THE PRINCIPLES OF OIL PAINTING

The Principles of Oil Painting

Wednesday afternoons 1:30 to 4:00pm (£240)

10 weeks from the 18th of September to the 27th of November

(no class on Wednesday 30th October)

Oil painting has been the most widely used medium of expression in the west for artists since the 15th century because of its versatility, richness and durability. It may not seem the easiest of materials to handle but, with a little guidance, it can be as straight forward to use as water-based painting materials.

This 10 week course aims to give you the confidence to use oils and to understand the mechanisms which make paintings work. Concentrating on traditional painterly concerns such as achieving the illusion of volume and distance we will use still life objects; from rocks and bones to fruit and veg, to serve as models, although we will also work from resource images. After the half term break we will turn our attention to painting the human form and portraiture which will refine these skills further.

Every class has an element of theory which we will explore by looking at art-historical examples and doing small sketches that illustrate the way it works in practice, before moving on to a longer study where we can put this information to the test in a less structured setting. The way in which colour affects form will open up an exploration into the way we interpret visually the world around us and the part that interpretation has to play in our colour choices. We will deal with specific palette and easel techniques as they become relevant so that by the end of this course you will be confident using oils for your own projects and understand the concepts and shared painting vocabulary of visual artists.

This course is aimed at both beginners and painters new to oil painting who want to widen their appreciation of how paint can create the illusion of form, depth and distance, that are key to both figurative and abstract painting. You are not required to produce any “finished pieces” although you are welcome to bring in any work you would like the group to appraise.

Click here to download the list of suggested materials for this course.

Click here to book your place

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