Nancy Medina’s Workshop Supplies
Find Nancy’s paints and brands at Dick Blick Art Supply!
Nancy’s Shop on Dick Blick
Oil Painting Supply List
For easier shopping – you can catch all my supplies by clicking here. The oil colors I use change from time to time, as I try out new techniques and colors. I encourage my students to use good quality, artist quality paint, and save your pennies on your brushes and canvases. Email me at support@nancymedina.com or feel free to give me a call if you have any questions – I’m happy to help! I want to be absolutely sure you enjoy your workshop experience, and have no worries or frustrations related to your supplies. I purchase all of my supplies online to get the BEST prices. You’ll also need a bag for trash, a standing or tabletop easel, towels and canvas. See below for more details.
Oil Paints
I recommend Artist quality oil paints and you can find them all in my shop – check out my Dick Blick shop at the top of the page. There are 2 lists there, one is required colors (many of these you may already have), one list is recommended. Many of the required colors I use are in most oil painters’ supplies already. I do also allow water based oil paints, as well as acrylics to be used in my classes. In my online classes, acrylic painters receive conversions and guidance all along the way. I do recommend you purchase the first 3 colors listed here as the exact brands listed.
- Sap Green – (Rembrandt)
- Transparent Oxide Yellow (Rembrandt)
- Ultramarine Blue Deep (Rembrandt)
- Cobalt Blue Light (Rembrandt)
- Cadmium Yellow Light
- Alizarin Crimson
- Permanent Rose or Quinacridone Rose
- Winsor Violet/Dioxazine Purple
- Viridian
- Titanium White
- Cadmium Red Light
- Transparent Oxide Red
- Indian Yellow by Winsor & Newton
- Richeson Shiva Series – Ice blue
- Payne’s Gray (any brand)
- Transparent Orange by Gamblin
- Magenta by Winsor & Newton
- Brilliant Yellow Light – Richeson Shiva Series
These are optional, extra funky fun colors:
- Caribbean Blue by Old Holland
- Transparent Red Medium by Rembrandt
Canvas
16X16, 12X12, 14X14, OR 11X14 canvas or similar sizes are fine. For in-person workshops, bring one for each day of class. For Joyful Brush students, over time sizes will be larger, and later lessons will be on gallery wrap cotton canvas of up to 24X24 inches.
Your favorite Cotton Canvas or panel. (Treat your cotton canvas in advance with 2 layers of thinly applied acrylic white gesso. Let dry between coats.) There is no need to tint your canvas ahead of time. A white surface is preferred. I also use Ampersand Gessoboard flat panels, you can find them on the dickblick Web site. There is no need to pre-treat a Gessoboard in advance, it is ready to use straight out of the packaging.
Brushes and palette knife
My favorite brush is about $2 – it is the ¾ inch wide flat Royal Soft Grip SG 700 – purchase brushes HERE
If this brush is out of stock, you can substitute the #28 Bright – Royal Langnickel SableTek – purchase brushes HERE
Order about four of these (they are not expensive but PLEASE BE AWARE you must use Turpenoid brand solvent with these brushes (or Gamsol or Mona Lisa) Solvents such as “Odorless Mineral spirits”, turpentine, and other cheap solvent substitutes will remove the glue in the ferrell of your brushes, and are also bad for your lungs.
I also use a Royal Sabletek by Langnickel L95010 Number 14 OR 16 Bright – purchase HERE. You may also bring any of your favorite brands of brushes in large and small sizes. Avoid hog bristle brushes which are very stiff.
A liner or rigger brush in your favorite brand is optional – any brand of liner brush will be fine.
Also bring a small bottle of baby oil, to condition your brushes each evening after class.
Palette Knife
My favorite palette knife is the Liquitex Number 16 small brush. You can find it here
PLEASE BE SURE TO HAVE A CONTAINER FOR YOUR MEDIUM AND SOLVENT WITH LIDS
Mediums and Solvent
Use only odorless mediums – NOT Liquin please
I recommend: Chroma Brand Archival Lean Medium – purchase HERE
Other acceptable mediums include walnut oil or a recipe of half refined linseed oil with half Zest-It – click here to purchase
*Solvent – Use only odorless solvent, Gamsol, Turpenoid or Mona Lisa.
