STAA Beginners Oil Painting Workshop Syllabus/Lesson
This course will introduce students to classical and some contemporary painting, techniques and concepts. Even though previous painting experience is not required, the training will prepare students to develop skills in producing fine art by establishing foundations to grow upon. Painting from still-life will be geared towards realism, and color theory, compositional structure, figure/ground relationships, visual perception, spatial concepts, and critical thinking skills will all be emphasized. Oil will be the medium of choice for the class.
Although this may seem to be a lot to absorb, the emphasis will be to encourage and nourish individuality and creativity.
Objectives:
Develop students’ confidence in using painting as a primary medium for artistic expression.
Develop understanding of indirect painting techniques (like the Old Masters) with contemporary media.
Develop understanding of oil paints, painting mediums, and painting surfaces.
Content and Scope:
Color Theory: color wheel (primary/secondary, complementary), transparency/opacity, hue, value (intensity,
brightness), chroma (saturation/purity) and temperature (warm/cold).
Composition: space, movement, balance, asymmetry, rhythm, shapes, proportion and lighting.
Media Characteristics and Surfaces: Oil and canvas (primed).
Painting Techniques: indirect method (grisaille/grayscale underpainting), glazing, scumbling and blending.
Oil Mediums: Alkyd mediums, mineral spirit, varnish.
Daily Activities:
(Each day is a 3-hour lesson to insure student success.)
Day 1
Introduction to realism painting using grisaille technique like the Old Masters.
Short lesson on painting mediums and substrates.
Short lesson on filbert brushes and why they are my brush of choice.
Introduction of subject matter to be painted (photo reference).
Drawing transfer to canvas.
Demo of wipe-out (bistre) underpainting using burnt umber (or other color). Learning about light vs. shadow mass.
Student completion of bistre underpainting.
Day 2
Lesson/demo on mixing value scale using raw umber, ultramarine violet, and titanium white.
Student mixing of value scale.
Grisaille (grayscale) underpainting demo of subject matter using mixed values, with explanation of techniques
being used. This period will serve as question/answer time prior to student painting.
After demo, students will return to their respective workstations and begin their own paintings.
Instructor will walk around, answer questions, and give each student individual help as needed.
Day 3
Mix value scale again (paints will likely be dry).
Continue working on underpainting with instructor oversight/help.
Grisaille underpainting should be completed in this sitting.
Day 4
Short color theory lecture given.
Lesson on setting up color palette given with addition of painting medium.
Analysis of colors in subject matter (class participation).
Lesson/demo of mixing color using a limited palette given.
Lesson/demo of glazing given with explanation of techniques being used. This period will serve as
question/answer time prior to student glazing.
After demo, students will return to their respective workstations and begin their own glazing.
Instructor will walk around, answer questions, and give each student individual help as needed.
Day 5
Palette setup.
Lesson/demo of second glazing layer with explanation of techniques being used. This period will serve as
question/answer time prior to student glazing.
After demo, students will return to their respective workstations and begin their own glazing.
Instructor will walk around, answer questions, and give each student individual help as needed.
Day 6
Palette setup.
Lesson/demo of second glazing layer with explanation of techniques being used. This period will serve as
question/answer time prior to student glazing.
After demo, students will return to their respective workstations and begin their own glazing.
Instructor will walk around, answer questions, and give each student individual help as needed.
This is the final painting day, and paintings should be completed at this time.
Short lesson on signatures and signing the painting given.
Question and answer session.