Course Description: "Traditional Painting Materials is a comprehensive program in teaching techniques, methods and theoretical aspects of painting. There is a strong emphasis on the nature of observation and the way it is used and registered in painting & drawing.

The course will draw upon a wide range of historical and contemporary sources helping students to develop a critical awareness of their developing skills, technical proficiency and ideas. The subject will include practical painting methods & techniques essential to the handling of oil and paints.

Introduced will be characteristics and use of opaque and transparent pigments, painting mediums, glazing, colour mixing and colour selection, uses and types of brushes, preparation of painting surfaces (canvas, stretchers and alternative material), various approaches to paint application, including blending, glazing, scumbling, wet in wet, encaustic (wax), impasto, etc. Students will learn techniques and methods of painting representational images, composition and scale, how to use and handle paint competently and generally discover the manipulations used to effect realism and the different degrees of abstracted realism". 

historical reference: Rembrandt, unfinished canvas

left: student example: Simon

Assignment #2: students - Amir, self portrait, Anna, copy of old master

student example: Rachel, self-portrait

historical reference: Rembrandt, self-portrait

contemporary artist: Rick Amor, Self-portrait in Winter, 2002

grinding paint

colour chart

  colour chart

student example: Julie

historical reference: 19th C. Ingres copy of Odalisque

contemporary artist: Domingo Barreres mixed media on canvas

student example: Julie

historical reference: Ingres, La Grand Odalisque, 1814

contemporary artist: Su Baker, Stretch, oil & digital print on canvas, 2002

student example: Julie

acrylic reference: Al Held, Apeture #IV, acrylic on canvas, 2000

acrylic reference: Linda Bessemer, Fold, acrylic paint

Class #5: alla prima painting & stretching linen demonstrated

class materials:

historical reference: Jan Steen

student example:

historical reference: Carel Fabritius, The Goldfinch, 33.5 x 22.8cm, panel, 1654

student example: Nancy

 

historical reference: Rembrandt, The Jewish Bride

contemporary artist: Ron Muecke, Untitled, mixed media, 2000

student example: Rachel

historical reference: Carducius Ream, Still Life of Hanging Grapes, oil on board, 12" x 7"

contemporary artist: William Bailey

contemporary artist: William Bailey

student example:

 contemporary artist: Wayne Thiebaud

Class # 8: Observing green apples under three of four different light sources; flourescent, incandescent, natural, candle or coloured light

student example: Rachel

historical reference: Zurburan, still-life with lemons, oranges and a rose, 62 x 109 cm, oil on canvas, 1633

student example:

historical example: Juan Sánchez Cotán, Quince, Cabbage, melon, and cucumber, 1602

contemporary artist: Janet Fish, still-life with green tea cup, oil on canvas, 1999

Class # 9 : Emulating reflective objects by observing Christmas balls

contemporary artist: Anish Kapoor, 2006

student example: Heather

  historical reference: Hieronymous Bosch

contemporary artist: M.C.Escher

student example: Mischa

historical reference: Michelangelo Caravaggio, Boy being bitten by a lizard, oil on canvas, c. 1600

contemporary artist: Lucien Freud, Queen, 22 x 15cm