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Frequently Asked Questions (Patreon)

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2020-05-11 23:42:54
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🎓 FAQ – Tools, Tutorials & Teaching Resources

Welcome to the central hub for all FAQ's related to materials, tutorials, mentorship, and studio setup. This post will be regularly updated as new questions arise and current answers evolve.

📬 Have a question you'd like answered here? Drop it in the comment section.

📖 Table of Contents

  • Materials

  • Studio Gear & Setup

  • Mentorship, Tutorials & Study

  • Books & Digital Resources

  • Model Packs & Image Usage Rights

  • Update Log

🧰 Materials

What materials do I need to stretch paper?

What is a plumb line and why is it useful?

A plumb line is a weighted string used to identify true vertical. It helps with comparing vertical alignments in figure or portrait drawing.

What brushes do you use?

I rotate between three brush types:

What medium do you use, and when?

  • Base Medium: Liquin (used sparingly)

  • Why/When I Use It:

    • To cover large areas quickly

    • To loosen stiff paint

    • To “oil out” between painting sessions

🔴 Note on Thinners (Turpentine, Mineral Spirits):
Avoid unless your studio is extremely well ventilated. These solvents off-gas toxic fumes and pose long-term health risks. Linseed oil alone is a safer alternative.

What is PVA and how is it used for oil painting on paper?

PVA (Polyvinyl Acetate) is a flexible, non-yellowing, hydrophobic adhesive used to size paper before applying oil ground.
Recommended: Gamblin PVA Size

What paper do you use for drawing?

What pencils do you use?

Tool Use Range Pentel 120 A3DX Mechanical drawing .3mm, .5mm, .7mm, .9mm Tombow Mono Homo-graph Wood pencil 4H–4B Mitsubishi Hi-Uni Wood pencil 4H–4B Pentel 120 A3DX (.9mm) + Bohin White Chalk White chalk drawing

How do you choose which pencil to use?

  • Harder lead = lighter marks (e.g., 4H)

  • Softer lead = darker values (e.g., 4B)

  • Smaller diameters (e.g., .3mm) suit fine grain paper and small shapes

  • Larger diameters (.9mm) for bold forms or toothier paper

What linen or canvas do you use?

What oil painting palette do you use?

Basic Palette:

  • Flake White – Blue Ridge

  • Ivory Black – Williamsburg

  • Vermillion Extra – Old Holland

  • Alizarin Crimson Lake Extra – Old Holland

  • Old Holland Yellow-Brown

  • Raw Umber

Extended Palette (optional):

  • Cobalt Blue, Ultramarine Blue

  • Cadmium Yellow Light

  • Viridian

What Egg Tempera do you use?

💡 Studio Gear & Setup

What artificial lighting do you use?

  • Godox SL60 IId

  • 24" octagonal white interior soft box

  • Mounted on a vari-pole with super clamps

    • USA source: B&H Photo

    • For international buyers, try CVP (Europe), Thomann (DE), or your local photography supply

Where do you get plaster casts for drawing/painting?

Only buy from reputable cast makers:

🎓 Mentorship, Tutorials & Study

How do I get the most out of the tutorials?

Use the model packs provided to:

  • Do a draw-along or paint-along

  • Make original or replica work

  • Listen, watch, and apply lessons simultaneously

📄 Download the Vocabulary PDF – it’s essential! (bottom of post)

Beginner? Start here:

Are there openings in the Mentorship or Student Tiers?

⚠️ Spaces are limited and fill quickly.
I no longer use a waiting list. Watch for email announcements and act fast when a slot opens.

How does the academic method differ from American systems like Loomis or Watts?

Florence (classical): Observation, precision Casts, live model Naturalism, structure

Loomis: Construction Idealized planes Stylized realism

Choose based on the aesthetic you aspire to. Look at graduate/instructor work before committing.

📚 Books & Digital Resources

Essential Books

Digital Tools

🖼️ Model Packs & Image Usage Rights

✅ You may use the images provided in model packs to create original artworks, including those intended for sale.

❌ You may not redistribute the model photographs themselves.

All models have signed release forms allowing artistic use of their images within the confines of this Patreon.

🛠️ Update Log

🧾 Version History
v1.0 – April 2025: Initial post converted to link-rich, structured format
v1.1 – [Future additions here…]

Bookmark this page or save it to your browser for future reference. Check back monthly for new additions.

Files

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Comments

Argelia Suarez

I just joined and I am excited to advance in skill! I was wondering if you could show how you actually have you lighting in the studio set up I got a light off amazon but I dont know or more or less feel that its not sitting well with my warm ceiling light in my studio room.

