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!