Thursday, September 23, 2010

New Class Session Begins September 30--Join Us!

I hope you'll plan to join us for the next eight-week session of classes. As you'll see in the class schedule below, I'm trying some new things geared to honing some skills and thought processes!

If you'd like to join us please contact me.


Class Schedule
September 30-November 18, 2010
                                                      

Class 1— September 30— The 3-D Painting
Perspective, value, color and composition all work together to create depth. We’ll analyze those elements to make a painting that recedes. Bring a photo with a good sense of depth to it and we’ll look more closely at these elements.
Scent of Rain, 12" x 18"

Class 2— October 7— Turn Up the Contrast
Contrast is one of the elements that creates movement and gives pizazz to a painting. Find a photo that has a good range of values from dark to light. In this class we’ll ask how we can create effective contrast that draws and moves the eye.

Class 3— October 14— Night
Find a nighttime photo with an interesting pattern of colorful lights to paint. We’ll analyze what makes the nighttime painting successful, painting on dark paper. We’ll discuss how you can make your own dark colored surface for this painting.

Class 4— October 21— Complexity Behind it All
At this class I’m going to try to help you see and understand better how to approach a complex background that resides behind your subject matter by patterning light and dark, as well as identifying and repeating shapes, colors and textures. Your photo should have something like a tangled forest or textured hillside overlapped by the subject matter in front of it.
Almost Spring, 12" x 18"

Class 5— October 28 — Palette Shift
A subtle shift in color can make a huge difference in mood, so today we’re going to do three small (4x6” to 6x9”) paintings, one in grayscale and two others with a limited value scheme. We’ll slightly shift the palette and see the beauty of using subtle varieties of colors for each one.

Class 6— November 4— Lost and Found
Edges are compelling! Today we’ll work from life, drawing and painting some simple objects that overlap one another. We’ll use “lost and found” edges to sculpt space and move the eye through the composition. Bring three small objects and a background for them, your sketchbook and drawing tools.

Class 7— November 11— Asymmetrical Square
The directional thrust of a square painting is challenging, so today we’ll look at how to make an asymmetrical composition in a square piece. You’re welcome to work from life, if that helps you, or find a photo that you can recompose into a square composition.
Sandia Square, 9" x 9"

Class 8— November 18—Final Critique and Class Potluck
We’ll do an in-depth crit of the paintings done in this class or anything you’re working on outside of class. Food and fun!
For cost and other class information, go to the Upcoming Classes tab at the top of the page.