join at no extra cost, using the code PRUSSIANFREE at the checkout. Please choose your session carefully and check all of the details before signing up or you may incur an admin fee.
Reference and preparation
Please download and print the following in plenty of time for your session:
You have some options for your tutorial this month:
Both tutorials cover ‘Ink and Wash’ techniques meaning that this can be interpreted in whatever way you choose with whatever colour palette you would like. See what materials you already have and make adjustments accordingly using the advice from the standard equipment list detailed below.
This image(s) are just a suggestion, you are welcome to use them on the day or provide your own. Please make sure any images you use while attending this tutorial are free from copyright.
Printing Advice:
We recommend that you print these images out in approximately A4 size as that is an achievable size of painting on the day. You are of course welcome to increase or decrease the image as you feel is appropriate to your skill level.
Every smartphone, tablet, laptop and desktop has a different way of managing how it downloads images and where it puts them on your system. This is also the same for brands and models of printers so it is essential to the success of acquiring these images, that you refer to the manuals or help forums for your particular devices. We will try to be as helpful as we can with advice but as we cannot see what you are seeing on your screen, it makes it nearly impossible to assist you effectively.
If you would like us to print and post these images to you, we are very happy to do that, all we ask is that you send an A4, self-addressed and correctly stamped board backed envelope to ‘Workshop Image Request’ c/o Downend Farm Studio, 3 Downend Farm, Bushes Road, Stourpaine, Dorset, DT11 8SY with a note as to which workshop you are requesting the images for. Please be aware that we need at least two weeks ahead of your session to complete this task, and if the self-addressed envelope does not have the correct amount of postage fixed to it, it may not reach you.
EQUIPMENT/MATERIALS
Please feel free to use variations to suit your budget or particular situation, exact replication of the materials is not essential for the success of your piece. The equipment list below is designed to cover all sessions throughout the year by providing suggestions based on the techniques that are being covered. If you have any queries or are unsure in any way, please get in touch and Ali can help you further.
BASICS:
Lightweight Drawing Board
Drawing board rest/slope
Framer’s tape/masking tape
Tablecloth/newspaper
Pencil
Putty/Plastic Eraser
Tracedown/graphite stick/tracing paper if you are not confident with freehand drawing or wish to use a shortcut on the day.
Good size water pot
Hairdryer/Heat Gun
Spray Bottle
Kitchen Roll – good quality
IF YOUR SESSION IS BASED ON INK TECHNIQUES:
Any sketching pens or paint markers both water soluble and/or waterproof.
Bottled ink – this could be waterproof or water soluble or a combination of the two, for example fountain pen ink would run with water after it is dry and acrylic ink stays put. You may also wish to have old or cheaper brushes to apply these.
IF YOUR SESSION IS BASED ON ACRYLIC TECHNIQUES:
You may need a surface applicable to acrylic painting such as canvas or acrylic painting paper, but watercolour paper can also be used, particularly cheaper brands or types that do not use cotton.
Check to see if the workshop is acrylic paint, acrylic ink or a combination of the two. Colour choices will depend on what subject you are painting, and all qualities of paint have a job so no matter how cheap or expensive they are, they are all useful to have in your stash.
Brushes or application tools for acrylic painting. Ali will be using nylon brushes and sometimes brushes used for decorating as they are much cheaper, she may also be using palette knives or mark making tools (see above).
OTHER ‘MIXED MEDIA’ TOOLS THAT YOU MAY FIND USEFUL:
‘Posca’ (Acrylic Paint) Markers with a fine nib such as 0.7.
‘Brusho’ or powders that split and make interesting textures
Alternative application tools such as dip pens, ruling pens or bamboo skewers.
IF YOUR SESSION IS BASED ON WATERCOLOUR TECHNIQUES:
A good quality, 100% cotton watercolour paper such as Fabriano Artistico, the weight and surface are your choice, but Ali would recommend 300gsm ‘NOT’ also called Cold Pressed. If your session suggests ‘on black’ this could be black watercolour paper or a black painting surface.
Any brand of artists’ quality watercolours - Ali will be using her own brand, is happy to work with any assortment of colours and can provide information on the combinations you own, plus suggesting future alternatives.
Your usual watercolour brushes, please make sure you have something relatively large with a good point. Ali will mostly be using Imitation Sable brushes and Quills/Mops.
White Gouache and/or a white biro/gel pen/acrylic paint marker.
IF YOUR SESSION IS BASED ON ‘TEXTURES’ OR ‘COLLAGE’ TECHNIQUES:
Mark Making tools that create interesting patterns such as cocktail sticks, bubble wrap, old credit cards, sponges, stencils etc. – the list is endless!
A thin, pale coloured paper such as tissue or newsprint. You may also find you have printed versions, try to use something where the pattern is applicable to the subject such as music or text but please make sure they are free from copyright.
An adhesive to apply the collage such as Bindex or a waterproof PVA glue, it is very important that the glue is waterproof so please check what you have
Depending on the session, a medium such as gesso or watercolour ground and a metal palette knife to apply it.
IF YOUR SESSION IS BASED ON PASTEL TECHNIQUES:
‘Pastelmat’ or a good quality pastel paper that has a tooth that accepts layers of pastel, the choice of colour is entirely up to you or could be chosen to reflect the subject.
Any brand of chalk pastel - Ali will be using an assortment of Faber, Conte, Daler Rowney and Unison.
Pastel Pencils – again, any brand will be fine, Ali favours Carb Othello (Stabilo), Faber, Caran D’Ache or Derwent.
Fine sandpaper.
Assorted sizes of paper stump/Tortillon/cotton buds/blending tools.
Baby wipes (biodegradable if possible) and hand moisturiser.