Avoid smelly solvents such as “Turpenoid Natural” or “odorless mineral spirits” or turpentine. These all tend to have strong odors can be toxic in confined spaces. Also great, is Zest-It – click here to purchase
Also have on hand
- Standing or table top easel
- Paper towels
- Paper palette (Richeson Grey Matters Paper Palette 16X20 size) – purchase Here
- Kemper wipe-out tool purchase Here
Acrylic Supply List
For easier shopping, you can catch all my favorite acrylic supplies in one spot by clicking here. For my students working in Acrylics, please see tips below on the best way to use Acrylics in a manner that is similar to oils. If you’re just starting with acrylics, size 2 fl. oz tubes (or thereabouts) are fine. I like both heavy body acrylics – click here, and the open acrylics will also work well. You only need small tubes to start with. Be sure to have on hand a fine mister spray bottle with you for your water as well as a wet palette with the sponge and acrylic palette paper inserts. Check out my Dick Blick Shop at the top of the page for my favorite Acrylic supplies. Read the instructions on how to prep your palette in advance of class, I recommend preparing your Sta-wet Masterson palette (click here) the evening before you paint. Also use towels (I use an old bath towel or rags), bags for trash, and a standing or tabletop easel. I use only a fine mist of spray water for my medium. If you’d like to use a medium to extend your acrylics, I recommend Acrylic Glazing Medium (Satin) by Golden.
Acrylic Paints
Palette:
- Indian Yellow Hue
- Viridian Green Hue
- C.P. Cadmium Yellow Light
- Alizarin Crimson Hue
- Transparent Yellow Iron Oxide
- Green Gold
- Neutral Gray N8 (Golden)
- Ultramarine Blue (can also substitute for cobalt blue light)
- Dioxazine Violet
- Quinacridone Magenta or Brilliant Magenta
- Perm. Rose (Winsor & Newton) or Quinacridone Rose
- Pyrrole Red Light or CP Cadmium Red Light
- Titanium White
- Payne’s Gray
- Sap Green
- Cobalt Turquoise or Manganese Blue
- Transparent Red Iron Oxide
- Transparent Pyrrole Orange or mix Indian Yellow plus Cadmium Red Light
- Titanium buff or naples yellow hue + white
Extra (optional/funky/fun) colors:
- Sennelier Light Turquoise
- and ANY of your favorite colors in Golden fluid acrylics
Canvas
16X16, 12X12, 14X14, OR 11X14 canvas or similar sizes are fine
For Joyful Brush students, over time sizes will be larger, and later lessons will be on gallery wrap cotton canvas of up to 24X24 inches.
Your favorite Cotton Canvas or panel. (Treat your cotton canvas in advance with 2 layers of thinly applied acrylic white gesso. Let dry between coats.) There is no need to tint your canvas ahead of time. A white surface is preferred. I also use Ampersand Gessoboard flat panels, you can find them on the dickblick Web site. There is no need to pre-treat a Gessoboard in advance, it is ready to use straight out of the packaging.
(A helpful hint for cotton canvas, spray wet the back of the canvas slightly prior to painting.)
Also bring:
A wetting spray bottle (fine mist is best)
A Masterson Sta-Wet palette and paper that keeps your palette surface moist (click here for my favorites)
Brushes
My favorite brush is about $2 – it is the ¾ inch wide flat Royal Soft Grip SG 700
Order about four of these (they are not expensive) –purchase brushes HERE
I also like the No. 14 OR 16 Sabletek long-handled bright – click here
Also bring a few cheap, small round sponges. You can find these in craft and art stores.
Helpful hints: I use mostly Golden Artist Colors, but any professional brand of acrylic paint is fine to use in my classes. I do not use any extenders or mediums, just a fine spray bottle of water (with the exception of a gloss medium at the end to varnish the dry painting).