Keeping it Fresh: Quick Studies in Oil

Keeping it Fresh: Quick Studies in Oil

Adult Course | Registration opens 7/2/2024 7:00 AM MDT

200 Grant St Denver, CO 80203 United States

206

Intermediate, Advanced, Professional

8/16/2024-8/18/2024

9:00 AM-4:00 PM MDT on Sun Fri Sat

Download iCalendar

$360.75

$306.64

$15.00

This fast-paced 3 day workshop invites students to explore the world of small, quick, alla prima paintings (under 1hr). Composition is paramount—we will focus on big relationships (shape, value, color). We will stress value structure and brushwork in monochrome, then dive into color theory with a split primary palette. Building confidence through decision-making is a primary goal of this workshop.

Intermediate oil painting and drawing experience required.

  • Day 1
    AM: Intro, Brushwork exercises & Monochrome Demo
    2 monochrome quick studies, 15 min each
    PM: Monochrome Demo 2 and Value structure Discussion
    2 monochrome quick studies, 30 min each
    Choosing a reference (homework for Sunday)

    Day 2
    AM: Palette layout, pre-mixing, palette logic and keeping it organized
    Demo full color quickstudy (15 min)
    2 x 15min studies
    PM: Demo: 30-45 min study
    2 x 30 min studies
    Help select personal references

    Day 3
    AM: 45 min study, 60 min study
    Private critiques
    PM: Demo: adding finishing pass to a 45-60 min study
    Single 60 min study
    Review work as a group and offer feedback, takeaways
  • Supplies:

    Pigments
    • Titanium white
    • Cadmium yellow lemon/pale/light
    • Indian yellow (I highly recommend Michael Harding)
    • Cadmium red medium
    • Alizarin crimson (I recommend the permanent version)
    • Ultramarine Blue
    • Viridian
    • Ivory Black

    Equipment
    • palette
    • Refined linseed oil in a small jar
    • Gamsol odorless mineral spirits (in a can or jar with heavy lid and good seal, as we will keep it covered when not in use). I highly recommend a brush washer like this if you don’t already have one:

    https://www.jerrysartarama.com/da-vinci-air-tight-brush-washer

    • Shop towels, viva paper towels, or cotton rags
    • Palette knife (no plastic please)
    o The brand does not matter but please find this particular shape, 

    : https://artmaterials.ca/product/sonnet-palette-knife-long-narrow-rounded-tip/ 

    (Guiry’s has something similar. Jerry’s does not seem to have it but most art stores should).

    • Optional: Jar of cheap vegetable oil (I use safflower oil from the grocery store) to dip/store brushes in overnight. We will talk more about brush care!
    • Recommended: nitrile gloves
    • Brushes (see below)
    • Mahl stick
    • Palette scraper

    Supports
    • Oil primed linen sheets will be provided (included in materials fee)
    • 3 pieces of wood or Masonite or ACM (or similar) to tape your sheets of linen to (about 11 x 14 is great). No cardboard.
    • Artist tape—white or black (no blue tape)

    Other Stuff
    • Sketchbook for notes and thumbnails (whatever you currently use is fine)
    • Graphite Pencil
    • Eraser (kneaded if you have one)
    • Method for viewing reference photos on day 3. For this particular class, since we are simplying so much, the small image on a phone screen works fine! Please do not print giant photos.

    BRUSHES
    Quality brushes that make precise, predictable marks are so helpful. Please don’t bring ragged, old or splayed brushes (but save these for landscape paintings!!). You can purchase all brushes from Rosemary and Company where you'll find prices to be very affordable and the brush quality outstanding. This company is located in the UK so please allow time for international shipping if you buy from them. If you prefer not to purchase these, please ensure you have brushes that will readily obey your will and perform the same functions described below. Having duplicates of brushes is really nice when painting fast to cut down on rinsing time.
    *** I recommend the long handle for all brushes. Also, as a disclaimer, if you put in the code "ROBINCOLE" at checkout I do get a small kickback, and I think you may as well. But this is not the reason I recommend great brushes. ;)

    • Ivory long flats 1, 2, 3, 4 (x2), 6 (x2), one larger if you are planning on working large.
    • Evergreen filbert #1 (x2)
    • Everygreen long fiberts 2 (x2), 4 (optional: a larger size or two as well)
    • Evergreen round #0 (browse their smaller and larger options as well if you like details or often use rounds for landscape)
    • evergreen long flats #4, 6 (optional: a smaller size or two as well. Read the descriptions of each to see which suits you better for a second layer, wet-on-wet brush)
    • Sable Series 81 (or red dot series if you prefer synthetic) #8 or 10 (more if you want, these are for blending but they are more expensive. You will probably enjoy these a great deal if you paint portraits!)
    • Optional for wizarding edges: Eclipse comber 1/2" or similar size

Robin Cole, born in Denver, Colorado in 1985, is a painter, draftswoman, and encaustic artist working in the tradition of realism. Though related to the familiar genres of landscape painting and portraiture, her work explores a slightly unusual, more nuanced and closely experienced relationship with nature that is at once otherworldly and scientific. Cole received her BA in English at Colorado College as a Boettcher Foundation scholar before making a shift in her studies and career to pursue fine art. She later completed the post-baccalaureate program in Studio Art at the Burren College of Art in County Clare, Ireland, and went on to earn a Master’s of Fine Art in Drawing from the Laguna College of Art and Design (LCAD) in 2013. These pursuits were supported and informed by a variety of artist residencies including the Anderson Ranch Arts Center, the Helene Wurlitzer Foundation, and Spiro Arts. Following completion of her MFA, Cole stayed on for five years as faculty at LCAD, where she was able to utilize both her literary and artistic backgrounds to teach a variety of undergraduate drawing and graduate writing courses. In 2018, Cole received a second artist grant from the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation in support of her current work, as a follow-up to her initial grant in 2012 for her unique encaustic drawings. In spring of the following year, Cole returned to her native Colorado with her family; she now works and teaches at her home studio in Arvada and the Art Students League of Denver. To learn more about Cole’s work or to contact the artist, please visit: https://www.robincole.art/