INSOMANIA - Official Equipment and Materials Suggestions List

[Layil]

Once again, the Workshop is upon us...

As during previous Workshops, we will be featuring both Traditional and Digital Demonstrations, so many of you will want to try a bit of both.

Below I've listed suggestions on different materials you may want to bring along. These are things people have brought previously and are compatible with the demonstrations. We encourage you to not only watch, but to participate along side the instructors, which will be interactive in their presentations and willing to do critiques. The Workshop is not a passive experience. Come prepared.

BASICS

-a sketchbook (or two): something comfortable to draw in, best at least 8.5x11
-a notebook: small enough to carry around, comfortable to take notes in. there will be lots!
-pencils: mechanical or wooden, in various hardnesses, extra leads, a sharpener and erasers, (kneaded and nylon ones.)
-pens: Ink brush pens, fine tip ball points, old fashioned ink and quill pens with various tips, markers, anything that catches your eye that you want to experiment with. Oh, and something to write with, of course!
-a digital camera: to capture all those memories, you’ll be sorry if you don’t bring one!
-a flashlight: its gonna be dark during the digital demos, so youll want a light to take notes with. a little LED clipped to your belt should do nicely...


DIGITAL

-A Laptop, power cords, wifi card, power strips (extra plugs),
-Wacom tablet and pen.
-Flash or Pen drive for easy file swapping. (brush sets, art PSDs, pics, etc)
-Programs: Adobe Photoshop CS2 and Corel Painter 9 (or newest versions you can get)


TRADITIONAL

DRAWING:
-a pad of charcoal paper or loose sheets of Canson-style pastel paper. (Newsprint and boards will be provided for gesture drawing)
- Charcoal pencils and pieces in various grades (hard to soft), vine and compressed.
- Kneaded erasers, chamois cloths, smudging sticks (optional)

OIL PAINTING:

Oils come in various qualities, from student grade to professional.
If this is your first time painting, get cheap paints to start, in limited colors.
If you’re already into painting, it’s worth it to invest in better quality paint, it WILL make it easier to work!

MUST HAVE ("if you ever wanna be an oil painter"):
Titanium white OR flake white
Yellow Ochre
Venetian Red OR Indian Red
Blue Black OR Paynes Grey

OPTIONAL ("to amplify the badassness of your paintings") :
Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber
Raw Umber
Raw Sienna
Naples Yello
Ultramarine Blue
Cobalt Turquoise
Cadmium Red Light
Alizarin Crimson

BRUSHES:
Assortment of sizes from small detail to large-
3 or 4 will do for basics
flats, filberts or rounds, your pick

MEDIUM:
Refined Linseed Oil

OTHER:
Palette, medium cups, turpenoid (buy in montreal)
Rags or papertowels
French Easel box or cheapo travel easel and supply box
Gessoed Masonite, canvas board, stretched canvas or heavy paper with back support


NOTES:
1. taking painting kits on airplanes is a pain in the ass, but not impossible...
we recommend taking the paint and mediums and checking them, and taking the empty kit on the plane with you-
buy the turpenoid in San Francisco, taking flammeables on planes is a BAD idea
if customs gives you grief, tell em its a "art kit"- nice n vague.... no mention of "oils" or "paints", cause the ignoramuses think that means "bomb."

2. No, you dont have to buy all of the above, bring what you think you can comfortably carry and will want to use. sketchbooks are a MUST!

3. we have had issues with theft at previous events, but over all, your stuff should be safe if you keep an eye on it and a bit of common sense about you. You should be safe bringing expensive gear along as long as you dont leave it lying about screaming to get knicked.

Am I missing anything?

See ya at INSOMANIA!!!!

[Unbreakable]

Thank you, Layil.

[Frank Wade]

Way to be.
Thanks

[joelhinxman]

sweet good to know.

for mediums should we bring anything like liquin or an alkyd so our paint drys faster.

also under notes every thing says montreal

[silvestri99]

thanks for the heads up! Going to have to consider the oils although I've never worked with them before.......

[Layil]

joelhinxman: oops, good catch, lemme fix that.
yes, you can bring dryer for your oil paints if you want. might make the trip home easier....

[timpaatkins]

Great! Thansk Layil. I was wondering if any of the more well aquainted oilpainters on the board could maybe write down what they consider to be essential on the pallet, and why? It would be a great help to us newbies! Any tips that have come with years of experience!

Cheers
Tim

[archnemesis dbal]

For laptops, will we need to bring extension cords or will there be adequate room for standard laptop power cords?

[Layil]

timpaatkins: look above, there is an Essentials Oils section in the list. this was compiled by our painter crew for the last workshop, the same info applies this time.

OIL PAINTING:

Oils come in various qualities, from student grade to professional.
If this is your first time painting, get cheap paints to start, in limited colors.
If you’re already into painting, it’s worth it to invest in better quality paint, it WILL make it easier to work!

