Pathways are directional marks and shapes for our eyes to follow across a 2 dimensional artwork. They are a powerful compositional tool to keep the viewer’s eyes engaged and moving around a composition. They’re also great for artists to practice, because they emphasize that if we’re to think compositionally, each part must play a role …
Most of the time when people draw something such as a still life, they draw the objects and then neglect everything around the objects, like the table holding it up, and the wall behind it. A drawing like this shows us a thing floating in nothing instead of an interaction of depth, volume, and surfaces …
Contemporary Painting
- Teacher: Charity Baker
- Class Length: 8 sessions
- Class Days: Weekly on Tuesdays, beginning January 6
- Time: 6:00PM – 9:00PM (PDT)
CONTEMPORARY PAINTING
Students are encouraged to explore their individual artistic voices and perspectives to investigate what contributes to a “powerful image”. This online class offers a focused curriculum comprising life study, art history, color theory, and diverse painting techniques.
Discussion and practice will be linked to the foundations of representational art while also embracing modern trends and concepts in contemporary art. This dual approach exposes students to a broad spectrum of artistic styles and influences, fostering a dynamic and diverse approaches to explore contemporary painting.
Image: Heran Bas, Tartini’s Dream
MATERIALS:
PAINT
Artist’s choice: Oil or acrylic paints
Recommended economical brands in oil are: Gamblin, M.Graham Co., RGH Paints, Utrecht.
- titanium white
- titanium buff
- cad yellow light
- cad red light
- yellow ochre
- magenta
- ultramarine blue
- terra verte (green earth)
- caput mortuum (Violet Oxide, or Spanish Earth)
- Raw Umber
- Ivory Black
PAINTING SURFACES For each class we will work on one or two paintings in a suggested small or
medium size. Below is a choice of three different approaches to making painting surfaces including a
very economical choice of using paper. I will always encourage you to choose the size you want to use
per project, so that you can enjoy the experience to the fullest.
1. Gessoed Paper (optional: with a Gloss Medium coating) is an economic option
2. Stretched Canvases: suggested sizes
(4) 11×15; or 9” x 12”
(4) 18×24; or 20” x 24”
(2) 30X30”, OR 24×30”
3. Roll of primed canvas: Dick Blick Cotton Canvas By the Yard – 12 oz, Acrylic Primed (64-1/2'' W x
6 yd) in which you can cut to size as you go.
TOOLS AND OTHER
● selection of brushes, large, med and small in round shape only
● Palette (choose one of the following)
– Handheld wooden
– Paper, disposable
– Glass, resting on white surface
● Paint rags (can be old t-shirts) or-/ Good quality paper towels
● Palette knife
● Solvent (odorless mineral spirits)
● Baby oil or Mineral oil to clean brushes
● if using acrylics, containers for paint and water
● an easel, wall, or board upon which to attach the canvas
DRAWING SUPPLIES
● small to medium sized sketchbook (recommended)
● pencils/charcoal, eraser