Videos
Quick List
- Canvas
- Ruler
- Scalpel / Stanley Knife
- Long Measuring Apparatus: Tape measure
- Pencils
- Compass
- Eraser
- Pencil Sharpener (the importance of this item can’t be overstated)
- Marker Pens
- Paints
- Paint Brushes
- Mixing pot for paints
- Silver and Gold Pens
Hanging Options: - Dowling Rod(s) or equivalent – e.g., small flat wood or substitute to facilitate fixing at the top/and bottom of the canvas. Plus glue suitable for use on canvas and wood. (NB Avoid using Super Glue; it can harden the canvas.)
- Saw for wood (Hanging Options)
- String or thin rope (Hanging Options)
- Drawing / Board Pins (Hanging Options)
- Tape for fixing (to table or fixing board)
- Backing / Fixing Board (Optional: see video above)
- Candle (Optional)
Detailed Information
Backing / Fixing Board
A backing board is useful to anchor your canvas, protect underlying surfaces while painting, and can help with the mobility of your working canvas. If you are using a backing board, you will need some sort of temporary, non-destructive way to fix the canvas to your board. Masking tape or medium tape can work well for this purpose.
Canvas
A medium white acrylic canvas is recommended – all other materials in this guide assume this acrylic canvas as a medium.
Check arts and crafts stores for supplies in the UK:
https://www.theworks.co.uk
https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk
https://www.jacksonsart.com/surface/canvas/canvas—type/by-the-metre/canvas—material/cotton
Note: If you cannot find a loose canvas, there are many success stories of buying a framed, stretched canvas which can be detached from its frame, either before or after completion. See here https://www.hobbycraft.co.uk/stretched-canvas-100cm-x-30cm/578312-1000
Canvas Size:
| Tree/Ladder Size | Surface Size |
| 2021 Course (16mm variant) | 850mm x 300mm White Acrylic Canvas |
Compass
A compass will be used for the architectural positioning and layout of the Sefirot, path alignment, and the finishing of the spheres of influence.
You will need compasses capable of managing all the sizes for your chosen Tree/Ladder. This will often mean you need more than one compass and up to three, depending on the size of the Tree/Ladder you are intending to manifest.
Note: Your compasses should be capable of securing pencils AND pens. This will support the work we will be doing on this canvas which will also include paint pens for drawing the spheres of influence. Your compass should hold its position fairly well, but with each stroke, you should check your compass alignment maintains its position.
Size guides:
| Size | Compass Must support: |
| 2021 Course (16mm variant) | 4mm, 16mm, 64mm, 80mm |
Rulers
A 60 cm ruler, or longer, is recommended when considering your canvas size which will enable you to draw a direct line from top to bottom. Your ruler should have good markings and a clean edge.
Note: The size of the ruler is dependant on the length of your Tree/Ladder so do adjust accordingly.
Pens
A set of black permanent pens is recommended for outlining. A variety of pen-tip sizes is useful so you can find your preferred thickness.
Some options: Superfine, fine and medium (0.4mm, 0.6mm, 1.0mm). If your unsure, a recommendation is 0.4mm (super-fine). Have 2-3 pens to hand to prevent lost time and disappointment because they can dry out quickly.
The gold and silver pens may be thicker or thinner. Generally, the silver pen is used for the spheres of influence; the gold may be used for lettering.
Pencil
An HB pencil is best used for the construction of the Tree/Ladder before making it permanent with an ink pen at a later stage. Some construction markings will be erased during the process, so ensure a good quality eraser is to hand.