Introduction to Oil Painting Thursday evenings Spring term

£294.00

with Nataliya Zozulya: 7:15-9:45 each Thursday from 4 February

Maximum class size 8. Easels, boards, chairs, and tables provided. Please bring your own painting materials - see list below.

The perfect opportunity to get started in oil painting. This course introduces a systematic approach, with exercises to build confidence and unleash the imagination. You will learn techniques relevant to all styles of painting and begin to develop your own style.

Course Programme

Day 1 – Materials, Colour & Basic Techniques

Part 1: Materials, Colour & Foundations

Introduction to Materials

· Oil paint and how to make your own oil paint

· Brushes: types, sizes, fibres, and price differences

· Supports and grounds (canvas vs. wooden panels); why sealing the support is important

· How to prepare your own palette

· Mediums and cleaners

· Easels

Practical Work

· Creating a colour wheel (primary, secondary, and tertiary colours)

· Understanding warm and cool colour families

· Exploring value and chroma

Part 2: Brushstrokes & Basic Oil Techniques

· Learning different brushstrokes using the shape of a mug (with visual examples)

· Painting simple shaped objects (time permitting)

Materials: Three canvas panels (30 × 40 cm)

Day 2 – Form, Light & Still Life

Part 1: Form, Perspective & Light

· Basic forms in everyday life: sphere, cube, pyramid, cone, etc.

· Basic perspective principles

· Drawing a circle in perspective

· Light and its colour

· Using tone and light to create the illusion of three-dimensional objects

· Drawing and painting a simple object in one colour (link for tutorial)

Part 2: Still Life in Colour

· How to begin a still life painting

· Using a viewfinder to improve composition

· Importance of accurate drawing

· Preparatory sketches in tone and colour

· Underpainting in colour

· Blocking in the main shapes with washes

· Materials: two canvas panels (25x30 cm)

Part 3 – Developing & Finishing the Still Life in Colour

Correcting the drawing
Simplifying tonal masses
Avoiding over-focusing on one object
The colour of the light source and its influence on hues
Finishing the still life

Please contact us with any questions

🎨 Essential Materials for the Course

Surfaces

Three canvas panels (30 × 40 cm)

two canvas panels (25×30 cm)

Brushes:

Range of good quality hog for oil painting long filberts and flats from number 4 to 10

(long handle)

Oil Paints:

· Cadmium Yellow

· Yellow Ochre

· Cadmium Red

· Alizarin Crimson

· Ultramarine Blue

· Phthalo Blue

· Raw Umber

· Titanium White

Other Materials:

· Sansodor (odourless solvent) Please do not bring turps or white spirit to the classroom.

· Palette: rectangular or oval medium wooden

· Brushes natural hog for oil painting (long handle) N 4, 6, 8,10

· Winsor&Newton palette knife N21 or N22

· 2 jam jars with lids

· Kitchen roll

· Old shirt or apron to protect clothing (or wear old clothes)

· Small drawing pad A4

· Pencil, eraser