Christopher Leeper

Chris is a full time artist from Canfield, Ohio.
He is the author of Realism in Watermedia, North Light.
He has illustrated four children's books for the Smithsonian and African Wildlife Foundation.
His work has been featured in several books and publications.
He is a member of the adjunct faculty in the Department of Art at Youngstown State University.
He served as President of the Ohio Watercolor Society (2008-2012)
Chris graduated from Youngstown State University in 1988 with a BFA degree in graphic design

Upcoming Workshops

Suggested Supply List

Paper

  • good quality paper: arches, fabriano, waterford or kilimanjaro.
  • 140 or 300 pound
  • several quarter (11x15) sheets and maybe a couple 1/2 sheets
  • watercolor block if you prefer

    • Brushes

  • variety of standard watercolor brushes (rounds and flats, synthetic or sable)
  • i like silver brush black velvets
  • you do not need the whole list of sizes. many paintings are completed with just a couple brushes
  • acceptable set might be: #4, #10, #16 rounds; rigger; 1/2" and 1" flat

    • Paints

  • many professional grade paints are very good (ie winsor and newton, davinci, holbein, maimeri m. graham) i use daniel smith
  • the key to a good watercolor palette is having warm and cool colors within your primary palette and then supplementing those colors with earth tones and secondary colors. for example:
  • yellows:
    ~ one cool yellow (ie cadmium yellow light or pale, auerolin, winsor yellow, hansa yellow light)
    ~ one warn yellow (ie new gamboge, indian yellow)
  • reds:
    ~ one cool red (ie rose madder, quinacridone red, winsor red, permanent rose, madder lake light, alizarin crimson)
    ~ one warm red (ie cadmium red light)
  • blues:
    ~ cool (thalo blue)
    ~ warm (ultramarine blue)
    ~ neutral (cobalt blue)
    ~ optional (cerulean blue or manganese blue)
  • earth tones (optional):
    ~ yellow ochre, raw umber, burnt sienna, raw sienna, permanent brown
  • violets (optional):
    ~ thio violet, cobalt violet, quinacridone violet, dioxazine purple
  • greens (optional):
    ~ viridian, thalo green
  • useful, but non essential colors:
    ~ green gold, quinacridone gold, quinacridone sienna, cadmium orange
  • White Gouache
    ~ used for accents

    • Please Do Not Buy All These Colors!

  • Other than a split primary palette (2 yellows, 2 reds, 3 blues) you do not need all these colors. They are listed as options.

    • Miscellaneous

  • board to tape your paper to
  • masking tape
  • wide mouth container(s)
  • large watercolor palette
  • kneaded eraser
  • 2-b pencil

    • Reference Photos