Courses
General Information
Special Programs
Faculty & Staff
Search
Donate Now

Painting: Contemporary Strategies

  • Intermediate
  • Painting

This is a hands-on course that goes beyond mere skill building. Its purpose is to introduce various methodologies and representational strategies that have become prevalent in contemporary painting. Students will explore both abstract and representational modes of painting but assignments will allow a broad field of freedom of both interpretation and choice, while encouraging experimentation. The course encourages students to define their own voice and identify their aesthetic concerns through class critiques. Intermediate level.

Summer 2021:

8 weeks: Base Tuition: $355 + Model Fee: $30 = Total: $377

PLEASE NOTE: Due to COVID 19, special policies and regulations will apply. Students must be in agreement with these health and safety regulations and TSA's policies in order to enrol.


* This course is not currently open for registration

What you will learn

  • Exploring a spectrum of drawing media.
  • To use the figure in more conceptual, expressive and thematic ways than in standard studio figuration.
  • Using various visual references, visual tools and “automatism” (spontaneous imagination) as drawing methods.

Materials to Bring

Please keep your receipts to all purchases incase you need to return any materials.

  • Sketch Pad (Approx. 9 x 12)
  • Drawing tools like pencils, graphite sticks
  • Palette – you can purchase a tear off paper palette or you can save money with recycled take-out containers or plastic egg cartons
  • Containers for water (yoghurt, juice cans)
  • At least 4 Stretched canvases or wood or masonite panels (at least 24" x 36")
  • Brushes:

Filberts variously sized from 3 to 10 (and even larger if budget allows)

Flats - size 6, 8 3 

Rounds - size 2, 4

  •  ACRYLIC PAINTS: 

Titanium White, Cadmium Yellow Medium, Ultramarine Blue, Napthol Crimson, Paynes Gray.

Paynes Gray is a black that contains blue, so get a small tube of Black too (either Mars or Ivory) in case you need a flatter, purer black. 

Some useful extra options: Phthalo Green, Cadmium Red medium, Cerulean Blue, Alizarin Crimson, Burnt Sienna, Burnt Umber, Raw Umber, Yellow Ochre, Manganese Blue can be hard to mix from primaries so you may think of picking up in tube form or smaller jars.

Any other colours that appeal to you or you wish to experiment with.

  • A 16 oz jars of gel medium and also 8 ounce liquid matte medium for doing image transfers.
  • Newspaper, photo copies of images and magazine images for collages and gel transfers.