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Payments: if you would like to pay for your class spot via etransfer, please still register online through our website, and send your etransfer payment to lacombealbertaartguild@gmail.com to complete your registration.
About this class: "AN INTRODUCTION TO THE STILL LIFE -From Life" | For the New Artist (some experience) to the Advanced | All demonstrations will be done in oil, acrylic painters welcome
This exciting workshop is about keeping it “SIMPLE” and is geared for the artist (new or advanced) who is looking to explore and have a fresh appreciation for the beauty of “paint” using the still life, from life, as our perfect vehicle. This 1-day exploration will give you an important understanding of beautiful mark making, luscious paint quality, sculpting with your brush and painting light & creating form. We’ll stay true to those important ‘fundamentals’ (shape, value, edges & colour) as you learn to have the confidence in yourself to pull it all together and portray your subjects sensitively. This workshop is all about simple ‘Ideas’ and is so enjoyable for everyone.
We’ll be focusing on small, simple ‘studies’, and painting quick starts, in a small format. In the morning, Bobbi will paint an oil painting demonstration, explaining her process and the decisions made, and you’ll be free to ask questions throughout. There will be plenty of hands-on-guidance throughout the workshop. After Bobbi's demonstration, you’ll set up a small still life, using simple subjects you've brought from home, and devote the day to creating your own still life studies, painting from life, utilizing the ideas and concepts learned from the demonstration. This workshop is sure to transform your approach to your own work. My hope is that you’ll come away with a renewed confidence in your artist-self and a fresh look at yourpainting practice that will serve as a stepping stone to all genres. Note: Students will bring their own still life objects to make this a very personal experience. See supply list.
Supplies list:
All demonstrations will be done in oil, acrylic painters welcome. To ensure you have a pleasurable and successful experience, please read carefully and be prepared. (due to sensitivities, we would ask to NOT wear fragrances or perfumes. Thank you!
Paint: Please buy professional grade paint where possible. Note: Acrylic painters - names of colours may vary, please use approximate colours. Colours with * are optional but most likely will be on my palette for the demonstrations.
Titanium-Zinc White/Gamblin Flake White Replacement or regular Titanium White, Naples Yellow*, Yellow Ochre, Cad Yellow Light, Cad Lemon*, Cad Yellow Deep, Cad Red Medium or Light, Venetian Red*, Alizarin Crimson,Cad Orange*, Pthalo Blue, Ultramarine Blue, Burnt Umber, Raw Umber, Burnt Sienna/Transparent Oxide Red, Ivory Black*. Floral Colours if painting flowers, note: if you have been enjoying a particular palette please bring it along.
Burnt Umber is the colour I use to mass-in and tone my painting surfaces
Brushes: I'll be using the following brushes for oils and would like to see everyone using hogs bristles as paint application is a BIG focus in the workshop. It's good to have a couple of each.
#2 Filbert, Hog Bristle (this is approx 1/4 inch wide), #4 Filbert, Hog Bristle (this is approx 3/4 inch wide)
Acrylic Painters: stiffer synthetic bristle for acrylic paints in the same size.
Bring an assortment of brushes, flats or filberts, whichever is your preference.
Palette Knife: Thinner Trowel shape, metal, about the size of your thumb (3 inches long). We'll be using the palette knife to paint with so not the teeny tiny ones and no plastic knives.
Pallette: FOR OILS, a glass palette or wooden palette is best providing the wooden one has been treated with oil prior to the workshop (several times). Otherwise large paper palette is fine.
Acrylic painters: Please use a large Stay-Wet Palette for ease of painting in this workshop.
Mediums:
Odorless Minerals Spirits (oil painters) - covered lidded container/cups: for cleaning your brushes only
Medium: Oil Painters cups: mix a medium of 1) 1/2 linseed oil + OMS in a small cup for painting 2) and another small cup, straight oil or
Whatever other medium you are accustomed to working with such as Liquin, megilp, gambln gel, etc.
Acrylic Painters: whatever mediums, extenders, you prefer. Extenders are useful for massing in and gel medium is great for texture.
Canvas: For both oil and acrylic painters: Stretched canvas, canvas boards, gessoed panels, or canvas on panels. Also Canvas Pads mounted on a support: Fredrix canvas pads are good quality.
Please no cheap wobbly canvases.
Sizes: We'll be painting smaller studies for the day. So a combination of lightweight canvases or boards I often cut canvas/canvas pad and mount to a hard surface. or
Small canvases, etc - minimum 3 for the day of studies - 8x10 or 12x16s (which can also be sectioned into 2 or 4 little paintings, etc.) We will be painting simple subjects ie: a vase with grapes or a pear, etc. This workshop is about 'starting' your paintings, paint quality, etc.
We will tone the canvases at the workshop.
Objects to bring for your still life: Please read carefully
Give this lots of thought. Artists will bring their own personal objects for their still life paintings. Do you have a favourite smaller vase (for example)
Is there a colour combination that you feel you would like to explore (perhaps inspired by your vases' colour?)
Ideas for small studies: Fruit: for sure bring a few pieces of fruit that you'd like to paint , ie: oranges, peaches, lemons, apple, cantaloupe, plums, etc. | Think: Lovely colour, lovely shape, lovely accent, complementary colour.
For your small still life study: You might decide to cut the fruit up and/or if you want multiples of the fruit in your painting, bring odd numbers (3) so one might be cut up. Think of colour ideas, complements with your main subject or a colour idea.
Vases: A smaller vase or vessel/jar, statue, bowl, etc. Could be glass, ceramic, brass, silver, etc. Not too large a we will be painting life size on smaller size canvases.
Drapery: Bring a cloth/drape to drape in your backdrop of your still life. Think light against dark or dark against light when you're gathering your objects - nothing to upstage your beautiful subject for the backdrop. (I will supply the backdrop for your still life)
If your vase is: light, think darker background, if it's a dark vase, think a middle value or lighter value ... or dark against dark (mysterious), or even light against light. Does your vase have a pattern - what would complement it. This is your personal visual idea. Bring a second cloth if you'd like a cloth on your table top (could be white or even a tea towel).
Again, think of colour theme/idea with several options. Bring smaller objects (tiny cup for example) for accents as this workshop is about painting studies.
You will be painting life size or smaller so take this into consideration/canvas size.
Feel free to bring an artificial flower or two if you like.
Note: I will bring some drapery as well as a few still life objects and some fruit but not enough for the whole class.
Think something light, something dark, something bright, something dull.
Supplied: I will bring still life cardboard backdrops for your still life stand. If you'd like to bring your own light, there are some small attachable lights for still life that many students use and can be purchased at Canadian Tire (I think). Some are battery operated and some need electrical outlets.
Paper towel: Bring a roll, you'll use lots or rags cut up from old t-shirts
Apron
Gloves
Plastic wrap or wax paper to cover your palette
Camera or an I-Phone: To take photos of your paintings and my demos
Other: Many students buy clamp on lights for their still life set ups. These are often battery operated or electric and can be purchased at Canadian Tire (often bring 2 as one may lose its charge).
And most important - your patience and sense of humour! Painting is hard work - we need to be gentle with ourselves!
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me at bobbi@bobbidunlop.com
About Bobbi Dunlop: I am a long time professional artist and life-time learner about painting! I paint full-time and have been teaching workshops and classes since 1994. I'm passionate about painting and it is a joy to share my simplified approach to painting with my students.