Daniel Morris

Hi Stephen. I just wanted to ask you briefly about now painting solvent free. When did you make the transition to painting without solvents, and what was the biggest thing that you had to adjust to, from the way you painted before? (for example, how you do an underpainting?) Thanks

stephenbaumanartwork
>>105215093

Honestly, not much changed. The only thing you can't really do is the wachy this initial lay in on the canvas. Everything else is pretty much the same.

Elaine Shookry

Hi Stephen. I am new to your Paterson but did your Sargent course through Proko and loved it. Thank you for sharing your techniques and tools. I have been recently trying various surfaces for painting and I am keen to try the RayMar surface you have been referring to but I wasn't sure which one specifically as they have a wide variety of surfaces. Are you able to please advise which one I should be looking to invest in. Thanks again.

stephenbaumanartwork
>>112656336

I use the 13dp from Claessens. Solid stuff- though I am aware that they use some zinc in their oil ground. Debatably not as stable over time.

James Treweek

Hi, those Utrecht brushes look really good but can you buy them outside of the US? I can't find them anywhere.

Sonia Vasquez

Hey Stephen, I was curious as to what gouache you use/would recommend for using on drawings? Thanks!

Cee Triamornpan

Great FAQ's. I am just start reading Harold Speed.

Cee Triamornpan
>>36756479

Can you tell me why this book is important? I can read but english is not my main language that maybe I can miss some point of communicate.

LifeNote

it's strange i can't find cyril pierce's book, maybe you have a link for this book? :)

Lera Lyba

I was wondering what do you use to fix your drawings with white chalk? Yesterday I tried to spray my drawing with pastel fixative, but all the smoothness on the white surface disappeared, leaving sharp edges between white tempera and white chalk(it darkened).

michael joshua

what are your thoughts on Stephen rogers peck atlas human anatomy tho? would you recommend it?

David

Is a clutch pencil 2.0 lead better for general usage over the thinner 0.5/0.7 lead mechanical pencils?

Daniel Morris

Hi Stephen. For your graphite on white paper drawings (no chalk), do you usually use a paper with a bit of tooth, or one as smooth as possible? Though I don’t have the Stonehenge brand here in Japan, I want to try and replicate your materials as much as I can for graphite on white paper.

stephenbaumanartwork
>>37668025

Hi Daniel, minimal tooth is useful for drawing with graphite. However, no tooth whatsoever will result in the paper not taking the graphite well or scarring too easily. So, very smooth but not completely smooth.

Denise Barta Sagan

Hi Stephen. Have you done a tutorial on photographing models? I'd like to hear you talk about your best practices- how you select people and then the lighting, etc.

Carlos Yanguas

Hello Stephen, i was searching for the four parts of the tutorial youtu.be/WgQJM6G_aMA Is it available? Thank you in avance. I'm improving a lot with your videos

Carlos Yanguas

Another question, i can´t find the full version of this videos: youtu.be/JXaEfQFRabA youtu.be/HzWvSYgjHWA i don´t know if i can watch them with my suscription but i saw them before i suscribe and i would like to see your complete work and advices thanks again.

stephenbaumanartwork
>>38296128

Hi Carlos, both of these videos were from before I started adding commentary to my tutorials- they were essentially just time lapses. I've removed them from the site in favor of more in depth lessons.

Kelly Barnes

Thanks for this Stephen. Which colour Stonehenge do you use? Is it warm white? And so you wouldn't recommend medium grain paper, but smooth instead?

Luis Azmitia

Hi Stephen. Thanks for your nice tutorials and engagement. I was trying to make a portrait with someone with dirt on his face... it was challenging to stablish the values, and the same happened when trying to, for example, represent somebody with tattoos or any other extrinsic interference in/on the skin. How would you approach this kind of difficulties? Thanks in advance.

Denise Barta Sagan

Hi Stephen. I just saw your Instagram on PVA. So you can paint on a drawing done on paper with oil paint? That sounds wonderful! Are you planning a tutorial on that? I would love to see that done.

Stani Ovtcharova

Hey Stephen, I saw your instagram video where you put PVA size on top of your eye drawing, i'm guessing so you can paint with oils onto it. Can you also draw on top of the dried PVA if you need to re-work something? Or would you only do that when you are completely done with the graphite?

stephenbaumanartwork
>>39765778

I think that the pva wouldn't be compatible with graphite. Shellac might work for that though- but then you have a lot of yellowing.

Carlos Yanguas

Hi Stephen Could you please explain how to preserve our graphite drawings in order to store them and also could you give us some advice on how to frame them? Should we always use the Spectra fix spray before framing? What is the best way to apply the spray on the paper? Should we use passepartout or can we directly put the paper in contact with the glass? Too many questions… Sorry Thank you in advance Carlos Yanguas

Courtney Leigh Holder

Hi Stephen - thanks for you materials recs. I have sky lights in my studio but want to invest in some dome lighting or some consistent light option w a good color spectrum. Do you mind me asking what kind of lighting you use in your studio? Or point me to the right post if you’ve answered it before. Thanks so much - hope the move is going well.

