Learning Water-soluble Mediums with Karen North Wells

The Museum School at the Cape Cod Museum of Art presents:

Learn to Paint Water-soluble Mediums (Water-soluble Oil, Acrylic, and Watercolor) with Karen North Wells

6 Thursdays: April 27-June 1, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

Non-Members $180 / Members $150

For each class, Karen will do a demo in water mixable oil, acrylic, or watercolor depending on what medium each student chooses to work with. She will teach, composition, color, and value while painting a seascape or a landscape. Props and photos are welcome, iPads are especially helpful for painting landscapes and seascapes. Please review the materials list below. All levels are welcome.

Suggested Materials

Water-soluble Oil and Acrylics:

• For water-soluble oils my preference is Artisan Water Mixable Oil Colour by Winsor & Newton plus Stand oil made especially for water‐soluble oils. Stand oil gives paint a sheen plus makes them buttery in texture, quite creamy! Stand oil is NOT used with acrylics. Or you may use Linseed oil instead of Stand oil with oils. I just happen to like Stand oil.
• For acrylics my preference is Liquitex.
• For oils and acrylics, I use pretty much the same colors as I do for watercolor except for a few differences.
• I highlighted in bold the colors I think are absolutely necessary. Others can be bought later if needed: Cadmium Yellow Light, Yellow Ochre, Cadmium Yellow Medium (optional), Cadmium Orange (optional), Cadmium Red Light or Cadmium Red, Cadmium Red Medium, Alizarin Crimson(optional)(good with Viridian Green to make black), Permanent Rose (used for flowers), (French) Ultramarine Blue, Winsor Blue (Phthalo Blue), Cerulean Blue, Viridian Green (Optional, but good with alizarin crimson to make black), Ivory Black mixed with lemon yellow to make green, Titanium White (I get large tubes because this is used the most of all the colors.)
• Canvas (stretched) or Masonite or canvas board ‐‐ I coat canvas or Masonite (without waffle‐like backing) with Gesso and then undercoat painting with cadmium red light acrylic paint before painting subject. If canvas is already white, then it has already been primed with Gesso.
• Brushes of all sizes and unlike watercolor, the cheaper the better - round, flat, and filbert made for oil or acrylic paints
• Lucite right‐angle triangle (the larger the better for horizon lines)
• Palette made from Masonite, Lucite, plastic plates, or disposable paper sheets

Watercolor:

• Palette: I have used Jones palette but like John Pike Big Well Palette because it is sturdier and has room for 1-1/2" flat brush
• I like Winsor & Newton, but NOT their Cotman series
• Cadmium Red, Cadmium Lemon (make sure it does not have titanium nickel), French Ultramarine Blue (for shading), Cerulean Blue (for skies), Winsor Blue (red or green shade; this is a Phthalo Blue I use for water), Prussian Blue (to mix with Lemon Yellow for green), Yellow Ochre (for sand, skin, sky and warm whites).Optional colors, but needed eventually: Cadmium Yellow Pale, Cadmium Orange, Permanent Rose (for flowers), Alizarin Crimson
• Brushes: I like Pro Arte, Langnickel, and Richeson
• Flat: 1/4", 1/2", 1", 1-1/2 " (None of these you need right away except the 1-1/2")
• Round: as small as #000 or #00 for signing name; also #10, #12, #16 and a larger one which is VERY important‐Either a #20 or #24
• #1 or #2 rigger, but not necessary to start out
• Paper: D'Arches Block 140 lb. cold or hot pressed (I buy blocks)

Other supplies: 

• Masking fluid (I like "Incredible White Mask" from ASW) 
• Masking tape (if you don't use watercolor blocks)
• Paper towels
• #2 pencil
• Eraser (Eraser Staedtler Mars Plastic is terrific, sold at Staples)

Karen North Wells, an award-winning artist based in Cape Cod, paints in all three media: watercolor, oil, and acrylic. She considers herself an impressionistic painter, neither painting absolute realism, nor abstraction but somewhere in the middle. 

Karen regularly paints florals, boats, still lifes, landscapes and seascapes, but bringing buildings and water views to life for special commissions are Karen's specialties. 

"My goal now in life is to be a healer through my painting. I can't paint sad pictures," says Karen. "[My work has] to reveal the happiness that I feel. I want people to smile when they look at my paintings." 

Karen taught art in grades kindergarten through 12th grade for 20 years. Now she has been teaching adult workshops for over 25 years. undergroundartgallery.com

Cancellation policy: CCMoA must be notified 1 week prior for refund.