Mike Rooney is recognized as one of the East Coast’s top plein air painters and instructors, and he has traveled from Maine to the Florida Keys, Italy, Cuba and Puerto Rico teaching at major art centers, judging art shows, and painting. He has been on the cover of the Art Issue of Cape Cod Magazine and is collected both privately and by corporations such as Royal Canadian Bank. He also makes teaching videos for Jerry’s Artarama, a nationwide art supply store

Supply List

VERY IMPORTANT!!!!  I suggest that you do a 6” x 8” painting as a dry run before the workshop to see if you’re missing anything you might need. Some of these things you can live without, some you can’t!

This list is what I carry but if you’re an experienced painter, bring what you like the best, and feel free to substitute. Don’t run out and buy synthetic brushes because I use them. Bring whatever supplies you like to use.

I’m now using acrylic to underpaint my oils with so if you are an oil painter wanting to use my method, in addition to your oils (below) bring these colors in smaller tubes of acrylic (you won’t be using a ton of it):

1. Underpaint colors:
   • Cadmium Yellow Light
   • Cadmium Red
   • Quinacridone Red or Alizarin crimson
   • Pthalo blue or cyan blue
   • White
2. Oil OR Acrylic paint list (note: you don’t necessarily have to have all these- you do need the ones with stars)
   • *Cadmium Yellow
   • *Cadmium Red Light
   • *Quinacridone Red
   • Viridian
   • *Ultramarine Blue
   • Pthalo blue or Cyan Blue
   • Cadmium Orange Hue
   • Sap Green
   • Cadmium Violet or some version of Purple
   • *Titanium White

3. A mixing palette made of wood, glass or plastic to mix the paint on

4. Painting panel or canvas around 12×16 for each day of the workshop. Bring an extra (just for good measure). You’d hate to want another one and not have it.

5. Panel Holders- to carry wet panels around without smearing them or getting paint all over everything. You can get some online from Raymar or bring some pizza boxes to throw the wet paintings into.

6. Important! 9″x12″ish pad of multimedia paper, 6b pencil or graphite stick and erasure.  I like artgum erasers.

7. Brushes- any stiff synthetic brush like Liquitex Freestyles (my personal faves), Princeton 6300’s or Silver Bristlon (or your own favorites) in smaller AND larger sizes. Find the stiffest synthetic. Also need a synthetic Liner (also called a Rigger) brush. It’s thin and has very long hairs (for detail work)

8. Plaster of Paris (available at the hardware store) or Impasto medium to thicken up the paint

9. Painting knives in a teardrop shape; metal (small to medium)

10. Smart Phone–if you don’t have one, bring photos of stuff you like to paint (from magazines or ones you took)

11. Bring photos with good light and shadow pattern (stark difference between what’s being struck by the light and what’s in shadow). No overcast or cloudy pics.

12. Gamsol brush cleaner or vegetable oil- please! No odorless mineral spirits from the hardware store. I’m highly allergic to the smell of that stuff!

13. Paper towels or rags

14. Put all the stuff in a large backpack (suitcase on wheels works well too)

If you’re a somewhat experienced painter don’t feel like you have to go out and get all thats on this list. This is just what I use. Bring what you like, brush and paint-wise. If you have any questions after you’re registered for the class, let me know and I’ll try to answer them. My email is: rooneystudios@hotmail.com

Discounted supplies available at Books & Books.