Furry Friends

You are sure to have fun and learn a lot in this 3-day oil painting workshop focusing on our own pets, dogs and cats! The class is designed for intermediate to advanced painters and demo’s will primarily be with dogs but if you have a good photograph of your own furry friend you’d like to tackle, bring it along.

We’ll learn a bit about anatomy and move right in to those tricky things like curly hair and personality! Wind and water change the appearance of fur and we’ll learn about that, too.

If we’re lucky, we may even have a live model!

What makes an engaging pet portrait? We’ll spend some time on that as well as composition, background treatment and panel prep, too. You’ll also learn more about color mixology, oil pigment properties, brushes and other tools of our trade.

I pack in a lot of learning you’ll want to remember so bring a note pad, an open mind and expect to have a good time!

Questions about the materials supply list or workshop can be directed to me at: art@janisblayer.com or contact me on my cell at 808-250-2141.

Oil Paints: Choose quality pigments. My personal preference is Gamblin.
Titanium White
Yellow Ochre
Cadmium Yellow Light
Cadmium Orange
Cadmium Red Light
Transparent Red Oxide
Alizarin Crimson
Ultramarine Blue
Montserrat Orange -Williamsburg, optional
Brilliant Yellow Light – Richeson, optional

Gamsol or Michael Harding’s Miracle Medium and lidded container. Linseed or similar oils are good brush cleaning mediums, too. Please feel free to use water-soluble oil pigments if you prefer but this class will be focused on traditional oils.

Brushes:
Rosemary brushes – RosemaryandCo.com
(or similar – not necessary to buy new ones)
Eclipse, long filberts, sizes 4, 6, 8, 10
Series 66 sable, Cat’s Tongue #6 & #8 (it’s not a big brush despite the number, it’s sized like watercolor brushes) If you do not have this type brush or similar, bring a good small round brush with a good tip.
Series 99 Sable liner

These brushes are on the softer side. Compare what you have to these listed. If you have something comparable, please feel free to use your own.

Supports:
Panels (your choice of surfaces above) 9 x 12,” 11×14,” 12×16,” or similar. We will use one per day but feel free to bring extras if you are a quick painter!

Please also bring the following:
Table easel, palette, palette cup(s), palette knife, note/sketch book and soft graphite pencil, paper towels or shop towel rolls, disposable trash bag for each day (used produce grocery bags work fine), latex or nitrile gloves (cadmiums and solvents are toxic!), apron, panel box to safely transport wet panels. Dawn detergent for final brush cleaning. If traveling, you may want to consider using Gamblin Solvent Free Gel to speed the drying process of your pigments for traveling.

Apps:
Please download the fee app “Grid Painter” to your phone. It’s a Mona Lisa face with a grid over it.

Photos will be provided but feel free to bring your own (or use your iPad) if you prefer to paint a subject other than the one demo’d.

Download the Materials Supply List