Painting I, Acrylic

Painting I, Acrylic is the introduction to the fundamentals of painting. We warmly recommend taking this course prior to any other painting course, even if your ultimate medium of choice is oil. Acrylics are fast drying, water-based paints, and will allow for quicker exploration of various approaches to painting.  Because of this, technical rules and planning process are (unlike with oils) virtually nonexistent in this course.

This said, the course will provide an in-depth introduction to color theory and invite students to begin to think about composition not just in terms of form and value but also with regard to color. As there is no one ‘right way’ to paint, we shall actively explore a variety of ways to begin and develop a painting, through hands-on investigation of concepts and techniques that these processes entail: tonal (under)painting, block-out (under)painting, wash, direct painting, layering, impasto, glazing, scumbling, dry-brushing, painting sgrafitto, etc. Incorporated in these processes are various technical questions that will also be answered:  we shall learn about canvases, primers, stretchers, brushes, palette knives and other tools, paints, pigments, mediums, and more.

The course is comprised of 8 two hour classes.

Materials:

• acrylic paints (yellow, red, blue, black, white)
• brushes (at this level any basic set will do)
• palette knife
• palette paper (alternatively wax paper)
• 4 canvases or canvas boards

You will receive an email with more in-depth information about materials when you register.

Arrivals: Please arrive 10 min early to set up your working space; instructors will start their lectures promptly at the beginning of each class.

What to bring and what to wear: Please bring your supplies as instructed. Please try not to come in nice clothes. We have aprons, but accidental splashes do occur.