Materials List Recommended for Travel
Mexico Workshop with Perrin Sparks
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Art supplies are highly individualistic. Please use this simply as a set of suggestions. I’ll point out items you will need to have, but there is a lot of latitude in all of the following. I’m always trying something new myself, but I do have a few old standbys. We’ll probably need to schedule an afternoon visit on the first day to the local supply shops where we can buy needed items and check out the market scenes. Having not been here before, this will be an adventure, but our local contacts assure us this is quite the spot that attracts other artists, so I’m sure there will be local solutions. Most folks, including yours truly, bring way too much stuff.

Easel: A “Julian” type easel works well, as do the “pouschade” box easels that screw into a photographer’s tri-pod. There are more models on the market each year. All are advertised in the art magazines and art catalogues. I’ve used a Windsor/Newton fold-up metal easel with telescoping legs that works well, particularly as it’s so light (a major factor in all my packing decisions. Be sure that the working surface can be arranged so that it is perpendicular to the floor, not on a slant or flat like you might use if you were working on watercolor. If you can even tip it so the artwork tips forward, you keep the downward sifting pastel from falling back on the paper, or it can diminish glare on the wet paint. Currently I’m using an Art Box (Art Box and Panel Co, 59 East 6th St., Scottsdale, AZ (480) 970-3249) that I’ve modified slightly so I can slip in a paste tray or a glass paint pallet. I have a small watercolor sketch kit and a similar gouache kit I often use and tear off pads of watercolor paper.

Backboard: I bring along a 16” x 22” piece of black Gator board, about 3/8” thick (it fits in overhead carrier). One side is covered with black closed cell foam (the blue, thinner yoga mats without the pebbly surface work well) on which I attach my pastel paper. I use this padded support, as it allows for a richer mark. The other side is used to tape down my oil supports. I use “banker clips” to attach the paper to the foam backboard (found at any stationary store-get the large size)

Paints and brushes and/or pastels: For the pastel painters, I’d recommend a set of Nupastels, then selections from a variety of sets. I prefer the Unison, and American Pastels to the Sennellier or the Schminke, but there are lovely colors in all of them. I keep my travel pastels in a 3-tray Artbin, sorted by color. For travel purposes, I really like to use the new Max water-soluble oil paints. However, I do not mix them with water to paint. You can also mix them with your regular oil paints. I work with flats or brights or filberts in both sable and bristle, in sizes from about 1” on down. I also like some of the new less expensive substitutes and I always pack one small #1 detail sable round brush and a rigger.

Soft vine charcoal, kneaded eraser, newsprint or sketch paper (5-10 sheets minimum).

A pair of proportional dividers. I use the “Prospek” dividers found in the Dick Blick or Jerry’s Artarama catalogues (about $5). So few suppliers carry them, they are often backordered. I may have enough to bring or we’ll share the ones I have.

No Turpentine, only turp substitutes such as “Safe-Solve”, however, you won’t be able to travel with solvents, so we will need to purchase this locally.

Work surfaces such as Canson Mi-tientes paper (steel grey or felt grey). I don’t use fixative, but keep wax sheets for stacking finished work. For the oil painters, we may use as many as 2 or 3 surfaces per day, particularly if we paint in several different locations plein-aire. You could bring canvas boards (bring a few that are at least as large as 16 x 20 approx.), canvas pads, or acid-free paper gessoed that I tape to a foam core backboard - all of which I prefer to using stretched canvas. Keep in mind you will have to transport wet canvases from the site back to your room.

 
I’ll bring an aluminum mahl stick that breaks into 3 sections. And I will probably pack my  travel stool--a fold-up aluminum chair that serves as a carryall. Some might pack an umbrella, but for sure bring a broad brimmed hat and sunscreen! I’m sure we can pick up needed supplies such as paper towels once we get there, but I’m a Viva paper towel freak, so I’ll probably tuck a few someplace.
As we get closer to departure date, we will provide any necessary updates to this list.

Questions: Call or e-mail Nanci Cook (250) 285-3105 or info@firesignartanddesign.com. If she can’t answer your questions, give me a holler: Perri Sparks (250) 285-2474 or e-mail to: perri@perrinsparks.com.

 

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