Cairns ARTescape 2014 – Course Materials Checklist
Paul Macklin – From Drawing to Painting
MINIMUM MATERIALS (this is virtually my full creative kit, if you don’t have or
can’t afford, or don’t want to create this kit, then bring what you have.)
Drawing Materials

2 Compressed charcoal sticks – soft

1 Derwent Graphitone Pencil, 6b or 8 b – sticks of water soluble graphite

1 Monte Marte Water Soluble Graphite Stick (if available they are cheap
and come in a value pack of 3) or…

1 Lyra Water Soluble Graphite Stick, 6b or 9b (sold individually, more
expensive than Monte Marte, ensure it is water soluble)

1 can of Fixative or Hairspray

Easel – something we can transport when we go walking around the park

A1 Drawing board – I am going to encourage you to work large,
particularly if you are used to working small

Bull dog clips at least 6

Exacto knife or similar for cutting and sharpening
Painting Materials

Matisse Acrylic Medium or similar acrylic media (min 250mm jar)

Matisse Transparent Gesso (translucent pastel primer) or similar (min
250mm jar)

White Acrylic Gesso (min 500mm) or (Matt White Acrylic House Paint)

Acrylic paint – all primary and secondary colours, plus lots of white either 80mm tube or 250 mm pot, the more the better
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
Painting Palette – something with a lid you can cover to keep your paint
wet – I like two A3 size meat trays – one on the bottom for the palette
and one on top for the lid.

Paint brushes – bring what you already have.
o I use a mix of large rough Jasart Round Hog Hair Brushes as large
as I can find
o A couple of fine square Taklon brushes 10mm, 20mm and 50 mm.
o Any really rough old house painting brushes you have lying around

Plastic paint scraper 60mm+

Rag or paper towel

Spray bottle – for water to keep your acrylic work wet and pliable.
Bunnings to a great 500 ml Trigger Spray for about $3 - it’s perfect,
otherwise an old Spray and Wipe bottle will do

Water bottle – used 2litre milk bottle is fine

Water container – used plastic yogurt containers are fine
Paper
We will do lots of experiments, so you want to be able to work without feeling
your paper is precious.

A1 Cartridge paper – 10-20 sheets

6 sheets of 250+gsm watercolour paper apx. A1 – just in case you want
to work something up on a more durable, less flexible paper

A3 or A4 sketch book
Other
 Comfortable walking shoes – we won’t be walking far but we will be
working ‘en plein air’ around the park some of the time

Smock or clothes you can get paint on

Hat, block-out and mosquito repellent

A bag or truck to carry it all in!
OTHER MATERIALS – USEFUL BUT NOT ESSENTIAL
 Retarder

iPhone, iPod and headphones
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
Camera – iPhone will do

Laptop – especially if you have Photoshop or a photo manipulation
program

Photos of your artwork on a USB stick or your computer if you want to
show others what you do

Additional sheets of 250+gsm watercolour paper, if you want to
experiment a lot.

A3 Water Colour Paper Pad for smaller exercises

Stretched Canvass bigger than 400x600 – if you really want to get serious
at the end of the week
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