Description
Join Heather for three days of plein air painting in and around Venice, Florida. The goals of this workshop are to enjoy the painting process while focusing on composition, color use and techniques needed to get to “Great work!” The workshop will start at the Venice Art Center with a morning of brief demonstrations and class exercises designed to help simplify complex landscapes, add interest to simple landscapes, and engage the viewer. In the afternoon of Day 1, we will move outside to put theory into practice with more value and color studies. Days 2 and 3 will be entirely devoted to painting on location, outdoors, and will feature a demonstration of the entire painting process followed by student work creating their own paintings. Expect to receive plenty of individual attention in this workshop while gaining important skills, and enjoying the outdoors, the painting process and the camaraderie of the class. Prepare for some serious fun! Some prior watercolor experience recommended.
Supply List for Plein Air Watercolor Workshop Fall 2026
Instructor: Heather McCullough
I am delighted that you are part of this workshop. We will be painting outdoors in several locations in and around
Venice, Florida. I will email and text you the first day’s meeting location several days prior to the start of workshop.
In the event of high winds or rain, we will meet at Venice Art Center and I will email and text to confirm this as well.
I want you to have a great experience and hope the following information helps to start you off in the right
direction. You can minimize the quantity of supplies you choose to bring, but please don’t stint on the quality!
Purchase professional grade supplies.
The happy plein air painter is flexible, adaptable and mobile. Please carefully consider the supplies you bring so
that you match your supplies to your size, strength, determination and tolerance. I can not overstate this. Art
comes in all sizes. It’s completely reasonable to choose a small sketchbook, one pencil, a travel palette, a couple
of brushes, small block of paper, a few pieces of paper towel and a small stool …or commit to finding a seat on
location. That said, the following is what I recommend you have with you to get the most out of this workshop.
Materials List:
·sketchbook (a “regular sketchbook”, not a watercolor sketchbook. You will use this work out compositions)
·pencil HB or 2B
·Kneaded eraser
· Felt tip black magic marker may be helpful but not necessary.
·Paint You will need the ability to mix a warm and cool variant of each of the primary colors and you need to
know what colors you currently have on your palette. Beyond that, color choice is personal and you do not need
to match my palette.
Just for informational purposes, my current palette consists of the following pigments and brands and I have
put an asterisk by the ones that are typically my workhorses.
Aureolin ( PY40, Daniel-Smith)
*Cadmium yellow light (PY35, American Journey)
Quinacridone Gold (PO 48, PY150, Daniel-Smith)
Raw Sienna (PBr7, American Journey)
Burnt Sienna (PBr7, American Journey)
Raw Umber (PBr7, American Journey)
Burnt Umber (PBr7, American Journey)
Cadmium Orange (PO20 American Journey)
Cadmium red-orange (PO20 Blockx)
*Cadmium red medium (PR108)
*Permanent Rose (PV19) or Alizarin Crimson quinacridone (PV19) or “regular” Alizarin
crimson (PR83) [This is not as bright as the PV 19 pigment and tends to be fugitive.]
Magenta (PV19, PB29 American Journey)
Dioxazine Purple (PV23, Grumbacher)
*Phthalo blue – sometimes listed as Phthalo blue, green shade. (PB15 American Journey)
*Ultramarine blue (PB29 American Journey, Grumbacher, DickBlick, DaVinci)
Cerulean Blue Hue (PB15, PW6 American Journey)
Cobalt Turquoise (PB28, MaimeriBlu)
*Phthalo green – sometimes listed as Phthalo green, blue shade (PG7, American Journey)
Hooker’s Green Light (PG7, PY42 American Journey)
The color index pigment number for each of the colors and the brands are listed in parenthesis.
·Palette. This should either be heavy enough to withstand a little wind or be able to be secured in some fashion. I
have a John Pike palette that I have used for plein air for over 20 years and, more recently, I sometimes use a
hand held palette. Whatever you choose needs an adequate mixing area – that is, you should have the ability to
mix a relatively large puddle compared with the size of the brushes you may be using.
·Brushes. Bring what you own. I use a variety of flats and rounds.
·Paper Professional grade watercolor paper is critical. I’d suggest Arches 140 lb cold pressed or 140 lb rough. I
will work on 1/4 or 1/2 sheet sizes. (I buy full sheets and tear them into smaller sizes) You may wish to go smaller
or you may prefer to use a block of paper .
· support for paper (cardboard works well)
· bulldog clips or tape – for securing paper to cardboard/support.
· water and water container
· paper towel
· easel and/or chair/stool. I prefer to paint standing most of the time, but you may prefer to paint holding your
painting on your lap or we may find picnic tables or benches on location. If you bring an easel, it should be of
sufficient weight that it will stand up to potential wind or you must be very good humored! French box easels are
weighty, but excellent for plein air painting.
Last, if you still have carrying capacity, a painter’s umbrella is a nice piece of equipment to bring along. I view it as
a luxury. It’s of no use if there is more than a gentle breeze, but if the day is calm and sunny, it allows me to pick
my best vantage point without regard for the Sun. Please do NOT buy one for this class if you don’t already have
one. Check out mine and other class member’s first.
Prepare for a day outdoors:
layered clothing
comfortable shoes
hat
sunscreen
bug spray
drinking water, coffee, snack, lunch
If you have any questions about the class or the supplies, please do not hesitate to call me: 941-525-6386.
Plein Air “Go Bag” list
____Sketchbook
____Pencil/eraser
____Paint tubes
____Palette
____Brushes
____Watercolor paper/ block
____Support for paper
____Bulldog clips/tape
____Water and water container
____Paper towels
____Easel, chair or stool
____Umbrella
____Layered clothing
____Hat
____Sunscreen
____Bug spray
____Drinking water, coffee, snack, lunch