MUST HAVE ("if you ever wanna be an oil painter"):
Titanium white OR flake white
Yellow Ochre
Venetian Red OR Indian Red
Blue Black OR Paynes Grey

OPTIONAL ("to amplify the badassness of your paintings") :
Burnt Sienna
Burnt Umber
Raw Umber
Raw Sienna
Naples Yello
Ultramarine Blue
Cobalt Turquoise
Cadmium Red Light
Alizarin Crimson

archnemesis dbal: dont bring industrial power cords, but if you have one of those wound up extensions, that might be good, or a surge protector/powerstrip with a decent cord length will do to.

We learned from the last workshop and this time there will be free tables with power outlets set up for people to rock their laptops.

[Idiot Apathy]

I'm curious - I'd rather concentrate on what others are doing than work on things myself, it's not often I get to see too many other artists do their thing here in Utah let alone good artists you know? I learn so much from 'osmosis' and observation.

Am I making a big mistake? I am planning on taking a smaller sketchbook and simple supplies, but don't plan on using them too much.

[Layil]

nope, thats cool too... most people are happy just bringing a sketchbook to their first workshop... repeat customers often bring more gear, since theyve done the passive observational thing already and are itching to get their hands dirty.

that said DO bring some art stuff, a sketchbook at least, since post demos, you WILL be wanting to try out some of the stuff youve been watching, and participate in the workshop thunderdome, of course!

there will be life drawing also, where the instructors can give you real time feedback on your art and correct mistakes you may be making...

bring what you think youll want. you can alway buy more stuff later or borrow some gear from other attendees if you wanna try something new.

[Idiot Apathy]

Thank you Layil

[Interceptor]

Originally Posted by Idiot Apathy

I'm curious - I'd rather concentrate on what others are doing than work on things myself, it's not often I get to see too many other artists do their thing here in Utah let alone good artists you know? I learn so much from 'osmosis' and observation.

Am I making a big mistake? I am planning on taking a smaller sketchbook and simple supplies, but don't plan on using them too much.

Don't forget that after each day, you'll be back at the hostel, or before / after the workshop you'll be out on the town. All that inspiration might make you want to have something a little bigger to work in.

[Idiot Apathy]

Thanks Loren, I'm such a putz. I've only just begun to use one of these pencil things...

[robinchyo]

I've been wondering if there's going to be some desks/tables/chairs available for the people bringing in their laptops?

[joelhinxman]

for easels would a table top easel work or does it need to be a full standing ealse

[Layil]

we will have some tables available for people to work on, and there will be some easels and horses for drawing, but if you have a portable easel or painting box, bring that too...

joelhinxman: you can bring a tabletop, but it might restrict you in where you can sit because there will be more easels than tables.

[55 with a bullet]

hi layil, do you have any suggestions on where we can store our oil supplies? Will there be any lockers or such? Would running back and forth from a car cause us to miss out too much on the lectures?

and as a side question.. if we are travelling by car into sf, from around sf, do you have any suggestions on parking lots and if there are any places to just leave a car for multiple nights?

thanks!!

[Main Loop]

might not wanna buy your turpenoid in montreal for this workshop

[Burnt]

i'm for sure gonna bring a sponge to clean up my face after it melts from the awesomeness

[Mike Dutton]

What kind of chairs are going to be set up? The standard folding chair? I'm wondering if it's okay to bring my own camping fold-up type chair since I'm gettin' to that age where I need something comfy to sit in if it's going to be for any length of time, which is definitely the case here.

[Layil]

sure mike, thats fine.
we want you to be comfy.

[Layil]

sure mike, thats fine.
we want you to be comfy.

[alti]

ok power cords and adapters, i know countries have different standards. is this supported ? http://www.accesscomms.com.au/Products/K3745.htm
or do i need to go out and find some adaptor to this cord

[dan.man.86]

Thank you Layil for the much helpful post! This'll be my first workshop and I was very worried about what exactly I should bring.

This checklist will definitely help me narrow things down.

Although since it is a first time, I'm sure I'll be too awe-struck to realize half the stuff I brought

[silvestri99]

Another Material suggestion...watch the weather forcasts for the area. The water front can get windy and rainy that time of year. You may consider bringing a garbage sack to put everything in if you don't have another secure, dry way to move them around town. An umberlla may be another way to keep yourself dry, but it might not protect you stufz.

[vcoleman]

That is a very good point. Thanks for the reminder.

[Donovan V]

I just checked the average weather.

http://www.cityrating.com/cityweather.asp?city=Seattle

Average 41.3 degrees and raining in January? I'd say an umbrella may be in order. Also, anyone know if there will be a place to stash coats when at the event?

[Jason Manley]

who needs a coat? I'm wearing shorts!

We have to ask the venue about a coat room/coat check...for now, figure to keep it on you, worst case.


j

[Rabid]

Originally Posted by alti

ok power cords and adapters, i know countries have different standards. is this supported ? http://www.accesscomms.com.au/Products/K3745.htm
or do i need to go out and find some adaptor to this cord

Looks like the correct size that would work Alti ....I say "LOOKS"