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Painting 1 and 2

  • Introduction-Intermediate
  • Painting

This is an ongoing, mixed-level studio course with an emphasis on development and expansion of visual language skills. Students are encouraged to work on structured exercises that lead to developing individual projects. We will explore fundamental painterly concerns such as light and shadow, colour relationships, paint handling, composition, abstraction, gesture, energy, intention and personal expression. Working from observation of still-life, figure and landscape, classes include structured exercises, inspirational lectures based on contemporary and historical painting, demonstrations, and critiques with the emphasis on painting time in a supportive environment.

Winter 2020:

12 Weeks: Base Tuition: $495 + Materials Fee: $28 = Total: $523

Spring 2020:
10 Weeks:  Base Tuition: $422 + Material Fee: $35 = $457

Notes: It is recommended that students have taken an Introduction to Drawing course, or have some drawing experience. Medium: Acrylic or oil paint. Safflower oil or Walnut oil will be used for demos in this course. Please notify the office or instructor if you are allergic to walnuts.
* This course is not currently open for registration

What you will learn

  • Perspective and the rule of thirds for a harmonious or disruptive composition
  • Colour mixing
  • Conceptual framework: Composition, colour, and subject used in still life
  • Traditional use of glazing
  • Health and safety
  • Figure drawing/painting: Gesture, proportion, foreshortening
  • Portrait drawing/painting: Planar drawing, points of “colour,” shading

Materials to Bring

Materials List:

  • 1x Pencil - one from home is fine or see below for a better selection       
  • 1x Newsprint pad 18x24"         
  • 1x Stick of conté - burnt sienna 
  • 2x Bulldog clips, 3"         
  • 2x Masonite or wood panels – pre-primed with gesso - varied sizes of your choice, but keep within these sizes: 11x14" to 18x24". Use a square format if you like.
  • 2x Stretched canvas – pre-primed with gesso - cheapest is fine (varied sizes)   *Any size you like but the brush sizes I have given are for the size range of the ones listed above for the masonite and wood panels. You will need to buy a few bigger brushes if you go above these sizes.
  •  4x Brushes, incl.:
    • Filbert, ¼”, ⅛”
    • Flat, 1/2"
    • Flat – cheap bristle brush for large surface area coverage, 1.5"
    • round - ¼”
    • ***Brushes – Synthetic, bristle, sable brushes are all welcome. 
  • 1x Safflower oil distilled from art supply store 75 ml (if you are using oils), 
  • If you are working in acrylics please bring a spritzer bottle to fill with water (to spray on your palette to keep it moist). 
  • A more expensive but much more effective alternative to the spritzer bottle method of keeping your acrylics wet would be to buy a “Stay Wet palette” or make your own palette/sponge device to extend the drying time of your acrylics. The Stay Wet palette has a seal tight lid and a wet sponge to keep your disposable palette sheet and paint wet for two weeks or more.
  • Acrylics - optional - but very useful - you can bring a medium to slow down the drying time of your acrylics called a “retarder” if you don’t buy the Stay Wet palette. An acrylic medium called “airbrush medium” is very useful for creating smooth glazes (a traditional method of painting in thin layers).
    • *Bring rags and a jar with a lid for your safflower oil or water
  • 1x Palette knife - 2" long blade or close to it.
  • 1x Palette (see information above for acrylics) - disposable pad for oils or acrylics, size 12x16" or bigger. Glass works great as a palette at home but not good for transport for obvious reasons.         
  • Paint oil or acrylic your choice, all 37ml size except where noted
    • 1x Titanium white (you may want to buy the 200ml, it is a colour that is used a lot.)           
    • 1x French ultramarine blue           
    • 1x Alizarin crimson           
    • 1x Cadmium yellow hue           
    • 1x Yellow ochre           
    • 1x Burnt umber           
    • 1x Burnt sienna 
  • Extra items you may want to buy but not necessary:           
    • 1x Cadmium red hue
    • 1x Cerulean blue           
    • 3x Pencils - 8B, HB, 2H