Aras Saber

Hi,whys thisSargent content isn't available?

M

Its available August 1st.

Sam Peltola

Hey Stephen! I am trying to obtain your recommended portrait palette but cannot find a source for flake white in Europe. From what I understand, the lead pigment is pretty much banned under EU law. Which white would you recommend as a substitute? Cheers!

Nicole LE GALL

Hi, I'm in France, and I bought last year a tube of flake white also called blanc d'argent by BLOCKX

Maggie Tattersfield

I’ve just joined . I paid my subscription. But I can’t find the classes🧐

michael joshua

whats your go to for 2mm lead holders? have you found the 2mm equivalent to your pentel 120's?

michael joshua

hi stephen i can only find the mitsubishi uni in my country and not the hi-uni my question is which one would you prefer still the mitsubishi uni or the steadler ?

svetlana

Hi Stephen, I'm so happy to have joined. I have been dreaming of learning the Florence Academy technique for ages and now I can do it! I would appreciate if you could answer a medium related question. You're saying that you tend to only use linseed oil as a medium seeing as it's non toxic. That's what I've been trying to do especially considering that I work at home and I have a kid. But I have trouble with cleaning my brushes while I paint. Linseed oil isn't easy to clean brushes with. So I was wondering what you use for this purpose. I mean cleaning brushes in the painting process so that previous colours don't contaminate the new colours I'm mixing. Thank you!

stephenbaumanartwork
>>57660740

Hi Svetlana, it’s a good question. And really it’s the only place where I don’t really have a non solvent solution. I will just dip my brush in a bit of oil and squeeze out the paint with a paper towel. I know that CCS art materials makes a citric acid based solvent that is non toxic.

Javier Calderón

Hi Stephen! I'm not sure if this is the place to make a suggestion. Would be great to watch a video about how to photography our artwork. What camera, lens and light you use. Sometimes I feel that I've done a great work, but I don't know how to show it to the people. I'm sorry, it's just an idea for the future. You are the best.

Sam Peltola

Hey Stephen, what brand is the tablet mount you use on your tripod? I'm looking for a similar setup. Cheers!

Phyllis Riley

Is it possible for you to share a link for purchase of the proper Stonehenge paper? Most places seem to carry only the pads.

roberto rago

I may have missed it, but do you explain what fixer you use for your graphite works? If already disclosed I apologize ;)

Meg maguire

Hey, can i ask if you have any substitutes for the Stonehenge paper. I have only been able to find one supplier here in NZ and that’s in Auckland. I am at the other end of the country. While they are happy to post down, it would be great if I could get something I can find a bit more readily. Also you mentioned in the Atelier live feed that you would be listing where we can source casts from. When will this info be available? It might take a while for anything to get posted here, so i want to start to get things ASAP

Eduard

Hello Stephen, I just subscribed into the Atelier Tier. I would like to know if I can jump straight into that specific 1st trimester content, or whether I should view any of your older videos as prerequisites? Thanks in advance.

Sam Peltola

Hey Stephen, is there a good replacement for Blick Wonder White synthetic brushes you can recommend for us Eurodwellers? I just placed an order on Blick and they want to charge me $90 for shipping alone. So naturally, I told them to f... ehm, I politely canceled my order.

Juan Ignacio Balaguer

Hi Stephen! I just suscribed and I am a little overwhelmed by the amount of content. How can I start as a beginner? Im watching the drawing essential series and I don't really know how to start applying the concepts. Should I try drawing a beginner Bargue on my own? Or is there any of the follow along videos a better place to start? What videos/series should I go for next? Maybe a little roadmap to navigate through the content would be nice. Sorry if the question is to broad lol

Leonie Knowles

Is the Legion Oil paper available yet?

Louise Thompson (@louiseemily.art)

Hi Stephen, I live in the UK and can't get hold of the Blick Wonder White Synthetics or Utrectht brushes that you recommend. I saw in another response that you recommended the Rosemary Red Dot Synthetics as alternatives. Before I order, can I check that I've got the right ones and that the sizes cross over directly between brands? (I hoping so but stranger things have happened and this is all very new to me!); Blick long handle Filbert 2-6 alternative; https://www.rosemaryandco.com/red-dot-domed-filberts Utrecht Manglon Synthetic Brushes Flats 4-8 alternative (if correct, please can you recommend which size as it doesn't correspond to 4-8); https://www.rosemaryandco.com/red-dot-one-stroke-long-flats ROUNDS - https://www.rosemaryandco.com/red-dot-pointed-rounds You suggested Blick long handle Round alternative 1-6 and the Utrecht Manglon Synthetic Brushes Round 4-10. Which sizes should I get here? All 1-10 or can I start with fewer to get going? Thank you for your help! Best wishes, Louise

stephenbaumanartwork
>>76472983

Hi Louise, unfortunately brush sizes do not correspond whatsoever across manufacturers. The sizes and types you have described will do fine. You can start with a few and see how you like each one. You may come to feel that you like a totally different kind than the ones that I use, so don't worry about getting anything too exact.

