Traditional & Post-Contemporary Realist Oil Painting

From 127.44 $ /h

Note: ALL SUPPLIES & TOOLS ARE PROVIDED FOR THE STUDENTS FOR THE FIRST TEN (10) LESSONS — All canvas, stretcher-bars, panels, paper, brushes, pens, pencils, ink, charcoal, paints, varnish, etc. The finished artworks are, of course, your to keep.

There are many ways to create a so-called "realistic" oil painting. And there are many visual tools that an artist can use to make a beautiful visual statement. Whether using thick impastos, thin washes of solvent-based color, bodied glazes, or mixed media elements, each technique can yield an engaging visual experience. Painting is, after all, a means of communication.

In this course, we will begin with the basic ideas and techniques for drawing and painting forms as the eye sees them. You will learn every stage for producing aesthetically pleasing and technically strong oil paintings. We will discuss concepts and ideas for painting, developing different studies, stretching the canvas, line drawing, tonal lay-in, dead-coloring (or color block-in), and modeling the forms (1st painting, 2nd painting, and finishing). We will also cover the techniques of alla prima or premier coup (direct painting in one pass). We will also study the formal methods of composition, different kinds of perspectives, paint surface and paint quality (facture), and proportions. And, of course, we will discuss the use of varnishes, including the final picture varnish.

Stay calm and confident if some of these terms are new to you. We will adapt the lessons for each artist. I will help you to learn, understand, and perform each step of the painting process.

Whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced painter: there is something for you!

Extra information

The preferred venue for each course session is my professional 100 square meter art studio in Woluwe-Saint-Pierre. My studio is a professionally maintained studio space with excellent lighting, model stands, student easels, good ventilation, and all the materials for creating fine works of art.

I can provide a list of materials to the student who desires to purchase their own, including high-quality French or Belgian linen or other items. However, I'll provide all the materials for the first ten lessons. This is also true for the costly genuine mediums (advanced). Each complete lesson is ideally 3 hours, including all art materials for that lesson (for the first 10 lessons). Three hours per lesson provides the best-structured learning environment. Students are free to abbreviate the session at any point. However, there are no discounts for shortening the pre-paid session.

I will cover all of the course materials in approximately 40 hours.

Belgium Registered Business

Location

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At student's location :

Around Brussels, Belgium

About Me

I am a husband, father (daughter, 35), grandfather (granddaughters, 4 and 9), son, and a post-contemporary artist. I was born in Saint George's, Bermuda, but raised mostly in Southern California in America. I have traveled extensively as an adult. I speak a little french. I love learning and I love teaching art and art history. I believe the term for our endeavour is properly: Visual Culture. And, the study of Visual Culture is for everyone... at every age it is important. It is never too late to start.

Education

M.F.A. (Master of Fine Arts) in Contemporary Studio Art and Visual Culture, Lesley University College of Art & Design
B.A. (Bachelor of Arts) in Visual and Performing Arts, University of Maryland, U.S.A.
Foundation Studies, Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A.
Seminars in Traditional Painting with Studio Escalier, Argeton & Paris, France; Angel Academy, Florence, Italy; Vincent Desiderio, Orvieto, Italy.

Experience / Qualifications

I have over 40 years of commercial & fine arts experience, and teaching art experience. I have extensively studied traditional European painting techniques (academic French, Flemish, Italian); I am also versed in the techniques of contemporary art making.

Age

Children (7-12 years old)

Teenagers (13-17 years old)

Adults (18-64 years old)

Seniors (65+ years old)

Student level

Beginner

Intermediate

Advanced

Duration

60 minutes

The class is taught in