Alexandra Sheldon

Notes from Alexandra

As always, I intend for my classes to be active art-making sessions for you with a smattering of different techniques. It is my belief that if we can make something with our hands then life is easier and less anxiety provoking. Above all else I want my classes to be invigorating yet relaxing, contemporary yet unpretentious and wide open to total beginners as well as experienced artists needing a jumpstart.

Every other week I teach an active online Drop In Zoom Collage Class. This class is about being together and making together. The drop in class will be from 4-6:30pm Eastern on Thursdays. I will do demonstrations and then repeat them so that you can work along with me. 

You do not have to sign up in advance and you only pay for the classes you take. Classes cost $50 each. You can pay me before or after a class. You can pay for several at one time or for one at a time. If you are on my email list you will receive a material suggestion list every Tuesday along with a Zoom invite. Remember that you can improvise a lot when it comes to materials.

You must install Zoom (which is free) onto your device. That way, when you receive my Zoom invite the link will be on it and all you have to do is click on that link at 4pm Thursdays Eastern Time. There will not be a password.

Here is my general list of materials to have on hand every week (of course you can improvise with what you have):

  • Any type of paint pens

  • Any transparent papers like vellum

  • Water based paints like acrylics, gouaches or watercolors (I like Turner Acryla Gouaches, Holbein Acryla Gouaches, and Golden acrylic colors - a variety of colors is good to have.)

  • Assortment of brushes (flat nylon Aquarelle brushes available from Blick are great for painting paper.)

  • Plastic scraper or old credit card for collaging stuff flat

  • Papers found in a recycle bin like envelopes, paper bags, receipts, cereal boxes, cardboard

  • Pens, pastels, sharpies, colored pencils, water soluble pastels, charcoal, pencils, paint pens or ball point pens

  • Ruler, sponge, water, paper plates, newspaper, magazines, trace paper, sketch paper, newsprint, any type of Bristol paper or mixed media sketchbook paper

  • Card stock in white or cream from Staples. It is a cheaper alternative to Bristol paper. Get the 11” x 8” 110 pound. This is a good substrate for collages.

  • Scotch Low tack artist tape or any type of painter's tape

  • Mixed media sketchbook, any size

  • Glue sticks or acrylic matte medium (I prefer Utrecht matte medium, available online from Blick Art)

These are great colors to have on hand (but don't forget that you can always improvise in my class and could even use a box of watercolors):

Pretty essential:

  • Black

  • White (I use a titanium white)

  • Burnt Umber

  • Yellow Ochre

  • Burnt Sienna

  • Raw Umber

  • Alizarin Crimson

  • Cadmium Red

  • Cadmium Yellow Medium

  • Either Cadmium Yellow Light or a Lemon Yellow (one is a rich yellow tone and the other is much lighter)

  • Ultramarine Blue

  • Cobalt Blue

  • Cerulean or Bright Blue

  • Hookers Green

  • Quinacridone Magenta or any Magenta

  • Payne’s Gray

Second List:

  • Phthalo Blue (also called Windsor Green if made by Windsor & Newton)

  • Phthalo Green (“ These two colors make mixing tropical greens and blues much easier. They are super strong rich colors)

  • Prussian Blue (super gorgeous)

  • Quinacridone Crimson or any Crimson

  • Raw Sienna

  • Sap Green

  • Cadmium Green

  • Cadmium Orange