2182 - Introduction to Oil Painting

Course Overview

Experience the unique medium of oil painting with an emphasis on the balance between material and subject. The course will focus on an exploration of the material and its diverse possibilities for expression, as student learn how to handle and manipulate oil paint and oil mediums to serve their vision, learning from both art history and from experience.

We will focus first on an understanding of the diverse possibilities of oil paint i.e. the use of oil mediums (and their possibilities for altering paint viscosity, altering surface quality, drying time, handling etc.), knowledge of supports (canvas, panel), grounds, and the nature of light and color relationships.

Our discussion of content will focus on how to think critically, how to self-examine, how to assess the success of an image and its expression, and how to generate the questions important to ask oneself and others about art.

What You'll Learn

• Understanding of the use of oil mediums and their possibilities for altering paint viscosity, altering surface quality, drying time, handling etc.), knowledge of supports (canvas, panel), grounds, and the nature of light and color relationships.
• Learn how to approach the challenging medium of oil paint, with tools of technique, knowledge of history, and an exploration of artistic expression.
• Learn how to handle and manipulate oil paint and oil mediums to serve your vision.
• Develop a sense of self-discovery and criticality and a voice to express what cannot be shared through words.
• Learn how to critique artworks, be able to provide and receive constructive feedback on your works and others.

Who Should Attend

This class is for beginning artists and those who may have painted, but wish to deepen their understanding of and love for this medium.

Additional Information

Oil Painting Required Materials

You don’t need to buy all of these materials before class - I will go over all of the materials on the first day of class.

Oil Paint (student grade Winsor and Newton recommended, don’t get Micheals or Hobby Lobby generic brand)

-Cadmium Yellow

-Cobalt Blue

-Ultramarine Blue

-Cadmium Red

-Titanium White

-Payne's Gray

-Green of your choice

No black!

Oil mediums/solvents

Small bottles of following:

-Odorless mineral spirits or Gamsol (no turpentine!)

-linseed oil or “fast drying medium”

Studio Items

-Glass jar

-Palette - glass, wood, or disposable sheets (if glass, also get a razor scraper)

-Large foam brush

-Brushes x4 (very small detail brush, small in “bright” or “flat” square shape, medium filbert, large)

-Palette knife - I prefer metal kind

-9x12” hardboard panel or piece if plywood (doesn’t need to be cradled or primed)

-9x12” canvas

-18x24” canvas

-Blue shop towels (Home Depot or a hardware store has these)

-Nitrile gloves

-Sketching paper, pencil, eraser

Items can be purchased at the following:

Artisan Albuquerque -good for paints, mediums, specialty items

Michaels/Hobby Lobby- good for affordable canvases, mediums, paints

Home Depot/True Value Hardware- Good for paper towels, glass, wood

UNM bookstore, dickblick.com

Testimonials

"I have taken this course 2X already— it is wonderful. Sarah Vite is an inspiration."
- Tanya Shpakow