Intermediate/Advanced Oil Painting (Abstract & Surreal Art Focus) - Arturo Perez

This intermediate/advanced oil painting course is designed to strengthen foundational skills while encouraging students to move beyond direct observation toward abstraction, surrealism, and a more personal visual language. Building on color theory, students explore the fundamentals of design, composition, balance, and spatial relationships through still life, natural forms, imagination, and internal references. Emphasis is placed on developing visual awareness, perceptual acuity, and individual artistic direction. Through guided exercises and independent exploration, students learn to transform observed forms, ideas, and imagery into abstract or surreal compositions while gaining the confidence to develop a more independent painting practice.

Supplies:

Drawing Materials: pencil and eraser, small, 8x10 or 9x12, drawing pad

Basic oil paints colors (more is fine):

• Titanium White or titanium zinc mix (large tube, 200 ml.)

4 Basic primary colors in 37 ml tubes: cadmium yellow light, cadmium red medium,

yellow ochre, permanent alizarin crimson, ultramarine blue (can also called french

ultramarine) plus transparent red oxide.

And 1 acrylic paint: Acrylic Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber

Brands for oil paints could be Gamblin, Windsor Newton, Michael Harding, M. Graham,

Rembrandt, Old Holland, Utrecht, or Vasari. Do not buy cheap or “student grade” paint.

Stretched oil primed canvas Two (2) -18”x24” size minimum or oil primed linen canvas

panels are best for oil painters.

Panel suggestions are (Centurion, New Traditions, Raymar, Raphael Premium Archival

Pissarro Panels). Other possibilities are Ampersand Gessoboard or, for the least

expensive, you can use gessoed paper. Acrylic primed canvases are best for acrylic

paint. Note: cardboard canvas boards, they are going to curl and are probably never

worth your time.Sizes 10 x 20” or 12 x 16.

Palette knives (2) Flexible metal, triangular in shape; 1 small size 1/4” and 1 medium

1/2” long.

Brushes: flats, sizes. 4, 6, 8 and 10, flats, or any preferred shape, long or short. The

smaller the paint surface the smaller the paint brush size.

Viewer or window – can be made from cardboard or construction paper or View Finder

or Catcher https://www.jerrysartarama.com/view-catcher

Palette for mixing: Glass, plexiglass, wood, or large grey disposable.

I recommend Artist’s Palette Seal box made by Masterson that you can place in your

refrigerator or freezer saving your paint from week to week. A good brand and size is a

12 x16 Grey New Wave POSH Glass Artist Palette https://www.jerrysartarama.com/

new-wave-posh-glass-tabletop-palettes (made to fit Masterson box) that is easily

cleaned with a straight edge razor.

Gamsol odorless or Odorless Turpenoid solvent ONLY.

Small container for solvent.

Brush washer - Metal brush washers are expensive, but really worth it.

https://www.jerrysartarama.com/newton-air-tight-deluxe-brush-washer or

https://www.jerrysartarama.com/da-vinci-air-tight-brush-washer

Rags and a roll of paper towels

Plastic bag for garbage and clip for attaching to easel.

Basic Palette (cool)

• *This limited palette is sufficient for most paintings– it is a good starting palette if you don’t

already have oil paints

CERULEAN BLUE

CADMIUM YELLOW MEDIUM

CADMIUM RED MEDIUM

ULTRAMARINE BLUE

ALIZARIN CRIMSON

TITANIUM WHITE (large tube)

ULTRAMARINE VIOLET

VIRIDIAN

———— additional colors —-

Mars Black

Quinacridone Red

phthalo blue

phthalo green

Cobalt blue

Cobalt Teal

Zinc white

Prussian blue

• A painting medium such as Galkyd, Liquin, or Neo Megilp.

• Solvent (optional) Gamsol, or other odor-less turpentine substitute for thinning paint and clean

up.

• baby oil or safflower oil (for brush clean up)

NOTE: solvents (gamsol, turpentine, turpenoid etc...) are not absolutely necessary! However,

you are welcome to bring some. Oil brushes can be cleaned with baby/vegetable oil, and soap

and water. Well cleaned brushes will last until you wear them out!

• Rags or good quality paper towels (like the blue automotive towels).

• Enamel, glass, or disposable palette. (Dollar store baking sheets, glass plates also work well)

• Palette knife.

• Brushes- various sizes (ie. 2,4,6,8,10,12,14) ...Brights or filberts. A couple of rounds (small or

medium) maybe be useful. Sable (synthetic), natural white bristle or other Synthetic mixed

brushes are recommended. There are some quality value packs of a variety of sizes and types

available at most art stores are a good to start.

• Painting support: You will need a canvas or other rigid support to paint on. Canvas (stretched)

or wood (luan ¼” plywood or other wood panel), various sizes. We will start with smaller

compositions (8’x 10” or 9”x12”). Oil painting paper or canvas panels would be perfect to start

on. You may choose either a rectangular canvas or a square format. You will receive more

information before that start of class concerning materials and painting supports.

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