Method

McEvoy Studio of Fine Art

Along the The Great South Bay of Islip, NY

 

 

Unique instruction, with the artist painting and drawing alongside the students. Kevin McEvoy offers small-class instruction, drawing on sight size techniques he acquired at the Charles Cecil Studios in Florence, Italy. Classes take place in Kevin’s studio near the quaint Main Street in Islip, NY. Maximum class size is six students.

Materials

As practiced at most classical painting ateliers, beginner students start drawing.  They then progress on to painting.  If you are new to the endeavor of classical art you will soon find that the materials different artists and traditions use to be a very complex process.   Below are several different tables, listed according to the stage you are in as an artist.

The following table is basic drawing materials, for beginner classes.  No materials are needed for the first day of a beginner class, as all material is provided by the studio.  In the first class, the instructor will review the following table to show which of the following items are needed for upcoming classes.

Beginner Drawing Materials

The following table is basic drawing materials both for drawing the cast and drawing the figure.

ItemBrandSizeDescriptionWebsite SourceNote
PencilsFaber Castell, Mono, Derwent-Grades 4H through 8BUtrecht WebsitePencil grades proceed in this order, from light to dark: 6H, 5H, 4H, 3H, 2H, H, HB, B, F, 2B, 3B, 4B, 5B, 6B, 7B, 8B, 9B
Bristol PaperMany good brands out there. Canson, Strathmore, Fabriano, etc18" x 24"Utrecht WebsiteGood, sharp lines on this paper
Quick Sketch PaperMany good brands out there.18" x 24"Just a common paper, no special type, for quick sketchingUtrecht Website
Drawing boardUtrecht brand is suitableroughly 20" x 26", not necessary to be this exact sizeClips on the top are a nice featureUtrecht Website
Roma Paper, CharcoalRomaroughly 18" x 24"White only. Not grey, not beige, not cream.New York Central Art Supply WebsiteOne of the best papers available in the world. Used exclusively by many charcoal portrait artists
Nitram Fusain CharcoalNitram Fusain-Only Nitram Fusain brand. Three grades should be purchased- soft, medium, hardDick Blick WebsiteOne of the very best charcoals available.
Kneaded Eraserany brand-any size, any typeUtrecht Website
Hard Eraserany brand-No special type, just a stiff eraser, any shapeUtrecht Website
Small Sketchbookany type-Nothing special, just something to do quick sketches on, to keep ideasNew York Central Art Supply WebsiteA pocket sized book, to keep on you throughout the day

Advanced Drawing Materials

The following is a table for sanguine drawing materials, for advanced classes.

ItemBrandSizeSourceNotes
PaperTwinrocker Yale Creamroughly 18" x 24"Twinrocker paper websiteA great paper. Expensive, but worth every cent. Paper needs to be tinted by highly diluted, brown sepia ink
Conte crayons or pencils, reddish brown, white, blackWatteau, some other good ones out there as well, price usually a reflection on quality-Utrecht Website
Charcoal pencils, soft, medium, hardThere are a few good brands, price usually a reflection on qualityUtrecht Website
Brown Sepia InkThere are a few good brands, price usually a reflection on qualityUtrecht Website
Large, soft sable brushI like Raphael, Escoda, Manet, ZecchiUtrecht WebsiteFor impecunious artists in a pinch, your wife's makeup blending brush will do nicely

New!

Beginner painting students can click the following link in the table, and order all of their supplies at once from the Utrecht website.  No more fussing through confusing, individual items, this list has everything that you need to begin painting.  From brushes to oil paints, from a palette to cleaning solvents, this list covers all of the basics.  As well, you may edit the purchase, to add more items, or remove items.

Beginner Painting PackageClick for McEvoy Studio Beginner Package

Painting Tools

The following is a table for basic oil painting materials, not including paints

ItemBrandType, Description"Click" for SourceNote
Turpentine, not odorlessWinsor Newton, Robert DoakDistilled turps, or Brazil TurpsUtrecht WebsiteTurpentine is more powerful than odorless mineral spirits. Should not be used for cleaning, but absolutely necessary when used in mediums.
Odorless turpentineGamsol-Utrecht WebsiteGood for cleaning, some people use it for diluting paints as well. Not very strong, evaporates very slowly, continually lifting paint off canvas surface
Palette cupsany-Utrecht WebsiteThe deeper the cup, the better. Less spilling.
PaletteThe best are available from Zecchi, and from New Wave Palettes. Tear away palettes are terrible, I highly discourage white onesZecchi is, in my opinion, one of the best art supply stores in the world, and I really like their simple palettes. New Wave is great, as well.New Wave Palettes
Zecchi
Make sure you order the correct palette! If you are right handed, you need to order a left grip palette.
Hog Bristle BrushesManet, Escoda, and Tintoretto are my favoritefilbertClick here to buy brush set
Manet brush set
I recommend between six and ten brushes for beginners, though less or more doesn't harm. As a beginner, you can buy bristle brush sets on the Jerry's Artarama website, and add individual brushes as you advance
Sable Martora Kolinsky BrushesEscoda, Zecchi, RosemaryfilbertDick Blick, ZecchiI recommend between six and ten brushes for beginners, though less or more doesn't harm. You can buy brush sets as a beginner, and add individual brushes as you advance. Brush sets available on Dick Blick website, better brushes individually sold on Zecchi website.
Palette KnifeMany brands are fineAll shapes and sizes. Beginners can just choose any mid size, and advanced students add more as they needUtrecht WebsiteSome cheaper brands are too flexible. More expensive knives are firm, handle better

Paints Level I

The following is a table for the basic paints, for beginners.  This is a limited palette, not an extended palette.

ItemBrandType, Description"Click" on SourceNote
Titanium WhiteOld Holland40 ml tube, or 225 mlUtreOld Holland Websitecht
Light Red. (not red light, not cadmium red, not any other red. Just "Light Red"Old Holland40 ml tube, or 225 mlUtreOld cht
Roman Ochre, or gold ochreOld Holland, or the better version is Zecchi, the Florentine art supply40 ml tube, or 225 mlUtrecht Website or better is Zecchi websiteZecchi is a bit of work to order from, but their site is navigable. Worthwhile to order from Zecchi
Ivory BlackOld Holland40 ml tube, or 225 mlUtrechthttp://www.utrechtart.com/Oil-Paint-Paint,Old-Holland.utrecht

Paints Level II

The following is a table for the extended palette, suitable for landscapes and still life paintings.  This is meant to be a supplement to the limited palette, and is designed for more advanced painting students.

ItemBrandType, Description"Click" for SourceNotes
Ultramarine BlueOld Holland40 ml or 225 mlUtrecht Website
Cobalt BlueOld Holland40 ml or 225 mlUtrecht Website
Cadmium YellowOld Holland40 ml or 225 mlUtrecht Website
English RedOld Holland40 ml or 225 mlUtrecht Website
Venetian RedOld Holland40 ml or 225 mlUtrecht Website
Indian RedOld Holland40 ml or 225 mlUtrecht Website
VermillionOld Holland40 ml or 225 mlUtrecht Website
Schevenginen BlueOld Holland40 ml or 225 mlUtrecht Website
Cadmium Yellow LightOld Holland40 ml or 225 mlUtrecht Website
Cadmium Yellow DeepOld Holland40 ml or 225 mlUtrecht Website
Raw UmberOld Holland40 ml or 225 mlUtrecht Website
Burnt UmberOld Holland40 ml or 225 mlUtrecht Website
Burnt SiennaOld Holland40 ml or 225 mlUtrecht Website