Spencer

Hey Stephen - Apologies if you have answered this elsewhere, but my digging was unsuccessful: any easel recommendations?

Noemi Manalang

Hi Stephen, I've always practiced with photo references and would love to try working from a live model. How do you usually do your live model painting sessions in terms of how long the model will sit and break times? Thank you.

Daniel Morris

Hello Stephen, I have two oil painting questions being a beginner to oil paint: 1. do you personally use Gamsol/odorless mineral spirits, or just linseed oil only? And as a side note, if I do decide to use OMS solvent, should I keep the lid on my small solvent cup every time I am not using it (then open it when I do again), inside the painting session? I have seen some videos of artists where there seems to be no lid on their cup, and if this is a concern or not. 2. How do you clean up your oil rags/paper towels after a session? Do you hang them up or out to dry? Put them in a metal container with water? Both? And where do you eventually end up throwing them out? Into the regular trash. Just wanted to know what you do for clean-up (and any other safety tips you may have). Thank you! Daniel

stephenbaumanartwork
>>82187260

1. I only use linseed oil. If you use solvent of any kind it will evaporate into the air in the room where you are working. Everyone will have different standards of concern about this hazard but you should know that it is a hazard. Not debatable. If you use them then I recommend putting the lid on when not in use. 2. Plastic bag and out to the bin by the road after every session. Strictly speaking they should find their way to hazardous waste at the dump but that would mean stockpiling them until that trip is made which can be dangerous.

Daniel Morris

Hi Stephen. A question about oil painting surfaces from a newcomer to oil painting. I hear you and many others say that "oil-primed linen" is one of the best surfaces to paint on. Sorry if this question is a bit pedantic, but do you think it is the linen itself, or rather the oil-priming that makes the bigger difference? So, would a linen canvas with acrylic gesso still be pretty decent, or should I really go out and go do the oil priming also (will it really make a big difference having the oil primer?)? I know it will take a bit more time and effort to do the oil priming, so if linen with just regular gesso is good as well, then will try that too (as in, for portraits). Maybe both things are important, of course. Just wanted your thoughts. Thanks.

Daniel Morris

Hi Stephen. Just a quick question on your process for indirect (layered) paintings (with no thinner in your mediums): since you use no solvents, is this process of yours here accurate: 1. Underpainting: paint straight out of the tube, but wiped down on a rag or towel to thin it down to make it “dry” 2. Next pass: paint straight of the tube, with linseed oil when needed. 3. Last pass: paint with just more linseed oil. Please correct me where I am wrong, and I am considering switching out away from solvents totally like you, but just wanted to know how you do indirect painting, but still keeping the “fat over lean” principle.

stephenbaumanartwork
>>92840915

This is a correct assessment of my process. The 1st stage of which is not quite as necessary- the lean-ing out of the paint for the 1st pass. Fat over lean, while important, is more of a guideline than a mandate. If your paint is too lean it may not perform up to standard.

Richard R. Gandy

Hi Stephen. Regarding studio lighting, I noticed on an interview you did with Stan Prokopenko where you had flat panel LEDs as your main lighting. I think this may have been while you were based in the US. Would you still recommend them for those of us that would like to install in our own studio? If so, could you please provide the manufacturer, model, and where to purchase? Best regards, Richard.

Moises Menendez

I have been trying to find those long videos but I can’t. Could you tell me how to find those videos that you mentioned in your short videos, please

Meryl Freedman

Hi. I am not the most computer literate person, but maybe others have a similar query. I don't know how to access your live streams in real time. I know Monday 10AM Oslo time is a consistent livestream@ $10 tier. Is there 1 Thursdays as well? Do I link through an email invite or can I find it on my own some other way? Thank.

stephenbaumanartwork
>>97606588

Hi Meryl- as of this moment the only consistently scheduled livestream I do is the 3rd Saturday of each month for the Bootcamp Tier. This is a live lesson on a specific topic. I am experimenting with an additional livestream focusing on addressing questions from subscribers of any tier. Each of these take place at 4pm Oslo time. To take part- I always make a Patreon post with a video player that will activate at the time of the stream. Hope this clears everything up ;)

Meryl Freedman

Oh I see. Thanks, this answer leads me to another question I have been wanting to ask. I am ready to join the block in bootcamp, but I am wondering if I should join now or wait until it begins again . Not sure that it has a formal beginning? I have some drawing background.