Dive into studio landscape painting and learn how to transform photo references and sketches into fully realized paintings. Rather than copying the image, students learn to interpret and restructure the landscape using clear value relationships, simplified shapes, and strong compositional decisions.
Each class includes live demonstration and individual feedback as students develop their work over the course of the semester. Both new and returning students are welcome.
Additional Information:
MATERIALS CHECKLIST:
1. Photo reference: An iPad, tablet, or laptop with your reference photo. If working from a printed photo, I suggest printing as large as possible or as close to the size of your painting as possible.
2. Painting surfaces: (1) small canvas or panel for your sketch (11x14 or smaller) and (1) primed canvas or panel for your final painting. Universal acrylic priming will suffice but I strongly recommend students try working on oil-primed surfaces. A cost effective way to do this is to add a layer of oil-priming over a cheap pre-primed canvas. I recommend Gamblin’s oil primer, but please note that oil primers require at least one week of curing prior to use.
3. Palette: Any palette will work. If you are using a wooden palette for the first time, look up how to prepare it with linseed oil prior to use.
4. Brushes: I like to limit myself to 4-5 brushes during most painting sessions. Fewer brushes facilitateefficiency and consistency in our mark making. Please bring a selection of bristle flats/filberts rangingfrom 1/2'” to 1” wide (sizes #4-10), a 1⁄2” nylon flat for making sharp lines, and a large (2”) flat brush(can be a hardware store chip brush). Palette knives are also useful for cleaning, mixing, and creatingsharp edges.
5. Brush Holder: A roll-up carrier, zipper case, or plastic tube is great for protecting your brushes inside your pack.
6. Paint: My palette generally consists of 11 colors: flake white*, Cadmium yellow lemon, Cadmium orange light, Transparent iron oxide, Cadmium red light or Napthol red, Quinacridone rose, Anthraquinone red or Alizarin crimson permanent, Ultramarine blue, Cobalt teal, Manganese violet, and Sap green.
7. Medium: A slow drying, fluid or gel medium is best for maximizing working time and can help cover your surface faster. I use Rublev’s Oleo gel.
8. Brush Washing Container and Solvent: I use a small metal container with a lid that seals to hold my solvent for cleaning my brushes. I mostly use Turpenoid odorless mineral spirits. You can find a sealable brush washing container at an art supply store or possibly a hobby store.
9. Small Sketch Pad and Pencil: Useful for preliminary sketches and notes.
10. Vine charcoal: For initial drawing.
11. Spray fixative: This must be casein-based if you will be using it indoors (or in a school.) Spectrafixworks well.
12. Paper Towels/Rags: Paper towels are great for messy jobs like palette cleanup, but I find that a single cotton shop towel can last a full painting session. I use both.
*Note on lead white: *Flake and cremnitz refer to common types of lead white that many large paint manufacturers no longer make for various reasons. Lead carbonate and lead sulfate are the primary pigments used in them and are toxic primarily through ingestion, but safe to use with standard studio precautions like not eating while painting. I urge all my students to try lead white in place of titanium because of its lower tinting strength and higher translucency; these qualities make for a much more“mixable” white. You may use titanium white if you like, however, lead white is more suitable for the methods I teach. Williamsburg, Michael Harding, and Rublev are locally available brands. RGH is significantly cheaper, but only available online.
