Jolie Guillebeau

June 12, 2010

A lot of you have asked about my process for painting, and I love telling stories, so with this project I’m going to update the blog on Saturdays with bonuses. That way, I can tell more stories and include more details than I would in a normal post.

I won’t send these out as a newsletter, but you can find them here every Saturday.

I thought I’d start with an explanation of my plein air process and materials.

First the list.

I keep this card with my painting supplies. And I check it obsessively when I’m preparing to paint outside. There are few things more frustrating than schlepping all your supplies on the bus to the perfect location, finding the perfect angle with the perfect light and then discovering that you’ve left your brushes at home. (It’s happened. And I wept.)

So this list is divided in to necessary and convenient. Anything that is necessary has a red dot next to it. We’ll start there.

Paint. Obviously. I tend to bring my full palette, because I’m happier with the results when I have every option available, but I’ve limited myself to four colors and created marvelous paintings too.

Palette colors deserve a post all to themselves. Perhaps several posts, but for now these four colors mixed will give you almost any color you’d need for painting in the Northwest. Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Sienna, Cadmium Yellow Light,  and White. Really. That’s all you need.

For example, this painting was one of the first I painted with only these 4 colors.

Panels. Working en plein air, you have a limited amount of time before the light changes, so I work small, to make sure I have time to finish a painting. I use masonite blocks, because they travel well and they’re durable. 8×10 or smaller. I generally buy several at once so I can sand and gesso them all in one afternoon. (Painting prep… that deserves a post of its own, too.)

Brushes. Since I’m working small, I really only need three brushes. A larger filbert, a smaller filbert, and a round brush with a good point for edges or details. Honestly, I’d probably add a bright, especially if I’m painting any kind of building, but really that’s it.

Mineral spirits + jar. I have to keep those brushes clean if I’ve only got four. So I must bring mineral spirits. For a long time, I used a baby food jar, but recently I got a fancy brush washer, and I love it. My brushes are cleaner and I don’t have to worry about leaks.

Baby Wipes.

It’s inevitable. I’m going to get paint on my hands, or face, or jeans, or behind my ear. I once walked around downtown Seattle for three hours with a large streak of Cadmium Red across my forehead. It’s paint. It travels. And it tends to travel most when I’m farthest from a sink and soap. Baby wipes are almost as important as brushes. Many oil paints are toxic, so this isn’t just vanity.

Next Saturday, we’ll talk about the other stuff on the list. The stuff that makes painting easier, or at least more comfortable. I need all the help I can get.